Audiopraise VanityPro Review (HDMI Audio Extractor)

[SDX-LV]

I consider it dead-on-arrival due to it being limited to HDMI 2.0a.

A product like this needs to be fully HDMI 2.1 compliant in order to be as future proof as possible and in order to include support for eARC (Enhanced audio return channel), so that sources with DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos can be extracted.

The next step-up after that would be to include the following:

• Ability in the device to control the conversion parameters to PCM
• Ability to do custom down-mixing (e.g. 7.1 to 2.0, but including the LFE channel)
• Ability to specify a desired output delay (e.g. if you are separately splitting the HDMI video signal prior to the HDMI signal coming into this device for audio splitting)

I agree, but remember that this product already does something unobtainable. I am sure the developers know all of this, just had to choose to make it or not at all That is why most companies skip the HDMI ports on their otherwise very advanced DACs (look at All Chinese DAC manufacturers, miniDSP and many others).

But for the "next step-up" - those features may be available in the source or receiver. For example Genelec GLM could do many of those things. as can miniDSP DRC-88D.

I do wonder what are the recommended integrations for this device?

• It would make for a nice PC sound card, but much cheaper miniDSP UDIO-8 is probably perfectly good as well and does not suffer from the limited HDMI standard support.
• To be used with TV/Projector it needs to support eARC to be able to hear TV audio and it has only one HDMI input, so you would need to use HDMI switching in the TV (which is actually a good thing if you do not have >4 HDMI devices). Maybe eARC can be added by firmware update?
• You could connect external HDMI switcher (AVR, soundbar?) but again is this how it is intended?
• Help me out here?

 

[oversky]

Can this handle HDCP?

 

[Walter]

Kind of ironic that a product with a name of Audiopraise VanityPro actually performs well. Maybe the naming was a bit tongue in cheek?

 

[pma]

VanityPRO | Audiopraise

Multi-channel HDMI Digital Audio Extractor with DSD Processing

www.audiopraise.com

Guys are almost next door.

 

[pLudio]

It does but converts it to PCM.

It can also encode the SACD DSD stream as DoP. https://audiopraise.com/projects/internal/vanitypro/features/

 

[vkhong]

Ah, ambassador you are really spoiling us with this review of this 1600 dollar hdmi audio extractor!

Have you reviewed a 15 quid hdmi extractor? And if you do, and its bit-perfect, can you please revisit this review

I have one of those. Supports only 2.0 audio, and loses Dolby Vision, HDR, and ARC on the HDMI out.

 

[_thelaughingman]

Seems like an awfully expensive piece for a very narrow purpose.

Isn't that what most high-end, expensive audiophile products tend to be.

 

[Sprint]

I have one of those. Supports only 2.0 audio, and loses Dolby Vision, HDR, and ARC on the HDMI out.

@vkhong Which one exactly do you have? Can you please share with us the link?

 

[Feyire]

I agree, but remember that this product already does something unobtainable. I am sure the developers know all of this, just had to choose to make it or not at all That is why most companies skip the HDMI ports on their otherwise very advanced DACs (look at All Chinese DAC manufacturers, miniDSP and many others).

The main adoption barrier for smaller companies is the HDMI licensing fee model, not necessarily the development effort it takes to integrate it into a product.

But for the "next step-up" - those features may be available in the source or receiver.

Sources or receivers may support a subset of what I'm looking for, but not all. Anyway, the whole point of this device is to allow the subsequent digital-to-analog conversion of the decoded digital data to take place on a DAC of your choosing.

 

[greenpsycho]

I consider it dead-on-arrival due to it being limited to HDMI 2.0a.

A product like this needs to be fully HDMI 2.1 compliant in order to be as future proof as possible and in order to include support for eARC (Enhanced audio return channel), so that sources with DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos can be extracted.

I don't think that is the intent of this product. It would seem this product is intended NOT for AVR/home theater multi-channel and decoding purposes. More, it seems targeted at multi channel audio, like whats available from apple music, atmos on tidal, etc. Remember, HDMI is just a tunnel, it can carry audio, video, or both. Its used for all sorts of things

 

[egradyh]

I just received this product this week. It gives me the option of 24/176 for DSD to PCM conversion because of the filter options. With my Oppo 105D, and Berkeley Alpha 3 Dac, I'm no longer limited to 24/88 DSD to PCM conversion.

