Vanity Pro HDMI Audio Extractor

[crawf1982]

Hi All,

I just wanted to bring a new HDMI Audio Extractor to your attention - The Vanity Pro

Unlike the previous Vanity products which were designed to replace the DAC boards in Oppo players, this is a standalone unit. The various output module options also add further flexibility.

 

[kiwifi]

Any chance of ADAT output?

 

[BDWoody]

Is this your product?

 

[crawf1982]

The manufacturers are Audiopraise. They do not have any information on their own website about this product yet, but there is an introductory post about it on their support forum.

 

[Neddy]

OMG - Thanks!
THE PERFECT HDMI source for use with OktoDAC8, to switch between HT/Bluray/Streamer Mch and USB (JRiver) sources!
(As long as it decodes 'all major' formats.)
Probably too pricey for me ... but can at least Wish.
Very cool.

 

[raif71]

Thanks for the info and product. Wish it also could extract hdmi to i2s (over hdmi) or better yet, hdmi to usb.

 

[crawf1982]

@Neddy I don't think the Vanity Pro will perform any decoding. That will have to be done by the source component(s).

@raif71 An "optional multichannel I2S output module with CMOS 3.3V levels" is listed as an option. This feature was included on the VanityHD digital output board for the Oppo 203 player by way of a 14 pin ribbon cable connection.

 

[Neddy]

Bah. Right, I forgot, the Oppo did all the mch decoding there. Too easily excited! But thanks anyway - a nice bit of kit otherwise.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Thanks to the Vanity I have built my dream system! Dedicated state of the art components. Can swap out as humanity advances a specific tech.
Oppo 3D/4K -> Vanity -> Trinnov Demon -> Okto8 -> Benchmarks -> Revels

Been a user 6 years - the most stable systems I ever had. Not once an issue. I have 3. Started with 103. Then got 2 x Vanities 203 & 2 x Players. For backup.

• The Vanity Pro looks like my dream product. Dedicated power sources, Metadata like Meters & bit depth. Too bad not the detected rate. Would be great if watching Netflix/YouTube and it said 120kbs .
• Clock could be great now that Okto bailed on us. Must investigate if clock is helpful/required when using multiple DACs? Anyone know? I have Dac8 now, but it has no power switch so always on. Plan b will involve mutliple DAC's.

@crawf1982, Would this be an upgrade to Vanity Card? Sounds like downgrade.
Unless there are better measurements like SINBAD and distortion? Can we get measurements?

Downgrade since Previous cards decoded/downmixed/BM and no HDMI nor any format conversions is used at all when playing BD's. Even better: Oppo decoding. Knowing what we know today, we would want any task that Oppo can perform.

Seam like Vanity Pro has deal breaking Limitations to many & wonder if you are better off modding a PrePro

• Downmixing
• Room Correction
• Atmos
• Not all HDMI devices decode

Downmixing - If one has source decode DTS-HD to PCM it would be all 8 channels. No way to downmix 5.1/2.1 I don't think?
Room Correction -There are only 2 devices this will connect to. DDRC-88d & some Trinnov models.

• Only Trinnov works for all bit rates. The DDRC-88d, much like Apple TV, reclocks to 48khz. Not sure if 16 or 24?
• (Well, a USB interface like the UDIO-8/Dac8 to PC will work, but once PC is involved you may as well use the PC for source. Unless one is such an Oppo-nick?)

Just this week, I read the best info I ever read here. DAC's can correct bad measurements of digital device in the chain/DAW.
Yay! I want to make a party just on this fact.

I was always concerned how the Vanities measure? And even more concerned with the Trinnov's. All Trinnov's have FireWire I/O conversions and more reclocking on the out. No way to get FireWire to AES w/o reclocking I think? The Trinnov measured here was w/o RC, which bypasses the FireWire I/O's.

The purist in me (us?) would consider the upgrade for better measurements anyway. Also, not sure if DAC's compensate for BAD SINBAD or other measurements in chain or just jitter? If latter than for sure I would upgrade to the Vanity Pro.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Bah. Right, I forgot, the Oppo did all the mch decoding there. Too easily excited! But thanks anyway - a nice bit of kit otherwise.

