HD Advisor September 25th, 2009

[Attebery]

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...dvisor_29/3388

[JAC35]

Is this where we chat about the homework?

[holsty101]

Yep.

(text limit)

[AndersT2]

About the Blu-ray playback on PC and Logitech Z5500.

If your hardware can decode the True HD and DTS MA, the only way is to use the analog 6ch output as mentioned.

I have used the Z5500, and found that the internal decoders for DD and DTS truly are super crap. You will get a much better sound on those formats as well with using the analogs. The sound volume might be a little higher on the toslink, but don't let that fool you.

I jumped back and forward bethween the connections when I used it, and there was a big difference in quality bethween them, and analogs where the best. I tested this with both the Creative Audigy 2 and XtremeMusic soundcards, both with the same results. And many on a Norwegian forum also have come to that conclusion.

The Logitech set is a great sound system for it's type and price, but only used with analog inputs. The DACs in the unit SUCKS, so all digital should be abandonen on it.

If your using the PCs motherbord soundcard, an upgrade to a stand alone soundcard would be a good investment. I would recomend the Asus Xonar cards over Creatives anyday, because they have the ability to make a 5.1 digital track if the source don't have a pure DD, DTS, True HD or DTS MA iun the first place (Like in games). Their HDMI cards are a little expencive, but future proof, but the standard cards do the job great too.

[JAC35]

I have these speakers as well, and I am using the analog inputs from a HTPC. I did quite enjoy them as well with the TOSLINK cable out an HD-A2 HD-DVD player. The special thing about the HD-A2 is it outputs TrueHD as 1.5Mbps DTS which I thought sounded really decent.

As far as getting TrueHD and DTS-MA out of a HTPC, good luck with that. There are only two soundcards (last time I looked) sort of on the market that will do it. They are quite expensive and they require special edition of playback software that support protected audio path. (PAP) You would also require the daughter board for the soundcard to give you analog output ports and of course that is at an extra cost.

The other thing to consider is, I was told quite sharply on another highdef site that the speakers in the Z-5500 set are really not high end enough to allow you to even hear a difference with lossless sound. So i'm not sure if is even worth persuing the lossless sound holy grail with this speakerset.

[robetclo2516]

In order to enjoy Dolby Digital plus, Dolby TruHD and DTS master audio I beleive that a sound card should have the capability to decode those signals and then sent through dedicated output for each chanels. If you are using and optical or coax digital output to an external decoder there is no possiblity to obtain a full Dolby TruHD and DTS Master Audio because those digital outputs cannot support the bitrate neccesary for those codec they are downsize to a regular Dolby Digital and DTS bitstream.

To be able to get a full Dolby TrueHD or DTS Master audio only a HDMI 1.3 output can carry direcly the bitstream. In other hand if an external amplifier can support HDMI 5.1 (or more 7.1) and if a sound card can decode DDTHD or DTSMA and then recode them in PCM 5.1 or more. Or a soundcard with DDTHD and DTSMA with outputs dedicated for each chanel connected with an external amp with dedicated inputs chanels could also do the job or the best an external Amp with a HMDI 1.3 input that can receive and decode the Dolby TruHD and the DTS master Audio and sometime Dolby Digital Plus rare on Blu-ray but more common in the late HD DVD format.

[AndersT2]

Originally Posted by JAC35

The other thing to consider is, I was told quite sharply on another highdef site that the speakers in the Z-5500 set are really not high end enough to allow you to even hear a difference with lossless sound.

I hooked the Z5500 speakers up to my old Sony VA555ES surround receiver for fun, and the speakers did a hell-of-a-lot better with that one than the Logitech amps, it did sound quite good for a so low end system. Didn't get the sub to work with the Sony, but it was just a test run.

I never got the sub to be integrated, but I only did use it with my PC, and had the sub under the table. It did sound good when I was standing in the other side of the room.

[Favelle]

Originally Posted by AndersT2

About the Blu-ray playback on PC and Logitech Z5500.

If your hardware can decode the True HD and DTS MA, the only way is to use the analog 6ch output as mentioned.

I have used the Z5500, and found that the internal decoders for DD and DTS truly are super crap. You will get a much better sound on those formats as well with using the analogs. The sound volume might be a little higher on the toslink, but don't let that fool you.

I jumped back and forward bethween the connections when I used it, and there was a big difference in quality bethween them, and analogs where the best. I tested this with both the Creative Audigy 2 and XtremeMusic soundcards, both with the same results. And many on a Norwegian forum also have come to that conclusion.

The Logitech set is a great sound system for it's type and price, but only used with analog inputs. The DACs in the unit SUCKS, so all digital should be abandonen on it.

If your using the PCs motherbord soundcard, an upgrade to a stand alone soundcard would be a good investment. I would recomend the Asus Xonar cards over Creatives anyday, because they have the ability to make a 5.1 digital track if the source don't have a pure DD, DTS, True HD or DTS MA iun the first place (Like in games). Their HDMI cards are a little expencive, but future proof, but the standard cards do the job great too.

THIS. Back in the day I used the z-5500's, and if you want the best sound possible from that configuration, I'd use the analog outs from your PC and get the lossless sound.