Hi all,
Blumlein 88 (@Blumlein 88 ) recently posted this: "If we could do software Dolby and DTS decoding in say VLC, we wouldn't need this overpriced under-performing gear. Decode into a digital stream and shoot it to an 8 channel pro interface and onto amps. Great performance for relatively peanuts." anthem-mrx-520-avr
His post was in response to yet another poorly performing AVR, not that just integrated AVR's perform badly under Amir's objective analysis, their PrePro rarified cousins seem to as well.
While many options exist for our Windows HTPC brethren, us Mac users are less well served.
What I think I'm looking for:
-- To use my Mac Mini as the hub and centre of my living room media
-- The ability to watch UHD 4K Netflix and iTunes 4K content and decode audio to at least 7.2 Dolby, I no longer use physical media
-- A single remote volume control, integrated bass management and ideally Dirac correction for each channel and for the room
-- Support for my custom bi-amped active front L&R speakers, currently driven by MiniDSP's DDRC-24 and Matrix-Digital IcePower amps
-- Adoption of the humble but stellar JBL LSR305 as surround and overhead speaker
-- Balanced TRS/XLR or even AES connections to all the surround channels
I have used and honed my speaker / room correction skills on DEQX in the past (wonderful piece of equipment), currently use MiniDSP DDRC-24 for crossover and Dirac correction duties (highly recommend), and have purchased SonarWorks Reference to experiment with and use True-Fi for headphones.
What I've learnt so far:
-- Dolby Surround decoder - it seems that Apple's OS already supports built-in Dolby Digital Plus (https://developer.dolby.com/platforms/apple/macos/os-support/)
-- While some sort of support is promised by Apple for Dolby Atmos in Catalina, so far it looks like use of an AVR is assumed
-- Decoding DTS seems to require professional level plug-ins (AU, VST etc), last I looked expensive and designed for professional use not consumer convenience
-- Surround decoders, these exist but are mainly aimed at Content Creation and encoding rather than decoding
-- Apple's Audio MIDI Setup allows channel allocation through an external multi-channel audio interface, but doesn't handle bass management or time alignment, this utility will also aggregate multiple audio interfaces to build up channel count if desired
-- Rogue Amoeba's Looper allows patching AU (Audio Unit) plug-ins into the signal path, so could be used for basic parametric EQ and delay / alignment duties, maybe even bass management, last I checked it doesn't support multi-channel processing
-- External USB or Ethernet Over-the-Air TV receivers do exist, I have an old Eye-TV (https://www.geniatech.eu) but will replace it with a Home Run when it dies (https://www.silicondust.com)
-- MiniDSP make great stereo and multi-channel correction / crossover devices, I have a couple including the DDRC-24. I'm contemplating the SHD. But none of their devices do any actual surround decoding although they will do bass management and correction / alignment duties on an already decoded audio stream.
-- Apple's planned "Side-car" seems to promise a single remote surface on an iPad for control purposes (https://www.apple.com/nz/macos/catalina/features/)
Given the abysmal performance of the AVR / PrePro surround decoder, I'm thinking of adopting something like the MiniDSP U-DIO-8 (https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dio8) as my surround audio interface. (https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-93-minidsp-ripping-sacds).
The huge gap from that I can see so far is in the whole consumer convenience, WAF (Wife-acceptance-factor) simplicity for a single interface / remote control.
Can an un-trained someone step up and use the system? Turn it on, select media, get the right decoders loaded, change the volume???
This is where JRiver's Media Centre comes in (https://jriver.com).
It seems to offer the integration, media selection, decoding, bass management and correction / alignment support needed.
Trouble is, for whatever reason, I haven't got past the initial download of a demo version to try out.
Has anyone else had more success?
Will it provide that one-stop ease of use for an untrained person to be able to use?
Blumlein 88 (@Blumlein 88 ) recently posted this: "If we could do software Dolby and DTS decoding in say VLC, we wouldn't need this overpriced under-performing gear. Decode into a digital stream and shoot it to an 8 channel pro interface and onto amps. Great performance for relatively peanuts." anthem-mrx-520-avr
His post was in response to yet another poorly performing AVR, not that just integrated AVR's perform badly under Amir's objective analysis, their PrePro rarified cousins seem to as well.
While many options exist for our Windows HTPC brethren, us Mac users are less well served.
What I think I'm looking for:
-- To use my Mac Mini as the hub and centre of my living room media
-- The ability to watch UHD 4K Netflix and iTunes 4K content and decode audio to at least 7.2 Dolby, I no longer use physical media
-- A single remote volume control, integrated bass management and ideally Dirac correction for each channel and for the room
-- Support for my custom bi-amped active front L&R speakers, currently driven by MiniDSP's DDRC-24 and Matrix-Digital IcePower amps
-- Adoption of the humble but stellar JBL LSR305 as surround and overhead speaker
-- Balanced TRS/XLR or even AES connections to all the surround channels
I have used and honed my speaker / room correction skills on DEQX in the past (wonderful piece of equipment), currently use MiniDSP DDRC-24 for crossover and Dirac correction duties (highly recommend), and have purchased SonarWorks Reference to experiment with and use True-Fi for headphones.
What I've learnt so far:
-- Dolby Surround decoder - it seems that Apple's OS already supports built-in Dolby Digital Plus (https://developer.dolby.com/platforms/apple/macos/os-support/)
-- While some sort of support is promised by Apple for Dolby Atmos in Catalina, so far it looks like use of an AVR is assumed
-- Decoding DTS seems to require professional level plug-ins (AU, VST etc), last I looked expensive and designed for professional use not consumer convenience
-- Surround decoders, these exist but are mainly aimed at Content Creation and encoding rather than decoding
-- Apple's Audio MIDI Setup allows channel allocation through an external multi-channel audio interface, but doesn't handle bass management or time alignment, this utility will also aggregate multiple audio interfaces to build up channel count if desired
-- Rogue Amoeba's Looper allows patching AU (Audio Unit) plug-ins into the signal path, so could be used for basic parametric EQ and delay / alignment duties, maybe even bass management, last I checked it doesn't support multi-channel processing
-- External USB or Ethernet Over-the-Air TV receivers do exist, I have an old Eye-TV (https://www.geniatech.eu) but will replace it with a Home Run when it dies (https://www.silicondust.com)
-- MiniDSP make great stereo and multi-channel correction / crossover devices, I have a couple including the DDRC-24. I'm contemplating the SHD. But none of their devices do any actual surround decoding although they will do bass management and correction / alignment duties on an already decoded audio stream.
-- Apple's planned "Side-car" seems to promise a single remote surface on an iPad for control purposes (https://www.apple.com/nz/macos/catalina/features/)
Given the abysmal performance of the AVR / PrePro surround decoder, I'm thinking of adopting something like the MiniDSP U-DIO-8 (https://www.minidsp.com/products/usb-audio-interface/u-dio8) as my surround audio interface. (https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-93-minidsp-ripping-sacds).
The huge gap from that I can see so far is in the whole consumer convenience, WAF (Wife-acceptance-factor) simplicity for a single interface / remote control.
Can an un-trained someone step up and use the system? Turn it on, select media, get the right decoders loaded, change the volume???
This is where JRiver's Media Centre comes in (https://jriver.com).
It seems to offer the integration, media selection, decoding, bass management and correction / alignment support needed.
Trouble is, for whatever reason, I haven't got past the initial download of a demo version to try out.
Has anyone else had more success?
Will it provide that one-stop ease of use for an untrained person to be able to use?