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Review and Measurements of Essence HDACC II-4K HDMI DAC
- Thread starter amirm
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OP
- Thread Starter
- #22
For lossy AC-3 (dolby digital), it is actually a layered coding where the first decode is stereo and later stages create the multichannel. So for that, I don't see a reason they wouldn't play stereo. I will have to hook the unit to my main system to test to be sure so can't do it right now.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #23
Sure. Here you go:
This is the same performance if I plugged the Gustard into USB port. I also tested it with the GPLL disabled in Gustard and it reduced performance by 3 dB so less capable DACs should be able to do as well.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #24
I can't power it up externally. Its own power supply is rated at 3 amps. My Agilent lab supply goes to 3.3 amps but can't power it. I tested with my other lab supply that goes to 5 amps and it powered it up initially when the volume was low. I turned up the volume and it shut down and wouldn't turn back on using the lab supply. I turned the volume down using its own power supply and went back the lab supply but it still won't turn on.
It seems to have some kind of supervisory circuit that shuts it down as on the power supply meter, I don't see it pulling much current before shutting down.
Unless it is life or death
, I don't want to keep messing with it.
mikehoopes
Member
I believe there are HDCP issues to deal with when playing Blu-Ray and SACD content. I'd personally like to see an audio-only unit with HDMI input/pass-through, spatialization processing, a credible headphone amp, and LDAC bluetooth out.
I currently have no legitimate way to enjoy multi-channel SACD content with headphones. You have to jump through hoops ripping 88.2 PCM off of old PS4s to enjoy your content on a PC, without blasting a multi-channel speaker system.
Jimster480
Major Contributor
This seems like a weird product...... it has HDMI support but yet only 2 channel support.
It seems more like an HDMI switcher with some added features?
There are receivers with HDMI support that are DAC's aswell....
It seems more like an HDMI switcher with some added features?
There are receivers with HDMI support that are DAC's aswell....
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The HDACC II-4K by Essence is sold factory direct to consumers worldwide at $599, thanks. https://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/product/hdacc-ii-4k/
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Read the testimonials from end users at the product page on the Essence site, under the Reviews tab. Audiophiles who listen to hi res audio are looking for 2 channel output. The HDACC II-4K de-embeds the left and right front channels from the DTS Master HD or Dolby True HD multi-channel soundtrack for native, uncompressed 24/96K LPCM. The 4 HDMI v2.0 inputs with switching is a big feature to those who now find themselves with multiple HDMI v2.0 sources.
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To clarify, no it does not down-mix the multi-channel soundtrack, it de-embeds the front left and right channels from the multi-channel soundtrack for native, uncompressed, 24/96K audio. It does no down-sampling at all. It is meant to be used with 5.1 channel soundtracks, both Dolby True HD and DTS Master HD but it plays back in stereo only. If you have a downstream AVR with matrix surround features, it can turn 2 channels back into 5.1 or higher and these days sounds damn good.
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Thanks for your question. HDMI's data rate is now 18 Gbps while Optical / Coax is 250 Mbps so there's not much point to doing that. The HDCP copyright protection of HDMI down-rezzes hi res audio to 16/48K which defeats the purpose of the product, to deliver the hi res audio listening experience. I've also experienced a choppy sound and lost sound completely, it seems to depend on the individual disc and when it was produced. The HDACC II-4K is strictly a DAC, meant to convert digital audio to analog.
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From Bob R.: We make an HDMI v2.0 DAC with 7.1 channel output, single HDMI in and out to display, Optical out but down-rezzed to 16/48K by HDCP. Its much less expensive and is a pretty good workaround for those with legacy AVRs and PrePros lacking the HDMI v2.0 throughput. Its called Evolve II-4K, $299 retail, https://www.essenceelectrostatic.com/product/evolve-ii-4k-hdmi-v2-0-7-1-channel-dac/
Regarding digital audio out from HDMI. Yes, you can do it, but it takes some work, and right now I can't see getting anything better than 24bit/48 kHz, 8 channel.
What you do is go 1080p HDMI 1.4 to 3G SDI and then use a digital audio 3G SDI de-embedder. You get four sets of AES3 digital audio.
Now, SDI does not support HDCP, and almost all HDMI to SDI converters will not work with HDCP. Except this one: https://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-to-hd-sdi-converter.html. If you have an HDMI 1.4 1080p "audio only" HDMI output on your source device, you're golden. You can always use an HDFury AVRKey to split a 4k HDMI 2.0 signal into 4k video HDMI 2.0 and 1080p HDMI 1.4 audio. (I think it is discontinued, but they have alternatives). Then you get one of these babies: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/miniconverters/techspecs/W-CONM-22. It will give you either 8 channels of AES3 digital audio over four balanced lines, or 4 channels of balanced analog audio. DIP switches select operating mode and which "bank" of 4 channels (out of the 16 that SDI can carry) that you want.
