A counter to that observation would be.. Even if it was 15.1 I and many people would only use 5.1... There are a lot of people who still use 5.1, even though there are other options like 9.1 ect...

True, but you could also say the same thing about it if is was only stereo. (well almost, it's the principle of the matter.) I'll soon have a 6.1 system, so it'd be worthless for me. Sony did a good job of hiding the fact that it was only 5.1. Nowhere did it mention it, except in a spec sheet where there were some Yes/No answers. Beside 7.1, it just said NO.

Where do you see 5.1? Are you talking about the S590? It's gonna output what's on disk, be it 2.0, 5.1, or 7.1, or 116.9.

From the Amazon description:

Sound you can feel
Experience the highest sound quality with Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD codecs which reproduce high-definition sound with 7.1 channels of discrete audio for uncompromised quality.8

You might be right, but under "Decode-ability, I get this" from the Sony site. Link

AV Sync : Yes
Dolby® : Dolby True HD decoding (5.1Ch)
dts : dts-HD Master Audio decoding (MA)

Dolby® TrueHD and dts®-HD codecs reproduce high-definition sound with 7.1 channels of discrete audio for uncompromised quality.

I found it. It does do 7.1.

I've been running 0 for 0 here lately. I think maybe it's about time to give it up...

Same link as above, but under Features, this time.

I don't know guys. I plugged it in, it seamlessly talked to my router, it's quite fast, the remote works just fine, it talks to the net when required for playing Blu-Rays, produces stunning video & audio & it plays my SACDs flawlessly. It does everything that I want it to plus 3D that I don't use.

How long it will last, I don't know, but for less than $100 CAN that I recently paid, it's a helluva deal...

The only problem for me is that the player's diminutive height left a gaping hole above it that revealed my rat's nest of wires behind it. I had to place a statue of a cat on top to conceal the nastiness back there.

TAM

Thanks for the info, TAM.

Thanks for all the replies, folks. I will stick with my current Sony for now. When I can find an extra hundy I just might pick up that Sony S590 because if supports SACD, a format which I think I'll be diving into soon. In the meantime I'll rest easy knowing that my current optical player is up to my tasks for everything else.

The wait for my M60s is farking agonizing. I custom-finished them, and mistakingly ordered them with the wrong stain. Now I have to wait to receive the sample for the right stain so I can evaluate it and notify Axiom to complete my speakers and ship them, and the added wait is excruciating. I'm kicking myself for not taking more time during the ordering process.

Most of the current generation consumer BD players only have analogue audio out for front L/R and no component video out. To get 7.1 audio out you need an Oppo which is regarded as among the best. Also only the older Oppo 93/95 has component out.

In case you're interested there may be refurbished 95's available direct from Oppo for $800.

No, if the disc has 7.1 audio, that's what the player will output through its HDMI or coax and optical digital outputs.