Unifi PowerAmp UPL-Amp

[312elements]

Not a lot of details available here at least, but seems like a wiim amp competitor if not possibly even a repackage of sorts. Assuming it's a 3255 module and one is already deep into the unifi ecosystem, this could be an interesting product. Not the same value proposition as the Wiim Amp though.

UniFi PowerAmp - Ubiquiti Store

Premium speaker amplifier designed for high-fidelity multi-zone audio streaming and immersive spatial sound experiences.

store.ui.com

As I dig a little deeper it seems like they might be suggesting that you can link multiples of these and it will decode and distribute multichannel/spatial audio to the other boxes. This isn't directly stated, but that's what it looks like they're saying. No mention of DSP or room correction that I can find at this time and streaming support appears limited to airplay2 and Spotify Connect.

 

[8bits]

<sarcasm> Ubiquiti product and not PoE? No thanks! </sarcasm>

Ubiquiti is an odd company, why would they even launch an audio product, seems so out of place for them.

 

[312elements]

<sarcasm> Ubiquiti product and not PoE? No thanks! </sarcasm>

Ubiquiti is an odd company, why would they even launch an audio product, seems so out of place for them.

I'd imagine the most likely use case for something like this is at the enterprise level, but there are countless threads across the net about people looking for easy whole home audio solutions. If a few of these could replace an AVR that could really be interesting I think and on the software side if they build out the platform by offloading processing to another device that would allow for room correction and such. IDK, that's not a product with a ton of demand but it's also not a product with a ton of competition.

 

[GXAlan]

The decoding of Dolby is great. I wonder if the grouping does allow immersive formats to multiple speakers or if it is just multi room audio. It will also be important to know if there is PEQ or something that allows you to tune the audio.

 

[312elements]

The decoding of Dolby is great. I wonder if the grouping does allow immersive formats to multiple speakers or if it is just multi room audio. It will also be important to know if there is PEQ or something that allows you to tune the audio.

I have to imagine if that’s the market they’re going after that there’s some way to control delay, set gain, distance etc. They have a subwoofer output so presumably there’s some kind of crossover management in a digital product this. If you’ve got all of those settings in the app, it stands to reason that PEQ or better would be easy to implement assuming the processor has the power to do so.

 

[312elements]

I’m admittedly making a slew of assumptions.

 

[tw99]

I am a Unifi user for home networking... but I'm not convinced their software quality is really up to this sort of product, especially for long term support.

 

[Krusty09]

it does show some kind of eq setting in the play app for a quick second. It will also be a standalone product on a seperate app known as the Play App.

 

[tjf]

speaking of assumptions...

The back panel looks suspiciously like the Sonos AMP - especially speaker terminals, dual ethernet ports, etc. -- and the power output looks a bit like the Sonos too - so could be based on the Sonos AMP's Qualcomm CSRA6620 Chip Amp with the "DDFA" PCM-to-PWM class D amp, which would also explain the bass mgmt due to the chip's built in capability for this -- but the main feature is the "implied" Dolby Atmos function - maybe one of these is the eARC input "main unit" and you add on 2 ot 3 more amps for getting 5.1.4 capability with various passive speakers and a powered sub??????????

So there's a Dolby/Dolby Atmos DSP processor/decodfer function built in the the on board processing????????

https://www.qualcomm.com/products/internet-of-things/consumer/audio/mobile-audio/csra6620

 

[312elements]

speaking of assumptions...

The back panel looks suspiciously like the Sonos AMP - especially speaker terminals, dual ethernet ports, etc. -- and the power output looks a bit like the Sonos too - so could be based on the Sonos AMP's Qualcomm CSRA6620 Chip Amp with the "DDFA" PCM-to-PWM class D amp, which would also explain the bass mgmt due to the chip's built in capability for this -- but the main feature is the "implied" Dolby Atmos function - maybe one of these is the eARC input "main unit" and you add on 2 ot 3 more amps for getting 5.1.4 capability with various passive speakers and a powered sub??????????

So there's a Dolby/Dolby Atmos DSP processor/decodfer function built in the the on board processing????????

https://www.qualcomm.com/products/internet-of-things/consumer/audio/mobile-audio/csra6620

This one has Dolby and 32 Channels like the UniFi spec.

Qualcomm Launches AI-Enabled SoCs and Dedicated Smart Speaker Platform | CdrInfo.com

www.cdrinfo.com

 

[tjf]

Yup, that SoC chip + the new version of the CSRA DDFA amp chip (6640 vs. the older 6620) would make sense....