Actually, the Vanity only works in Oppo, thus vanity has decoding +BM, +Trims, + Downmixing, +10db for BD's LFE.
Anyway, this should not concern most, as most HDMI devices seem to have decoding.
Downmixing seems the biggest hurdle if you are 5.1/2.1. Both RC devices have BM & will trim.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Thanks for the info and product. Wish it also could extract hdmi to i2s (over hdmi) or better yet, hdmi to usb.

USB Easily accomplished. There are many interfaces that will convert AES to USB. UDIO-8 for example. Even though it or others did not measure well, my current understanding is that DAC will auto correct.

Why would you want i2s over AES anyway? AES is transformer coupled.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Hi All,

I just wanted to bring a new HDMI Audio Extractor to your attention - The Vanity Pro

Also, I have great idea to make it look better. Make it look more Oppo/Okto-ish. Brushed aluminum. And the screen should be flushed like Oppo/Okto, not indented.

Edit: I was looking on my phone. In PC it does have brushed like Oppo/Okto. But that logo does not look great. Even printed would look better. Better: raised/engraved lettering.

 

[Dacapalooza]

I found the thread about multiple DAC's. I asked over there about using the clock out as a resolution to sync all the DAC's.

Can I use multiple stereo DACs instead of one multichannel DAC?

Assume the input is 4xSPDIF like this unit: https://www.minidsp.com/products/minidsp-in-a-box/nanodigi-2x8-b The different channels go to an 8-ch power amp connected to stereo 4-way speakers, so the phase matters (at crossover point). Would there be phase/clock sync issues with multiple DACs...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[raif71]

USB Easily accomplished. There are many interfaces that will convert AES to USB. UDIO-8 for example. Even though it or others did not measure well, my current understanding is that DAC will auto correct.

Why would you want i2s over AES anyway? AES is transformer coupled.

You mean HDMI and not AES, right? Since many DACs have at least usb and most bluray players have hdmi, it would be beneficial to have a converter box that could convert hdmi to usb so that one can connect bluray players to DACs especially for SACD/DSD playback.

 

[Dacapalooza]

You mean HDMI and not AES, right? Since many DACs have at least usb and most bluray players have hdmi, it would be beneficial to have a converter box that could convert hdmi to usb so that one can connect bluray players to DACs especially for SACD/DSD playback.

Meant what I said. I meant HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> USB Interface. Voila - HDMI to USB.
No concern stringing a bunch of devices together as DAC will auto correct (all?) issues.

But why do you need USB? To connect to DAC or to EQ in PC?

If to connect to DAC, it sounds like bad idea. To have an extra conversion. If your starting point is a transport connect AES/Spidf/Vanity directly to DAC.
Unless maybe USB removes all "vagaries" and always try to always use USB and the extra conversion is worth it. That does no sound right... I never heard of anyone going out of the way to convert SPIDF/AES to USB for DAC purposes... Just get a DAC that handles AES/Spidf well.

If to EQ to PC, than why not simply start off using the PC as the, um, transport. Than use a USB DAC. Very simple for you.
Although, you probably just mean that USB is ideal way to connect, and the Vanity Pro should have USB as an option. Makes sense as there are more USB multichannel DAC's than AES. But there are no RC devices that take USB. Unless PC, but again, why have extra complexities and use PC for transport.
Selfishly, I like when devices are dedicated to do exactly what I want. Any additive removes dedication. So adding USB adds features I don't want .

Bugs the heck out of me that the Okto8 does dsd! Would have like dedicated PCM DAC as all AV sources are only PCM. At least my Trinnov is dedicated PCM.

 

[raif71]

Meant what I said. I meant HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> USB Interface. Voila - HDMI to USB.
No concern stringing a bunch of devices together as DAC will auto correct (all?) issues.

But why do you need USB? To connect to DAC or to EQ in PC?

