Denon/Marantz - the end is near

[peng]

I didn't think the Flex HT would do DLBC? I didn't think any MiniDsp product does true DLBC although one can do DLBC from a PC and route through the Flex HT.

If you only want 2 channels of TV, ARC should be fine by the way.

It is in fact the PC version I am using.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

I did not want to make distinction between the rich and no so well off, just about the circumstances.

Given the pricing of higher-end stuff. I don't think that is possible in this hobby.

I spent like 3.5K (1.7K AVR incl Dirac, 1.3K Sub, 500 (lol) my two Arias, the rears are hand-me-downs from a friend) on my entire setup (not counting the headphone setup) and I know plenty of people that do love music but for whom that is already out of bounds.

Spending 3-5 Kilobucks on 1 speaker is totally bananas, even to me. And that's not really considered expensive in this hobby.

If you only want 2 channels of TV, ARC should be fine by the way.

As long as it chooses to cooperate, yes.
Despite my old Yammy being ARC capable, I had constant dropouts. With the new Denon, no issues (same cable).

 

[peng]

If you only want 2 channels of TV, ARC should be fine by the way.

This ARC thing seems not too simple as black and white, 2 or multi channel capabilities seem to be more than just ARC vs eARC. I think there is something in between depending on the TV and its model year. I vaguely remember watching Netflix DD+ 5.1 movies via just ARC, not eARC but have not used that ARC port for a long time so have to try again soon.

 

[GXAlan]

This ARC thing seems not too simple as black and white, 2 or multi channel capabilities seem to be more than just ARC vs eARC. I think there is something in between depending on the TV and its model year. I vaguely remember watching Netflix DD+ 5.1 movies via just ARC, not eARC but have not used that ARC port for a long time so have to try again soon.

ARC is two channel PCM or multichannel lossy Dolby Digital+ including Atmos. EARC has multichannel PCM, TrueHD, and DTS:HD/X

 

[peng]

ARC is two channel PCM or multichannel lossy Dolby Digital+ including Atmos. EARC has multichannel PCM, TrueHD, and DTS:HD/X

Thanks, so I remember right, I did have 5.1 DD+ capability using just ARC. I know on the minidsp community forum, there seem to be misleading posts that seem to say ARC is 2 channel only, those such posts may be correct for TV model years older than 2016/17.

 

[Mort]

I vaguely remember

Thanks, so I remember right, I did have 5.1 DD+ capability using just ARC. I know on the minidsp community forum, there seem to be misleading posts that seem to say ARC is 2 channel only, those such posts may be correct for TV model years older than 2016/17.

I didn't think it's misleading. The MiniDsp only does 2ch ARC, no Dolby 5.1

 

[peng]

I didn't think it's misleading. The MiniDsp only does 2ch ARC, no Dolby 5.1

Okay then I am still not 100% clear if you don't mind. Do you mean regardless of my TV's ARC DD+ capability, the mindsp will still only do 2 channel if I use the HDFury? The thing is, if with the HDFury, I can listen to 5.1 lossy, with just my ARC TV, then I would say it would be at least somewhat misleading, when they often just say 2 channel. As to PCM, that is a given, the question is really whether one is stuck with 2 channel audio only via the ARC port.

I will try my Flex HT on it for sure, just too busy at the moment.

 

[Mort]

The MiniDsp doesn't do any lossy, no Dolby. It'll will only do uncompressed which means it's limited to 2ch ARC.

 

[peng]

The MiniDsp doesn't do any lossy, no Dolby. It'll will only do uncompressed which means it's limited to 2ch ARC.

I mean using it with something like the FDFury, in that case, what could I gain with such a device, you do use it right? Thanks.

 

[Petrushka]

The MiniDsp doesn't do any lossy, no Dolby. It'll will only do uncompressed which means it's limited to 2ch ARC.

Multi channel DSP would be awesome, and I don’t think it will add much to price. Only the front channels need full correction.

 

[Mort]

I mean using it with something like the FDFury, in that case, what could I gain with such a device, you do use it right? Thanks.