A couple of caveats: SDI only carries 48 kHz audio up to 24 bit resolution (though up to 16 channels). HDMI to SDI converters won't work with HDCP (except the HDTV Supply model above), and must have LPCM audio. So, decoding in the source. No DSD for you, I'm afraid.
Personally, I have never found 48 kHz sampling rates a limitation at playback (they can be at recording if you have high-level content close to 20k, like cymbals, with poor analog filtering), thought purists might disagree and also balk at sample rate conversion from 44.1 kHz.
The attached photos shows how I have done this, in a home theatre setup. The processing photo shows the interesting stuff: HDMI into a miniDSP nanoAVR HD for bass management, then to a nanoAVR DL for Dirac Live! room correction and digital volume control, then to the aforementioned HDMI to SDI converter, then to the SDI digital AUDIO de-embedder, and on to the rest of the racked equipment. This is all on the 1U shelf at the top of the rack just below the power conditioner for the rack. A five port ethernet switch completes the processing shelf.
The rest of the rack has a Lucid ADA 8824 AD/DA used just as an 8 channel DAC, Crown XLS 1502 amp for the fronts, two Crown XLS 1002 amps for four surround speakers, and an Outlaw Audio M-2200 amp (arguably the best of the lot) for the center channel speaker. I will be the first to admit that the left and right main speakers deserve a better amp (and probably DAC as well). Digital volume control is fine, if one uses it only sparingly, and one has a DAC with a fair number of bits of resolution (the 8824 doesn't really, but has VCA stages that could be controlled via MIDI, and I am considering this).
I am considering the Essense 2 channel DAC for left and right signals, after Dirac Live! room correction, and feeding through the HDMI to a third nanoAVR HDA for surround, center, and LFE processing, eliminating the need for HDMI to SDI conversion, digital audio de-embedding, and the use of the Lucid ADA 8824 DAC. Though, I admit, getting 48 kHz 24 bit digital 8 channel LPCM out of HDMI is cool. Next up would be a better left and right channel amp.
What you do is go 1080p HDMI 1.4 to 3G SDI and then use a digital audio 3G SDI de-embedder. You get four sets of AES3 digital audio.
Now, SDI does not support HDCP, and almost all HDMI to SDI converters will not work with HDCP. Except this one: https://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmi-to-hd-sdi-converter.html. If you have an HDMI 1.4 1080p "audio only" HDMI output on your source device, you're golden. You can always use an HDFury AVRKey to split a 4k HDMI 2.0 signal into 4k video HDMI 2.0 and 1080p HDMI 1.4 audio. (I think it is discontinued, but they have alternatives). Then you get one of these babies: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/miniconverters/techspecs/W-CONM-22. It will give you either 8 channels of AES3 digital audio over four balanced lines, or 4 channels of balanced analog audio. DIP switches select operating mode and which "bank" of 4 channels (out of the 16 that SDI can carry) that you want.
A couple of caveats: SDI only carries 48 kHz audio up to 24 bit resolution (though up to 16 channels). HDMI to SDI converters won't work with HDCP (except the HDTV Supply model above), and must have LPCM audio. So, decoding in the source. No DSD for you, I'm afraid.
Personally, I have never found 48 kHz sampling rates a limitation at playback (they can be at recording if you have high-level content close to 20k, like cymbals, with poor analog filtering), thought purists might disagree and also balk at sample rate conversion from 44.1 kHz.
The attached photos shows how I have done this, in a home theatre setup. The processing photo shows the interesting stuff: HDMI into a miniDSP nanoAVR HD for bass management, then to a nanoAVR DL for Dirac Live! room correction and digital volume control, then to the aforementioned HDMI to SDI converter, then to the SDI digital AUDIO de-embedder, and on to the rest of the racked equipment. This is all on the 1U shelf at the top of the rack just below the power conditioner for the rack. A five port ethernet switch completes the processing shelf.
The rest of the rack has a Lucid ADA 8824 AD/DA used just as an 8 channel DAC, Crown XLS 1502 amp for the fronts, two Crown XLS 1002 amps for four surround speakers, and an Outlaw Audio M-2200 amp (arguably the best of the lot) for the center channel speaker. I will be the first to admit that the left and right main speakers deserve a better amp (and probably DAC as well). Digital volume control is fine, if one uses it only sparingly, and one has a DAC with a fair number of bits of resolution (the 8824 doesn't really, but has VCA stages that could be controlled via MIDI, and I am considering this).