If to connect to DAC, it sounds like bad idea. To have an extra conversion. If your starting point is a transport connect AES/Spidf/Vanity directly to DAC.
Unless maybe USB removes all "vagaries" and always try to always use USB and the extra conversion is worth it. That does no sound right... I never heard of anyone going out of the way to convert SPIDF/AES to USB for DAC purposes... Just get a DAC that handles AES/Spidf well.

If to EQ to PC, than why not simply start off using the PC as the, um, transport. Than use a USB DAC. Very simple for you.
Although, you probably just mean that USB is ideal way to connect, and the Vanity Pro should have USB as an option. Makes sense as there are more USB multichannel DAC's than AES. But there are no RC devices that take USB. Unless PC, but again, why have extra complexities and use PC for transport.
Selfishly, I like when devices are dedicated to do exactly what I want. Any additive removes dedication. So adding USB adds features I don't want .

Bugs the heck out of me that the Okto8 does dsd! Would have like dedicated PCM DAC as all AV sources are only PCM. At least my Trinnov is dedicated PCM.

I have a preamp that accepts more than 1 DAC, so one DAC will connect to a bluray player via the converter box, another DAC connect to a DAP as transport player again via USB etc. so USB interfaces are important. No PC/laptop connection from me to the DACs

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Meant what I said. I meant HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> USB Interface. Voila - HDMI to USB.

I've already proposed that to JVB Digital. OTOH, HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> Okto Dac8 USB output. Voila - HDMI to USB.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Price is up: 1,500 Euro - 1,744.18 USD as of Today

VanityPRO

The very latest VanityPRO is a multi-channel HDMI digital audio extractor with built-in advanced signal processing. also available at AVstyle.nl

www.oppostore.nl

Cheaper than 5 YO 203 current prices + Vanity/Mission Impossible Card.
Mission Impossible Cards . When I ever I install the cards, I watch the Tom Cruise scene where he swaps his Vanity Card while hanging from a zip line no less. I want to try that!

I was thinking of getting a 3rd Oppo 203 anyway, 2 cards for 3 players, assuming the Card will outlast the Oppo. Since Oppo does more work and spins BD's.
I would hate to lose the ability to connect to anything I want...
Also I had thought that was the end of Vanity.

But it is unclear to me if the Vanity Pro is superior to the Card? Card natively plays BD, my primary source, eliminating HDMI, and for that matter, any sort of connection at all. Not to mention the additional features.

Unless the Pro has better measurements? The only feature that I need is the 5.1 downmix. I googled that routing is not a good solution for downmixing, but maybe better than nothing? So maybe the Pro should add routing capabilities.

On the other hand, getting another Oppo 203, I'll have another chance to set up zipline for the Vanity installation.

 

[ElNino]

This would be an absolute dream device for me, except that it doesn't seem to have the one feature that I really want: adjustable delay (for lipsyncing adjustment). It seems like such an easy feature they could add though, since they rebuffer everything....

 

[Dacapalooza]

I've already proposed that to JVB Digital. OTOH, HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> Okto Dac8 USB output. Voila - HDMI to USB.

Okto bailed. So not possible. One can get UDIO-8, though. I'm sure there are others.

I still can't think of a use case for HDMI to USB conversion (in the home.) No way to get Room Correction. Unless to route to PC, but once PC is involved it makes way more sense to never use HDMI at all.

Although if one already owns a Dac8 it looks like you might be better off the extra conversion before the DAC. Because looks like there are issues with Dac8 AES.
HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> UDIO-8 -> Dac8. (Does USB work device to device - or only device to PC?)
Or: HDMI device -> Vanity Pro -> Dac8 AES/USB mode -> PC Loopback -> Dac8 USB (Assuming no issues in Dac8 AES/USB mode. Could be the AES issues exists there as well)

I now found 2 negative measurements on the Okto AES. I found a measurement on line where the tester claimed the Okto tripped a little with the AES input. And in the multiple stereo DAC thread there are measurements that the Channels are not synced with AES. I hope my Trinnov compensates that....