Audio connectivity options - Analog or optical? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Pick]

I'm thinking of getting a new HD DVD player (the Toshiba HD-A2 or A20, or A3/A30), and I currently have an Onkyo AVR that does not have HDMI. I plan to connect the player to my Panasonic plasma using HDMI for the video, and using either 5.1 analog or digital optical to my Onkyo for the audio. Which route would sound "best"? I currently use an Oppo player the same way described above, using optical to the AVR and it sounds great. I've never used 5.1 analog with any source, and have always thought that digital is best. What do you think?

 

[Alon Goldberg]

If you use an optical cable then the Digital to Analog Conversion will take place in the AVR. If however you use RCA cables then the Digital to Analog Conversion will take place in the DVD Player.

So what this comes down to is which DAC's are superior, those in the AVR or those in the DVD Player. What model Onkyo AVR do you own?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

If your Onkyo does not support HDMI audio, the only way to get HD audio (DD+/TrueHD) is analog. The optical does not support multichannel PCM (the current players decode HD formats first) or bitstream HD audio. So depending on the player, you will only get high bitrate downsampled DD or DTS through the optical.

The only option for DD+/TrueHD/DTS-HD is analog 5.1. The A2 does not have these. Of the other current players, only the XA2 has 5.1 analog outs. For the new players (3rd gen), the A3 and A30 have no 5.1 outs, the A35 does.

So to get full HD audio from your HD DVD's, you would need to upgrade your receiver to one with HDMI audio capabilty, or spend the extra bucks for the XA2 or A35. Note: Toshiba has said that even with the 3rd gen players, the XA2 is still the flagship player.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Alon, HD audio is decoded in the player. Aside from regular DD/DTS, the DACS don't really matter.