Possible solution for DTS/Dolby/Atmos+eARC+HDCP to AES/EBU - via Dante? (for Okto DAC8PRO etc)

[poopy]

After reading your post and the lessons learnt, which is REALLY helpful. I decided to move forward with Stormaudio evo 32 AES one and call it the day. Otherwise I would continue searching, getting more similar A16s, or even thinking about JBL 58, etc....I admit it is an expensive piece, but seeing your path, I can already see myself spending more the same way as you.

Apart from the number of channels and Dirac ART, what are the advantages of the Stormaudio over the SDP-58?

 

[kfrancis]

In terms of decoding, what does the H16-AIP support that the Argus H2-4D doesn’t and vice-versa?

They both support the same ones: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS-HD MA. The problem with the H2-4D is that it decodes DTS-HD MA incorrectly, especially in a 9.1.x speaker layout. For any speaker layout, Neural:X seems to be enabled, even if I don't want it to be – there is height channel information for plain DTS-HD MA 7.1, for example, and that upmixing cannot be disabled. In a 9.1.x layout, it outputs channels to the wrong outputs! The top front channels output to the front wide channels, and the top rear output to the top front. Everything is shifted. Both are bad bugs, and they haven't bothered to address them despite telling me they would.

The H2-4D supports 9.1.6 and the H16-AIP only 9.1.4, but I'd rather have DTS-HD MA render correctly since a huge number of movies, especially older ones, on Kaleidescape use DTS-HD MA, not Atmos.

The H2-4D does sample rate conversion, and supposedly the H16-AIP does not. I'm hoping that's not true, because that would make it almost usable. I may have to get the H16-AES instead and do the SRC elsewhere. I can't imagine tolerating, say, not being able to listen to an Apple Music playlist that includes 44.1k stereo tracks and 48k Atmos tracks.

 

[KitoDavy]

Apart from the number of channels and Dirac ART, what are the advantages of the Stormaudio over the SDP-58?

It is dante for digital, no AES67. So it does not work with genelec 9401 which only takes ravenna/aes67 for AoIP, so that is out of the option list.

 

[welwynnick]

The H2-4D does sample rate conversion, and supposedly the H16-AIP does not. I'm hoping that's not true, because that would make it almost usable. I may have to get the H16-AES instead and do the SRC elsewhere. I can't imagine tolerating, say, not being able to listen to an Apple Music playlist that includes 44.1k stereo tracks and 48k Atmos tracks.

I agree.
It was a concern, so I asked El Guapo in the NuprimeX forum on AudiophileStyle. That forum is supported technically and financially by Nuprime.
The co-founder, Jason, participates regularly, and El Guapo is a beta tester for the H16, and this was his response (and it was not contradicted by Nuprime).

Nuprime-X H16-A HDMI to AES67 Converter

This is a great develoment. Taking HDMI and putting the audio stream on the network frees it from the bounds of HDMI. Plus, it's ony $799! https://nuprime-x.com/product/h16/

audiophilestyle.com

On 4/25/2025 at 1:15 PM, welwynnick said:
Does the H16A perform sample rate conversion?

No and unfortunately it's a draw back. If you have DTS-HD MA 96KHz contents you have to manually change the AoIP's output sampling rate to 96KHz and vice versa.

It is dante for digital, no AES67. So it does not work with genelec 9401 which only takes ravenna/aes67 for AoIP, so that is out of the option list.

I'd never suggest anyone buys a StormAudio processor (that's what this thread is all about) but the ISP Evo AoIP version and the ISP Elite 32 Digital AoIP Mk3 do support AES67, and the ISP Elite Analogue has an AES67 I/O upgrade option.

https://www.stormaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FlyerVariations_MK3.pdf

** Remember that the H16 does not support Auro3D **

 

[KitoDavy]

I'd never suggest anyone buys a StormAudio processor (that's what this thread is all about) but the ISP Evo AoIP version and the ISP Elite 32 Digital AoIP Mk3 do support AES67, and the ISP Elite Analogue has an AES67 I/O upgrade option.

I interpret what this thread is all about differently. It justifies why stormaudio charges this much. And it convinced me to move forward with stormaudio. He was asking about the JBL sdp58.

