Looking for a home cinema preamp with a digital output

[AudiOhm]

OP want digital out on all channels.

I replied to the original post, it has been edited since and the new info was added.

Original post just requested an optical out.

Next time I will quote the original post...

Ohms

 

[sarumbear]

This box does the dishes for you for 120 euros.

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005004192257192.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_groupList.8148356.1.58732d9bBQOFYk&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21EUR%21%E2%82%AC%20137%2C21%21%E2%82%AC%20116%2C63%21%21%21%21%21%40210323f716767515757275176e720f%2112000030965236392%21sh

OP wants all outputs including Atmos as digital.

 

[sarumbear]

…it's a little ridicolous that no one is offering something reasonably priced with have of these features.

I guess it’s due to licensing limitations.

 

[AudiOhm]

The op is looking at recording the music digitally, why not connect direct to the recording device?

Ohms

 

[chelgrian]

Dear community, I am looking for a home cinema preamp that outputs the channels digitally. AES/EBU would be desirable. The digital output should affect all channels, including Dolby Atmos. A simple digital output is not enough. The digital output should affect all channels, including Dolby Atmos. A simple digital output is not enough.Of course I know Trinnov, Storm Audio and Datasat. To be honest, these are too expensive for me. If there isn't something like that, and that's my feeling at the moment, then I'll look for a preamp that I can convert so that the channels can be tapped digitally. After some research, this means that the preamp must have a digital volume control and not an analogue one. If anyone here knows any advice, I would be grateful. 007cinema sends greetings from Germany

Cheapest way to do this is an ARVUS box specifically

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Cheapest way to do this is an ARVUS box specifically

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

That thing is badass.. I'd love to build a horribly complicated theater setup with that and an Okto-8.

 

[Thefaster]

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

Very interesting. Great solution for custom home theaters.

 

[LTig]

Cheapest way to do this is an ARVUS box specifically

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

Looks promising. Do you know the price?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Very interesting. Great solution for custom home theaters.

Review coming in May issue of Stereophile.

 

[chelgrian]

Looks promising. Do you know the price?

The first production run was ~$4800 however that was late 2021 and I suspect the price has gone up now you'd have to contact them.

 

[PGAMiami]

Can this be used to get transparent, user friendly multichannel from a TV?

I was thinking to connect the eARC HDMI from the TV to the Arvus, then the Arvus to a PC running a Mitch Barnett multichannel convolution, and that to a multichannel DAC that has remote volume control. TV would do all the input switching and DAC controls volume. Seems plug and play once it’s set up.

Thoughts? Is there a cost efficient DAC that you would recommend for this?

 

[chelgrian]

Can this be used to get transparent, user friendly multichannel from a TV?

I was thinking to connect the eARC HDMI from the TV to the Arvus, then the Arvus to a PC running a Mitch Barnett multichannel convolution, and that to a multichannel DAC that has remote volume control. TV would do all the input switching and DAC controls volume. Seems plug and play once it’s set up.

Thoughts? Is there a cost efficient DAC that you would recommend for this?

Your cheapest way to get the audio in to the PC would be Dante Virtual Soundcard

There are lots of multichannel professional audio interfaces on the market, remote control is more problematic.

If you can cope with 10 output outputs

MOTU UltraLite mk5

USB 2.0 Audio Interface With USB C connector, ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology, 24 Bit / 44.1 - 192 kHz, Precise level meters for all analogue inputs/outputs with high-resolution OLED display, 2 Microphone / line / Hi-Z inputs via XLR/jack combo...

www.thomann.de

Or if you need more then

MOTU 24 AO

USB 2.0 Audio Interface, AD Converter and Standalone Mixer 72 Channels, Supported sample rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz, 32-bit floating point format, 24 Line outputs 3 x SUB D-25 and 6 x 12-pin phoenix, 3 x ADAT in/out, Wordclock in/out,...

www.thomann.de

Then you would need to control the volume mixer on it using a web browser on an iPad or similar.

