JBL Synthesis AVR and Processor with Dirac

[amirm]

SDP-55 Surround Sound Processor, SDR-35 16-Channel AVR:

Sadly it is out there as far as delivery: Q1, 2020.

SDR-35 is $7,500 and SDP-55 is $6,000. So not cheap.

 

[Sal1950]

SDR-35 is $7,500 and SDP-55 is $6,000. So not cheap.

SDP-55 same as Nad M17, not outer space money like the Trinnov Thank God

 

[amirm]

Yeh, I was worried they would be Trinnov based again.

 

[Sal1950]

Beginning to look like the $5-7k range is the sweet spot pricing range for the real world pre/pro's
Which would be acceptable if it bought a box that measured close to SOTA.
There's a lot of hardware and software to include in these guys and I can understand why it might cost that much to bring one to market.
Still hoping for that ASR Class A recommended AVP to come along. LOL

 

[astr0b0y]

I suspect the high price is due to hardly any sales compared to receivers so no large scale production to bring down costs.

 

[audimus]

The ATI ones to be released directly and as white labeled

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/ati-goes-dirac
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=37887

Datasat acquired by ATI has its own processors.

Theta Casablanca V, I believe, will also be a ATI product.

2020 will see a very crowded space from $4k to nosebleed.

All will have Dirac and be 16 channel.

 

[Crane]

Yea quite a few in the AV scene coming out this quarter. I believe these JBL are using the ESS9028 pro though.

 

[speedy]

Beginning to look like the $5-7k range is the sweet spot pricing range for the real world pre/pro's
Which would be acceptable if it bought a box that measured close to SOTA.
There's a lot of hardware and software to include in these guys and I can understand why it might cost that much to bring one to market.
Still hoping for that ASR Class A recommended AVP to come along. LOL

Hopefully 2020 will be the year we get a >13-channel AVP with Oppo 205 levels of performance.

 

[Sal1950]

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

That Monoprice unit sure is priced right.
If only it could perform?

 

[audimus]

That Monoprice unit sure is priced right.
If only it could perform?

Monoprice is the Ikea of electronics. Some great values, some utter crap. Hard to predict which is which.

But this is an ATI unit, so it won’t be total crap. But will it measure comparable to a desktop DAC which is the benchmark for this site? Probably not.

Will it measure worse than processors more (and much more) expensive than this? Probably not.

Can anyone hear a sonic difference between this and a $20k processor? Likely not.

So, this should be more than what most people would need.

 

[DonH56]

@amirm : Is there a problem with Trinnov? Don't know curious, considering an SDP-75. Wish Trinnov wasn't so secretive about everything.

They also announced the SDP-65, a 16-channel Trinnov-based processor that is not expandable, like the Trinnov Altitude 16. And major price hikes to align with Trinnov, natch.

The Dirac Live units are based on Arcam products AFAIK. You can buy similar Arcam units for less $$$ and lacking a few Harman-specific features, plus I think Arcam charges extra for a full Dirac Live license. Be interesting to see how the new Dirac Live bass management code works.

 

[amirm]

@amirm : Is there a problem with Trinnov? Don't know curious, considering an SDP-75. Wish Trinnov wasn't so secretive about everything.

It is very expensive and unless something has changed, I have never liked the UI in it. Or complexity of it being a PC with sound cards and such.

 

[DonH56]

It is very expensive and unless something has changed, I have never liked the UI in it. Or complexity of it being a PC with sound cards and such.

Got it, thanks Amir.

 

[Olli]

@amirm, what are the chances you’ll review that gear?

 

[LTig]

SDP-55 same as Nad M17, not outer space money like the Trinnov Thank God

Also same as Classe Sigma SSP mk2.

 

[Flak]

From min.8 appx, weird that he missed mentioning the Logic 16 music upmixer:

 

[amirm]

@amirm, what are the chances you’ll review that gear?

Some chance since we have some relationship with Harman (although much weaker outside of the speaker line).

 

[DonH56]

I'm almost afraid to see the results... I think most AVRs and processors are focused on so much other stuff that DAC performance is probably significantly lower than a stand-alone DAC. Frustrating, but probably inaudible.

 

[amirm]

The only ray of hope is that this is from Arcam and they used to design superbly measuring AVRs

 

[Sal1950]

SDP-55 Surround Sound Processor, SDR-35 16-Channel AVR:

From min.8 appx, weird that he missed mentioning the Logic 16 music upmixer:

I really like the looks of the new HT JBL speaker line, costly, would like to see some measurements.

They missed the boat with the AVP/R's only .1 in bass management? Most of the newer gear is supporting individual DRC for multiple subs. Even the older Marantz/Audyssey designs are .2. The latest stuff using the newest Dirac goes .4 on subs, that's the direction of both Stereo and HT in high quality installs. Got the below link from Audiopholics on the new AudioControl line. Salesman starts to brag on the DAC and its measurements right at the 3:00 mark. I'd love to see how it really measures.
EDIT, he does say the new Dirac will update for mulitple subs? Funny it only gets listed as a 9.1.6 platform, we shall see I guess, curious how'll do that with only 16 channels of processing, output connections, etc?