Since this UniFi device looks like it may eminate from the same factory/vendor that Sonos uses for the AMP, maybe Sonos will finally refresh the AMP with these updates too - as it's been rather stagnant since it's intro in 2018

Anyway, it's an interesting possibility - a stack of 4 or 5 of these $600 amps, and HDMI eARC connection from your panel TV (Projectors need not apply, they're not part of the eARC let alone the standard ARC world) and you can use the panel TV as your HDMI sources switcher, and get 5.1, or 5.1.4 surround with actual decent quality speakers -- since these UniFi amps have PLENTY of wattage on tap...

 

[-Matt-]

I'd like to be proved wrong but I very much doubt that the Atmos capability will be multichannel, or that multiple units can be assigned to different channels.

Rather, I expect this will be similar to the Atmos you get from 2.1 soundbars or headphones.

Yes, you may be able to have several of these throughout your house, and it might be possible to link them to play (approximately) simultaneously, but I expect each one will just play the stereo downmix of Atmos content.

(Multi-zone rather than multi-channel).

 

[mcdn]

I am a Unifi user for home networking... but I'm not convinced their software quality is really up to this sort of product, especially for long term support.

Long term support can be an issue (see the recent demise of the UDM), but after a bad patch their software quality has really improved. I run weekly automatic updates across over a dozen devices and haven't had a single issue for 2-3 years now.

 

[GXAlan]

This one has Dolby and 32 Channels like the UniFi spec.

Qualcomm Launches AI-Enabled SoCs and Dedicated Smart Speaker Platform | CdrInfo.com

www.cdrinfo.com

That is the CPU in the Yamaha RX-A4/6/8A line.

 

[GXAlan]

Long term support can be an issue (see the recent demise of the UDM), but after a bad patch their software quality has really improved. I run weekly automatic updates across over a dozen devices and haven't had a single issue for 2-3 years now.

Not to mention that their consumer AmpliFi line did stuff like use app’s that try to do SSO with external servers with no way to disable it.

 

[tjf]

I'd like to be proved wrong but I very much doubt that the Atmos capability will be multichannel, or that multiple units can be assigned to different channels.

Rather, I expect this will be similar to the Atmos you get from 2.1 soundbars or headphones.

Yes, you may be able to have several of these throughout your house, and it might be possible to link them to play (approximately) simultaneously, but I expect each one will just play the stereo downmix of Atmos content.


View attachment 388863
(Multi-zone rather than multi-channel).

Yeah, it's prob more likely that the Atmos function will be phasing tricks for the Front/Total L/R amplifier channels plugged into whatever speakers or passive 2 channel soundbar you connect to it...but the processing horsepower and a network connected link amongst multiple UniFi amps - with the unit having the eARC connection to the TV as the "Master" controller and multichannel processor seems possible - but as you imply, unlikely...

 

[-Matt-]

Sorry for being a party pooper!

 

[312elements]

GPT's are notoriously wrong, but the official unifi GPT in their private forum suggests that it's designed to do just that.

 

[-Matt-]

GPT's are notoriously wrong, but the official unifi GPT in their private forum suggests that it's designed to do just that.View attachment 388881

I hope that does prove to be true, it would certainly make it a much more interesting concept.

Of course, I'd like to see it officially confirmed. Also, beware of purchasing on the promise that this feature will be added at some later date by an update.

Edit: Someone has asked on the Unifi community forum. Hopefully Ubiquiti will respond soon.

https://community.ui.com/questions/Clarifications-on-the-Unifi-PowerAmp-specs-Atmos-support/6444fb76-5d1c-478e-8f86-223bdc4091d1?page=0

 

[tjf]

I hope that does prove to be true, it would certainly make it a much more interesting concept.

Of course, I'd like to see it officially confirmed. Also, beware of purchasing on the promise that this feature will be added at some later date by an update.

Edit: Someone has asked on the Unifi community forum. Hopefully Ubiquiti will respond soon.

https://community.ui.com/questions/Clarifications-on-the-Unifi-PowerAmp-specs-Atmos-support/6444fb76-5d1c-478e-8f86-223bdc4091d1?page=0

I'm sure the 6 of these things you'll need to link together for 7.2.4 will tally against the total qty limit of 32 devices, rather than 32 zones