Blu-Ray HD Audio Coding, worth $1000 Upgrade?

"I am really curious to hear from someone who has upgraded to DTS-HD Master. Does it make a big difference?"
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I have just recently started to listen to the ps3's new codecs in my home theater system with blu-ray,and,in a word, "impressive". I did not expect that much of a improvement in sound quality,you know, being a two channel guy, but now you can color me impressed.

I feel the biggest improvement in the sound over DD or DTS is that the sound field is now of a more organic nature with an over-all better sound stage,more natural to say the least. Definitely a BIG upgrade and worth the technology IMO...

"Iplaynaked, you make a good point. That is the exact reason I post here! I want more than one opinion. I like to collect a good amount of information from a variety of sources then make an "informed" decision."

Actually, I'm stretching it a bit, saying even the experts are confused. Yes, no one knows it all. It's always a constant learning curve. Yet, many many experienced professionals in this industry have a solid fundamental grasp on all important aspects of audio/video systems - quite a bit more knowledge and experience than the average enthusiast. So, trying to sort through all the opinions is like listening to all the different opinions expressed in the audience of the Oprah Winfrey show, and trying to resolve the truth! Basically, if you really want to learn something, in the end, you're better off getting expert advice, doing a bit of studying, and then doing hands on tinkering yourself. It's all good though. Like you said, It's fun.
Still though, now and then, there's some new thingy that pops up that throws ya for a loop a little bit. You combine all that with all there is to learn and it can get very involved trying to do these systems for the best possible results, given all the changing variables that are constantly being presented to system designers.
It's like a never ending class room learning the facts, and keeping up with every changing technology and product selection. I tell ya...

Coach, what version software is your PS3 using? You need version 2.41 or higher to enable the lossless audio. You do not have to search for pcm. it should come up automatically if your pioneer is set to auto and you run a blu-ray movie through an hdmi cable. You will also find everything you need to know over at avsforum under the bluray player PS3 thread. There are several hundred pages devoted to its use.

Hey Coach.
As you have mentioned above that you plan more incremental future upgrades (add rear speakers maybe), you really need to get a 7.1 receiver w/ multi HDMI inputs and internal decoding of Dolby True as well as DTS Master. I have an Onkyo 805 which is fabulous. It has better amps than the newer Onk 806 (although they both rate 130w x 7). You can find a new-in-box 805 on eBay for under $725.
Mike19

I upgraded from Rotel processor/amp to Pioneer Elite 94 receiver and am absoutely thrilled. Dolby digital sounds significently inferior compared to the new codecs; on blu ray discs, the previews are still in dolby digital while the movie is in the new codec(s). I never realized how bad dolby digital sounded before--it is easy to compare with the review/movie seconds apart). Notwithstanding sound effects, dialogue is soooo much better. On the new Godfather BluRays (I am a BIG GF fan and have seen the DVD's and HD TV broadcasts many times; there are sounds on the BluRays I had never heard before (the clock in the Marlon Brandos office during the opening scene; never heard it before--as well as a pipe dripping when Clemenza gives Michael the gun he uses to kill the police captain). You gotta do it if you want max performance/enjoyment.