Need Your Advice on Developing a 5.1 Channel DAC

[Matias]

Does anybody knew this Canton smart amp 5.1
https://www.canton.de/produkte/typ/verstaerker-vorverstaerker/smart-amp-5.1/04154

I think it is the same as Fosi would create as new.
View attachment 321523
i can't use this unit, because it can only operate with 2 channel PCM input, LPCM is not possible as canton support told me

Canton Smart Connect 5.1 (discussion)

Anyone have any information other than the marketing material on how a Canton Smart Connect 5.1 performs or is good at all? I would love to have Amir test this piece out but seems difficult to source or find information overall at all about this piece of equipment. I've been looking for a DAC...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Lambda]

There are many cheap and good DACs.
Just make a HDMI eARK Decoder box with DSP and 6 SPDIF/Toslink outputs

 

[Aaronb1138]

My guess, target is those who mainly use headsets and sometimes simple multi channel for netflix (which means 7.1ch is useless).

Master volume would be nice. Remote will probably have this, but it is slow and frustrating when you can just reach out and turn.

For output, additional 3.5mm jacks would be nice. Target users will have hard time with all the rca.

And done?

If this is intended to be simple and fool-proof. Delay, bass management, and all the dsp will be worse than nothing.

If this is for serious users, complete redesign will be needed... Things like flex ht will leave this in the dust...

Flex HT can't do DD / DTS which will be its undoing. Too many TVs and other devices cannot correctly output eARC 6-channel LPCM. HDMI has always been about supporting the licensing fiefdoms, so this is to be expected. Further it has too few output channels for a DSP when they've been selling on active crossover + EQ 2/3/4 way amplified speaker setups. Honestly, I suspect besides chip shortages the Flex HT release delay is compatibility testing has shown that LPCM only support is a death sentence.

While I think Fosi should be doing an 8-ch / 7.1 box, I'm still interested in an affordable high SINAD 5.1 DAC with eARC (DD+DTS) since I'm going to have to string it into MiniDSP or similar for active crossover and EQ / bi-amped front L/C/R and I don't have a living room large enough / shaped correctly to properly accommodate more than 2 rear speakers. I have zero interest in Atmos / elevation speakers others keep bringing up and I think it's the most odious gimmick the industry has introduced to sell extra channels and speakers. At least 7.1/9.1/9.2 can correctly interpolate surround panning from 5.1/7.1 content properly. I'll be surprised if more than 3 movie titles a year use elevation channels *effectively* by 2025. It will die off in actual use like every reboot of stereoscopic 3D. We're already inundated with Blurays and streaming with crap nearfield compressed multi-channel audio instead of a proper theatrical downmix.

For DSP duties, I'm honestly looking at the C-DSP 8x12 v2 at this point despite the mediocre ADC SINAD. It simply makes the most sense for an affordable home theater active system since the F/OSS community has failed to produce a solid, obtainable, and easy to use multichannel hardware DSP. This Fosi box would be a fine alternative to my current 7.1 AVR to feed a C-DSP or an equivalent setup of DSPs even if it is a bit more limited in codecs and 3rd party matrix surround mixers I never use anyway (Neo et al).

Agree with others saying the volume knobs are useless. Let us adjust levels via remote / PC / phone app and instead let the user set multiple presets.

No clue what the MIC input is there for... streamers or karaoke?? Either way, a waste, but if the added cost is minimal, perhaps it's ignorable.

 

[Guddu]

@Fosi Audio
Did this project survive?

 

[Middle Earth]

It is still in progress and I expect a Kickstarter soon.
@Fosi Audio
please, please, please keep one or two USBs…I beg thee

 

[TikBLang]

Agree with others saying the volume knobs are useless. Let us adjust levels via remote / PC / phone app and instead let the user set multiple presets.

yes totally makes sense. nice preamps (and also IOS/Android apps) have a volume control and mute button to control the sound remotely. I don't want to stand up in the middle of listening and manually muting the amp.

 

[fxavier]

Well, I would buy it if it got balanced output (XLR/TRRS), balanced input would be nice to have too but not necessary.

 

[nullstring]

Fosi, if you can release a simple DAC or 2.1 DAC/AMP with robust HDMI ARC and HDMI CEC for a modest price, you could be a tremendously popular product.

Maybe take that step first before going into 5.1

 

[Alex91]

make one with trs outputs 5.1 or 7.1 with eRAC for powered speakers

 

[BarryTone]

Personally I think Fosi should focus on a competitor to the PA5 II (an improved V4 of the V3 using PFFB) and the upcoming WiiM integrated amp with HDMI-ARC (will be interesting to see how that measures), rather than this multi-channel DAC. 2c...


JSmith

Agreed - build a Wiim Amp competitor.

 

[ZolaIII]

8 chenels (as DAC's are 8 chenel) and USB input (along with other digital inputs already listed) with ability to remap chenels as you wish and that it sticks like that for all inputs. Proper 2V unbalanced analog line outs and of course deacent performance.

 

[Guddu]

@Fosi Audio
Did this project survive?

@Fosi Audio
Did it move any further at all, any updates will be appreciated

 

[Trdat]

I think key needs(at least for me)

1. 3 channels but not more than 5.1 I say 3 because I just use a Centre for dialouge. I personally don't use any atmos or or surrounds just centre speaker for voice.
2. Room correction, must have room correction
3. Decoding 5.1 so I can use my centre channel so at least two options to decode the 5.1
4. HIgh SINAD well measuring DAC.
5. XLR outputs

 

[SMen]

I think key needs(at least for me)

1. 3 channels but not more than 5.1 I say 3 because I just use a Centre for dialouge. I personally don't use any atmos or or surrounds just centre speaker for voice.
2. Room correction, must have room correction
3. Decoding 5.1 so I can use my centre channel so at least two options to decode the 5.1
4. HIgh SINAD well measuring DAC.
5. XLR outputs

I've never got this need to require everyone to straight to 7 channel when a simple way to add the dialog channel would be so useful in a stereo set up.
Maybe power it with a v3 mono. Just on your wave length.

So + 1 for your 5 ... xlr outputs to drive those monos

 

[SMen]

@Fosi Audio here is an idea coming over from the v3 mono thread.

Go back to your pre-amplifer idea.

1. Give it balanced outputs to connect to v3 monos.
2. Give it 2 balanced inputs to connect external devices.
3. Give it hdmi input to extract 5.1 channels
4. Make the 5.1 or traditional stereo switcheable between the two (so no digital interface for analogue inputs).
5. Allow the 2 rear channels to be output to another stereo fosi amplifier to control the two rear speakers.

The volume of the rears would be dual controlled by both units to allow fine tuning of the rear speaker volumes (though I suppose two monos might work without this there too).

You would have a neat master control. If you really want to spoil us give us relay controlled volume , or even dual volume

It would make a neat system combination of both monos and stereo units. I'd be interested in this.

Yes, the problem with your initial proposal for me is that it is not a balanced preamplifier for external units, like a dac, or turntable phono pre, and no balanced outputs for v3 monos.