Upgrading Or Downgrading

buzzerxx

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hello all,
I think i am in over my head with the receiver i bought back in nov '03.
it was purchased on a leading web site . I am thinking of trading in, if possible, the vsax-10i-s for the new pioneer vsx-ax4avi-s so as to get full advantage of hdmi feature. the vsax-10i-s doesnt seem to be at all compatible for hdmi and is over specd. for my needs..
do you think this is a wise move? or is it neccessary?.am i upgrading or downgrading?
I think the amount of wires hdmi disposes of alone is a good reason.Thanks. :confused:
 
You shouldnt down grade a piece of equipment just to get the "IT" connection of the moment :thumbsup:
 
thanks for the prompt response thunder.
as u may have noticed i am a novice at this business so please excuse my ignorance,but isn't hdmi better quality video and sound than the analogue or other digital connections?the dvd player and plasma has hdmi so i want to fully utilise it.
the specs between the 2 amps doesnt seem to differ too much despite the vsa-ax10i-s costing two and a half times as much.what features would i be losing by changing amps other than gold plated wire connections?
 
Does putting a 320bhp Subaru engine in a metro make it perform to the same standard as a Subaru Impreza STI? :) HDMI is a connection method, nothing more. For DVD based multi channel audio formats it is no better than a high quality SPDIF connection. It has the potential to be a very good method of connection, but a connection is all it is. Let me ask you this question; do you think the HDMI output of a 300 quid Samsung DVD player or even a Pioneer 868 provides a better quality image than the analogue component video output of my Tag DVD32R?
 
so that's a no then? :thumbsup:
 
Thunder said:
do you think the HDMI output of a 300 quid Samsung DVD player or even a Pioneer 868 provides a better quality image than the analogue component video output of my Tag DVD32R?


I don't know,you tell me,as i said ,i'm a novice. :)
 
Well what makes you assume that a type of connection will make things that much better that your actually considering ditching a high quality amp to get a cheaper one with a different type of socket on the back? :)
 
:smashin:
reasons
1-all hdmi connections means less wires,(neater and keeping it less complicated.)
2-i pod connection.
3-usb and wma9.
4-big awkward remote on ax10.
Also I can't get the whole set up to work properly.or get anyone who can.so maybe i can do it myself with the hdmi :(
 
well it depends what your prioraties are. If you judge a system on ease of set up and connection or if you judge a setup on performance. The best performing kit is very rarely the easiest to use or set up ;)
 
I think Thunder is right. I think that you'd be making a sacrifice in terms of the sound quality to step down and I can't say it'd be an option for me just to make things easier to set up.

The extra cost of the AX10 isn't just on the extra bells and whistles, it's on more fundamental things like the cost and quality of components which affects the sound quality too.

Plus I'd've thought that things would get more complicated for you if you're looking for wma and usb connections too!

At the moment you only need one HDMI connection, is there a reason why you need more than one? I can't see from your list of kit that you'd need another one.

Just moving to the latest connection in the hope that things will get less complicated doesn't really make sense to me. You've got an excellent amp so why get rid of it for something worse???

If you're struggling to get the thing set up properly, there's plenty of people on these forums who'd answer any questions on setting it up. Depending on where you live, if you ask nicely, there may even be a kind forum member who lives near you who'd help you set it up. You might have to offer them a beer or make them a nice cup of tea, but who knows!!! :D

You could always pop into your local dealer and ask if any of the staff fancy earning a few quid on the side and they'll do it for you or if you want it doing really properly, there's people/companies on here that will set up and calibrate your kit for a fee.
 
ok,thanks for helping me make the right decision,your points of view are interesting, i'll probably hold on to the vsa-ax10i-s.
i dont think i have any choice at the moment cos i rang around a few pioneer suppliers here in dublin this morning and none of them know of the VSX-AX4AVi-S or have it on their database.I then rang the sole importer and a girl eventually answered saying the same and that they don't think they will be bringing them in to ireland?
Anyway i am going to read the manual again with patience and have a go and try and get my head around this connection problem.
It's the amount of connection options that seems bewildering.
 
Henry said:
At the moment you only need one HDMI connection, is there a reason why you need more than one? I can't see from your list of kit that you'd need another one..


(remember i'm new to this) My first thought on this is if i'm going to use hdmi on the dvd and and i want to listen through the infinitys i am going to need a hdmi input on the av receiver and an output back to the pioneer media receiver, there is none on the vsa-ax10i-s.Is there any way i can listen through amp and use hdmi for video or do i have to diable hdmi altogether and use other cables?


"If i only had a Brain"
 
As far as I know the 868 doesn't support audio over HDMI, I think the Arcam FMJ29 is the first, and only, DVD player to do that at present. So you would use HDMI between DVD and display, and then coax, as I assume you are at present, between DVD and receiver. Optionally 2 RCAs between DVD and receiver for 2 channel if you prefer the D-A to be done in the DVD. As I think Henry said, unless you need HDMI switching and/or have support for HDMI audio I can't see much need for HDMI on the receiver (at present). Also I think external HDMI switchers are available (not sure of cost or quality) should you need one.
 
