Well, I don't need HDMI 2.1 yet, my projector is HDMI 2.0, but I do need 5 HDMI inputs.
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miniDSP Tide16 - Holy Grail with 16 Channel Atmos/DTS:X, high SINAD
I agree.
Some of the cheaper HDMI splitter equipment has been questionable. We had a lot of trouble at work ( I ran an IT department for my sins ) with splitters in a wide variety of audio/video conferencing and presentation environments.
I have to say though the HDFury Vertex2 and Vvroom I have are not only easy to use but are really high quality.
Their flexibility in a vast array of settings allow them to actually solve any number of known EDID issues with various gear.
I've found The LLDV setup for projectors is worthwhile.
Then there's the fact that your video signal from the HDFury passes directly to your display device and is therefore not passing through an audio (AVP) processor first.
Just some considerations.
Some of the cheaper HDMI splitter equipment has been questionable. We had a lot of trouble at work ( I ran an IT department for my sins ) with splitters in a wide variety of audio/video conferencing and presentation environments.
I have to say though the HDFury Vertex2 and Vvroom I have are not only easy to use but are really high quality.
Their flexibility in a vast array of settings allow them to actually solve any number of known EDID issues with various gear.
I've found The LLDV setup for projectors is worthwhile.
Then there's the fact that your video signal from the HDFury passes directly to your display device and is therefore not passing through an audio (AVP) processor first.
Just some considerations.
Not sure I follow - if you add a Vvroom to a Tide16 that's 4 inputs on the HDFury device and if one of those inputs is eARC from the TV then you're probably covered.
The TV will have at least 2 inputs plus the 3 spare on the HDFury unit.
If you have 2 display devices to feed out of the processor ( another tv in another room and a projector for example) then it's a bit trickier.
The TV will have at least 2 inputs plus the 3 spare on the HDFury unit.
If you have 2 display devices to feed out of the processor ( another tv in another room and a projector for example) then it's a bit trickier.
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As mentioned before, I don't have a TV so I only have the projector.
Am I right to assume it's 4 inputs on HDFury, plus 2 spare inputs on the Tide16?
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I think that's right. One input for the HD Fury and two spare.
Foggy1956
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Any.validity to the following?
The Tide16 was announced nearly three months ago (1/15?). The deep overview I performed for our discord server showed the product was being falsely presented at the time and we never looked back. Maybe they fixed their marketing problems, maybe not. The exorbitant S/N claims (126+) were performed using stereo only with the signal being channeled solely through a pair of ESS9842PRO DAC chips running in mono mode. All testing and measurements were ran "HOT" using the stereo mode (dual mono PRO chips) using "XLR" outputs. For the primary core function of the unit (theater), the unit runs on 8 pairs of ESS9017s between 105 and 110db. The unit is not capable of any HDMI 2.1 switching, despite being advertised as such. The unit is HDMI 1.4 with limited 2.0b compliant switching. The "2.1" is solely a single output functionality to comply with eARC and otherwise not usable. The XLR's are single ended and not end to end balanced. The product is comprised of 5 year old tech with a single modern feature (eARC) and was engineered specifically to test well so their colorful marketing could somehow justify their inflated price tag. There is no scenario I would endorse or otherwise recommend the product in any capacity.
The Tide16 was announced nearly three months ago (1/15?). The deep overview I performed for our discord server showed the product was being falsely presented at the time and we never looked back. Maybe they fixed their marketing problems, maybe not. The exorbitant S/N claims (126+) were performed using stereo only with the signal being channeled solely through a pair of ESS9842PRO DAC chips running in mono mode. All testing and measurements were ran "HOT" using the stereo mode (dual mono PRO chips) using "XLR" outputs. For the primary core function of the unit (theater), the unit runs on 8 pairs of ESS9017s between 105 and 110db. The unit is not capable of any HDMI 2.1 switching, despite being advertised as such. The unit is HDMI 1.4 with limited 2.0b compliant switching. The "2.1" is solely a single output functionality to comply with eARC and otherwise not usable. The XLR's are single ended and not end to end balanced. The product is comprised of 5 year old tech with a single modern feature (eARC) and was engineered specifically to test well so their colorful marketing could somehow justify their inflated price tag. There is no scenario I would endorse or otherwise recommend the product in any capacity.
