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I want to buy my first AVR for my home cinema. My max budget is ~$400, but preferably under $300. As I'm using local files rather than streaming services, I can do software decoding in MPC-HC (MadVR, LAV filters etc.) for all audio formats.
So do I need a modern receiver that supports e.g. DTS-HS Master Audio/Dolby True HD to be able to correctly play that codec through an HDMI connection, or can I buy older, used AVR and just send decoded PCM?
If you can do the decoding externally you could send it to the avr as pcm or analog depending on the decoding gear you have (or avr's capability, multich analog input usually only comes on higher end avrs now, but could use older/used avrs for). How correct it would be would depend on your decoding setup.
If you can do the decoding externally you could send it to the avr as pcm or analog depending on the decoding gear you have (or avr's capability, multich analog input usually only comes on higher end avrs now, but could use older/used avrs for). How correct it would be would depend on your decoding setup.
Was more thinking multich, decoding and sending it via hdmi still as multich, can't see the particular benefit of using a dac to downmix, an avr can do that as well.
I have only stereo system right now, so down mixing happens automatically when playing multichannel sound. If I had a receiver, the signal would be sent through HDMI unmixed.
Sure, you can do Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD decode externally and send it to an AVR as multichannel PCM, but I'm not sure how many AVRs there were that could handle multichannel PCM over HDMI but not TrueHD/DTS-HD streams. Didn't support for those arise basically simultaneously?
There would be a bunch of older AVRs without the HDMI support but accepting multichannel analogue input, but the vast majority of those wouldn't support bass management or distance compensation through that input, so you'd need to do that processing on the PC too.
Sure, you can do Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD decode externally and send it to an AVR as multichannel PCM, but I'm not sure how many AVRs there were that could handle multichannel PCM over HDMI but not TrueHD/DTS-HD streams. Didn't support for those arise basically simultaneously?
There would be a bunch of older AVRs without the HDMI support but accepting multichannel analogue input, but the vast majority of those wouldn't support bass management or distance compensation through that input, so you'd need to do that processing on the PC too.
Yes, my old Yamaha RX-V1800 did DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD just fine. A 2007 model, it was the least expensive Yamaha AVR with onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. I see some listed for sale under $300.
I think you can but as others noted it may not be necessary. I'd observe
(1) Patience, persistence, sometimes gold comes up on Craigslist etc
(2) I'd try to get something with good room correction, like Audyssey XT32 (though only units from the last few years will be compatible to the App). ARC is quite good but unlikely at your budget, likewise Dirac which is supposed to be good but I've never used personally.
