High quality processors with HDMI 1.3

To date the only pre/pro I am aware of released that handles all the new audio codecs is the Integra DTC9.8, many were shown @ CES, but not ready for market yet.

The Integra DTC9.8 is also the EXACT same thing as the Onkyo Pro PR-SC885P, and a tad cheaper. My understanding is that NAD has their own variant as well, based on the same model.

Now, there are others

Older Halcro 80/100's can be sent back to the factory and upgraded, or you can buy a new Halcro 180/200, which will also handle these codecs.

Further, the new Cary pre-amp/processor series can also do it.

Here is a link that will give you all the info you need.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=965362

I just got the NAD T175. I had an EAD Ovation. I was very reluctant to replace the EAD, but it drove my wife and kid crazy. The EAD was one of the best around BITD.

Call me crazy, but I think the NAD sounds better.

It has HDMI 1.3. Killer build quality and nice remote as well.

Note that both the NAD and the Cary, afaik, do not (yet?) have the CODECs for the lossless formats (Dolby-TrueHD and dts Master Audio) and, therefore, require PCM from their sources.

Kal

To All- Kal is to be congratulated for all the hard work he put’s into championing our cause; multi-channel music. His January Music in the Round was the best yet. The light at the end of the tunnel is at hand and is NOT a locomotive charging full speed at us. All we need now is for Theta, Bel Canto, Bryston, et al to catch up with the Asian giants.

Looking forward to the next Music in the Round and the “new speaker setup”. I think Kal may have left us a hint a few issues back when he stated, “the music sounded better when all the B&Ws were set to small”. I’m thinking (guessing) five high quality two or three-way stand mounted monitors in conjunction with two JL Audio subwoofers. Wowsa!!

Keep up the good work Kal. I’m doing my best to keep the multi-channel SACD producers going strong.

Russ