Dolby Atmos is making its way from professional movie cinemas to home theaters in a variety of different products. If you're looking for something a little higher performance than an all-in-one receiver, you'll probably want to consider a Dolby Atmos-enabled preamp/processor.
Preamp/processors are the brains behind any high-end home theater system. They're similar to A/V receivers in that they provide source switching and decoding of all the various surround sound formats as well as audio and video processing and volume control. But unlike receivers, preamp/processors have no built-in amplification. In order to maintain the best sound quality, preamp/processors include only low current circuitry and processors. By housing the power amplifiers in a separate box (or multiple boxes), noise and interference between components is minimized, leading to the highest possible sonic performance.
As with receivers, Dolby Atmos-compatible preamps can support a number of different speaker configurations. The nomenclature for this is a 3-part number: x.y.z, where "x" is the number of traditional speakers at ear height, "y" is the number of subwoofers and "z" is the number of ceiling speakers (or Dolby Atmos-enabled height speakers). So a 5.1.2 configuration includes five surround speakers, one subwoofer and two height speakers. A 9.2.4 configuration would have 9 surround speakers at ear level, two subwoofers and four height channels.
This fall and winter, we've started seeing the introduction of a wide range of Dolby Atmos-capable preamp/processors, from reasonably affordable entry level high-end gear to more esoteric processors from luxury brands. Here's an overview of what's currently available or coming soon.
Auro Technologies
AURO Technologies actually offers an alternative height-enhanced surround sound format called AURO-3D. Although it has not been encoded into as many movies as Dolby Atmos, there are a few titles which have been released in theaters with more expected over time. AURO Technologies is now preparing to release a preamp/processor which includes both AURO-3D and Dolby Atmos decoding.
Details are still a bit sketchy on the Auro Technologies AURO-3D Mensa processor, but here's what we do know. It is being built with hardware partner Datasat Digital Entertainment and will offer up to 16 channels of output. It is expected to support multiple AURO-3D configurations from 8.0 up to 13.1 channels. Also, in addition to native decoding, the unit includes Auro-Matic upmixing which can upmix standard 2.0, 5.1 or 7.1 soundtracks into the Auro-3D format.
The unit will include four digital audio inputs, three analog inputs and four HDMI inputs. It will support remote monitoring and remote control via iOS or Android-based devices and it's powered by eight ADI SHARC processors.
Pricing and availablity of the Auro-3D Mensa has not yet been announced.
Integra
Integra is building Dolby Atmos-decoding into the DHC-80.6 Network A/V Controller. This 11.4-channel THX Ultra2 Plus-certified preamp includes eight HDMI 2.0 inputs and three outputs with HDCP 2.2 support so it should work equally well for HD or Ultra HD (4K) sources and displays. Of course, it also supports analog inputs with three composite and two component video inputs, and a number of analog audio inputs as well. There's even a phono input for you vinyl aficionados. The DHC-80.6 offers both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) preamp outputs with eleven main channels plus four subwoofer outputs. The RCA preamp outputs are all audiophile-grade 18mm-pitch jacks.
As far as Dolby Atmos configuration options, the DHC-80.6 can do all of the popular speaker layouts from a basic 5.1.2 layout all the way up to 7.4.4 or 9.4.2. This should be enough flexibility to get excellent, immersive surround sound, with well distributed bass output in all but the largest of home theaters.
Marantz
Marantz has two offerings in the Atmos-capable preamp market. One is available now, the other is expected to rrive in February, 2015. The AV7702 preamp/processor is available now. The unit features Audyssey MultEQ XT32 calibration, enhanced to work with Dolby Atmos. For connectivity, the unit supports Wi-Fi networking and Bluetooth streaming from a mobile phone, tablet or other portable device. Other features include a 32-Bit SHARC DSP and Marantz's own HDAMs. The unit offers eight HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs with 4K Ultra HD 60Hz pass-through and 4:4:4 Pure Color support. In addition to Dolby Atmos, the unit decodes Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital, DTS-HD Master-Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, standard DTS and DTS Neo:X 11. It is upgradeable to support AURO-3D via a firmware upgrade for an additional $199.
The unit offers 13 channels of preamp output (with two subwoofer outputs) and supports 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.2, 7.1.4 or 9.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker configurations. Replace the "1" with a "2" if you use a second subwoofer (5.2.2, 5.2.4, etc.).
Other features include support for 4K Ultra HD high resolution video, 4K 50/60Hz pass-through, and 4:4:4 Pure Color full color resolution sub-sampling. It can even upscale 1080p content to 4K and transcode HD and SD analog video sources up to 4K as well. Unlike the AV7702, the AV8802 can be factory-upgraded to support HDCP 2.2 at some point in the future. This will be important as native 4K content becomes more common.
The AV8802's audiophile-centric design features toroidal transformers and a heavy copper-plated chassis. It features 32-bit/192kHz D/A-Converters for multi-channel high resolution audio support and a power supply with 4x 10,000µF capacitors.
