Panny xr57

[Jacob C]

Has anyone else heard about this? It looks like its basically an xr55 with HDMI and a few other little things. Im trying to decide how bad I want HDMI. I dont know if I want to wait. For me it basically comes down to how bad do I want DVD-Audio.

[bikeman]

Has anyone else heard about this? It looks like its basically an xr55 with HDMI and a few other little things. Im trying to decide how bad I want HDMI. I dont know if I want to wait. For me it basically comes down to how bad do I want DVD-Audio.

The 55 can do DVD-Audio through the analog connections. I see the HDMI mainly, though not entirely, as a video thing. It can handle audio with a single connect instead of six like the 55.
I haven't seen any word yet on the final product. I'm hoping they add some usable audio features as well as HDMI. I don't expect to see the 57 before summer.

David

[Jacob C]

For some reason I was thinking the xr55 didnt have the analog surround inputs. However, given the design, I bet it would sound better with the hdmi connection.

[Asliang]

It's funny but I honestly can't hear the difference between digital input and analog input using my PC as a source with FLAC (~1,000kbps) files.

[rajacat]

[QUOTE=Asliang]It's funny but I honestly can't hear the difference between digital input and analog input using my PC as a source with FLAC (~1,000kbps) files.[/QUOTE

I can. It seems to me that the overall SQ improved except for the bass. Better treble extension and separation. SB3> DIGITAL OUT>XR55. My DAC should be here any day and it will be interesting to hear if inserting it in the digital pathway will improve or hurt the sound quality.

SB3>DIGITAL OUT>Non-oversampling DAC>analog out>XR55 where there is no bypass of the internal DAC so the external DAC is redundant.

[BGHD]

From what I've read, it'll be HDMI 1.2. But, with few if any 1.2 compliant players, the supposed SACD support will be useless for now. I read it'll retail around $400. I think it's supposed to have 2 HDMI inputs and 1 out, and should have lip sync delay.

[MikeAndAnnie]

The 55 can do DVD-Audio through the analog connections.

David

That's what the spec says, but I wonder if it would take SACD just as well, but Panasonic, being a company on the DVD-A format side of things, just doesn't say so? The reason I ask is that my Onkyo tx503 has analog inputs for 5.1 multi-channel that will take either SACD or DVD-A. The 503 is not exactly high end, so wonder why the 55 wouldn't have the same thing?

[curtis]

on any receiver/pre-pro that has 5.1 analog inputs, you can do SACD or DVD-A.....it doesn't matter.

All the processing is being done at the player, each individual channel is being passed through the analog input, and no processing being done at the receiver(other than bass management on some units).

There is no specific need for HDMI connections with DVD-A or SACD other than to get the signal to the receiver/pre-pro via a digital connection. Even then, there is the argument whether the digital to analog converters are better in a particular disc player or in the receiver/pre-pro.

The other issue, which I have not been following much, is if SACD or DVD-A are on the way out because of the new DTS-HD and DD-plus formats.

BTW, I love SACD and DVD-A, the only problem is I rarely get to spend time sitting in the sweet spot to listen in multi-channel bliss.

[Jacob C]

I think it is 1 HDMI in and 1 HDMI out. I think it is supposed to be 1.2 though.

[BGHD]

I think it is 1 HDMI in and 1 HDMI out.

Just like the older xr70 then.