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[cubby]

Hi Everyone,
Hope I can get some help. Just got some bookshelf speakers to get my setup to a 7.1. I now cannot get it to playback digitally, like I could with 5.1. When I change from 5.1 to 7.1 in Playback, the check box to use Dolby Digital is now grayed out. I have a Denon 1910 receiver, and a Nvidia GTX 460 video care. I have been using WASPI event style with no problem. I just lost my digital capability now in 7.1. Could it be that my receiver cannot handle it, or are there some settings I can try?

Hopefully I am making sense in explaining, thanks to anyone who could help in any way!

[Jong]

Is there a reason you are using Dolby Digital? If using HDMI you should really just output the same no. of channels as your source with no conversion. Dolby Digital is a lossy compression codec. Your amp can take lossless multichannel PCM audio over HDMI. Much better.

[cubby]

Sorry, I may not be explaining this correctly. When I set the playback to 5.1, it plays back in Digital, as I can tell the sound is much cleaner, and it displays in digital on the AVR. When I switch to 7.1, it seems to lose that digital quality, and now I can play it back in stereo. I'd like to have it play 7.1 in digital, but somewhere in my chain, it can't seem to handle it, or I am doing something wrong.

Thanks so much for the reply!

[Jong]

You do not need to lose quality by encoding your audio to Dolby Digital, which is a lossy codec, like MP3.

With HDMI you can simply output 7.1 audio. This is still digital audio, just the original lossless audio. It is better, I promise (especially with HD audio). If there is a difference you think is negative when you switch it might just be due to volume changes.

Encoding to Dolby Digital is only needed when using a separate digital audio cable. That is because old style digital audio connections (not HDMI) did not have the bandwidth for more than 2 channels of lossless audio. If you are still using your old digital audio cable with your current card/AVR then if at all possible you should stop and use the HDMI audio output from your GTX460.

[Jong]

....The little Dolby Digital light will go out, if you do as i suggest, but all this means is your amp is no longer having to decode from Dolby Digital. It does not mean the input is not digital (it always is over HDMI) and having the light on certainly doesn't mean 'better'.

[cubby]

Thanks Jong! I definitely trust you and appreciate your knowledge. A little bit of a noob at this, just want to listen to music in the best way possible.

Can I ask one more question? My AVR has 7 CH STEREO which sounds good and louder at lower volume, and then Multi Channel in 7.1 which also sounds good, but I have to turn the volume up to get to the same audible level.

Is one better for producing the cleanest most lossless sounding music?

I am using HDMI through my GTX 460, so no other cables involved.

Thanks so much again for your time and assistance.

Dario

[Jong]

7ch stereo takes 2 channels (left and right) and creates an all round experience, principally for music. It is definitely not to be used for multi-channel sources, like movies. You would not be hearing the surround channels from the movie. You can use it for music if you like it over normal stereo. That is very much up to you. Regular stereo is the 'cleanest' option 

[cubby]

OK, will do that. Thanks again! Have a great day!