Previously I was using a GeerFab. It works very well but I wanted the higher conversion option as well as the AES/EBU connection. While I was hoping for a small improvement in sound quality, what I got was much more than I expected. The VanityPro, while expensive, is a major step forward in sound quality.

All is not good however. Every so often I'm getting dropouts. Consulting the Owners Manuel I found that the Trouble Shooting section mentions that this can occur with some DAC's. I've notified them of my problem and am waiting for a response.

 

[peniku8]

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?

 

[Robbo99999]

What would be a typical "Flow Diagram" usage of this product, I'm a little bit confused by it's purpose & integration? I'm imagining that it's partially replacing the use of an AVR, but I can't fully visualise just how this product would be used in a setup?

EDIT: that's a coincidence @peniku8 , I wrote this without reading any of the comments, just the review, so we're barking up the same tree or at least in the same park!

 

[thyristor]

Then it's not good. Some universal player can transmit pure dsd stream to AVR. Currently there is no way to capture dsd stream of sacd except through old version of PlayStation. Sacd is encrypted at physical pit level so no dvd drive can decrypt it except players supporting sacd playback.

It's been possible to rip SACDs with many MediaTek based Blu-ray players for years now.

SACD Ripping using an Oppo or Pioneer? Yes, it's true!

Note: I told the PS3 thread I would announce what I've found, so I am writing this first post, long before I am ready to (i.e I don't have the links ready yet, nor the instructions). I expect my second post to be ready in a few more days. Thanks to some very ingenious folks on other forums around...

audiophilestyle.com

 

[abdo123]

Ah, ambassador you are really spoiling us with this review of this 1600 dollar hdmi audio extractor!

Have you reviewed a 15 quid hdmi extractor? And if you do, and its bit-perfect, can you please revisit this review

Where can you find these?

 

[greenpsycho]

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?

Lets say surround audiophile audio, like apple music or tidal. its becoming more popular and atmos music is getting more releases. And you would have to play it via your SACD player or stream box into your AVR (if you have one). But most AVR's or even pre/pro's don't have the BEST dac implementation (see - well, this site).

But top tier dacs can be had for not much money. and you can use something like the 8 channel digital dirac minidsp box to step it up even more

So, I could envision someone really into surround music as: tidal surround audio > apple tv > vanity pro > hi end dacs > .... this is where it kinda falls apart because you need multi channel volume control somehow in a 8 channel pre-amp (parasound has one I believe), to a bunch of amps? I dunno, its a tricky niche product, but something like that

 

[PeteL]

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?

I think it's true that the professional market don't use HDMI much, but intuitively I think that there could be many situations where it could be beneficial to do so in pro environments. Like Chicken or the egg dilemma, there's no professional equipment because pro don't use it, or pro don't use it because the technical ecosystem is not there. Truth is, in audio or video, days of the large professional suites for creation is gone, videographer edit and mix their TV shows out of their home or straight in the field, with just a computer, and then bring it to professional studios either for mastering, final coloration, etc, maybe a reporter is doing a real time evolving story and want to go straight to air and for scoop reason don't have the time to upload his piece in the broadcasting pipeline, etc. Maybe I am wrong but I could really see things like that at major broadcasting studios, mastering suites, etc. HDMI does everything and is already included with every computers, you can get professional results out of that, if the pipeline allows it downstream.

 

[Rja4000]

I wonder how this one would do, in comparison

https://www.lindy-international.com/?websale8=ld0101.ld021102&pi=38167&ci=190

At 75€ all taxes included...

 

[Aperiodic]

Can someone explain the function/purpose/difference between the 'WORD CLOCK OUT' and 'SUPER CLOCK OUT' ports? Apologies if I missed it.

 

[Dennis_FL]

What would be a typical "Flow Diagram" usage of this product, I'm a little bit confused by it's purpose & integration? I'm imagining that it's partially replacing the use of an AVR, but I can't fully visualise just how this product would be used in a setup?

EDIT: that's a coincidence @peniku8 , I wrote this without reading any of the comments, just the review, so we're barking up the same tree or at least in the same park!

For a "flow diagram" --- see page six of the manual for an example