24-bit audio passthrough over coax or optical

[itwriter]

So I discovered that my Western Digital TV Live HD doesn't do audio passthrough over optical that goes higher than 20 bits.

Then I started trying to find out if there was another media player that could output 24-bit audio over optical, which is what I want. None of the player sites that I visited could provide me with a definitive answer about this.

Today I discovered that the problem probably lies with the S/PDIF protocol, which applies to optical and to digital coax. By default, this protocol only permits audio passthrough up to 20 bits. More info here - http://www.firerubenamaro.net/internet-home-based-business/limitations-of-spdif/

It is theoretically possible to hack the protocol to up the passthrough to 24 bits, but again I have NO idea if any media player currently on the market does this.

This means that there appears to be no interest either from consumers or from manufacturers to get networked media players to support 24-bit audio passthrough over any channel except HDMI.

What, are stereo purists not allowed to stream their music over media players?

[Krist]

This means that there appears to be no interest either from consumers or from manufacturers to get networked media players to support 24-bit audio passthrough over any channel except HDMI.

What, are stereo purists not allowed to stream their music over media players?

There are a few good solutions out there allready for stereo purists that want to play 24-bit audio.

One is to use a high quality network client/DAC combo, like the Onkyo T-4070. Because the DAC and the Network Client are in the same box the problem of how to get the data from the one to the other is easy..

The solution I'm going for however is to get me a NAD C390DD as soon as it hits the market (any time now). I need a good amp anyway, and this offering from NAD is an audiophile stereo amplifier with HDMI inputs! This looks like the perfect AMP for a stereo purist with lots of digital media sources.