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$4000 16-channel immersive processor with Dirac Live and Auro announced by...Monoprice!?!

jhaider

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This tends to be a 2-channel focused place, but I just saw this and thought it was interesting.

https://www.audioholics.com/av-preamp-processor-reviews/monolith-htp-1

The casework looks to be the same as their Monolith amps, which are allegedly ATI designed-and-made. This immersive processor is listed as US-made, too. And ATI owns Datasat now, so they have as much experience as anyone with immersive.

The Audioholics interview promises Auro3D, but the specifications on Monoprice's own website does not claim that.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=37887

Currently the cheapest 16 channel processor is an Emotiva that's $1000 more and seems to have some teething problems. No Auro, either. Auro is the only immersive up mixer that enhances music IMO. Dolby Surround and Neural:X are steps backwards for music compared to Pro Logic II, though both work great on music and NFC Championship games in OT. The only processor with that many channels I've had in my system, Bryston's SP4, was rock stable but costs around $10,000 more.
 

DonH56

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There have been a few threads on this around the 'net. Speculation is ATI wasn't confident enough or whatever to release their own so are trying the Monoprice way first. ATI has released an amplifier through Monoprice; wonder if ATI is trying a lower-priced route that might not despoil their good name and Monoprice is trying to go more upscale?

The Emotiva RMC-1 roll-out has been roundly criticized by new owners on the Emotiva forum. Hard to say how many users there are and how many of those with problems but reading the thread is... disturbing. Unfortunately there may be a reason the others cost so much. Hopefully Emotiva will get it working once past the teething pains.
 
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jhaider

jhaider

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There have been a few threads on this around the 'net. Speculation is ATI wasn't confident enough or whatever to release their own so are trying the Monoprice way first.

I haven't seen that, though I haven't looked around too much. Source?

That makes no sense, because ATI's Datasat subsidiary has more experience with high channel count processors than anyone else except for Trinnov and Storm/Bryston. So one would expect they have the UI part down, which seems to be where others are currently stumbling. Even Bryston had some issues with IR control, and even by the end of my review "activities" were inconsistent on our Harmony remote.

Also, I received an email that they were showing their own processor with a scheduled release of around the same time. ATI's is more expensive than the Monoprice one, though I am not sure what the design, parts quality, or feature differences are.
 

DonH56

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AVS threads. Someone there pinged ATI and there was some sort of press release/statement from ATI that ATI's planned release is delayed by a year or so. I have not really been following it but the buzz has been around a few months. Supposedly there was to be an ATI-branded processor at a lower price and feature point than Datasat's last year but it has not happened. I was looking at it last year as a potential replacement for my XMC-1. Given Datasat's products and reps I thought it was a pretty sure thing; not sure what happened. Could be anything from competition at the lower price points to limited resources to develop and support. Maybe ATI is rethinking their plans, I have no idea.

At this point I don't have any solid data and have not been watching ATI or Datasat.
 

BDWoody

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Amir should have one of these to review soon...
 

phoenixdogfan

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This tends to be a 2-channel focused place, but I just saw this and thought it was interesting.

https://www.audioholics.com/av-preamp-processor-reviews/monolith-htp-1

The casework looks to be the same as their Monolith amps, which are allegedly ATI designed-and-made. This immersive processor is listed as US-made, too. And ATI owns Datasat now, so they have as much experience as anyone with immersive.

The Audioholics interview promises Auro3D, but the specifications on Monoprice's own website does not claim that.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=37887

Currently the cheapest 16 channel processor is an Emotiva that's $1000 more and seems to have some teething problems. No Auro, either. Auro is the only immersive up mixer that enhances music IMO. Dolby Surround and Neural:X are steps backwards for music compared to Pro Logic II, though both work great on music and NFC Championship games in OT. The only processor with that many channels I've had in my system, Bryston's SP4, was rock stable but costs around $10,000 more.
I have all that with my Smyth A16 Realiser plus binaural speaker virtualization over headphones for $5 less ($3995). Well, check that, I have Dolby ATMOS currently, but will have DTS-X and Auro 3D when they obtain the certification and licenses from the respective companies.
 

BDWoody

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I have all that with my Smyth A16 Realiser plus binaural speaker virtualization over headphones for $5 less ($3995). Well, check that, I have Dolby ATMOS currently, but will have DTS-X and Auro 3D when they obtain the certification and licenses from the respective companies.

Well, other than the Dirac room correction and 16x balanced outputs, to pick a couple of easy ones.
For headphone listening, that looks like it could be pretty cool to mess around with, but for a 16 speaker setup in a real room...kinda apples/kumquats...

Do you like your Realiser?
 
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jhaider

jhaider

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Amir should have one of these to review soon...

Are these already shipping? Are they in a usable state from launch? If so, Monoprice has achieved something that has eluded many established players in the SSP space!

I have all that with my Smyth A16 Realiser plus binaural speaker virtualization over headphones for $5 less ($3995).

Maybe I'm getting old but I still view headphones primarily as conduits for background music. I like them, and have had good ones since before my adult life (bought Sennheiser 580s as a teenager, and a HeadRoom amp in undergrad) but I do not see them as a loudspeaker replacement.
 

BDWoody

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Are these already shipping? Are they in a usable state from launch? If so, Monoprice has achieved something that has eluded many established players in the SSP space!

Yes, and apparently yes. There's an owners forum on AVS, and fairly consistent updates from the manufacturer. Bugs seem to be few and are addressed quickly with several software updates being made available so far.

Maybe I'm getting old but I still view headphones primarily as conduits for background music. I like them, and have had good ones since before my adult life (bought Sennheiser 580s as a teenager, and a HeadRoom amp in undergrad) but I do not see them as a loudspeaker replacement.

I am 100% in agreement. I use headphones when needed, but if I can listen to speakers, I am listening to speakers.
 
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