Simon's absolutely spot on in this description of how to connect everything. The 868 doesn't support HDMI 1.1 which includes audio.

You've got enough HDMI sockets at the moment. The only time I think that you'd need another one is if you get Sky HD which is a little while off yet.

I'd just spend some time playing around with your system, enjoy it and not get too wound up about HDMI just yet!

You've got a nice set up - enjoy it!!!:hiya:
 
Actually, I'll retract that slightly :) you would probably want to use the i.Link connection between DVD and receiver for multi-channel and 2 channel audio (DVD-A/SACD and surround formats etc).
 
Definitly keep the AX10i, still one of the best intergrated amps around and as simon has said just use the i-link for transfer of Multichannel audio... :thumbsup:
 
simonb68 said:
So you would use HDMI between DVD and display, and then coax, as I assume you are at present, between DVD and receiver.


Actually i have the receiver partly disconnected for nearly a year now,since then it's been an expensive ornament.I am self employed with two rug rats so i didn't have time or patience to properly study manuals.

The dvd is is playing audio and video directly to the plasma media receiver with hdmi and the audio is played through the panel's speakers.I wasn't going to buy them as an optional extra but lucky i did ,they sound pretty good too,which makes me wonder why i bothered with the amp.

The setup was wired originally by an installer from harvey norman,where i bought the speakers and he used multi chanell audio cords everywhere,the amount of wires was unbelievable.It worked ok but i wanted to use the i-link and hdmi but he seemed not to know or want to know how to do it.
So i had a go ,hence ornament. :suicide:
 
Henry said:
Simon's absolutely spot on in this description of how to connect everything. The 868 doesn't support HDMI 1.1 which includes audio.
:

So it seems the 868 does support audio over hdmi,is this correct?

By the way thanks for the encouragement Henry cos i haven't really had any enjoyment with this kit,only stress.
I should get it going tonight when i put my mind to it and with the help of you guys.
 
buzzerxx said:
So it seems the 868 does support audio over hdmi,is this correct?
Nope, it doesn't I'm afraid. As Simon said, the only one I know of which does is the Arcam DV29 but that's about £1600 and it's questionable whether HDMI 1.1 would give a better sound quality than a digital interconnect or a decent pair of RCA leads.

buzzerxx said:
By the way thanks for the encouragement Henry cos i haven't really had any enjoyment with this kit,only stress.
I should get it going tonight when i put my mind to it and with the help of you guys.

In one of your other posts, you mentioned that you had wires everywhere. You only really need either a pair of RCA leads or an optical or co-ax cable from the 868 to your AX10 and the HDMI cable to your plasma media box. That should be it as far as connecting your DVD player to your amp goes apart from speaker cable and a cable to your sub.

You've got some really nice kit there and once you've played around with it, I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. Any problems or queries, just post back!

Have fun!!!:smashin:
 
:thumbsup:
hello henry,
I got surround going again for dvd the way you said although i noticed the sound is coming from plasma speakers also. Is this normal?.
I will try i-link at a later time. Here's a pic of my gear.
 

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Henry said:
Nope, it doesn't I'm afraid. As Simon said, the only one I know of which does is the Arcam DV29 :

The hdmi was the only cable connected to the plasma so it is carrying audio.what am i missing here :confused:
 
buzzerxx said:
:thumbsup:
hello henry,
I got surround going again for dvd the way you said although i noticed the sound is coming from plasma speakers also. Is this normal?.
I will try i-link at a later time. Here's a pic of my gear.

I wouldn't have thought so. If you could list exactly what plugs into your what and how, I and others no doubt will try to help.

e.g.

DVD-Amp-Optical 1
Video-Amp-RCA-Video Input
 
ok
dvd digital audio out to amp dvd audio in - coaxial.
dvd video out to amp dvd in - rca video cord.
dvd to plasma - hdmi.
amp's monitor out to plasma- rca video cord.
4th picture shows the back of the plasma media receiver on bottom.
 

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buzzerxx said:
:thumbsup:
hello henry,
I got surround going again for dvd the way you said although i noticed the sound is coming from plasma speakers also. Is this normal?.
I will try i-link at a later time. Here's a pic of my gear.

Yep - because the hdmi lead is taking sound to the plasma (and it's speakers) whilst the coax is taking sound to the amp and ultimately to the main speakers.

If you want to be able to listen to DVD without always having to turning the amp on you'll just have to mute the plasma panel speakers as required.

If you want to be able to listen to digibox/video through the amp and speakers as well - simply run a standard audio lead (twin phono cables with RCA plugs) from the plasma tuner box monitor out audio sockets (middle of read panel at the bottom next to the yellow video out lead) to an input on the amp (say the "TV In" lablelled inputs).

Andy
 

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