DD/DTS decoder in RDC-7 or Panasonic RP-91 DVD Player

[Bonzo]

Would it be better to use the DD/DTS decoder in the Panasonic RP 91 DVD player and go into the RDC-7 using its analog inputs or using the the digital input on the RDC-7 and use the RDC-7's DD/DTS decoder?

All other things being equal, the decoder in the dvd player would be more convenient. If I use the the decoder in the DVD player I would not have to switch inputs on the RDC-7 when swicthing from DVD-Audio and DVD Video.




Warren

[Burke Strickland]

Warren -

Welcome to the HT Guide and "Club Integra"!

I am very favorably impressed with the decoding performance of the RDC-7 on both DD and DTS. But I can see where you are coming from with regard to convenience.

Conventional wisdom has held in the past that DD/DTS decoders built into DVD players were inherently inferior to those built into pre/pros. This was primarily due to their truncated feature set (many had NO effective LFE settings, for instance), and partly due to the implementation of the decoder chip packages, but this situation has been changing as the manfacturers have been putting more fully featured decoders in their players. Of course the pre/pro vendors would still like you to believe that their products deliver superior performance in this area.

Of course, the high quality DACs in the RDC-7 are one of its very appealling features, outclassing the performance of some highly regarded stand-alone DAC units, and suggesting that it would probably be the DAC-of-choice in most systems which include the RDC-7. So that would weigh in favor of using the digital connection to the RDC-7. But these days, in choosing between DVD player decoding and pre/pro decoding for DD/DTS , it boils down to a case-by-case comparision to know for sure. In your case, that would mean alternately trying the digital vs. analog connections to hear which sounds better (if that can be determined).

Since the multi-channel analog input of the RDC-7 bypasses all of its digital bass management facilities, be sure that the RP-91 has adequate controls to manage your setup properly. If it doesn't, then use the digital inputs to the RDC-7.

Even if the RP-91 does have sufficient features to properly control your setup, then I would still recommend trying a few demanding scenes on on your favorite DVDs, alternately using the digital vs. analog connections. Use your SPL meter to make sure levels match, so that the volume level doesn't "make the decision for you". And if possible, get someone else to do the switching without telling you which is connected which time, and play the scenes over a couple of times and take notes as to how they sound.

If they sound pretty close to the same, or (especially) if the RP-91's decoder sounds better, use the RP-91 for convenience' sake. If the RDC-7's decoder/DACs combo smokes the RP-91, then you will probably want to make the sacrifice of having to push an extra button on the remote to play a DVD-Video vs. DVD-Audio. :>) And of course, we'll be interested in reading about the results of your test right here!

Good luck!

Burke

[dschamis]

Warren,

I would strongly agree with Burke - you should use the DACs in the RDC-7 whenever possible.

I have a SACD player, which is connected via the multi-ch input, and also via the digital coax for CDs.

There is absolutely no question that CDs sound better through the digital, as I'm sure SACDs would also if they gave us a digital output.

Although I have to go through the inconvenience of switching the two, it is only one button which I stuck on the same screen on my Pronto as the SACD player.

David