# Avr settings



## kadijk (Jan 23, 2011)

I've been using my Onkyo TX-sr 608 for a few months now. I use a ps3 for blu ray play back, and a pc for most movies, with an analog audio out(mini jack). I just sat down for the evening to play with some of the settings, and realized that I might not be set up correct. 
The ps3 is set for full digital output via hdmi, however I don't know what setting to use in the receiver for the input. When the ps3 is playing back a blu ray , the display shows "PCM" and hdmi, and then the selected listening mode is also displayed-usually I use thx cinema. My question is...am I listening to the actual dts hd master audio files? Or am I post processing into something else? I have the listening mode preset for bd/DVD set at "direct" for dts sources, but the PCM indicator on the receiver display worries me that something is not as it should be. Any help is appreciated. should the preset for "analog/PCM be set to "direct" as well? And what is PCM, and why is it lumped together with analog?


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## kadijk (Jan 23, 2011)

Ok. Just read through a December thread started by Monty. He had my same question, sort of. To further the question, should I set my ps3 to output PCM or bitstream? I have both options and not sure which is better. I'm guessing one lets the ps3 do the decoding and the other let's the receiver do the decoding...? And so if the ps3 is on bitstream, should the receiver input be direct? I feel like I should know this stuff but there are too many options...


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

Test and see, in theory LPCM output and the DTS-HD output should be the same but in reality it may not be the case, test and see which way you prefer.


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## kadijk (Jan 23, 2011)

Did some intense reading on a blu ray forum audio theory sticky, and have concluded that lpcm is the output to use, via hdmi, to hear the lossless blu ray soundtrack. That being said, I'm still not sure which setting to use for input on the receiver from the bd/DVD hdmi input. Options include direct, thx cinema(those are the two I'm toying with), mono, multichannel, etc. 
Also...during playback I can toggle listening modes, and I noticed one called direct does not use the audyssey settings, where thx cinema does...this is a different menu than the input one mentioned above. But there's a significant sound difference enabling the audyssey settings. 

Too many options, too many settings....


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## MitchPope (Oct 17, 2011)

LPCM output from your PS3 will also give you any secondary audio mixed in, the normal soundtrack should sound the same. Direct mode probably isn't what you want unless you are listening to music, use the THX setting if you have done the Audyssey corrections for your room.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

You can preset each HDMI source for your sound processing preference. Give them all a listen and pick the one that sounds best to you. I personally use THX cinema for movies and THX music for music. At times I also utilize pure for music which outputs 2.1. Audessey works wonders and you're certainly going to want to take advantage of it's use.


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## kadijk (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks for the comments. I'm starting to think that the receiver is going to accept whatever is sent to it via hdmi properly, automatically. And the listening modes then, with PCM input, become more of a eq rather than a decoder. Is this right thinking? And yes, thx cinema with audyssey enabled sounds much better than simply "direct". I just don't want to add more post processing than I have to, or need to. As a side note, I've been using the first 5 minutes or so of the quantum of solace bd as a tester, and it's pretty awesome in all it's surround sound glory.


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## MitchPope (Oct 17, 2011)

With "Direct" you lose any Audyssey correction you have calculated. For watching movies, I would leave it engaged. I usually only listen to vinyl and CDs in Direct mode, but I am an equal distance from my left and right speakers. I find it much more detailed with better spatial imaging. You should also try "Audyssey Flat" for music.

Unless you live in an acoustically perfect room, you will benefit from some sort of correction. If you don't like it you can turn it off, but I think you will get more enjoyment with it on. They wouldn't put it in so many receivers if it didn't work.


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