PaulDA
Senior HTF Member
Just curious as to what others here would do. I have a non-HDMI receiver that I have no plans to replace for, at the very least, three (I hope five) years. As such, to fully benefit from the advanced audio codecs, I require a player that decodes them all internally and then sends them out via a MCH analogue interface. I was holding out for the BD50 or the S550 in that regard but the MSRP on the BD50 is more than I'm willing to spend (actually, the discounted price it will likely fetch) and if the Sony, owing to a variety of factors, of course, comes in higher than its announced MSRP, then it too will be more than I'm willing to spend. In that case, I will likely fall back to my back up option--a PS3. I have no other complaints about the PS3 except for the lack of MCH analogue output, so if the S550 is over my price point, the PS3 is my next option (except to wait another 6-12 months for a player that does it all at a price I want to pay).
So, who would sacrifice the advanced audio for a minimum of three years and go with the PS3? Who would spend the extra on the S550, no matter if it is as much as the BD50? Who would simply wait?
I will say this about not having the advanced audio codecs--at the moment, my HDM experience has been via my A2. As it does NOT have MCH analogue output, I'm "getting by" with toslink and its limitations--with no complaints so far (though I have not had a chance to hear the advanced codecs in their full glory). If the sonic experience of the PS3 via toslink is equivalent to the A2, I may be more inclined to take the hit on the audio.
Thoughts?
So, who would sacrifice the advanced audio for a minimum of three years and go with the PS3? Who would spend the extra on the S550, no matter if it is as much as the BD50? Who would simply wait?
I will say this about not having the advanced audio codecs--at the moment, my HDM experience has been via my A2. As it does NOT have MCH analogue output, I'm "getting by" with toslink and its limitations--with no complaints so far (though I have not had a chance to hear the advanced codecs in their full glory). If the sonic experience of the PS3 via toslink is equivalent to the A2, I may be more inclined to take the hit on the audio.
Thoughts?