miniDSP Tide16 - Holy Grail with 16 Channel Atmos/DTS:X, high SINAD

[Lsc]

Do you work in the industry? Can you breakdown pricing end to end, including licensing? I'd like to understand.

is the Tide8 on their roadmap? What’s the estimated release date?

 

[EWL5]

Do you work in the industry? Can you breakdown pricing end to end, including licensing? I'd like to understand.

I don't work in the industry but I do have an MBA (forgive me if my thinking is different from typical consumer).

 

[voodooless]

No Dolby vision ??!!!

It does support Dolby Vision

 

[EWL5]

I'm not sure why some folks are questioning whether the Tide16 can support DV. I had an older 55" LG B7 connected to a Pioneer SC-LX701 AVR and have been getting DV since 2018. Are we really questioning bandwidth in 2026?

 

[SDMatt]

I think its interesting that MiniDSP developed a FAQ prior to the launch of the Tide16. They know enthusiasts will have have concerns about some of the features incorporated in the Tide16. I am very interested in purchasing one. A 16 channel pre/pro with all balanced outputs and a full suite of DIRAC? Heck yeah. Does anyone know if the channel count can be expanded with the use of an external DAC (like the Trinnov)? Being able to piggyback one with a 2x4HD would be sick.

 

[Lsc]

I expect to pay $3500 + the tariff if I get the Tide16. Hopefully if I get the AV20 it’ll be around the $5000 range then I’ll have to spend $799 for ART from Dirac.

 

[EWL5]

I expect to pay $3500 + the tariff if I get the Tide16. Hopefully if I get the AV20 it’ll be around the $5000 range then I’ll have to spend $799 for ART from Dirac.

Doesn't the website quote the price at 3500 USD? If so, then the tariff cost should already be considered in the price.

This is one of the reasons Denon (and others) raised the MSRP on their AVRs. The tariff cost is already built in!

 

[-Matt-]

Is it confirmed the HDMI board is replaceable by consumer?

No, of course not.
That is extremely unlikely.

Great way to start a rumour that will be constantly repeated in the next 10 pages of this thread though!

 

[EWL5]

No, of course not.
That is extremely unlikely.

Great way to start a rumour that will be constantly repeated in the next 10 pages of this thread though!

I'm not as familiar w/miniDSP as I am w/mainstream brands (its my blind spot).

I do also cringe at the misinformation buildup that no doubt has made its way to nearly every ChatGPT/AI response on the web!

 

[staticV3]

HDMI 2.0??!!!!

No Dolby vision ??!!!

Yeah this thing is dead on arrival

Video feature support doesn't matter when you do Apple TV/PS5/BD Player/etc->TV->Tide16

That's how I'd connect my gear anyway regardless of the Tide16's HDMI specs.

I wonder what use case there would be for Apple TV/PS5/BD Player/etc->Tide16->TV.

Or in what situation that'd be preferable, irrespective of the Tide16's HDMI specs in this case.

 

[masterhw]

I wonder what use case there would be for Apple TV/PS5/BD Player/etc->Tide16->TV.

Or in what situation that'd be preferable, irrespective of the Tide16's HDMI specs in this case.

Some TVs do not license/passthrough certain codecs, namely DTS support is spotty (even new LG OLEDs no longer support it) and low end TVs sometimes cheap out on TrueHD. For as much fuss has been made over the 18gbps limit, virtually none of a PS5, Blu-Ray Player, or Apple TV can realistically saturate a 40gbps 4K 120 link anyway. The PS5 I think can get closest at 32gbps (though few games will run at 4K 120), but a Blu-Ray Player and AppleTV will max at 4k60. These devices are simply not pushing 40-48 gbps even if the Tide16 were capable. This is a non issue.

 

[-Matt-]

Video feature support doesn't matter when you do Apple TV/PS5/BD Player/etc->TV->Tide16

That's how I'd connect my gear anyway regardless of the Tide16's HDMI specs.

I wonder what use case there would be for Apple TV/PS5/BD Player/etc->Tide16->TV.

Or in what situation that'd be preferable, irrespective of the Tide16's HDMI specs in this case.

Personally I just dislike the concept of ARC and eARC. It makes far more sense to me that sources all connect to the source switching audio processing device and then send video out to the display.

Once you are used to having an on screen overlay showing all your sound settings it is hard to give that up. If the audio processor is connected via eARC it can't provide an on screen display.

Also, the tv can potentially mess with the audio signal. I'd rather get a clean bitstream from the source to the audio processor (along with all the orginal metadata) rather than a potentially resampled PCM signal via eARC.

 

[Lsc]

Doesn't the website quote the price at 3500 USD? If so, then the tariff cost should already be considered in the price.

This is one of the reasons Denon (and others) raised the MSRP on their AVRs. The tariff cost is already built in!

Expect to pay 25% more. 20% tariff and 5% bs import admin fee.

 

[markus]

HDMI 2.0??!!!!

No Dolby vision ??!!!

Yeah this thing is dead on arrival

Are you sure you’re looking at the Tide16 specifications? https://www.minidsp.com/products/ht-series/tide16

 

[markus]

Personally I just dislike the concept of ARC and eARC. It makes far more sense to me that sources all connect to the source switching audio processing device and then send video out to the display.

Once you are used to having an on screen overlay showing all your sound settings it is hard to give that up. If the audio processor is connected via eARC it can't provide an on screen display.

Also, the tv can potentially mess with the audio signal. I'd rather get a clean bitstream from the source to the audio processor (along with all the orginal metadata) rather than a potentially resampled PCM signal via eARC.

As streaming becomes the norm, eARC makes a lot more sense – just one player (the display) and a single cable going to the AV processor.

 

[Lsc]

As streaming becomes the norm, eARC makes a lot more sense – just one player (the display) and a single cable going to the AV processor.

The cable going between the TV and the AV processor is a single cable regardless.

 

[masterhw]

I also think eARC is the future… it adds significant cost and complexity for an AVR/AVP to be in the video path. It doesn’t have to be. Would love for the typical AVRs/AVPs to become so accessible it’s like DAC shopping with hundreds of worthy options.

 

[-Matt-]

As streaming becomes the norm, eARC makes a lot more sense – just one player (the display) and a single cable going to the AV processor.

I'd rather buy a separate streaming device just so that the signal can be passed through the AVR, to make the AVR menu accessible!

Back in the plasma days I used to run a professional display panel that didn't even have any speakers, audio or smart features. For some reason manufacturers have decided that the TV has to try and do everything.

Supposing a new sound format emerges... If you are dependant on eARC you now have to replace your audio processor AND your TV.

 

[markus]

I'd rather buy a separate streaming device just so that the signal can be passed through the AVR, to make the AVR menu accessible!

Back in the plasma days I used to run a professional display panel that didn't even have any speakers, audio or smart features. For some reason manufacturers have decided that the TV has to try and do everything.

Supposing a new sound format emerges... If you are dependant on eARC you now have to replace your audio processor AND your TV.

I always thought the rule was to replace our equipment whenever a new model appeared. Did that change?

 

[markus]

The cable going between the TV and the AV processor is a single cable regardless.

The emphasis was on single player