Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[pcstockton]

"HDMI" and "audio-only" don't seem to go together for me. 

I am still having trouble understanding why one wouldn't use SPDIF for audio in any case.

Thanks,
Patrick

[AndrewFG]

I am still having trouble understanding why one wouldn't use SPDIF for audio in any case.

Hmm. HDMI supports higher sample rates, higher bit depths, more channels, and more encoding schemes (PCM, DTS, Dolby etc.). And even provides a "free" video channel too.

[pcstockton]

Hmm. HDMI supports higher sample rates, higher bit depths, more channels, and more encoding schemes (PCM, DTS, Dolby etc.). And even provides a "free" video channel too.

I guess I never do multichannel audio.  Nor do I have any music over 24/192.  Music for me is 2 channel only.

That said, if I did I would use a USB-to-SPDIF with DD pass-through (M-Audio Transit et al).  For movies I use a WDTV and it can send along a DD signal to my Yamaha.

-p

[eddyshere]

Hmm. HDMI supports higher sample rates, higher bit depths, more channels, and more encoding schemes (PCM, DTS, Dolby etc.). And even provides a "free" video channel too.

Exactly !!

[jmone]

I guess I never do multichannel audio.  Nor do I have any music over 24/192.  Music for me is 2 channel only.

That said, if I did I would use a USB-to-SPDIF with DD pass-through (M-Audio Transit et al).  For movies I use a WDTV and it can send along a DD signal to my Yamaha.

-p

..but you would still be limited to the "old" lossy DD or DTS, and not the "new" lossless DTS-HD or True-HD formats.  You could also not decode these formats to MCPCM as SPDIF is limted to 2CH for PCM.

[jctcom]

I listen to a lot of High Def Music.  Much of it ripped from Blu-Ray or DVD-Audio in 5.1 and also some from the old Quad Vinyl releases that came out back in the mid 70s to mid 80s.  This is all PCM 24Bit / 192KHz (2Ch) or 24Bit / 96Khz (4 or 6 Channel).  The SPDIF forced the quad stuff to be sent out as 5.1 so not desirable.

Also for some reason I could not get 192Khz stereo to work out of my SPDIF where as it works great via HDMI.

I just find it's easier to get the raw signal to my receiver (Onkyo TX-NR1008) via HDMI than it is via Optical or Coaxial.

I am even starting to rip the Audio tracks from blu-Ray video concerts to have that music to listen to and mix in with the rest so I don't have to 1. Pull out the Blu-Ray to watch a track or 2 and 2. In case I just want to listen to the music without the video.

I find I get much more use out of my High Def music sources this way.

Carl.

[astromo]

"HDMI" and "audio-only" don't seem to go together for me. 

I am still having trouble understanding why one wouldn't use SPDIF for audio in any case.

Hmm. HDMI supports higher sample rates, higher bit depths, more channels, and more encoding schemes (PCM, DTS, Dolby etc.). And even provides a "free" video channel too.

As noted by AngrewFG and the link below, S/PDIF is limited:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPDIF
in terms of compression for multi-channel audio. If you're a stereo only guy like me, then that's not an issue.

The next question about HDMI over S/PDIF that I've looked at is jitter. Here's a link that sums up what I've reviewed:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1377020/spdif-hdmi-and-jitter#post_21290576
Some further comment with more detail here:
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/Connect/HDMI_connect.htm

Some views at the other end of the spectrum:
http://nwavguy.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/jitter-does-it-matter.html
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/AandE/npt.on.jitter2.htm
http://davidkessner.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/a-pragmatic-approach-to-jitter-in-digital-audio/

The post from David Kessner resonated (excuse the pun) with me by putting various jitter sources in context, e.g. speaker cone movement, head movement and the rest. I've got an HDMI audio setup and I can't immediately pick up a difference when it's run via USB or optical S/PDIF. I haven't done a critical test but I'm not that worried.

Ultimately, it comes down to the ears of the individual. There's a well referenced 2 part jitter test with sound samples here:
http://hddaudio.net/HDD_Audio/Articles/Entries/2009/12/19_Can_you_hear_jitter.html
http://hddaudio.net/HDD_Audio/Articles/Entries/2009/12/19_Can_you_hear_jitter_Part_2.html

I've done this or a similar test (it was a while ago) myself and I obviously don't have golden ears. I couldn't pick a difference. I don't think I did test 2, so maybe I should give that a go.

Bear in mind that the research on this extends back beyond the mainstream digital audio age. Refer this paper by the BBC:
http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rd/pubs/reports/1974-11.pdf
(Note the paper is 7 pages long. Every 2nd page is blank)
Some relevant discussion on that paper is located here:
http://hddaudio.net/viewtopic.php?id=42

Leave you to chew over the myth, fact, fiction and conjecture. There's plenty out there covering all four aspects. Enjoy ..