6 ch/8ch better than optical?? please help!!! (1 Viewer)

[MOZfreek]

I own a Harman/Kardon 635 7.1 reciever, also an H/K dvd-38 currently they're hooked up via optical cable, someone told me i should instead use the 6 ch. analog input, my question is should I? or keep it the same?
Also, Im slowly but surely building my home theater, i inherited my dad's Kenwood jl-776 tower speakers, i cant find anything on the web about them called kenwood cust. service, they were no help...they had no info on these speakers !!! What the heck???? also just bought a Cambridge Soundworks psw-1 sub for 70 bucks, it sounds great! but i've been told i should upgrade this as well, to go a klipsch sub. Are my friends right and should I scrap all these speakers? and go really high end or what?

 

[Al.Anderson]

The six channel analog is better if you are playing SACDs, and I believe it's better if you are running Bluray and your receiver decodes the HD audio. Except for those two cases, doesn't matter.

 

[Ed Moxley]

If you're just watching regular dvds, I'd stick with the optical connection. If your player also plays sacd or dvd-audio music discs, you'll need to use the 6 ch. analog inputs. If you go blu ray, get a player that decodes the HD audio formats internally, and sends the signals via the 6 ch. analog outputs, such as the Panasonic DMP-BD80K. That way you'll be able to hear the HD audio formats. How much difference you hear between those and regular DD and DTS depends on how good your speakers are.

If the speakers sound good to you, don't worry about what they say. You're the one that will be doing most of the listening. You will need to try and get a center speaker that timbre matches the fronts. You can also disable the center speaker, in the receiver's setup menus, which will cause the fronts to create a "Phantom" center. This works ok, but not as good as an actual center speaker.

EDIT:
Al............the receiver doesn't decode HD audio over the 6 ch. inputs. None of them do. Receiver only decodes them over HDMI. When using the 6 ch. inputs, the player must decode the formats. The 6 ch. inputs bypass the receiver's processing entirely. That's why you don't have bass management when using them, in most cases. There are a couple of exceptions though.

 

[chuckg]

Don't worry about trying to please your friends with what you purchase. It's YOUR money, YOUR ears, and YOUR system! If you try to keep getting the latest, greatest, and best you'll soon run out of money for beer.

 

[slipchuck]

as far as I know, you need optical for dolby digital (or digital coax)

good luck

randy

 

[Ed Moxley]

Originally Posted by slipchuck

as far as I know, you need optical for dolby digital (or digital coax)

good luck

randy

FYI........
You can still get dolby digital and dts over the 6 ch. analog inputs.
Most prefer to use optical or digital coax, so they'll have bass management. But if you want to hear the HD audio soundtracks from blu ray movies, and your receiver doesn't have HDMI, you MUST use the 6 ch. analog inputs.

 

[MOZfreek]

Oh yeah I forgot to post my center speaker, JBL venue series, surrounds are Cambridge Soundworks S100

 

[MOZfreek]

I know what you're saying, but I also want a decent home theater experience as well. I was thinking since i have old front speakers and a subwoofer thats i think about 10 yrs old (granted desinged by H. Kloss) I thought maybe I'm missing something.

 

[MOZfreek]

Originally Posted by chuckg

Don't worry about trying to please your friends with what you purchase. It's YOUR money, YOUR ears, and YOUR system! If you try to keep getting the latest, greatest, and best you'll soon run out of money for beer.

Well, also someone is selling me a pair of JBL 312 for $200 bucks, but I dont know if those are better than my Kenwoods or am I gonna even tell any difference?

 

[MOZfreek]

Originally Posted by Ed Moxley

If you're just watching regular dvds, I'd stick with the optical connection. If your player also plays sacd or dvd-audio music discs, you'll need to use the 6 ch. analog inputs. If you go blu ray, get a player that decodes the HD audio formats internally, and sends the signals via the 6 ch. analog outputs, such as the Panasonic DMP-BD80K. That way you'll be able to hear the HD audio formats. How much difference you hear between those and regular DD and DTS depends on how good your speakers are.

If the speakers sound good to you, don't worry about what they say. You're the one that will be doing most of the listening. You will need to try and get a center speaker that timbre matches the fronts. You can also disable the center speaker, in the receiver's setup menus, which will cause the fronts to create a "Phantom" center. This works ok, but not as good as an actual center speaker.

EDIT:
Al............the receiver doesn't decode HD audio over the 6 ch. inputs. None of them do. Receiver only decodes them over HDMI. When using the 6 ch. inputs, the player must decode the formats. The 6 ch. inputs bypass the receiver's processing entirely. That's why you don't have bass management when using them, in most cases. There are a couple of exceptions though.

I Have a PS3 for blu ray and i dont think it has any rca hook ups at all, only hdmi and optical in. Imsorry for sounding like a complete noob but what is sacd?

 

[gene c]

I own a Harman/Kardon 635 7.1 reciever, also an H/K dvd-38 currently they're hooked up via optical cable, someone told me i should instead use the 6 ch. analog input, my question is should I? or keep it the same?

In your case I would use both. As already suggested, use the digital connection for dvd's and cd's and use the 6/8 channel inputs for DVD Audio (the DVD-38 doesn't do SACD). H/K dvd players are one of the few that don't have Dolby or DTS decoders built in (especially at that price . Maybe yours are smarter than mine.

should I scrap all these speakers? and go really high end or what?

I would scrap them all and start over. Get a matching 5/7.0 system and a good sub. But no need to go "high end". Again, do a search. Many good quality speakers out there at good prices.

 

[MOZfreek]

Originally Posted by gene c . Maybe yours are smarter than mine.


I would scrap them all and start over. Get a matching 5/7.0 system and a good sub. But no need to go "high end". Again, do a search. Many good quality speakers out there at good prices.

Thanks Gene, I really like my Cambridge Soundworks Psw-1 so I think Im gonna keep that one for a while, I have a Klipsch ksw-10 but I think the amp is bad, doesnt turn on, already tried to change the fuse but nothing. As far as my other speakers, I was thinking about buying matching ones like you suggested, should I go new, or should I surf around sites like craigslist? amazon has some decent jbl towers for around 200-300 range, what do you think?

 

[gene c]

You can get some really good speakers used for a fraction of the price. Only problem is you usually can't listen to them before you buy. Do some research before you buy to make sure it really is a good deal. People/companies prey on the less knowledgeable (hint: Bose). But there's nothing wrong with vintage speakers if they're in good shape. I like Craigslist and Estate sales because it's the seller who often times doesn't know what they have.

Before you buy anything make sure a matching center and surrounds are available, and at a decent price.

Buying new speakers at a closeout price is probably the best way to go. They would be new, they would come with a factory warranty (not so critical with speakers but still good to have) and most of the time (but not always) come with return privileges.

Look at Newegg.com for some real good deals on the Polk-Monitor line. Free shipping, too! Only problem is you would have to use the bookshelf M30's for surrounds (O.K. if you have the space) or find a pair of satellites from another Polk series.

 

[Al.Anderson]

Quote:
Al............the receiver doesn't decode HD audio over the 6 ch. inputs. None of them do. Receiver only decodes them over HDMI. When using the 6 ch. inputs, the player must decode the formats. The 6 ch. inputs bypass the receiver's processing entirely. That's why you don't have bass management when using them, in most cases. There are a couple of exceptions though.
Thanks Ed. Just getting back to this thread and appreciate the info. One of these days I'll fully get HD audio.