Playing Auro-3D Downloaded FLAC vs Ripped MKV From Blu-Ray Files on Dune HD Solo 4k

[Steve Bruzonsky]

I have ripped a bunch of Auro-3D blu-ray discs using MakeMKV to mkv files and using my new Dune HD Solo 4k they play fine in full channel and resolution Auro-3D. I use the SSP onscreen monitor to ascertain the incoming channels match the Auro-3D configuration and set the SSP to output Auro-3D.

However, I have bought and downloaded a half dozen Auro-3D albums from Immersive Audio Album. One album is downloaded as mkv and plays fine as Auro-3D with all the incoming/outgoing channels. The rest of the downloaded Auro-3D albums, including the latest Madeline Peyroux album, are in FLAC. I looked at the Auro-3D website which states that downloaded Auro-3D files from IAA and a few other websites are in FLAC. When I play them, my SSP only shows the base channels incoming (E.G., 5.1, 7.1) instead of showing the height channels as well. The SSP does show the outgoing channels to include heights, but of course Auro-3D mode will take base DTS-HD 5.1 or 7.1 and convert to using height channels for Auromatic.

My question is whether I am getting the original Auro-3D height channels even though the SSP for the FLAC files doesn't show the incoming height channels?