Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Can sound quality differ between decoders?

Thanks for the explanation and link Chris. I used the search function on the DTS website and that FAQ did not turn up as a hit.

So it is true that it will take a hardware change in future PS3 models to enable this feature. I wonder if Sony would bother doing this?

Yes, it would require Sony to use a different chip. They've already made at least 3 or 4 different hardware revisions of the PS3, but never changed out the HDMI chip. So I doubt they'll do it until they make a "PS three", like the smaller/thinner versions of the PS1 and PS2, which sometimes gained new features (like progressive scan DVD playback).

While I have a receiver which supports the decoding the the HD audio formats, I don't see a reason to do it that way. There is more than enough bandwidth on the HDMI cable, and if the player is doing the decoding then it can provide features like mixing in secondary audio (for things like commentary or interactive features). With bitsteaming that's not possible, and the secondary audio is unheard.

A decoder which passes the Dolby/DTS certification for the lossless formats will produce exactly the same output as any other properly functioning decoder. It doesn't matter if it's done in the player or in the receiver.

The one "benefit" enthusiasts always bring up, is if the receiver knows that it is a DTS-HD MA track with 5.1 channels and you've asked for 7.1 dematrixing, it will apply NEO:6 instead of Dolby ProLogic IIx. Know what? I like the sound field created by PL IIx more than NEO:6, and by sending LPCM to my receiver I can choose which algorithm to apply (conversely I can use NEO:6 with Dolby TrueHD, if I so wanted).

Bitsteaming gains nothing over decoding to LPCM, and actually loses some features or flexibility.

You are saying that Neo6 dematrixing can't be applied to a 7.1 PCM signal? (I'm not in front of my system so can't test this right now)

So other than the above question, the only benefit is to see your receiver light up with the HD audio format of choice?

Funny, cuz that's partly what triggered starting this thread in the 1st place!

No, Neo:6 can't be applied to a 7.1 PCM, because it's already using all 7 channels.

But Neo:6 -or- PL IIx can be applied to a 5.1 PCM. Where as some receivers limit the user to applying PL to Dolby bitsteams and Neo to DTS.

Yeah, all the bitsteam gets you is a light.

Oops, I meant 5.1 PCM - typo!

You know, this is great information and is something that I bet most people don't consider when shopping for AVR's. You don't need to pay for HD audio processing depending on where you decode.

Thanks! I have learned my something new for today - except it took me a few days to get there!

I did not know that. Thanks.