DTS-HD Master Audio

I have the Onkyo 905 receiver and the Sony BDP-S5000 (their top line unit). Most Blu Ray DVDs do NOT have the DTS-HD Master Audio (especially the older ones, and even most of the new ones--I do not know why, but suspect its a cost issue). The 905 "does it all," and very well, I might add.

I just spent 12 hours comparing a newly purchased Halcro SSP-200 preamp with my Onkyo 905 with same components, cabels, etc. The Onkyo wins--period! The Halcro does not decode DTS-HD Master Audio, but the Sony does using the analog bypass through the Halcro---Onkyo Wins!

This may start a new thread---but, how can a $12,000 preamp rated in the top 5 consistently, be bested by a $1,400 integrated? Bass / highs / staging / separation / clarity

My system consists of---B&W 800n's fronts / 802n's sides / HTM3s center / M&K 150s rears / Furman Ref 15 / 2 Lexicon 501 Monos / Sunfire 7 CH 200 WPC amp / Transparent Ultra cabeling / Velodyne DD-18 Sub

Djones

how can a $12,000 preamp rated in the top 5 consistently, be bested by a $1,400 integrated? Bass / highs / staging / separation / clarity

Would you care to give some more info?
IIUC the set-up was: Sony BD-> Halcro->Onkyo --> spkrs vs. Sony BD -> Onkyo -> spkrs?

Does anyone know if you can still get DTS-HD Master Audio from the blu-ray player to the receiver using either coaxial single cable or optical single cable?

I wanted to hook up the player directly to the TV to get better picture quality. But for the DTS-HD Master Audio sound, I was thinking of using either coaxial single cable or optical single cable. I don't know if that can be done.

Any of you try that before?

Sorry. dts-HD MA, as well as Dolby THD, cannot be conveyed by optical or coax. Only HDMI or analog.

Kal

HDMI cables can be had pretty inexpensively and keep your cable count low. Your Sony can internally decode TrueHD, but not DTS-HD Master Audio. It can, however, *read* DTS-HD Master Audio and send the resulting PCM bitstream over HDMI to be decoded by an AV processor such as your Onkyo.

So connect your HDMI cable from the Blu-ray player to your Onkyo and let it do all the digital decoding. Then use a second HDMI cable to send the video on to your TV. Letting the Onkyo do the HDMI switching becomes more convenient as you add an HD cable or DVR box, and perhaps other HD sources such as over-the-air HD or a Playstation 3.

These lossless surround formats require too much bandwith to be sent over a coax or toslink digital connection.