Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I've found myself using my PC for a lot of conversations lately, and I'm also considering recording a podcast to share with anyone who will listen. There are tons of USB headset / microphones out there, and I'm hoping someone has some solid recommendations based on experience. I'll consider both headsets and standalone mics, by the way, but I'd like to keep the bill under $100 if possible. Help!"
HDMI pass through allows the receiver to deal with the audio. It's the whole reason HDMI was developed to begin with.....carry everything on one cord.
a thread at avsforum.com explains it a bit:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=722360
only HDMI ver. 1.3 is capable of sound and video. HARDLY anyThing out there has HDMI 1.3 yet and it comes with premium. to truly enjoy 1080p/60f/120Hz and sound your TV must have 1.3 port - anyThing less is not 1080p [close, but not 100%], 1.1/1.2 cables and ports are not sufficient for it
no, y'all are all wrong....pass-through simply means that the sound and video both pass through the receiver, you still have to run an audio cable from your tv back to your receiver. if you don't believe me, go buy one. i made that mistake and took it back on the same day...to get a receiver that isn't just pass-through you will spend a minimum of about $700