Audiopraise VanityPro Review (HDMI Audio Extractor)

[Abelard]

As an owner of the Meridian HD621, I can also assure you, that it has 8ch AES out over the RJ45 - 8p8c.
This is a common standard in digital cinema. I use it with a Dolby Cinema Processor (CP650) that has 8ch digital input.
The restrains were already mentioned: Audio in HDMI must be LPCM, Output can not be higher than 96khz.

As for the HDMI standard - I don’t think it matters, just use an HDMI2HDMI Audio extractor like the ones from finetech.

Meridian claims the MHR (RJ45) digital audio out is encrypted. Is that just words?

 

[pseudoid]

As an owner of the Meridian HD621, I can also assure you, that it has 8ch AES out over the RJ45 - 8p8c.

Isn't this Meridian unit an HDMIv1.4b?
I am to the point where I will never again try to use the same AVR (or AVPre/Pro); as HDMI is always seems to be antiquating our costly hardwares.

AES67 (AoIP/over RJ45) currently tops out at no better than 16bit quality (in a 2-channel distribution).
[Edit/Add: Unless you mean AES/EBU (AES3?)]
The network is recommended to be no less than 1GbE Q.o.S. (for latency and other issues) for this 16-bit equivalent quality.
This control also affects the number of audio samples per packet:

Maximum Channels Setting	Samples per Packet
16	16
32	8
64	4

Smaller packet sizes may enable lower device latency settings for relevant subscriptions.
For multi-channel use; it is possible to string together multiple audio channels feeding into the network but you will be hard pressed to get anything exceeding -96dB rez.

 

[Vincentponcet]

What is this device for? It doesn't decode any of the Dolby formats, so I suppose it's not for home theater. But then, the HDMI interface makes it seem like it's not aimed at the professional market either, who'd typically use dedicated audio interfaces, connected via USB/TB/Ethernet instead.
What is multichannel PCM operation via HDMI used for?

Apple tv or Kodi on shield are doing dolby decoding to LCPM 7.1

 

[Vincentponcet]

Isn't this Meridian unit an HDMIv1.4b?
I am to the point where I will never again try to use the same AVR (or AVPre/Pro); as HDMI is always seems to be antiquating our costly hardwares.

AES67 (AoIP/over RJ45) currently tops out at no better than 16bit quality (in a 2-channel distribution).
The network is recommended to be no less than 1GbE Q.o.S. (for latency and other issues) for this 16-bit equivalent quality.
This control also affects the number of audio samples per packet:

Maximum Channels Setting	Samples per Packet
16	16
32	8
64	4

Smaller packet sizes may enable lower device latency settings for relevant subscriptions.
For multi-channel use; it is possible to string together multiple audio channels feeding into the network but you will be hard pressed to get anything exceeding -96dB rez.

LCPM 7.1 is supported since HDMI 1.0

 

[pseudoid]

LCPM 7.1 is supported since HDMI 1.0

8 channels of LCPM but over HDMI cable

that it has 8ch AES out over the RJ45

But the conversation is about AES over a LAN (maybe a dedicated/point-to-point RJ45 cabling w/o a network backbone)...?

In post #645 of the ASR review of the Okto DAC8 Pro it says "conversion of audio from HDMI to ...AES/EBU [triggers deprecation of the audio], does this apply to the Audiopraise VanityPro?

per above @DL325' statement and the possible encryption/decryption (for 8ch. of audio) current networks will have many challenges meeting a variety of performance requirements; such as latency issues and many loss of (audio) data packets... if done over a regular 'LAN'.
Please correct me if I am mistaken and making too many assumptions. ty.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

My Marantz 8805 AVR has no digital outs that I am aware of other than HDMI.

Sure, it does. 2 coax, 2 optical.

Those are inputs......there are no digital outs

OK, OK. I read the question/statement about the 8805 too fast. But I was thinking that Falcon91Wolvrn03 wanted to take the output of the AudioPraise and feed it into the Marantz, although I do not see what help that might be.

BTW, how many audio channels are you considering? I've used the Okto DAC8 with the AP and it has a VC.

​

 

[Falcon91Wolvrn03]

BTW, how many audio channels are you considering? I've used the Okto DAC8 with the AP and it has a VC.

I don't think that question was for me, but I'm only using two channels.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I don't think that question was for me, but I'm only using two channels.

Yes, it was. There is a stereo version of the DAC8 but there are other stereo DACs with volume controls.

 

[Falcon91Wolvrn03]

There is a stereo version of the DAC8 but there are other stereo DACs with volume controls.

Any with AES out? The VENU360 requires AES in for digital (though I suppose it's possible to use an adapter to get the signal from another digital format to AES). Do you know a model number? I could only find the miniDSP SHD Studio for volume control (though fortunately the SHD Studio is talked about very highly here).

 

[Neddy]

I run my Venu360 from an OktoDAC8 (Ch1&2) AES outputs, but I've also fed the Venu from Coax Digital outputs (via an adaptor cable), in this case from an Oppo player. Worked fine.
(See also my reply to your questions in the Venu review thread.)