There isn't really such a thing as a high quality 12 to 16 channel computer connectable DAC with a volume control.

Personally I wouldn't trust doing the volume control on the PC running the EQ.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

Your cheapest way to get the audio in to the PC would be Dante Virtual Soundcard

There are lots of multichannel professional audio interfaces on the market, remote control is more problematic.

If you can cope with 10 output outputs

MOTU UltraLite mk5

USB 2.0 Audio Interface With USB C connector, ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology, 24 Bit / 44.1 - 192 kHz, Precise level meters for all analogue inputs/outputs with high-resolution OLED display, 2 Microphone / line / Hi-Z inputs via XLR/jack combo...

www.thomann.de

Or if you need more then

MOTU 24 AO

USB 2.0 Audio Interface, AD Converter and Standalone Mixer 72 Channels, Supported sample rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz, 32-bit floating point format, 24 Line outputs 3 x SUB D-25 and 6 x 12-pin phoenix, 3 x ADAT in/out, Wordclock in/out,...

www.thomann.de

Then you would need to control the volume mixer on it using a web browser on an iPad or similar.

There isn't really such a thing as a high quality 12 to 16 channel computer connectable DAC with a volume control.

Personally I wouldn't trust doing the volume control on the PC running the EQ.

This setup sounds awful.. and all for what? So you can get the SINAD from 101-103 > 115-122?

 

[chelgrian]

This setup sounds awful.. and all for what? So you can get the SINAD from 101-103 > 115-122?

Each to their own I'm simply trying to provide options to the questioner. If they don't want a traditional AVR or AVP then that is their business.

 

[sarumbear]

Cheapest way to do this is an ARVUS box specifically

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

Do you know it’s price?

 

[sarumbear]

Cheapest way to do this is an ARVUS box specifically

Arvus 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Analog

H2-4D is the world's first 16 channel Dolby ATMOS HDMI decoder to Dante, Ravenna, AES/EBU and Balanced Analog. Now Selling

www.arvus.com

Connect it to Genelec Ones using AES3 and you have a full digital system, all the way to the speaker drivers.

 

[jhenderson0107]

I see requests similar to the OPs frequently on this forum. In my opinion, this is 'tilting at windmills'.

There is a negligibly small, audibly imperceptible difference between driving studio monitors via their differential (XLR) analog vs digital inputs. I have an Altitude 16 driving the LCR digitally (AES) in my theater and all other channels are driven analog. I've previously run the LCR via analog.

Honestly, the acoustic differences imposed by any room, well-treated or not, dwarf the differences between AES and analog signal delivery.

Use the money that would have been spent on AES/EBU delivery on better speakers or room treatment.

 

[chelgrian]

Do you know it’s price?

It's up thread but the first production run was around $4800 however I imagine it's more now due to component price increases, wage inflation etc.

There is also a Dante/AES67 only version in the works in a 1/2u box which apparently is estimated at about half that price but has Crestron support I expect that to get used in the custom install market. Where they want the disaggegation as they are doing HDMI processing using things like Lumagen boxes and amps and speaker processing are also being done separately.

The original version was really designed for QA of encoded Atmos in studios where this unit was being run directly in to a monitor controller either via analogue or digital as another input.

 

[chelgrian]

Connect it to Genelec Ones using AES3 and you have a full digital system, all the way to the speaker drivers.

Using GLM for speaker processing and volume control...

Works but I have to think that someone who can afford at least 7.1.2 of SAM enabled Genelec plus the 9301b interface you need to get bass management right with GLM would not be bothered by the price of buying a Storm Audio ISP Evo with the AES output option instead.

 

[sarumbear]

Using GLM for speaker processing and volume control...

Works but I have to think that someone who can afford at least 7.1.2 of SAM enabled Genelec plus the 9301b interface you need to get bass management right with GLM would not be bothered by the price of buying a Storm Audio ISP Evo with the AES output option instead.

I agree. I'm waiting AES67 update to my Altitude-16.