A few questions regarding audio output through HDMI to AV Receiver

[ShakenSoul]

Hi All,

I recently got a setup comprising of Onkyo SR508 + Jamo S606 speakers

http://www.hifivision.com/home-theater/17012-ht-setup-45k-onkyo-sr508-ht728.html

My source is a dedicated HTPC which has a ATI 5450 connected through HDMI.

A few questions which I have,

1. When playing flacs, the receiver takes the input as PCM and I am playing in Pure Audio mode in the receiver. Is that the best input that the receiver can receive, is the processing being done by the PC or receiver ?

2. When playing bluray rips, it detects DTS or dolby depending on the movie. So I suppose the processing is being done by the receiver ?

3. I am using XBMC to play the music and movies, is that a good option or foobar will do a better job.

I would appreciate if someone can clarify my basic doubts, I know these have been answered several times before but I was not able to find something definitive. Help a noob get started in the hifi audiophile world.

Thanks.

 

[spirovious]

1.When you connect as HDMI,main processing(DAC) is done by AVR.
2.XMBC can output DD HD/DtS HD master,OR get PowerDVD which can work easily.
3.XMBC & Foobar can output digital sound equally as they both have Direct sound/waspi support.Foobar/Cplay is a dedicated music SW though.

 

[vaibhavyagnik]

1. While playing Flacs - the pc is doing the Processing, uncompressing FLAC audio to PCM
2. The decoding will be done by the Receiver. Also ATI 5450 only bitstreams audio..so no processing going on there.
3. cannot compare XBMC with foobar as XBMC plays video + audio and foobar is a dedicated audio player. As a whole player, XBMC wins hands down.

 

[ShakenSoul]

1.When you connect as HDMI,main processing(DAC) is done by AVR.

1. While playing Flacs - the pc is doing the Processing, uncompressing FLAC audio to PCM

Thanks for the inputs.

However I am confused with regards to flacs by the contradicting statements. If flacs are getting uncompressed to PCM, is that the best input the receiver can receive through HDMI, or can flacs be fed uncompressed directly to the receiver for processing?

 

[spirovious]

You can select digital out from foobar which AVR detects as PCM.AVR cant process flac as raw yet.Some AVR has WMA codecs though.

 

[no1lives4ever]

It does not really matter if the PC decodes the FLAC or if the AVR decodes the FLAC. In the end the both will sound same 99.9% of the times. Now it is a different matter that AVRs do not decode FLACs, so you can only decode FLACs on the PC and then send the decoded stream to the AVR.

Now if you want the best output from your AVR setup, you can consider using an external DAC. You will need to audition this with your AVR to see if the external DAC will provide any improvement in quality over the internal output DACs of your AVR.

-- no1lives4ever