An AVR for 7.x.6 Atmos with multi-channel ethernet capability

[SeeMoreDigital]

This day and time mini-pc's can be bought with HDMI 2.1 ports if needed. Small, unobtrusive, with RJ45 port(s).
That doesn't satisfy the desire for using no separate devices however. and one would need a software app for playback that will bitstream Atmos. (free VLC media player will, but at least for me seems to have some problems with Java menus.)

Sadly 'Media Player Classic-BE' doesn't support Java menus either...

 

[mandrix]

Sadly 'Media Player Classic-BE' doesn't support Java menus either...

It's easier for me ...though more money spent, of course...to use either PowerDVD or JRiver. PowerDVD is the simplest to use, IMO, though more configuration options with JRiver. PowerDVD is sometimes "on sale" for about $69 US.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Personally, I never watch movies using my computers. I play my movie disc back-ups using my OPPO or if I'm upstairs in bed I use my TV's media player app...

 

[mandrix]

Personally, I never watch movies using my computers. I play my movie disc back-ups using my OPPO or if I'm upstairs in bed I use my TV's media player app...

Sure, I get it. I'm not a movie guy, unless it's a recorded live concert. Since I have a 4K monitor at the sweet spot, that's what I normally use for any viewing while listening to music.
I no longer have any music equipment connected in the main room as that's my wife's domain along with the "big ass tv".

 

[mandrix]

Ach. To be clear, I use PowerDVD because it will bitstream, not so much for any viewing ability, though it does have two modes, for pc or tv.

If it's a NAS setup, couldn't you run a software player from it? I confess I don't know all that much about the commercial NAS units.
I just have a big ass pc with a lot of drives, and a SAS/SATA card to run them all and to create RAID arrays with the MaxView Storage Manger (works with my Adaptec SAS/SATA card).

Otherwise unless someone has another solution, I think a pc will have to be in the chain somewhere, or some device to serve the music to the AVR, unfortunately. I like the functionality of the Asus mini-pc's but a used laptop with HDMI could fill the gap.

Anyway like you say it's a shame network playback isn't incorporated into AVR's. I mean they often come with Tidal, Bluetooth, Chromecast and all that, and a plethora of stereo inputs, none of which I personally find useful. I even have a phone app for my Onkyo though I seldom use it.

 

[esimms86]

I’m not a Mac guy but the new M4 Mac Mini starts at 599 USD and is 5” x 5” x 2” in size. The base model only has 256 Gb of storage but I don’t think that you would need more than that for a single purpose music server being fed music files from an NAS drive.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Sadly, it didn't take long for things to veer off topic... Post #6

 

[esimms86]

Sadly, it didn't take long for things to veer off topic... Post #6

Well anyway, you received to your question, even if the answer was unfortunately in the negative. People (myself included) were just trying to be helpful. At this point, you can ask the mods to close down the thread if you’d like.

 

[M-K]

I have a Denon AVC-X8500HA and it can't do multi-channel music via the network, the X6800 is the one below and it can't either. I haven't come across any AVRs which will play multi-channel over a network. Edit: Even the top of the range £6000 AVC-A1H can't.

Denon manual page.

View attachment 110842

Only 2-Channels.
Is gapless playback possible (FLAC, MP3 ...)?

Or is it only written in the manual, but it works in multi channel (undocumented feature)?

That's why I use kodi on a Raspberry Pi for this.

 

[DuncanS]

Only 2-Channels.
Is gapless playback possible (FLAC, MP3 ...)?

Or is it only written in the manual, but it works in multi channel (undocumented feature)?

That's why I use kodi on a Raspberry Pi for this.

Its stereo only, don't know if its gapless or not as I never use the AVR from the NAS drives.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Well anyway, you received to your question, even if the answer was unfortunately in the negative. People (myself included) were just trying to be helpful. At this point, you can ask the mods to close down the thread if you’d like.

And there's the rub...

I don't want to sound ungrateful or rude but in the opening post when I stated: "are there any 'affordable' AVR's that can access and play multi-channel music via it's network connection using its app - ie: without the need for another device?", it's not helpful when people start suggesting about using "another device"...

 

[esimms86]

And there's the rub...

I don't want to sound ungrateful or rude but in the opening post when I stated: "are there any 'affordable' AVR's that can access and play multi-channel music via it's network connection using its app - ie: without the need for another device?", it's not helpful when people start suggesting about using "another device"...

Fair enough. I don't have a beef with you. As far as I'm concerned, this thread, in my mind anyway, has been effectively locked. Perhaps the topic can be revisited with a future generation of AVRs.