The AV8802 features eight HDMI inputs, three HDMI outputs, a USB port, coax and fiberoptic digital inputs as well as numerous RCA analog inputs for connection of older gear. It even includes a a phono input with built-in preamp for a moving magnet cartridge, and a balanced stereo XLR input. As if that weren't enough, the preamp offers a second output zone, WiFi, Bluetooth, and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 (Pro ready) room correction.
The AV8802 should prove easy to navigate using the included remote or the Marantz Remote App for iOS and Android devices. Marantz expects to begin shipping the AV8802 in February 2015, with an MSRP of $3,999.
Onkyo
Onkyo is best know for their affordable high performance receivers, but the company is also offering an upscale Dolby Atmos-capable preamp/processor as well. The PR-SC5530 offers THX Select2 Plus certification, two 32-bit DSP engines, seven discrete TI Burr-Brown DACs, a dedicated HDMI Zone 2 output for routing video to a second display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a phono input. It offers eight HDMI inputs and three HDMI outputs, with support for UltraHD video at 60Hz with HDCP 2.2 for 4K streaming and broadcasts. Other features include DTS Neo:X decoding, AccuEQ room calibration, a 4K/60 Hz HDMI Sub Out and Marvell's Qdeo video processing and upscaling technology.
With its 11.4-channel preamp output (in both RCA and balanced XLR options), the PR-SC5530 supports Dolby Atmos speaker configurations from the basic 5.1.2 all the way up to 7.4.4 or 9.4.2. Its four subwoofer outputs are independently adjustable in pairs, which gives you the ability to tweak the bass response for ideal performance even in acoustically challenging environments.
The unit works well for for high res audio playback, thanks to 192 kHz/32-bit processors and 192 kHz/24-bit two-channel DACs.
Steinway Lyngdorf
Combining the design elegance of the Steinway brand with advanced electronics, the Steinway Lyngdorf P200 preamp/processor is made to look as good as it sounds. Like the Trinnov Altitude and AURO-3D Mensa, the Steinway Lyngdorf P200 includes both Dolby Atmos and AURO-3D decoding, and it can do virtual speaker position remapping so that one speaker configuration will be optimized for both formats.
The P200 is capable of handling up to 16 native audio channels in multiple output configurations. It offers eight HDMI inputs (HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 support) and four HDMI outputs. It supports full 4K resolution with upscaling of standard def and high def sources, video tiling and split screen output capabilities.
The P200's RoomPerfect optimization system features precise speaker calibration and room optimization. In addition to Dolby Atmos and AURO-3D, the processor handles Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS ES Discrete 6.1, DTS ES Matrix 6.1, DTS 96/24, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. For post-processing and audio upconversion, the P200 includes Dolby surround, AURO-MATIC, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Dolby EX, DTS Neo:6 and DTS NEO:X processing. The company later announced that this preamp will also feature DTS:X decoding.
The unit includes one AES/EBU, three coax and four fiberoptic digital inputs. A USB audio input with support for up to 384KHz 32-bit PCM files as well as native decoding for DSD64 and DSD128 formats. On the analog side you'll find one balanced stereo analog input (XLR), four stereo analog inputs, one multi-channel analog input and an XLR microphone input for RoomPerfect calibration.
Steinway Lyngdorf's fully digital Model P200 surround sound processor, is expected to begin shipping in Q1 of next year at a list price of approximately $18,000.
Trinnov
This French electronics maker is better know for its offerings in the professional theater calibration market however it does also design products for the high-end home theater market. The Trinnov Altitude 32 processor can be configured for 8, 16, 24 or 32 independent channels for even the largest home theater implementation. As with the Steinway Lyngdorf and Auro processors, the Trinnov Altitude 32 supports AURO-3D in addition to Dolby Atmos. In February 2015, the company announced that this processor will also include DTS:X decoding.
Trinnov includes its best-of-breed speaker calibration and room optimization software and microphone as well as advanced speaker remapping technology. Speaker remapping allows the installer to correct for less-than-ideal speaker placement by changing the virtual location of a speaker. This could certainly come in handy for those who want to take advantage of both AURO-3D and Dolby Atmos, which each have different recommended speaker placements.
The Altitude 32 includes eight HDMI inputs and two HDMI outputs. Current HDMI spec is HDMI 1.4 but an upgrade to HDMI 2.0 will be offered. The Altitude processor features 64-bit floating point processing with 24-bit/192 kHz native digital to analog conversion. Also, it supports up to 32 subwoofers and offers automatic adjustment of level, delay and phase for each subwoofer, with manual adjustments also available. The Trinnov Altitude 32 Preamp/Processor with Dolby Atmos and AURO-3D decoding is expected in the United States in early 2015. Exact pricing has not yet been announced but initial reports put it in the "$30,000 and up" range.
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