Audiophiles - TrueHD audio or Subby?

[Usarka]

What am I better off getting, a new amp with HDMI input to decode TrueHD or Masterwhatsitsnuts, or a subby?

Till now I've go some nice 3 way speakers that handle the bass nicely, a decent centre, couple of good sourounds. Blu-ray player (ps3) doesn't have analogue outputs and no fucking way I'm paying twice as much as the ps3 for a player that does.

Mainly thinking of movies. CD music doesn't matter shit cause it's not good enough quality and I wouldn't use a sub for it anyway.

So what's it going to be punk? Did he spooge five times, or did he fire six? Sub or Amp?

[CookMySock]

You don't have a sub?? WTF?

If your speakers do an ok job with bass, then make sure you get a proper SUBwoofer that goes down to at least 30Hz, and not just a bass boom-box.

I built a sub for my car that had a -3dB point @ 26hz and stuck a kilowatt up it, and it was fucking devastating. It was bad enough playing music through it, but movies would have been really weird.

Steve

[p.dath]

FYI, FreeView don't transmit in DTS or any of the other digital surround options. You have to be able to decode plain old [analogue] Dolby Prologic to get "surround" for FreeView movies so encoded. Prologic can be delivered via plain old RCA audio cables, or fancy optical (but pretty much makes no difference).
Although you will want an HDMI connection to your TV if you can (and assume you TV can display HD).

Just in case you were thinking of running your TV via it ...

[Blackshear]

It would be much easier/more informative to all of us if you could list your current speakers, room size, budget etc.
Some people actually get decent audio from the get go and are really pushing the need for a sub at all.

For example;
I have a single pair of Wharfedale 9.1 bookshelves for my computer/music/movie setup, and I don't feel too much the need for a subwoofer, and these only go down to about 100Hz with respectable amplitude. Once I get my grubby hands on an old stroker and find a chippy though, shit will be so cash.

A GOOD subwoofer will always work wonders for the cinematic 'experience' that you can FEEL.

You just need to ask yourself one question. Will you play 5 movies a year or 6?

[Usarka]

My major life issue is that Blu-Ray has proper "master" sound, and I can't take advantage of it without streaming PCM or the high def signal both of which require HDMi audio. Woe is me.

You don't have a sub?? WTF?

If your speakers do an ok job with bass, then make sure you get a proper SUBwoofer that goes down to at least 30Hz, and not just a bass boom-box.
Steve

WTF yo self!? My floorstanders go down to 32Hz. Your sub must be a cardboard fridge box with a glad-wrap tube periscope.....

[Blackshear]

Ok, so audiophile's pushing it a tad.....
[/SIZE][/I]

I was actually looking at a pair of those last weekend. They've got the funky stationary dust cap right?
If your speakers were worth more than $4k, I'd have told you to bugger off back to valve amps rofl.
I'm not too clued up on all this fancy HDMI receivers, but I believe the PS3 uses HDMI 1.3, and I'm not sure those are cheap.

Offering only my opinion, I would say buy a subwoofer (Not that you REALLY need one) over a new HDMI receiver, as it would be a rather minor upgrade for the price.

[Headbanger]

Fuck I hate subs.

[onearmedbandit]

I have a Yamaha 5.1 component system at home, that while it has 2 HDMI inputs and one output doesn't support TrueHD audio. So I have my PS3 running HDMI to the tv and optical audio to the home theatre. This gives me all the audio quality I need. I could use the HDMI output to upscale older technology, such as a older dvd player or game console but seeing as the PS3 handles all our movie and gaming needs there is no need.

[Usarka]

I have a Yamaha 5.1 component system at home, that while it has 2 HDMI inputs and one output doesn't support TrueHD audio. So I have my PS3 running HDMI to the tv and optical audio to the home theatre. This gives me all the audio quality I need. I could use the HDMI output to upscale older technology, such as a older dvd player or game console but seeing as the PS3 handles all our movie and gaming needs there is no need.

