Just a thingy I've been working on

[Overture]

A first look at something.




There is one more feature that we'd like to get in a future version, but that's a way's down the track, and that's digital output.

I think a stand-alone product to convert multi channel audio to a digital output (displayport for example) could be a useful step on that journey, and then eventually integrate it into other products.

Anyway. Bah humbug.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

A first look at something.




There is one more feature that we'd like to get in a future version, but that's a way's down the track, and that's digital output.

I think a stand-alone product to convert multi channel audio to a digital output (displayport for example) could be a useful step on that journey, and then eventually integrate it into other products.

Anyway. Bah humbug.

Lookin' good you rascal!!!
V3 maybe? that looks like a S/PDIF optical out; I prefer coax RCA; but DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapters would also work really great wouldn't it; without taking a $20k hit???

 

[oelli]

A Surround Master with digital input and output would be great.

I have a special board in my oppo UDP-203 BD player that replaces its analog output with digital ones. They use 4 x digital Coax outputs for up to 8 channels. Where each coax output holds two channels uncompressed audio up to 24/192kHz. The first one is FL/FR, the second one SL/SR, the third C/SW and then SBL/SBR.
The internal speaker management of the player stays intact and so I use it for 4-channel digital output. On coax goes to the digital in of my front amplifier and the second one to the amp for the rear channels.

Here is a detailed description of this digital output board:
https://static.webshopapp.com/shops/170546/files/175162763/vanity203-user-manual-v2.pdf

If the SM is already digital internally then this could also be a simple solution to output the digital signals before they get to the D/A converters I think.
This thing is useful for all people that have for example active speakers with digital inputs or for people with multiple stereo amplifiers or stereo DACs.

 

[HomerJAU]

I think a stand-alone product to convert multi channel audio to a digital output (displayport for example) could be a useful step on that journey

I think we would all agree!

 

[DuncanS]

I nice idea . If you do, and its also on the new all-singing-all-dancing preamp/decoder, I'd suggest selling them with a suitable convertor for DisplayPort to HDMI (ugh, not a fan of this inter-farce!) then you know it works, less support hassles!

 

[Overture]

That is currently an optical in, but as far as digital out goes, you all read my mind. Always good to get feedback. Thank ye kindly.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

That is currently an optical in, but as far as digital out goes, you all read my mind. Always good to get feedback. Thank ye kindly.

uh ok, try plugin’ that op. cable in at the other end; maybe it’s going in the wrong direction

 

[hobie1dog]

However/Whatever the SM does what it does, I'm running everything through it. With my major nerve damage (95% loss in my arms and legs and now having gone into my core),and hearing issues now that I'm 65, the SM seems to turn back the clock and makes it sound like my hearing back 15 years ago. Thanks for all your work and commitment to better sound for all of us.

 

[chucky3042]

Hey Hobie1dog, really sorry to hear about your health. I just hope there is some hope for recovery in future. Mine has been crap in the last few months ....going into hospital again, again, again this time to zap restart the top of my ticker on 3 June, then a new shiny left knee. I am 63, just behind you - sucks this age thing.

On the good side of the fence Dave the bitch is distracted from the super preamp again temprarilly designing the SUPER MINI PREAMP in a surround master case. Now here is the supprise - it will have electronic DSP de clip/ de pop on vinyl and it will also have a form of DNL for those old hissy recordings.

 

[chucky3042]

It will be around the same price as an SM!

 

[MagnumX]

I always thought a LP preamp should have a balance control on it (i.e. my cartridge is 2.7dB biased to the left and it drives me nuts since I have to play with the main preamp's balance knob every time I switch to records if I want the vocals centered. From what I read, channel bias is not uncommon in cartridges up to 3dB. Or perhaps something is faulty here since it's on the high-end of that figure.

 

[chucky3042]

I always thought a LP preamp should have a balance control on it (i.e. my cartridge is 2.7dB biased to the left and it drives me nuts since I have to play with the main preamp's balance knob every time I switch to records if I want the vocals centered. From what I read, channel bias is not uncommon in cartridges up to 3dB. Or perhaps something is faulty here since it's on the high-end of that figure.

Specially with Sq decodes....... Good point, we will add that!

 

[Soundfield]

So is it purely a phono pre-amp?
Getting de-clicking right in hardware in real time is quite a challenge - my Sugar Cube works really well but cost an absolute fortune., so I'd be very impressed if you'd achieved this at the SM price point.
Will it have a digital output for simplifying ripping?

 

[chucky3042]

It's a phono plus all the usual ins and outs like CD and optical etc. Dunno about digital out. Let's all keep in mind the price tag. Super pre amp will follow but it will have very high spec phono and components

 

[Overture]

So is it purely a phono pre-amp?
Getting de-clicking right in hardware in real time is quite a challenge - my Sugar Cube works really well but cost an absolute fortune., so I'd be very impressed if you'd achieved this at the SM price point.
Will it have a digital output for simplifying ripping?

I'd love it to have digital out. If I can find a way to do it easily I will. Being a stereo preamp with a dsp....hmm. Maybe SP/DIF output could be doable. I'll keep it in mind anyway as I'm chewing through the design. As you say, the de-click in real time is going to be a bit of a p.i.t.a. so I'll have a bit of time to consider the options.

Cheers
~D

 

[J. PUPSTER]

It's a phono plus all the usual ins and outs like CD and optical etc. Dunno about digital out. Let's all keep in mind the price tag. Super pre amp will follow but it will have very high spec phono and components

@Overture
So will the Super preamp also have the dynamic noise limiter and de-click/pop?
And how much adjustment control will there be?

Currently I’m using De-click & De-Crackle in iZotope RX8 and it takes about 30-40 min. to run at a 96kHz-24 bit rip of one side (~20 min.) of an LP. And I have a fast NUC that works that. So it would be a time saver. I’d probably have to buy both the Mini and the Super units; Super will go with my main system and the Mini to my dedicated Quad system. Currently I run mainly out to my MOTU analog and on to the computer via USB 2 (mostly at 96/24); so not sure toslink handles that much data does it?
Those Sugar Cubes are really nice, but I believe also a couple grand (aka- serious smackaroonies!)
I understand your Super will not be inexpensive either, but it’ll be more fully featured.

 

[MagnumX]

iZotope RX can do a lot more than just remove clicks and crackles, though. I can set it to sample surface noise or even tape hiss from the master tapes behind it and tell it to remove it and it can remove it without really damaging the sound quality of the rest of the album. That's unbelievable, really. My LP of Tori Amos's Little Earthquakes now sounds quieter and cleaner than the CD version. Of course I could run the CD version through and remove tape hiss too, but either way it was fun to play with it to some degree, but of course doing a lot of albums is time consuming and gets tedious eventually.

 

[chucky3042]

Yep both will have the same de dlick and DNL features, I think the super pre amp will have some additional adjustments and options. At the moment we are just looking at a sensitivity adjust knob on the mini.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Yep both will have the same de dlick and DNL features, I think the super pre amp will have some additional adjustments and options. At the moment we are just looking at a sensitivity adjust knob on the mini.

My old girl friend Jann used to say I needed to adjust the sensitivity on my knob. Nothing about mini.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

My old girl friend Jann used to say I needed to adjust the sensitivity on my knob. Nothing about mini.

Dude - TMI !!!