I am considering the Essense 2 channel DAC for left and right signals, after Dirac Live! room correction, and feeding through the HDMI to a third nanoAVR HDA for surround, center, and LFE processing, eliminating the need for HDMI to SDI conversion, digital audio de-embedding, and the use of the Lucid ADA 8824 DAC. Though, I admit, getting 48 kHz 24 bit digital 8 channel LPCM out of HDMI is cool. Next up would be a better left and right channel amp.
Attachments
By LFE processing, I mean using the nanoAVR HDA's DSP capabilities to implement parametric equalizers computed by something like MSO, and repurpose the output left and right channels for up to two additional subs (right now, the subs carry the same mono bass-managed LFE signal).
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OP
- Thread Starter
- #34
HDCP licensing rules forces 48 kHz sampling rate (or lower) so unless one chooses to violate the license, there is no choice in that for manufacturers wanting to send out digital audio from HDMI which comes with HDCP.
And 16 bit, IIRC. I am extracting 24 bit audio. SDI specs 48 kHz audio (dim memory suggests there may be a 96 kHz audio mode mux'd over two channels, but I've never seen any equipment support it).
I think the HDTV Supply HDMI to SDI converter gets around the licensing requirements via the DMCA interoperability clause: it is designed, and marketed for SDI monitors to display HDMI.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #36
There tends to be more tolerance for pro products but strictly speaking they are not compliant with their license. Problem with HDCP is that it doesn't have good means for revocation (they have too few keys) so they don't quite know how to disable these units. They could litigate but they are too small to go after.
Maybe. HDFury won litigation regarding HDCP stripping in HDMI to component video converters based on interoperability provisions in the DMCA. Of course their output was analog and not digital. HDTV Supply goes to some length to exhort that their device is NOT sold for the purposes of circumventing copyright protections and claim that trying to do so (by feeding an SDI to HDMI converter) will be "detected" (how?) and not work. JVB Digital gets away with modifications to DVD and Bluray players that send out multichannel digital audio over SPDIF (probably tapping into I2S signals) as well as 3G SDI video, which naturally does not support HDCP). And they are definitely in the "prosumer", not professional, space.
I don't "strip HDCP" by choice, and would prefer not to (it does involve two devices and constrains me to 48 kHz 8 channel LPCM over HDMI). My Oppo BDP-103D apparently does not apply HDCP on the "audio only" HDMI output, which is black video at 1080p (or 720p) and audio. However, the nanoAVRs add it on output even if it was not present on input. So, I was stripping it because of a processing defect in equipment I own (though I admit if I do get "audio only" HDMI from a different device, it's nice to know I can deal with it, regardless of HDCP).
I think Essence has the right idea, to offer HDMI to analog audio processors, with decent specs. I would prefer that their eight channel unit had balanced outputs and volume control, but if the bit-resolution of the DAC is high enough, digital volume control anywhere in the chain is fine (unless you go overboard).
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This looks like a product with more use cases than the one reviewed here. Is the DAC in the Evolve the same as the DAC in the one tested here? If not can you donate one for testing?
I don’t understand the use cases for the tested unit. I get it for stereo music where LR and FR are the most important (or the only channels) and HDMI allows greater bandwidth for lossless hi res audio streams. But then I don’t get the need for that much hdmi switching. There aren’t that many stereo sources with HDMI outs.
For anything else with surround channels, the FL and FR carry very little content hi res or not. The center channel does. So just de-embedding the FL and FR is not very useful and you cannot then try to get surround out of it downstream as you suggest. It makes sense only if the whole thing is being downmixed to 2.0 and supplied at the outputs.
What would be really useful is something between the two units. The Evolve with the better DAC of the two and multiple HDMI inputs with switching. This would serve both music and home theater. Stick a capable equalizer in there for room equalization even if manual then it would be an updated defunct NuForce AVP-18 with HDMI 2.0, something that would sell far more than either of these two and the kind of break up of the kitchen-sink AVR people are hoping for without having to spend multiple thousands of dollars.
Indeed: balanced analog output for Left and Right with a good stereo DAC and the rest if the channels with a lesser DAC and possibly in single-ended outputs.
Now, it it actually could decode stereo DSD it would be a useful beast for that crowd, but of course each codec costs licensing and royalty fees. Me: I'd like an Atmos decoder.
I AM getting 24 bit 48 khz 8 channel but by a circuitous route.
Now, it it actually could decode stereo DSD it would be a useful beast for that crowd, but of course each codec costs licensing and royalty fees. Me: I'd like an Atmos decoder.
I AM getting 24 bit 48 khz 8 channel but by a circuitous route.
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