If you set your BD output on the PS3 to PCM (not bitstream which is default i think) then the PS3 decodes the audio and sends it uncompressed to the receiver so you should get high def audio. The receiver will say something like "PCM", or it might even say "Dolby", but it should be just routing the signal to the speakers.

Optical cable doesn't have the bandwidth which is why I was asking about HDMI, so it either does full HD sound in stereo only or degrades the signal to standard DTS/Dolby 5.1.

So I understand....

[Tank]

I have a single pair of Wharfedale 9.1 bookshelves

Im a bit of a movie buff and last year set up a dedicated movie room. Looked at tons of speakers / read what seemed like 100's of reviews. I settled on the Wharfedale 9.1's for the rears and sides (I run a 7.1 setup).

Top speakers and would recommend them to anyone.

[Tank]

What am I better off getting, a new amp with HDMI input to decode TrueHD or Masterwhatsitsnuts, or a subby?

Till now I've go some nice 3 way speakers that handle the bass nicely, a decent centre, couple of good sourounds. Blu-ray player (ps3) doesn't have analogue outputs and no fucking way I'm paying twice as much as the ps3 for a player that does.

Mainly thinking of movies. CD music doesn't matter shit cause it's not good enough quality and I wouldn't use a sub for it anyway.

So what's it going to be punk? Did he spooge five times, or did he fire six? Sub or Amp?

If you are happy with the depth of bass with your current system - then I would spend the money on the amp. You can always add a sub later. Dont forget cable - it cost a ton for good stuff, but makes a hell of a lot of difference.

[Tank]

You don't have a sub?? WTF?

If your speakers do an ok job with bass, then make sure you get a proper SUBwoofer that goes down to at least 30Hz, and not just a bass boom-box.

I built a sub for my car that had a -3dB point @ 26hz and stuck a kilowatt up it, and it was fucking devastating. It was bad enough playing music through it, but movies would have been really weird.

Steve

Good subs mix with a full system and add depth where needed. They should not be over powering. They should not be big ass " fucking devastating" dooof- doooof - that is normally left to little boi racers with their cheap ass shitty sound boxes.

Bright side most grow ouf of this and get some good stuff when they get older.

[vifferman]

Wharfdales. [snortle]

[James Deuce]

With the continued practice of fucking up perfectly good recordings by over-engineering them and then compressing the shit out of them to keep the iPod MP3 weenies free of too many artefacts I don't know why people bother with more than a $40 Logitech 2.1 sub and two transistor radio spec speakers.

Seriously, "CD music not good enough"?

Listen to a CD mastered 25 years ago. Listen to one recorded last week. Doesn't matter what you listen to it on, the frequency range expressed by the older CD will blow your mind. And that is shit compared to a nice piece of vinyl and a decent turntable rig.

Most people set their subs sensitivity too high. It should only kick in when it needs to. Like when James Earl Jones speaks, or the WTC falls down. One with a phase inverter can be great for watching movies and getting the depth necessary to a movie soundstage to present a believable atmosphere.

Digital audio is an oxymoron. I don't know how many of you realise how even listening to a decent DJ or electronica band in a tent at BDO is an analogue listening experience rather than a digital one. Your ears don't turn on and off unless you've got Meniere's disease. Modern recording techniques and most of all, modern listening habits, have just about destroyed audio quality. I like to hear finger noise, squeaking bass drum pedals and instrument harmonics, not generic universally accepted best practice production values.

[Headbanger]

Modern recording techniques and most of all, modern listening habits, have just about destroyed audio quality. I like to hear finger noise, squeaking bass drum pedals and instrument harmonics, not generic universally accepted best practice production values.

Lets hope the recording industry burns in flames and the musicians craft can once again become the mark of quality in regards to an album, rather then the "skills" of the producer and his team of people and gadgets.

When I'm elected President of the World I shall make a law that all albums have to be reordered and signed off as complete within a two week period, They can spend years writing and perfecting their craft if they want, But when they enter the studio they lay it down, get the fuck out, and the album is released.