HDMI isilencer

[Bretho72]

Expectation bias is a powerful thing.
You spent your money hoping for an improvement and despite the science you hear one.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/a-deep-dive-into-hdmi-audio-performance.56/
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...and-potential-for-hdmi-cable-differences.104/

“The measurements show that HDMI is a setback from a performance point of view. While “heroic” efforts such as the Mark Levinson 502 manage to get superlative performance out of HDMI, it clearly presents a tough situation for lesser designs. More concerning is that the mere connection of a device to an HDMI source can cause it to degrade its performance over other inputs.”
“My advice is that if you are using your system for critical music listening, use S/PDIF instead of HDMI. If you are using a PC or Mac as the source, invest in a high-quality USB to S/PDIF converter.”

Exactly, HDMI is not the best connection for audio so I use the HDMI iSilencer to make it better.

 

[jimfisheye]

OK now this is getting good! Between the CD products I forgot getting triggered by all those years ago to the last bit of dry sarcasm.

Parallel to the expectation bias comment. The thing that happens behind the mixing board is you A/B two subtle eq settings for a minute or two. Subtle small adjustments that might be (are) within perception bias. Careful listening. You've picked the one that you like better or fixes the thing better. Yep, solid decision. Now you notice you had the thing bypassed the whole time. There was no change at all.

 

[Sal1950]

Exactly, HDMI is not the best connection for audio so I use the HDMI iSilencer to make it better.

You'd have to prove any benefits are "audible", using bias controlled DBT listening and measurements
of how it altered the analog output of your system.
Without scientific evidence to support your claims, they can just as easily be fantasy.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

All of the above is really pretty meaningless. HDMI jitter is certainly measurable, as it also is with S/PDIF. If you want to call that a setback... well ok. The real issue is, is it audible? For competently designed gear (and i dont mean stupid priced high end stuff) jitter audibility has been a non issue for 15 years now. But the audiofool mentality remains. It exists, if it can be reduced further it has to make a difference. Even if it was inaudible in the first place.

 

[Zacabeb]

iFi is also claiming that the HDMI iSilencer improves picture sharpness, clarity, color saturation, and rendering of shadow detail...

That picture is data in a specific color model, color space, and bit depth. It's packaged in a certain way. It's then HDCP encrypted and encoded as TMDS or FRL. To affect sharpness, clarity, color saturation, and rendering of shadow detail, the signals must be decoded, decrypted, unpacked and interpreted in the correct color model, color space, and bit depth, before performing structured math or referencing lookup tables. The result would then need to be repackaged, re-encrypted, and re-encoded.

Jitter, noise, and signal loss can't do that. At the point where they make the signal so corrupt it can't be properly recovered by the sink, the data falls apart in a very spectacular manner with picture contents largely turning into garbage.

Given that nonsensical claim about picture quality being affected, I don't trust there's any real science behind their claims about audio either.

 

[atrocity]

I've always used AC-3 and DTS to test the data integrity of my connections, which makes me ask a sincere but possibly stupid question:

If my decoders consistently work perfectly when fed the above formats via HDMI, how could anything in the chain be less than perfect? How would it be possible to have the same HDMI setup successfully carrying a delicate, easily-disrupted stream like DTS somehow be so inadequate as to color the sound of a PCM (or DSD) signal?

 

[Sal1950]

If my decoders consistently work perfectly when fed the above formats via HDMI, how could anything in the chain be less than perfect?

Nothings "perfect", the question is, is it audibly imperfect.
Things like jitter and noise exists in all digital streams.
Long ago lowered to inaudible levels on even "everyday" gear.

How would it be possible to have the same HDMI setup successfully carrying a delicate, easily-disrupted stream like DTS somehow be so inadequate as to color the sound of a PCM (or DSD) signal?

It's not, they're not. Digital streams don't become "colored".
It there's a problem you'll hear dropouts, not tonal changes.

 

[Mackspower]

The Australian contribution to the snake oil cease pool. Bolting this to the chassis of your car improved performance.

 

[somethingcleveridunno]

I've always used AC-3 and DTS to test the data integrity of my connections, which makes me ask a sincere but possibly stupid question:

If my decoders consistently work perfectly when fed the above formats via HDMI, how could anything in the chain be less than perfect? How would it be possible to have the same HDMI setup successfully carrying a delicate, easily-disrupted stream like DTS somehow be so inadequate as to color the sound of a PCM (or DSD) signal?

Not hardly a stupid question.

This thread is entirely about a somebody making money with a non-fix to a non-issue. Even the cheapest equipment has jitter measured in hundreds of picoseconds.

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

How do you folks feel about Isoacoustics isolation "feet" for components and speakers?

https://isoacoustics.com/

 

[LuvMyQuad]

How do you folks feel about Isoacoustics isolation "feet" for components and speakers?

https://isoacoustics.com/

It depends what you are trying to do and the construction of the listening room. An isolation platform under a turntable can work wonders. Not so much for electronic components with no moving parts. In my experience, it depends with speakers. Couple them to a high mass floor like concrete with spikes or decouple them from a low mass shelf that acts like a sound board. Ive also used sand weighted speaker stands with bookshelves. You either want to adsorb and disperse any extranious energy into something with high mass or decouple that energy from anything that resonates. Either way it only solves part of the problem. Physical room treatments and well done DSP room EQ will provide more bang for the buck.