Yeah I have all of these. You can't get 5.1 through arc with a flex.

I promise, MiniDsp will never do Dolby. They don't have the license. They only do only 'free' uncompressed multichannel.

 

[Mort]

Multi channel DSP would be awesome, and I don’t think it will add much to price. Only the front channels need full correction.

Minidsp says themselves this will never happen. They don't sell enough units to get a bulk license to Dolby and other formats.

They have only sold a few hundred Flex units.

 

[Mort]

I mean using it with something like the FDFury, in that case, what could I gain with such a device, you do use it right? Thanks.

The HD fury does nothing for your audio. It only converts single HDMI to a dual HDMI out (for TV) and eArc for the Flex.

 

[peng]

Yeah I have all of these. You can't get 5.1 through arc with a flex.

I promise, MiniDsp will never do Dolby. They don't have the license. They only do only 'free' uncompressed multichannel.

Okay, thanks for explaining, so it looks like licensing is the key point, PCM only is not the issue because I am not expecting the mini to decode, but just accept a 5.1 DD+ lossy that's decoded by the TV, or BDP. I would think the DSP IC could also be the bottleneck, for example, the Flex HT/HTx cannot do higher than 48 kHz sampling rate whereas those 2X4HD, Flex 8 all can do 96 kHz. Hopefully they would come up with an upgrade path, such as a HT/HTx plus that could do 96 kHz, not that I think it helps sonic quality, but just good to have regardless.

 

[mhardy6647]

Reading the past day's posts in this thread -- I don't know about you all, but I am positively thrilled by the simplicity and straightforwardness, not to mention the easy, transparent cross-platform compatibility, of modern audio reproduction technology.

 

[GXAlan]

Minidsp says themselves this will never happen. They don't sell enough units to get a bulk license to Dolby and other formats.

They have only sold a few hundred Flex units.

I wonder how Tonewinner ends up having the license or any countless number of generic decoders. Those generic decoders could be spec’d to a higher performance if MiniDSP was really interested…

 

[Mort]

I wonder how Tonewinner ends up having the license or any countless number of generic decoders. Those generic decoders could be spec’d to a higher performance if MiniDSP was really interested…

Aren't those AVRs more expensive? The Flex HT is $600.
And don't they ship more units as a brand? Minidsp has sold about 500 Flex HTs so far (I have a recently purchased unit #498). None of their other devices need licenses.

I don't think minidsp is going to overtake Denon or even small AVR manufacturers anytime soon. It's really a niche device for hobbyists, not a general consumer product.

 

[abdo123]

to be honest i'm not surprised.

Covid gave the industry a little bit of a push, but in all honesty people would rather go see music live or in cinemas or basically do something else entirely.

 

[peng]

Aren't those AVRs more expensive? The Flex HT is $600.
And don't they ship more units as a brand? Minidsp has sold about 500 Flex HTs so far (I have a recently purchased unit #498). None of their other devices need licenses.

I don't think minidsp is going to overtake Denon or even small AVR manufacturers anytime soon. It's really a niche device for hobbyists, not a general consumer product.

How do you know you have unit#498?

By the way, you seem very knowledgeable in the HT, I wonder if you could help me on the ISP thing:

MiniDSP Flex HTx

Hello @rirelien, does your FeinTech VAX04101A have issues with pops and clicks, like this user has with HDFury options? I have been using the VAX04101A from day one with my flex HT (as my source - internet TV box doing bitstream decoding - is only ARC). I never got any issues (no pops nor...

www.audiosciencereview.com

It really doesn't belong to this thread so I am hopeful you could chime in on the one linked above.

 

[refast]

So on the subject topic, was just getting ready to buy an extensive whole home system based heavily on denon, marantz, Polk and definitive tech kit. Not sure anyone can predict what’s going to happen with the brands. So Feeling the dilemma of buy it with the risk of obsolescence and no warranty vs wait and potentially have no choice but to go super expensive or dumb down to Sonos/soundbars heaven forbid!