TonewinnerAT 600 processor

[Chrispy]

Pinch of salt warning...

TONEWINNER AT-600 DIRAC 13.3 / 15.1 KANALS ATMOS / DTS-X 8K SURROUND FORFORSTERKER

Tonewinner AT-600 gir deg 16 kanaler, støtte for Dolby Atmos og DTS:X, 8K HDMI 2.1 passthrough og balanserte XLR-utganger. Full Dirac Suite inkludert.

avshop.no

This retailer is advertising the upcoming arrival (December) of the AT600, with the INCLUSION of the full suite of Dirac software, including DLBC and ART.

On the other hand, the manufacturers own website does not even mention the AT600 at all.

Thought I saw something fairly recent about Tonewinner bowing out?

 

[ctbarker32]

eARC alone I'd find completely useless....see no reason to run things thru a display.

I assume you play games which I do not? Going direct to TV and out eARC for audio only processing is all I need. I don't need another video switcher. Plus by going through TV I can use one remote for control. eARC can pass through Lossless audio codecs so I don't see the downside. Current processors for me are bloated and try to appeal to every possible scenario. I think this contributes to poor measured performance. I just want high quality surround audio processing.

 

[chelgrian]

I assume you play games which I do not? Going direct to TV and out eARC for audio only processing is all I need. I don't need another video switcher. Plus by going through TV I can use one remote for control. eARC can pass through Lossless audio codecs so I don't see the downside. Current processors for me are bloated and try to appeal to every possible scenario. I think this contributes to poor measured performance. I just want high quality surround audio processing.

It depends if you want to use the system for music with the display off or if you are going to have the display on all the time.

If you already have a modern TV with enough HDMI inputs and eARC and you fall in to the camp of people who will have the display on then I see the point of wanting a device with a single eARC connection, processing and outputs.

You don’t want the display on but still want to be able to consume audio output from HDMI then having the external switch is useful.

 

[ctbarker32]

It depends if you want to use the system for music with the display off or if you are going to have the display on all the time.

If you already have a modern TV with enough HDMI inputs and eARC and you fall in to the camp of people who will have the display on then I see the point of wanting a device with a single eARC connection, processing and outputs.

You don’t want the display on but still want to be able to consume audio output from HDMI then having the external switch is useful.

Ah but you missed my secret weapon. My Benchmark DAC3-HGC has a specific Home Theater Bypass which allocates one of the analog inputs for passing the stereo HT processor outputs at unity gain. If I want to go pure two channel, I don't turn on my TV or processor and just use my DAC3 straight to my amp and can listen to streaming two channel from USB like a RPi for Roon or listen to pure analog via the second input for turntable, etc. The best of both worlds with no compromise.

 

[chelgrian]

Ah but you missed my secret weapon. My Benchmark DAC3-HGC has a specific Home Theater Bypass which allocates one of the analog inputs for passing the stereo HT processor outputs at unity gain. If I want to go pure two channel, I don't turn on my TV or processor and just use my DAC3 straight to my amp and can listen to streaming two channel from USB like a RPi for Roon or listen to pure analog via the second input for turntable, etc. The best of both worlds with no compromise.

I’m not talking about stereo

My usecase is 5.1 recordings that were originally done for SACD but I’m now playing as multichannel FLACs as LPCM8 over HDMI from a raspberry pi.

 

[ctbarker32]

Okay

I’m not talking about stereo

My usecase is 5.1 recordings that were originally done for SACD but I’m now playing as multichannel FLACs as LPCM8 over HDMI from a raspberry pi.

Okay I am glad you clarified. I currently play back 5.1 surround audio (from SACD and elsewhere) using the HDMI output from my Roon Core Server into my processor. I'm interested in your RPi implementation. What distro are you using?

Also, according to Copilot if reliable eARC should pass high bit rate PCM unmolested as well.

eARC Capabilities
• High-Bitrate PCM Support: eARC can handle up to 8 channels of 192 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed PCM audio, which translates to a bandwidth of roughly 37 Mbps.
• Lossless Codec Passthrough: It supports bit-for-bit transmission of advanced formats like:
• Dolby TrueHD
• DTS-HD Master Audio
• Dolby Atmos (when encoded in TrueHD)
• DTS:X (when encoded in DTS-HD MA)
This means the audio signal remains unmolested—no downmixing, no compression, and no conversion to lossy formats like Dolby Digital Plus.

 

[masterhw]

High-Bitrate PCM Support: eARC can handle up to 8 channels of 192 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed PCM audio, which translates to a bandwidth of roughly 37 Mbps.

I believe eARC can actually handle up to 32 channels, though obviously you will not find content using more than 16 (consumer Atmos 15.1 object limit), but that’s still 16 channels at 24/96. eARC has huge almost always unused headroom, because Dolby refuses to license decoders at greater than 7.1.

eARC is great, most of your frustration should lie with the licensers keeping multichannel specs so locked down.

 

[chelgrian]

Okay

Okay I am glad you clarified. I currently play back 5.1 surround audio (from SACD and elsewhere) using the HDMI output from my Roon Core Server into my processor. I'm interested in your RPi implementation. What distro are you using?

Also, according to Copilot if reliable eARC should pass high bit rate PCM unmolested as well.

eARC Capabilities
• High-Bitrate PCM Support: eARC can handle up to 8 channels of 192 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed PCM audio, which translates to a bandwidth of roughly 37 Mbps.
• Lossless Codec Passthrough: It supports bit-for-bit transmission of advanced formats like:
• Dolby TrueHD
• DTS-HD Master Audio
• Dolby Atmos (when encoded in TrueHD)
• DTS:X (when encoded in DTS-HD MA)
This means the audio signal remains unmolested—no downmixing, no compression, and no conversion to lossy formats like Dolby Digital Plus.

I’m using an rPI5 running libreelec and therefore Kodi, use kodi remote on a phone to control it and do not want the display on while playing.

 

[chelgrian]

I believe eARC can actually handle up to 32 channels, though obviously you will not find content using more than 16 (consumer Atmos 15.1 object limit), but that’s still 16 channels at 24/96. eARC has huge almost always unused headroom, because Dolby refuses to license decoders at greater than 7.1.

eARC is great, most of your frustration should lie with the licensers keeping multichannel specs so locked down.

HDMI2 itself is specified to 32 channels of LPCM but to my knowledge no one has every implemented it.

 

[dlaloum]

I contacted the manufacturer via their home website, and they confirmed that the AT600 is under development and it will support ART.
No mention of planned release date.

Sounds like there will definitely be another contender in the market early next year.

 

[Toni71]

I have contacted them if these processors have independent sub outputs. Just like Denon and Marantz. Seperate delay and timing etc. Interesting.

 

[mmares056]

I have contacted them if these processors have independent sub outputs. Just like Denon and Marantz. Seperate delay and timing etc. Interesting.

I'm also curious to know why only 3 independent sub outs and if we would be able to use an unused channel for a 4th sub.

 

[Toni71]

Yes, one balanced and two unbalanced.I can ask further if they respond to my message.

Tonewinner responded that there was no AT-600 and directed me to a Dutch importer. I don't need or want Art in my 2.2 setup, so I have bought a Marantz Cinema 30. I am sure, this will sound okay.