 

[darth]

Isn't storm limited to 48khz per some prior posts? Unless I read wrong. Not that it matters too much but for the price they charge I would have them to be able to handle 96 atleast.

I also wonder how Dirac art would work with glm, seems folks prefer glm over others but art has been so limited so no testing.

Genelec Owners Lounge and Discussion

Anyone know what would be a good way to tilt up a Genelec speaker lying on its side on a table? Specifically a heavy one like 8351B sitting as a C channel under TV. Needs to tilt up a bit more than the isopod allows and not slip or topple over. At the moment I am thinking of wedging it up using...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[KitoDavy]

Isn't storm limited to 48khz per some prior posts? Unless I read wrong. Not that it matters too much but for the price they charge I would have them to be able to handle 96 atleast.

It is. But it doesn't matter to me as I only use apple tv for streaming, which was forced at 48khz for everything. If you need 96khz, then less channels like trinnov altitude 32 would do. Footnote 10: I've asked StormAudio about this; they replied: "Our chips are capable of 96kHz processing, so a bypass is possible and likely in the future."

 

[darth]

Probably wait till the specs for the upcoming apple tv are announced. Since apple music on macs/ipads/iphones/windows can now all do lossless up to 24/192 (for stereo not Atmos which is limited to 48), not sure what's in store for the new upcoming apple tv. Unlikely but probable.

 

[KitoDavy]

Probably wait till the specs for the upcoming apple tv are announced. Since apple music on macs/ipads/iphones/windows can now all do lossless up to 24/192, not sure what's in store for the new upcoming apple tv. Unlikely but probable.

Good point.......Then what would you recommend I use as a temporary solution for now? what's the cheapest analog pre-amp at this moment?

 

[darth]

Good point.......Then what would you recommend I use as a temporary solution for now? what's the cheapest analog pre-amp at this moment?

I would +2 what @kfrancis said before about maybe starting off with something cheap like the H16 or maybe even a good old 2nd hand processor like htp1 or minidsp. Then when the playing field improves later this year you can decide to upgrade to storm. Hopefully dirac art will come to Denon and marantz and storm might feel the need to improve. Audiocontrols solution hopefully also sees light of day.

Pretty much what I am also doing, got myself a minidsp flex htx to hold me over till I know what I really want. For my case I need both connection to a PC (90% use case, via earc) + devices like apple tv.

 

[KitoDavy]

I would +2 what @kfrancis said before about maybe starting off with something cheap like the H16 or maybe even a good old 2nd hand processor like htp1 or minidsp. Then when the playing field improves later this year you can decide to upgrade to storm. Hopefully dirac art will come to Denon and marantz and storm might feel the need to improve. Audiocontrols solution hopefully also sees light of day.

Pretty much what I am also doing, got myself a minidsp flex htx to hold me over till I know what I really want. For my case I need both connection to a PC (90% use case, via earc) + devices like apple tv.

I can use 9401 as an interim solution, and wait for the AoIP market to become more mature. My only question is whether I can route apple music through AoIP for dolby atmos...........I didn't find any answer. @kfrancis , do you have any experiences on this? I agree with your thoughts, either stormaudio or 9401 with something for hdmi to aoip...

 

[poopy]

I can use 9401 as an interim solution, and wait for the AoIP market to become more mature. My only question is whether I can route apple music through AoIP for dolby atmos...........I didn't find any answer. @kfrancis , do you have any experiences on this? I agree with your thoughts, either stormaudio or 9401 with something for hdmi to aoip...

Why do you need 9401? If I were you I’d do everything with Dirac, either with bass control or ART.

 

[KitoDavy]

Why do you need 9401? If I were you I’d do everything with Dirac, either with bass control or ART.

That's the idea case going with storm. But storm is currently supporting 48khz only, so i'm looking for temporary alternative solutions....

 

[kfrancis]

My only question is whether I can route apple music through AoIP for dolby atmos

I've done it two ways:

1. Apple TV over HDMI to something that decodes/renders Atmos (and then outputs over AoIP)
2. Apple Music on a Mac Mini with either an audio interface w/ Dante (like a DAD Core 256) or the Dante Virtual Soundcard
   • There are similar Ravenna products
   • In this case, the macOS is doing the Atmos decoding/rendering. It's limited to 7.1.4, but should work with any audio device with enough channels.

