markus
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Obviously not on the inside of audio processor development...
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miniDSP Tide16 - Holy Grail with 16 Channel Atmos/DTS:X, high SINAD
You just accidentally made the argument FOR the criticism.
You're telling people to spend $10,000–$20,000+ on a StormAudio because MiniDSP couldn't be bothered to put a $15 HDMI 2.1 chip in a $3,500+ device in 2026?
HDMI 2.1 was ratified in 2017. Its been mainstream since 2020. The PS5 and Xbox Series X, which you yourself named, launched with HDMI 2.1 in 2020. Budget TVs have had it for years. A $200 AVR has it. A $50 streaming stick supports it.
MiniDSP charges a premium price for a product that cant pass a signal that a six-year-old console was designed around, and your defense is "just buy somthing 10x more expensive"?
Thats not a defense of the Tide16. Thats an admission that its overpriced for what it delivers in this age, and you dont even realize it.
The complaint makes perfect sense here. Thats exactly where it belongs.
I rest my case, any dedicated AV processor in 2026 with anything less than HDMI 2.0 is DOA. If at least they made the hdmi board switchbale long term...
welwynnick
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I agree with a lot of that. The Tide16 really ought to have HDMI V2.1, but it's not necessarily a reason to brush it aside.
The Tide has eARC, so you can connect a PC or a console to the display and have that feed the audio back to the AVP (IMHO the best way to do it anyway).
Alternatively you can use one of a myriad of HDMI Fury (or clone) eARC extractors, and let that do the job instead.
If your source has two HDMI outputs, as many do, you can connect the high speed HDMI direct to the display.
The Tide (and the Hyperion) are the first and only AVPs to get remotely close to stereo equipment performance, yet the Tide is one of the cheapest AVPs.
If that's not good value, I don't know what is.
markus
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I’m not telling people, just you: buy a device that actually meets your requirements. Complaining about it here isn’t going to change what the Tide16 is.
The fact that the devices you seem to want cost significantly more than the Tide16 isn’t miniDSP’s problem. And no, it’s not as simple as “just putting a $15 HDMI 2.1 chip into a $3,500+ device in 2026.” From the outside it might look easy, but the vast majority of the work lies in the hardware and software design around those chips.
Developing a product like this takes years. When you factor in development costs along with the infrastructure required for sourcing, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, marketing, finance, ongoing product support, etc. you might realize that your posts so far come across as rather uninformed.
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And as we've repeatedly told you mostly working chips were not available until 2024 and completely working chips were not available until 2025. The design cycle is such that than that especially for someone as small as MiniDSP and they would have finalised the design before they knew when the fixed switch chips were actually going to ship. So what do you do wait an unspecified amount amount of time for new chips to bring out a processor or design something that will work for the vast majority of people (given the ability to connect 2.1 devices to a TV and use EARC) first then design a second iteration later?
Incidentally Primare have done exactly the same thing with the SP25 processor which is HDMI 2.0 probably for exactly the same reason, they don't seem to be having any problem selling that despite the fact it's at a relatively premium price.
If you don't like this don't buy these products I'm sure neither Primare nor MiniDSP will lose any sleep of the one sale they have lost to you vs making no sales at all if they didn't have a product to sell.
I'm really excited about the release of the Tide 16. Before upgrading to my current AVR, X3800H, I was taking a hard look at the HTP-1 because it has the features I had always wanted, like independent channel muting, All Pass filter availability, processing power, competitive price, and of course the arrival of ART to the AVP ecosystem. The Tide 16 has the features I am looking for at a competitive price too not to mention the processing power of the miniDSP technology that comes with it and its reputation. Can't wait for the reviews of the Tide 16.
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He'll yeah it is. That happens to actually be reality for you whether you accept that or not.
Not accepting reality is a problem we can't address.
monsterlag
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You can also likely still sell the 3800H for a good amount of money since it supports Dirac ART and it would subsidize a good part of that purchase.
That's the plan. I pulled the trigger on the 3800H and the Dirac DLBC/ART bundle to take advantage of the Black Friday sale. I figured the 3800H would do a good job with ART until the release of the Tide 16 then decide on the HTP-1 vs the Tide.
monsterlag
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Tide supports more subs and has ART included. If I can get it closer to the retail price, will be a no brainer for me.
The HTP-1 supports 5 subs.
welwynnick
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If the miniDSP performance figures are to be believed (and ASR has shown them to be honest in the past) then the Tide16 is highest performing AVP, made by anyone, at any price. Ever. That's why this thread has "holy grail" in the title. If you can't buy a higher-performing AVP even at ten times the price, how is this over-priced?
Plus there's nothing under 10K in it's class that can handle active crossovers, in fact most of the units discussed here can't do that.
If you need better video processing - get a HD Fury device for the video signal path and add it to your setup. Way cheaper than a Storm or Trinnov option.
Keep the audio to the Tide (or other processor).
Use the Tide as intentioned - as primarily an audio processor - and a damned good one at that. Leave your video in the TV and route your audio signals separately.
The Tide represents great value if it performs as suggested by the design.
Keep the audio to the Tide (or other processor).
Use the Tide as intentioned - as primarily an audio processor - and a damned good one at that. Leave your video in the TV and route your audio signals separately.
The Tide represents great value if it performs as suggested by the design.
You would need to define a highest performing AVP - and if you are referring to the SINAD number, that is obviously way beyond audible for most of us that happen to have human shaped ears and no Elven blood.
People look for different things in AVPs and they do have them on the market as is. Not saying Tide will not be a great product, but there is no review of Tide at large. It has potential for sure.
In the UK you can’t even get hold of the AT-500 which appears to be the same platform without automatic room correction yet although it is listed as coming soon on the uk importer’s website.
The only recent reference to the AT-600 is a Norwegian importer’s website which repeats information from when they initially announced the development if the price they quote is accurate there’s not that much in it between the MiniDSP and Tonewinner.
What is the AV9? Is it another new AV processor being developed and by who?Really? I thought they know they can't keep them all happy, some (probably you included) might say the there isn't higher maximum filter tap limit for ART, wish it wouldn't limit (or downsample to) sampling rate to 48 kHz when RC (Audyssey or DL) is in use, couldn't play DSD native up to 512 or even 1028 etc. etc. etc., and/or also 115 dB SINAD....., so AV10 is probably not the answer either, and the AV9 might get closer.
