AVR or Seperate Processor

larry777

Hi everyone. I am still gathering information and learning what I can about my options for buying another AVR and after that possibly an amp. At this point I am leaning towards the Pioneer SC-35 but I started to think about seperate processors as well. Used processors don't seem to have HDMI like the Parasound and others. To get the Blu Ray sound and picture is it just a matter of running an HDMI cable directly to the TV for Picture and then running an Optical Cable to the Processor for the highest grade sound ? Or would I have to use the 7.1 Outs on my Blu Ray player to the Processor ? Would it just be better to get the AVR rather than a processor without HDMI ? I use RTi10's,CSiA6 Center,Rti4 surrounds ( Surrounds will likel get upgraded later on ). Thanks for your thoughts.

nguyendot

This is a horrible review, btw.

To get the best picture and sound, you want to run the HDMI to the receiver, and then an HDMI out to the tv.

If you have the Pioneer SC-35 it will decode the high definition sound formats via HDMI and pass the picture to the tv with the highest resolution format. Ditch the old optical cables, they're outdated.

larry777

Ok,maybe I should have went into a different area than Review,so I will watch for that next time. Thanks for your reply howerer. It does sound like these Non HDMI Processors are outdated then, as far as Blu Ray capability goes. I don't have the SC-35 yet but was at the top of my list for a new AVR. I think I will forget the Processor option then and go with the AVR. This way I could look at a 3 channel Amp later on ( Rather than a 5 or 7 ) to run my front three ( L,R,C ) and let the Receiver run the surrounds. It seems like the better option all around.

cstmar01

You can still have your Blue Ray player do the decoding and send it out via analog to the pre/pro for it to play. However normally in the BD player the bass managment and other features won't be as good as the ones found on the pre/pro (sometimes) and you would have to see if you could still use any sort of sound processing etc when doing the analog in's as sometimes it will bypass and just be a "through" so there would be no bass managment, auto calibration etc that the pre would add, all the set up would be in the player.

Once again HDMI is going to be the easiest, but depending on the processor, and the player analog can sound great as well. Just depends on what you are after etc.

The SC series is awesome and I use one myself (SC-05). Awesome system and would never want to really change it out for anything less at this point ever.

polkfarmboy

Get a preamp with hdmi or get a pioneer sc , dont go for optical its not hd sound

txcoastal1

larry777 wrote: »

Ok,maybe I should have went into a different area than Review,so I will watch for that next time. Thanks for your reply howerer. It does sound like these Non HDMI Processors are outdated then, as far as Blu Ray capability goes. I don't have the SC-35 yet but was at the top of my list for a new AVR. I think I will forget the Processor option then and go with the AVR. This way I could look at a 3 channel Amp later on ( Rather than a 5 or 7 ) to run my front three ( L,R,C ) and let the Receiver run the surrounds. It seems like the better option all around.

You can't go wrong with the SC-35. The Marvel processor does an excellent job upconverting even the older DVD's in my collection look superb. Listen to the others about the HDMI config

Good luck

larry777

Ok,thanks for the comments guys. The Pioneer SC-35 seems like my best first move. I can then add an amp later.

tonyb

Excellant choice there, let us know your impressions when you get it all set up and changed your shorts.