The DVD-S2500 player can play back both DVD-Audio and SACD signals, in addition to DVD-Video, DVD-R/-RW, and just about everything else. This player sports both HDMI and FireWire, and it’s easy to designate which one you want to send your audio signals through using the intuitive on-screen menus. There’s also a set of multichannel analog connections to send high-resolution signals the old-fashioned way, with extensive bass-management settings.

Like the Arcam, Yamaha’s RX-V4600 doesn’t output the on-screen menu or upconvert other input signals through the HDMI. You don’t need the menu, but it makes the initial installation easier, so you’ll want to connect an analog signal, at least temporarily.

I first set up the system using HDMI for video (did I mention that you can upconvert DVD signals to 720p or 1080i through the HDMI output—another great feature) and FireWire to transport all of my audio to the RX-V4600 receiver, and the process worked seamlessly. I could easily switch between DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, and SACD with little delay, although the disc tray is somewhat slow to cue up discs and it froze up a few times. The two devices recognized and communicated with each other without fail.

Next, I tried sending audio through the HDMI connection. Again, the two devices communicated well with one another, and I didn’t hear any change in the quality of stereo CD and multichannel Dolby Digital and DTS signals. While the RX-V4600 can receive a multichannel, 24/96 DVD-Audio signal, the DVD-S2500’s manual not-so-clearly states that the HDMI output downconverts high-resolution audio to stereo. Because both devices have FireWire for high-resolution audio, this isn’t really an issue, but it’s confusing nonetheless. This combo was the only one that at least let me listen to multichannel Dolby Digital and DTS signals through HDMI —despite being the least expensive in the group.