best music surround sound reference discs

#Best music surround sound reference discs mac#

While noting that the U-DIO8's output is limited to 24/192, KR tested it with several different two-channel processors and observed that 'the sonic signature of each model of DAC remained audible,' and concluded that miniDSP's new interface is 'as indispensable to multichannel audio as a cream filling is to an Oreo.' In his November 2018 column, Kal wrote of using the U-DIO8 to wrangle a trio of Benchmark DAC3 HGCs, with interesting and, at times, musically stunning results.

#Best music surround sound reference discs mac#

This takes the USB output of any computer running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux, and converts it to AES/EBU or S/PDIF, thus allowing that computer, acting as a server/player, to drive three or four two-channel DACs, which appear to be as common as worms after a rainstorm. A solution has appeared in the form of the U-DIO8 multichannel interface from miniDSP. 'There has been a serious impediment to the spread of multichannel playback among audiophiles.' Thus did Kal Rubinson describe, in his September 2018 'Music in the Round' column, the scarcity of commercial multichannel D/A processorsat the moment, there appear to be only threeand its stultifying effect on hobbyists interested in surround sound. MiniDSP U-DIO8 Multichannel Interface: $399 ★ KR described his delight with the Anubis's sound, noting in particular its 'sense of natural balance and smoothness,' and praised this most recent Merging Technologies product as 'a superb multichannel DAC that has redefined my entire system.' (Vol.42 No.11) Add to that the Anubis's two headphone outputs and two analog inputsthe latter could accept, say, a stereo phono preamp, FM tuner, or other sourceand you have an unusually flexible, high-quality Swiss-made product at a distinctly reasonable price. It is, in other words, a pro-audio studio controller that does double duty as a domestic multichannel D/A processor. Merging Technologies MERGING+ANUBIS Monitor Controller Premium: $2756Īnother category-defying product from Swiss manufacturer Merging Technologies, the Merging+Anubis Premium combines a 32-bit 384kHz DAC with the processing power required to accept an eight-channel stream via Ethernet and concomitantly control up to eight studio monitors. KR found the Sigma to be 'easy to use and completely functional as a network link' for his own exaSound e38 and e38 MkII DACs. It supports PCM to 32/384, DSD to DSD256, and MQA (full unfold). The simple Sigma, which streams via wired or wireless LAN, is a Roon-ready endpoint, can function as an HQPlayer network audio adapter, and is compatible with UPnP, OpenHome, and AirPlay protocols. To those who already own an exaSound DAC, the exaSound Sigma Streamer offers an affordable and tidy alternative to the company's PlayPoint digital-source components.