Audiotrak 5.1-7.1 preamp?

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I picked the unit up at a sale. I don't intend on using it. I was looking for someone who would know anything about the model or even the brand and what it may be worth. The sight I found it on looks like a site that sells to professional installers. At $600 new it has to be worth something.

Here is the problem I see, and what makes me think it's not worth much.

The legacy audio codecs are basically unused on the Blu ray format, and the dominate audio codecs are now Dts-HD master audio, and Dolby TruHD, and any processor that does not have these decoding systems lose a lot of value and usefulness.

Secondly, the whole world is moving to HDMI(with the exception of the audio only guys), and without any HDMI connections, it loses more of its value because in just a few years analog connects in the Blu ray format will sunset(go away). It is already getting harder and harder to find Blu ray players with analog connection, and the only ones that do have it are the most expensive players. It is going to be harder and harder to find some usefulness out of this processor going forward.

Just my opinion though.....

[pixelthis]

Here is the problem I see, and what makes me think it's not worth much.

The legacy audio codecs are basically unused on the Blu ray format, and the dominate audio codecs are now Dts-HD master audio, and Dolby TruHD, and any processor that does not have these decoding systems lose a lot of value and usefulness.

Secondly, the whole world is moving to HDMI(with the exception of the audio only guys), and without any HDMI connections, it loses more of its value because in just a few years analog connects in the Blu ray format will sunset(go away). It is already getting harder and harder to find Blu ray players with analog connection, and the only ones that do have it are the most expensive players. It is going to be harder and harder to find some usefulness out of this processor going forward.

Just my opinion though.....

The "legacy" audio codecs are on BLU discs, even have more range than on a DVD,
but are inferior to the new lossless codecs available, and I mean way inferior.
HAD A DEALER, who had access to some of the stuff offered to "custom" installers
(cables, etc). Some of its pretty good, some name brand but re-badged.
BUT IN THIS CASE talkys right, you can get a cheap receiver with the new codecs
and sometimes even HDMI switching for hundreds less.
NOW, there is a bunch of older parts out there, entire chassis, even, looks like someone
is selling it to "installers", who will "get rid of it" by installing it in the houses of people
who don't know any better.
HENCE the megabuck "custom" install that can't even handle the latest codecs.
A certain audio columnist talked about such an "installation", cost thousands, and the
installer ran the out from the SAT receiver channel 3 to the mega-buck monitor!
THE WORST WAY TO DO IT.
Buyer beware, basically.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

The "legacy" audio codecs are on BLU discs, even have more range than on a DVD,
but are inferior to the new lossless codecs available, and I mean way inferior.
HAD A DEALER, who had access to some of the stuff offered to "custom" installers
(cables, etc). Some of its pretty good, some name brand but re-badged.
BUT IN THIS CASE talkys right, you can get a cheap receiver with the new codecs
and sometimes even HDMI switching for hundreds less.
NOW, there is a bunch of older parts out there, entire chassis, even, looks like someone
is selling it to "installers", who will "get rid of it" by installing it in the houses of people
who don't know any better.
HENCE the megabuck "custom" install that can't even handle the latest codecs.
A certain audio columnist talked about such an "installation", cost thousands, and the
installer ran the out from the SAT receiver channel 3 to the mega-buck monitor!
THE WORST WAY TO DO IT.
Buyer beware, basically.

Pix, I own very close to 1,000 Blu ray disc. Less than 1% of those disc have used the legacy codecs as the primary carrier of the audio, and they mostly came from early Warner releases. I have not seen a release in at last two years that used the legacy stream as the primary soundtrack. Dts HD Master audio is the primary lossless codec in use now. Before that TruHD and PCM where the main ones used. The few titles that used DD, used it at 640kbps, which is barely better than 448kbps that DVD used.

Now if we were talking about HD-DVD, it would be a different story. DD+ was used on 95% of the releases on that format. Only a few used the lossless codecs because of bandwidth issues on the format.

[pixelthis]

Pix, I own very close to 1,000 Blu ray disc. Less than 1% of those disc have used the legacy codecs as the primary carrier of the audio, and they mostly came from early Warner releases. I have not seen a release in at last two years that used the legacy stream as the primary soundtrack. Dts HD Master audio is the primary lossless codec in use now. Before that TruHD and PCM where the main ones used. The few titles that used DD, used it at 640kbps, which is barely better than 448kbps that DVD used.

Now if we were talking about HD-DVD, it would be a different story. DD+ was used on 95% of the releases on that format. Only a few used the lossless codecs because of bandwidth issues on the format.

Not as the primary audio carrier, but as a back-up for those who don't yet have the
gear for decoding the new formats. THEY ARE THERE AS A BACKUP, go back and read my post before you comment next time.
I used these backup tracks a few times until I rewire my then obsolete Integra for 7.1
LPCM through analog channels, they aint half bad, but can't compete with the main channels , of course.

[pixelthis]

By the way, OP, my granddaddy was a country preacher, and a heckuva
salesman, he said that whenever inventory got high, they would double the price
of everything and put it on the sidewalk, have a sidewalk sale.
Everything would disappear in a hurry.
There is still a lot of obsolete gear out there, some might be quality stuff, but if you can find a BLU play with 7.1 analog outs(I would hurry, they are disapearing fast), and your receiver has
inputs for analog 7.1(or even 5.1) you can probably still use it.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Not as the primary audio carrier, but as a back-up for those who don't yet have the
gear for decoding the new formats. THEY ARE THERE AS A BACKUP, go back and read my post before you comment next time.

The "legacy" audio codecs are on BLU discs, even have more range than on a DVD,
but are inferior to the new lossless codecs available, and I mean way inferior.

Do you see the word "backup" anywhere here? No stupid, because that is not what you said.

I used these backup tracks a few times until I rewire my then obsolete Integra for 7.1
LPCM through analog channels, they aint half bad, but can't compete with the main channels , of course.

There are no backup tracks used on the Blu ray format. You are using the "core" minus extensions stream from the Dts HD Master Audio. That is not a back up track, that is the main track minus the extension. Dolby Digital IS a back up track, but it is no longer used on the Blu ray format.