How I can play Dolby True HD & DTS-HD?

I don't think you'd need an AV2. But you need to buy a processor that outputs line-level analogue signals from a processor to your power amplifiers. Check before buying.

One "problem" that you will have is that most processors are built into "receivers" that have their own power amps that you won't use.

An alternative is to buy a blu-ray that outputs 7.1 analogue like this.

You need to ensure that the analogue outputs are volume controlled, though.

as noted above, AV2 allows you to feed 7.1 analogue output from a BD player in to the AV2 analogue inputs 1 and 2 (in VIPS mode).

Have a chat with your dealer if you're interested. This will then allow you to use the AV2 for other sources also.

quote:

Originally posted by nhimcon07:
... so I have to buy a third party processor (Rotel or Pioneer) to decode them.

Do Pioneer even do a stand-alone processor ? I would be very happy if they did (as this would then match my screen and it's media box) but I believe all their AV boxes are receivers, so amps included...?

Steve.

quote:

Originally posted by SC:

quote:

Originally posted by nhimcon07:
... so I have to buy a third party processor (Rotel or Pioneer) to decode them.

Do Pioneer even do a stand-alone processor ? I would be very happy if they did (as this would then match my screen and it's media box) but I believe all their AV boxes are receivers, so amps included...?

I believe Steve is correct that Pioneer have never made a stand-alone processor, only receivers with built in amps. Depending on the level / budget you are looking at, you may find it's more cost effective to buy one of these receivers and ignore the features you don't need (in-built power-amps and radio). e.g. a Pioneer VSX1018 is around £500 and features the required "pre-out" functionality for you to connect to your Naim amplifiers; the cheapest processor I know of is the AudioLab 8000AP at around £1000.

Eloise

quote:

Originally posted by Eloise:

quote:

Originally posted by SC:

quote:

Originally posted by nhimcon07:
... so I have to buy a third party processor (Rotel or Pioneer) to decode them.

Do Pioneer even do a stand-alone processor ? I would be very happy if they did (as this would then match my screen and it's media box) but I believe all their AV boxes are receivers, so amps included...?

I believe Steve is correct that Pioneer have never made a stand-alone processor, only receivers with built in amps. Depending on the level / budget you are looking at, you may find it's more cost effective to buy one of these receivers and ignore the features you don't need (in-built power-amps and radio). e.g. a Pioneer VSX1018 is around £500 and features the required "pre-out" functionality for you to connect to your Naim amplifiers; the cheapest processor I know of is the AudioLab 8000AP at around £1000.

Eloise

BUT, the Audiolab does not decode the newer HD formats, so is a complete waste of time seeing you already have an AV2.

On the positive side, most pioneer recievers will allow you to have multiple zones, so you could use the inbuilt amps to run sound in other rooms.

quote:

Originally posted by PJT:
BUT, the Audiolab does not decode the newer HD formats, so is a complete waste of time seeing you already have an AV2.

On the positive side, most Pioneer recievers will allow you to have multiple zones, so you could use the inbuilt amps to run sound in other rooms.

Actually that (decoding HD formats) is pretty much irrelevant marketing fud ...

A BluRay player (Profile 2.0) has to be able to decode DTS-MA to utilize functions such as directors commentaries which is has to internally mix. The Audiolab 8000AP accepts LPCM via HDMI which (at least theoretically) is as good as accepting the bitstream and internally decoding - many feel this is actually a better way. For example - if you look at the Oppo or Cambridge Audio instruction book, both describe how if using secondary audio and bitstreaming, the audio sent to the processor is resampled DTS rather than any lossless format; where as if using LPCM output you still get full sample uncompressed.

For advertising purposes (and to get good marks in What HiFi reviews) having DTS-MA and Dolby True HD logos looks good which is why all the Onkyo, Denon and Pioneer (and others) recievers have this functionality!

Eloise

Eloise - Just so I'm reading this correctly, when you say 'secondary audio' what are you meaning ?

Steve.