 

[Vincentponcet]

8 channels of LCPM but over HDMI cable

But the conversation is about AES over a LAN (maybe a dedicated/point-to-point RJ45 cabling w/o a network backbone)...?

per above @DL325' statement and the possible encryption/decryption (for 8ch. of audio) current networks will have many challenges meeting a variety of performance requirements; such as latency issues and many loss of (audio) data packets... if done over a regular 'LAN'.
Please correct me if I am mistaken and making too many assumptions. ty.

The conversation was about an HDMI extractor, and you said it was only HDMI 1.4, to which I replied, that's enough for LCPM 7.1, which is it's purpose.

 

[Jan.P.Ho]

Isn't this Meridian unit an HDMIv1.4b?
I am to the point where I will never again try to use the same AVR (or AVPre/Pro); as HDMI is always seems to be antiquating our costly hardwares.

AES67 (AoIP/over RJ45) currently tops out at no better than 16bit quality (in a 2-channel distribution).
[Edit/Add: Unless you mean AES/EBU (AES3?)]
The network is recommended to be no less than 1GbE Q.o.S. (for latency and other issues) for this 16-bit equivalent quality.
This control also affects the number of audio samples per packet:

Maximum Channels Setting	Samples per Packet
16	16
32	8
64	4

Smaller packet sizes may enable lower device latency settings for relevant subscriptions.
For multi-channel use; it is possible to string together multiple audio channels feeding into the network but you will be hard pressed to get anything exceeding -96dB rez.

Hi,

Sorry it’s taking me a while to answer, but yes of course. I meant AES/EBU (AES3).

 

[Jan.P.Ho]

Meridian claims the MHR (RJ45) digital audio out is encrypted. Is that just words?

It depends on the configuration of the device. To use the device without encryption, you cannot go higher than 96khz. And of course, have to configure the device to not send encrypted audio….

 

[badboygolf16v]

That's kind of how I'm using mine, but I'm routing everything into my AVR, then putting the HDMI out of my AVR into my VanityPRO. The problem with that approach is that it had no volume control, so I added a miniDSP SHD Studio after the VanityPRO.

My knowledge of multichannel is extremely limited.

In this setup all the decoding, bass management
etc is handled in the AVR and is passed out as processed to the HDMI output?

Sounds like a neat solution because you can swap the AVR out as formats change, with the only limitation being the max channels is 7.1?

 

[Vincentponcet]

My knowledge of multichannel is extremely limited.

In this setup all the decoding, bass management
etc is handled in the AVR and is passed out as processed to the HDMI output?

Sounds like a neat solution because you can swap the AVR out as formats change, with the only limitation being the max channels is 7.1?

Avr is not applying its decoding/EQ/bass management on the HDMI output, but on its internal sound path.
You need a device doing the decoding, generally at the source, so apple tv, Nvidia shield with Kodi,..

 

[Andy Mack]

This seems useful, but not for improving audio, just making the streams more flexible. One person on here said it made things SO much better. We are talking picoseconds here. Nobody in the history of humans could detect a deviation at that short of timeframe with ANY senses.

@amirm Can this, in any way, shape, or form, actually improve sound audibly?

Could it improve sound audibly? Technically it could. You could utilize class D amps that only require a digital input, such as SMSL VMV A2. Now you can eliminate the DAC's all together for a 5.1 music/video or 7.1 video setup. Analog only reappears with a simple low pass filter on the output of the class D amp.

 

[jjk]

Yes, it was. There is a stereo version of the DAC8 but there are other stereo DACs with volume controls.

Kal,
Would there be any weakness in the chain if I replaced my Emotiva XMC with the Vanity Pro? I have a Okto DAC8 which I use for music and streaming now.
I currently run Directv>>Oppo>>Emo>>March amps.
With the VP it would be AES in to USB to i7 NUC/JRiver for decode and DSP, then USB out to Okto>>amps; correct?
Bonus question: Can my Harmony remote be programmed to substitute for the apple remote which goes with the Okto?
Thanks very much, best regards!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Would there be any weakness in the chain if I replaced my Emotiva XMC with the Vanity Pro?

Audible or functional?

With the VP it would be AES in to USB to i7 NUC/JRiver for decode and DSP, then USB out to Okto>>amps; correct?

Do you have any experience with using the USB/AES mode of the Okto? It is not as simple as Okto implies.

Bonus question: Can my Harmony remote be programmed to substitute for the apple remote which goes with the Okto?

Dunno. If you find out, let me know.

 

[pseudoid]

Can my Harmony remote be programmed to substitute for the apple remote

@jjk >> try this link >> https://support.myharmony.com/en-bd/harmony-experience-with-apple-tv
Argh! Remotes!
I must have a dozen in active duty... all over the house.
To make some sense out of them all, I figured I'd score some W.A.F. points and bought his/hers Harmony remotes.
Argh! Remotes!
Every time the Harmony remote needs new batteries, it forces the user to go thru the help menus all over again (requires at least 15+ sequenced key presses). I gave up using mine.
Every remote should clearly show it's remote Code# for programming and currently the whole "programmability" is an outright mess.
My LG OLED remote has both voice commands as well as a pointer that works w/WebOS and shaking the remote does commands some how!
I bought a spare remote for when the current one becomes NFG!

 

[jjk]

Audible or functional?

Do you have any experience with using the USB/AES mode of the Okto? It is not as simple as Okto implies.

Dunno. If you find out, let me know.