HDMI Audio: Pass though TV or Direct to Sound Bar?

[fortunec00kie]

Hey LS

I know I have not been on the forum in ages!
I have just been busy with outside life for a while.
I had surgery, we moved, switched jobs etc....

Anyways I have a home audio question and I knew you'd be the one who could help me.
I have a Blu-Ray Player that has Optical Audio Output.
The Player is connected to my TV via HDMI.
My TV is a Sony Bravia (Model KDL-40V3000).
I just got a Denon Sound Bar.
My TV Has Optical Audio Output too.
This is what the TV Manual says....

"Dolby Digital Audio from the HDMI input will be Output as PCM"

Does this mean I am better off to connect my soundbar to the Blu-Ray directly, or will the TV pass the audio through?
Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Colin

fortunec00kie

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[JMP]

DTS has a higher dynamic range, than Dolby Digital which is higher than PCM.

The TV will just pass the audio through just fine, but as shown above, PCM doesn't quite have the same dynamic range that Dolby Digital has.

Personally, I would suggest trying both ways and see which sounds best to your ears. It may turn out that it sounds the same to you and doesn't make much of a difference.

-JMP