We gonna do maringo dots next or go straight to cable trestles?

 

[Sal1950]

How do you folks feel about Isoacoustics isolation "feet" for components and speakers?

https://isoacoustics.com/

What is the goal?
For everything except turntables and speakers, mostly worthless.

Turntables are very susceptible to both surface/furniture and airborn vibrations.
May work well for furniture borne, worthless for airborne.
A CD player is the real answer here.

Speakers, there's about 200 if's, and's, and but's, in play here.
Audible effects from either will be subtle in the extreme.
My JBL's came with both spikes and soft rubber feet.
I use the rubber, much easier to move without damage to my hardwood floors.

 

[steelydave]

All this stuff is child's play, my system really didn't come alive until I got my hands on a Rockwell Retro Encabulator - thanks to the revolutionary implementation of hydrocoptic marzel vanes, it has completely solved all of my problems produced by modial interaction of magneto reluctance and capacitive duractance, with almost zero side-fumbling.

 

[mandrix]

Ive had that happen back in the day when i used to burn CDs. Then i went to the discs with burnable label sides. Then they stopped selling those discs.

Yeah. Now I use a Canon inkjet that will print to (white) inkjet printable discs. Looks like factory if you get the image scan right (I use PhotoShop).
Don't print so many these days, but sometimes for a backup disc. Canon has a utility for printing to inkjet printable discs.

 

[barfle]

iFi is also claiming that the HDMI iSilencer improves picture sharpness, clarity, color saturation, and rendering of shadow detail...

That picture is data in a specific color model, color space, and bit depth. It's packaged in a certain way. It's then HDCP encrypted and encoded as TMDS or FRL. To affect sharpness, clarity, color saturation, and rendering of shadow detail, the signals must be decoded, decrypted, unpacked and interpreted in the correct color model, color space, and bit depth, before performing structured math or referencing lookup tables. The result would then need to be repackaged, re-encrypted, and re-encoded.

Jitter, noise, and signal loss can't do that. At the point where they make the signal so corrupt it can't be properly recovered by the sink, the data falls apart in a very spectacular manner with picture contents largely turning into garbage.

Given that nonsensical claim about picture quality being affected, I don't trust there's any real science behind their claims about audio either.

I’ve seen obvious degradation in an HDMI connection that wasn’t catastrophic. I have a device called a “cloner” that sits in the HDMI path and records the sognal going through it to a thumb drive. Sort of a digital VCR. When it works, it does a pretty good job.

I hooked it up one time and the picture was significantly darker than a straight through connection. I have no idea what was going on, but the picture was there but certainly not right.

 

[barfle]

How do you folks feel about Isoacoustics isolation "feet" for components and speakers?

https://isoacoustics.com/

They are useful if there’s a component that is microphonic. Turntable cartridges are the obvious target, but vibration can be picked up by some vacuum tubes (valves) and that can lead to feedback distortion or even howls.

 

[barfle]

Yeah. Now I use a Canon inkjet that will print to (white) inkjet printable discs. Looks like factory if you get the image scan right (I use PhotoShop).
Don't print so many these days, but sometimes for a backup disc. Canon has a utility for printing to inkjet printable discs.

I still burn a handful of discs now and then. Latest project is copying my laserdiscs before all the players die. I am on my second Epson printer that also prints discs. I have a file drawer full of blanks.

At one time, I had a stick-on label system. It had a device that would center the label on the disc, and it worked well until the glue dried out.

 

[mandrix]

I still burn a handful of discs now and then. Latest project is copying my laserdiscs before all the players die. I am on my second Epson printer that also prints discs. I have a file drawer full of blanks.

At one time, I had a stick-on label system. It had a device that would center the label on the disc, and it worked well until the glue dried out.

Yeah I used to have all that Memorex stuff myself. Probably still need to go back through some discs and replace with print - to - disc labels.

 

[mandrix]

I'd like to see someone take one of those isilencer's apart and see exactly what sort of circuit (if any) is inside.

There are for sure people on this forum with knowledge that could do this.
Question is who wants to waste the money to buy one?
Is the device patented? Is there any sort of circuit diagram? Though even a patent submission would not necessarily have full details but a broad overview of the "process".

I've been using what some would call an "HTPC" for many years for video and audio playback. Pretty much the cheapest video card with HDMI will pass both audio and video.
Whether or not you get e.g. HDR 10+ or Atmos is bound to the equipment capabilities (including the video card) and the playback software.

There are always factors that can make the process not work, but it has nothing to do with HDMI. (yeah there are different flavors of varying capabilities)
Audio: Operating system (Windows) likes to throw a monkey wrench in now and then.
Wrong settings in playback software. e.g. not bitstreaming

Video: multiple displays in the system with different capabilities. (e.g. both a 1080p & 4K tv in the system operating at the same time: defaulting to the lower resolution device)
Devices may need to be powered up in a certain order.
mismatch between video and audio, e.g. not in sync. Modern AVR's have settings to adjust this.

Can you introduce a device into the chain and degrade the signal? I'm not enough of a guru to say.
Can you introduce a device into the chain to make the signal "better"? Well in my personal opinion, No.

All my experience has been work/not work with nothing in between. All I have to go on is what I observe.