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Multi channel music with active digital speakers

Purité Audio

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I would like to set up a multi channel system using digital active monitors, the speakers have dac/ad built in, what do I need?
Thanks in advance,
Keith
 

Kal Rubinson

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They have their own DACs. What is your source and can it supply multiple digital outputs, one per channel?
 

q3cpma

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Using digital or analogue input? Should be complicated (as Genelec's 9301A shows) as AES is for stereo signals.

EDIT: MiniDSP's U-DIO8 is probably the only reasonable answer, even if absolute performance is disappointing. There's also RME's Digiface with 4x optical out and HDSPe AES PCIe card for 8x AES.
 
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Purité Audio

Purité Audio

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They have their own DACs. What is your source and can it supply multiple digital outputs, one per channel?
Kal I use Roon Nucleus/software for 2 channel, I guess I need a box that can , implement the correct codec?
Thanks Keith
 

simple6

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There are a few threads on this subject in different parts of the internet. The best solution would be an AV processor with digital out signal per channel. Altitude 32 (and a few other processors) do it but not for cheap. There is a hope that Trinnov may release a digital only multichannel processor in the near future but haven’t seen any hard proof yet.
 
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Purité Audio

Purité Audio

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Is the audio equivalent of Atmos ( what is the audio equivalent of Atmos) only available incorporated into an AV prepro?
You use the Okto 8-channel don’t you Kal?

Keith
 

mkt

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Purité Audio

Purité Audio

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Yes that MiniDSp unit would work, but I need the bit that splits the signal into left ,right centre, etc.
What is the difference part from price between the Trinnov ‘Altitude’ and. prepro AV from say Denon/Marantz?
Keith
 

Kal Rubinson

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Is the audio equivalent of Atmos ( what is the audio equivalent of Atmos) only available incorporated into an AV prepro?
Yes, but Atmos is irrelevant for music.
You use the Okto 8-channel don’t you Kal?
I do but it is a multichannel DAC. If you use the analog inputs of your speakers it will run off any MCH server, e.g., running Roon or Jriver.
Yes, the U-dio8 would run up to 8 channels via AES/EBU or via S/PDIF.
Yes that MiniDSp unit would work, but I need the bit that splits the signal into left ,right centre, etc
Won't the digital input circuitry of the speakers do the splitting of the pairs? They do it in stereo.
What is the difference part from price between the Trinnov ‘Altitude’ and. prepro AV from say Denon/Marantz?
Multiples. The Storm Audio prepro would be ideal but it, too, is pricey $$$$$$............oops, ££££!
 
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Purité Audio

Purité Audio

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Yes, but Atmos is irrelevant for music.

I do but it is a multichannel DAC. If you use the analog inputs of your speakers it will run off any MCH server, e.g., running Roon or Jriver.

Yes, the U-dio8 would run up to 8 channels via AES/EBU or via S/PDIF.

Won't the digital input circuitry of the speakers do the splitting of the pairs? They do it in stereo.

Multiples. The Storm Audio prepro would be ideal but it, too, is pricey $$$$$$............oops, ££££!
If I select a multi-channel recording from Quboz, into the MiniDSP U-D108 then on into the speakers,( I can select left and right from their app ) will ROON sort out the main and injection channels?
Thanks everyone, I apologise for the dumb questions.
Keith
 

mkt

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Yes that MiniDSp unit would work, but I need the bit that splits the signal into left ,right centre, etc.
What is the difference part from price between the Trinnov ‘Altitude’ and. prepro AV from say Denon/Marantz?
Keith
This is genelec way. Daisy chained.
3D201A8B-3AB0-4369-84EC-44025A3CDEDF.jpeg
 

Dimifoot

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mkt

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If I select a multi-channel recording from Quboz, into the MiniDSP U-D108 then on into the speakers,( I can select left and right from their app ) will ROON sort out the main and injection channels?
Thanks everyone, I apologise for the dumb questions.
Keith
Seems like it, but your use case might be a little different?
1616969077389.png

EDIT. A relevant item under "Device setup"
1616970074451.png
 
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Kal Rubinson

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If I select a multi-channel recording from Quboz, into the MiniDSP U-D108 then on into the speakers,( I can select left and right from their app ) will ROON sort out the main and injection channels?
I do not know what an injection channel is. The main channels are L, R, C, Sub, Ls, Rs. The U-DIO8 will output the following pairs (L, R), (C, Sub), (Ls, Rs) and, if needed, (Lr, Rr). You can change them all around but there's usually no need to.
 

LightninBoy

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I would like to set up a multi channel system using digital active monitors, the speakers have dac/ad built in, what do I need?
Thanks in advance,
Keith

I don't know the answer, but I believe this is the way forward for the best sound - digital all the way to the speaker. Just wish there was a couple manufacturers stepping up and making it easier for at least the enthusiast to adopt.
 
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Dimifoot

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Multichannel Roon Ethernet streaming+
Digital outs+
Immersive Music (Auro3d/Atmos)
=
Trinnov Altitude 32
 

pomfritz

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Hello here, after numerous searches I came across this thread. I have the exact same problem and it's hard to understand for a simple user. What's the impact of feeding separate DACs from a single source (RME Audio HDSP AES 32) trough SPDIF? Since years, I do it on my Musical Fidelity M1DACs with no audible issues. I hear so many warnings of drift between DACs, that I'm afraid to buy anything else. I'm not interested in multi-channels DACs and World Clock synced DACs are too expensive. Does PLL be taken into account when talking about such a configuration?
 
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