I was just browsing some studio/pro-gear websites and came across the Audient EVO 16, which might interest some people. It seems to have all the necessary/desired features for doing "multichannel" playback from a PC (multichannel suitable for DSP xover/EQ/etc). It's got 8 balanced outputs, a volume knob that can* control the volume of all outputs (*presuming it can be configured that way), and a nice little LCD display - all packaged in a pretty good looking unit I think.
Specs wise, the stated ones seem sufficient. Of course the skeptics would question the legitamcy of those specs, but the lower model EVO 4 seems to measure pretty close to its similar spec's.
There's a bunch of other features to mention - The screen looks nice, and can be set to display meter bars for the outputs. It's got 2x optical input and outputs, and they can run ADAT or S/PDIF (see page 56 of the manual. And if you don't know, ADAT allows 8 channels of 24bit + 48kHz, or divisions such as 4x of 24+92). It also comes with software that can handle mixing and routing. Lastly, there is the good looking volume knob, but does it control all the devices?
- Page 28 of the manual says "By default, pressing the Speaker button on the front of the unit, then turning the Control Wheel will change the volume of line outputs 1+2. You can adjust any of the other line outputs in the EVO Software Mixer." By default suggests it can be configured differently though...?
- Page 30 mentions the Function button, and says "Various monitoring and communication functions of the EVO Software Mixer can be assigned to the hardware Function Button found on the front panel of the EVO 16". One of the function is ALT mode, which allows you to "switch your monitor path to a secondary set of speakers to let you check how your mix translates on various speakers. You can select which outputs the ALT monitor control flips to in the System Panel." So I think ALT mode will enable 8 channel volume control.
- I mentioned the mixing+routing software, which is talked about on page 56. My understanding is that the Mixer allows all sorts of inputs to be combined in to any of the available mixes (Main, ALT, and 4x Cue mixes). Then in the Router, those mixes can be sent to various devices. So I would think you can send Main to all 8 devices, and then have volume control without using "ALT" mode. However, Page 57 says "Please note that the hardware volume control does not affect these mixes and the Cue’s have seperate trims which can be adjusted when the Cue Mix is selected in the Main Mixer Window." It's not clear if this is only referring to the 4x Cues, or the Main and ALT mixes too?
Presuming the volume knob can be configure to control all 8 outputs, this EVO 1 seems a good option compared to some others. For example, the Okto DAC8 Pro is very good, but it seems hard to get, and pricey. Topping DM7 is also decent, but it doesn't have a good volume knob, and is more expensive too. MiniDSP units have the benefit of on-device DSP, but the Flex HT + Flex 8 don't have balanced outputs, the Flex and SHD only have 4 outputs, and the Flex HTx has the works but is expensive. There is also many interfaces out there with 4+ analogue outputs, but they probably don't look this nice, and do they have a good volume knob?! For example, my Presonus 68c has 4 balanced outputs, but only 2 are controlled by the tiny volume knob.
Another model to keep an eye on is the lower model EVO 8 (although IMO, it looks a bit ugly as a consumer device with it's top-mounted controls). It has 4 outputs and a big volume knob, but the knob only controls 1 pair of outputs at a time (via the 2x buttons on the front). I looked in the manual, but didn't find any indication that both pairs could be controlled at once. However, it says the inputs can be paired together by pressing their 2x buttons at the same time. So perhaps it's only a firmware update away from doing the same with the outputs?!
Specs wise, the stated ones seem sufficient. Of course the skeptics would question the legitamcy of those specs, but the lower model EVO 4 seems to measure pretty close to its similar spec's.
Frequency Response: +/-0.5dB 10Hz to Fs/2
Crosstalk: <-110dBu @ 1kHz
THD+N @ -1dBFS (1kHz): <0.001%
Dynamic Range: 121dB A-weighted
There's a bunch of other features to mention - The screen looks nice, and can be set to display meter bars for the outputs. It's got 2x optical input and outputs, and they can run ADAT or S/PDIF (see page 56 of the manual. And if you don't know, ADAT allows 8 channels of 24bit + 48kHz, or divisions such as 4x of 24+92). It also comes with software that can handle mixing and routing. Lastly, there is the good looking volume knob, but does it control all the devices?
- Page 28 of the manual says "By default, pressing the Speaker button on the front of the unit, then turning the Control Wheel will change the volume of line outputs 1+2. You can adjust any of the other line outputs in the EVO Software Mixer." By default suggests it can be configured differently though...?
- Page 30 mentions the Function button, and says "Various monitoring and communication functions of the EVO Software Mixer can be assigned to the hardware Function Button found on the front panel of the EVO 16". One of the function is ALT mode, which allows you to "switch your monitor path to a secondary set of speakers to let you check how your mix translates on various speakers. You can select which outputs the ALT monitor control flips to in the System Panel." So I think ALT mode will enable 8 channel volume control.
- I mentioned the mixing+routing software, which is talked about on page 56. My understanding is that the Mixer allows all sorts of inputs to be combined in to any of the available mixes (Main, ALT, and 4x Cue mixes). Then in the Router, those mixes can be sent to various devices. So I would think you can send Main to all 8 devices, and then have volume control without using "ALT" mode. However, Page 57 says "Please note that the hardware volume control does not affect these mixes and the Cue’s have seperate trims which can be adjusted when the Cue Mix is selected in the Main Mixer Window." It's not clear if this is only referring to the 4x Cues, or the Main and ALT mixes too?
Presuming the volume knob can be configure to control all 8 outputs, this EVO 1 seems a good option compared to some others. For example, the Okto DAC8 Pro is very good, but it seems hard to get, and pricey. Topping DM7 is also decent, but it doesn't have a good volume knob, and is more expensive too. MiniDSP units have the benefit of on-device DSP, but the Flex HT + Flex 8 don't have balanced outputs, the Flex and SHD only have 4 outputs, and the Flex HTx has the works but is expensive. There is also many interfaces out there with 4+ analogue outputs, but they probably don't look this nice, and do they have a good volume knob?! For example, my Presonus 68c has 4 balanced outputs, but only 2 are controlled by the tiny volume knob.
Another model to keep an eye on is the lower model EVO 8 (although IMO, it looks a bit ugly as a consumer device with it's top-mounted controls). It has 4 outputs and a big volume knob, but the knob only controls 1 pair of outputs at a time (via the 2x buttons on the front). I looked in the manual, but didn't find any indication that both pairs could be controlled at once. However, it says the inputs can be paired together by pressing their 2x buttons at the same time. So perhaps it's only a firmware update away from doing the same with the outputs?!
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The mouse or keyboard wigging out during those moments could also cause problems (or you go to type a number but have numlock off, and so you accidentally push page up, and that might be interpretted as max volume?!).