So this is a review from Discord only? I give it as much credence as something from Reddit...
For accuracy, once again the ES9842Pro is not a DAC, it is an ADC IC. Tide 16 is one of the very few AVPs that uses a flagship class ADC IC.
That is enough evidence, that the report is not accurate.
This specification is SNR 127dB is A weighted. The THD+N is -118dB and 20kHz bandwidth.
- Audiophile performance with very low noise floor and distortion (SNR @127dB(A), THD+N @ -118dB (0.0001%)
MiniDSP will be measured here, I suspect that the a 90 kHz bandwidth will reduce that number.
AVR/AVPs are measured on ASR as 2-channel DACs. They are not measured with bass-management engaged.
I suspect that every one of these products is used with some bass management or room correction.
Basic design hygiene is established but they are not measured in normal operation mode.
Without ASR, I doubt Marantz/Denon would have broken the 100 dB SINAD.
This is MiniDSPs first foray into the AVP space with HDMI and decoding.
MiniDSP has lot of experience with DSP processing, so this makes this a very interesting product.
The TIDE16 value goes up for those who will use Dirac Live and ART. This adds $648 to Marantz products.
- Rich
It clearly isn’t 1.4b each new version of the HDMI spec completely replaces the previous version and the Tide 16 does (or the marketing claims it supports) have 18Gbit/s, REC2020 and HDR metadata which are the cornerstones of HDMI2 and all that is needed for UHD Blu-ray.
As for the rest of it we need a production unit and a tear down to know and given they have failed to deliver it, probably due to announcing before the product was actually ready, we cannot yet know.
Some vendors are reluctant to advertise HDMI 2.1 because they do not support every feature.
The Marantz AV20 specifically lists the HDMI 2.1'ish features.
Notably missing is QMS, which is DOES NOT SUPPORT.
So, technically not HDMI 2.1
From RTings: https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/hdmi-2-1
RTINGS has lots of "Considering" going on here because HDMI 2.1 is squishy.
Marantz did the right thing by listing the specific features they support.
MiniDSP did the same and never claimed HDMI 2.1 support.
- Rich
The Marantz AV20 specifically lists the HDMI 2.1'ish features.
Notably missing is QMS, which is DOES NOT SUPPORT.
So, technically not HDMI 2.1
From RTings: https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/hdmi-2-1
RTINGS has lots of "Considering" going on here because HDMI 2.1 is squishy.
Marantz did the right thing by listing the specific features they support.
MiniDSP did the same and never claimed HDMI 2.1 support.
- Rich
USB is the same, each new spec entirely replaces the previous one and most of the spec is optional. So technically a USB-A connector containing only the original bus can be called USB4 but it’s not exactly useful from the consumer point of view.
HDMI is worse at least the USB specs can be read whereas HDMI is entirely closed unless you are an HDMI adopter.
Another example of inaccuracy (until proven with evidence that contradicts miniDSP's website info) is that whoever that reviewer is, claimed "The XLR's are single ended and not end to end balanced." whereas miniDSP website stated:
- Outputs: 16 fully balanced audio (XLR)
They are probably claiming they are electronically balanced rather than transformer balanced however virtually nothing is transformer balanced these days, it has advantages in really hostile RF environments but has significant LF distortion and HF linearity disadvantages.
Basically nothing other than some mic preamps are balanced all the way through the signal chain from input to output.
Some Emotiva AVPs are.
welwynnick
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The Denon AVP-A1HDCI was balanced end to end as well. It is a rare thing though.
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No idea what all fuss are about, miniDSP clearly stated that the XLR outputs are fully balanced, so the so called reviewer’s allegation of them being single ended is not accurate, period, unless they present evidence that proves miniDSP wrong.
End to end or not is a different story and we don’t know it is or not, but someone can easily contact miniDSP for clarification, no need to speculate.
End to end or not is a different story and we don’t know it is or not, but someone can easily contact miniDSP for clarification, no need to speculate.