 

[kfrancis]

[The JBL SDP-58] is dante for digital, no AES67. So it does not work with genelec 9401 which only takes ravenna/aes67 for AoIP, so that is out of the option list.

You can set Dante devices including the SDP-58 to AES67 mode. It will be limited to 48k, but the SDP-58 is already limited to 48k even with native Dante.

But you're probably still occasionally going to hear random pops, etc. because it was implemented so poorly. This happens with the SDP-58 as clock master, or a different high-quality external clock, etc. It's just not good, unfortunately, and I would avoid it, even though it's the most "affordable" way to get digital outputs on a "real" processor.

 

[KitoDavy]

You can set Dante devices including the SDP-58 to AES67 mode. It will be limited to 48k, but the SDP-58 is already limited to 48k even with native Dante.

But you're probably still occasionally going to hear random pops, etc. because it was implemented so poorly. This happens with the SDP-58 as clock master, or a different high-quality external clock, etc. It's just not good, unfortunately, and I would avoid it, even though it's the most "affordable" way to get digital outputs on a "real" processor.

You have no idea how valuable your experiences are to me. It saves me loads of time, frustration, and money!

I've done it two ways:

1. Apple TV over HDMI to something that decodes/renders Atmos (and then outputs over AoIP)
2. Apple Music on a Mac Mini with either an audio interface w/ Dante (like a DAD Core 256) or the Dante Virtual Soundcard
   • There are similar Ravenna products
   • In this case, the macOS is doing the Atmos decoding/rendering. It's limited to 7.1.4, but should work with any audio device with enough channels.

Thanks for confirming! Now I know apple music can go through Ravenna/AES67 Virtual Sound card from mac. This gives me green to buy genelec 9401 for $3000 instead of $20000 for storm to play dolby atmos music! And storm is limited to 48khz, so if I play stereo, I can get to 192khz! This is great news! Later I would just need something for HDMI to AoIP then as the market matures, let's explore together.

I assume you use H2 or H16 for 1. from apple TV? And Both of them sound to me that they have their different troubles to go through?

 

[gondorff]

A possibly dumb question. If I want 5.1 only, what do I need to go digital?

Just a reminder for everyone looking for an inexpensive solution for 7.1 (LPCM extraction along the lines of the VanityPro):

Meridian HD621, 6 HDMI Inputs, 4x2 Channel SPDIF Output, 48 KHz. Output of 5.1 and 2.0 is also possible.
For more info, see here:
HD621 Manual


This is quite a nice match with a previous generation Genelec Subwoofer. The need for any other multichannel interface in between disappears, because these Subs feature 4x2 AES3 inputs. Suitable models are Genelec 7260, 7270 and 7271
See more info here:
Operating Manual Genelec Subwoofer

Chain is: HDMI source -> HD621 -> 7260 -> 8331 (or whatever you use)

Be aware of one limitation: you must use 7.1, 5.1 or 2.0 as an output format and must have the corresponding configuration in hardware available matching this output. The HD621 is not able to downmix to an arbitrary amount of speakers.

 

[carolimagni]

This might be a stupid question, but is that using the "SmartLink" outputs on the Meridian? Can the Genelecs decrypt the data? Have I got this right?

Why any product would add encryption to unencrypted data where signal privacy isn't needed is a mystery to me.

 

[gondorff]

This might be a stupid question, but is that using the "SmartLink" outputs on the Meridian? Can the Genelecs decrypt the data? Have I got this right?

View attachment 455491
Why any product would add encryption to unencrypted data where signal privacy isn't needed is a mystery to me.

The configuration I mentioned is not using the SmartLink output. SmartLink uses 96KHz and is indeed encrypted and cannot be used by any hardware expecting an SPDIF or AES3 conforming signal.
SmartLink is an option. This can be deactivated via the RS232 interface. If this gets deactivated, the HD621 outputs 48 KHz in accordance with the SPDIF protocol.

 

[darth]

Tempted to try this using the trial version once I get my height channels setup.

https://professionalsupport.dolby.com/s/question/0D5QQ00000uFpH30AK/dolby-renderer-on-macos-dolby-atmos-on-apple-music-it-works-solution-for-streaming-playback-of-encoded-atmos-content-on-the-same-system-as-daw?language=en_US