Just to confirm, after the 1.1.75 firmware update the A6 is Roon ready and feeds multichannel DSD via HDMI.
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I’m currently using my pc Roon core as a core and player use and the hdmi out for multichannel. Is there any benefit to getting the dmp a6 and using that as the endpoint and using the core strictly as a core and not as a core and player?
The device is so exciting, because it has almost everything at an amazing price point.
Just wondering, does anyone think the upgrade to “Master Edition” is worthwhile?
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Was thinking the same about this edition. Do you know how much the price difference is?
What I gather it is hundreds.
–MD
Hello everyone. Looks very interesting!
I have a question about the HDMI Multichannel output. In their Specs I see the following:
“DSD64 Native multi-channel/PCM192KHz multichannel raw output(Up to 5.1)”
Does that mean it is limited to 5.1? Has anyone tried more Surround Channels than that eg. 7.1?
If Roon downsamples correctly from 7.1 to 5.1, then it should work?
What I am really curious about is, why is Dolby Digital or Atmos decoding not included? There might be a new version of this device coming in the future.
It would be neat for them to add DD/Atmos/Dirac Live to this little neat device, their business model of active participation and engagement with users with extensive changelog and fast iteration speed means I will never have to buy another Bluesound/NAD device again then I will be so happy.
Donwmixing would definitely not be my choice. If it can only output max 5.1 than it’s not an option for me. And it seems to be that way. I looked into the support site and indeed there is mentioned only 5.1. That’s a no-deal for me.
I am curious, do you have some music titles at 7.1 that would not sound good if outputted at 5.1?
I want to do some testing myself to see if I can hear the difference.
I have quite a few atmos files so the down mixing would be an issue for me.
I have a few Dolby Atmos albums - converted to 7.1 flac files for streaming only. But even then it can be quite fun to listen to them, especially when there is another version of it in different channel-layout.
For instance this one:
There are tow reasons for converting:
First I still don’t have an Atmos Set-up (though looking into it), so my set-up right now is 6.0 all full-range, no sub woofer and no center. That will change (at some point 
)
The other reason is that Roon does not support Atmos until now .
However – even with only the extra Surround-back it is already fun to listen and Steven Wilson does Surround mixes very nicely. So yes, there is certainly a difference in the mixes. I like the Atmos to 7.1 the most. If I listen to the 7.1 in 5.1 Downmix you surely miss the depth and of course also the separation between the Surround and Surround back channels. But that is just one example.
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Just to clarify, do you mean Roon supports Atmos now? I don’t recall this being released or confirmed as something Roon is working on?
In any case, thanks for giving an example of album in 7.1 that may not sound good if downmixed. I actually haven’t tried downmixing myself to 5.1 and comparing its quality, so I will try it when I get a chance.
Using my Shield TV Pro, Atmos 7.1 tracks sound amazing though, when played by the native Tidal app.
I think the reason that, a major player like DMP-A6 doesn’t support Atmos, or just not yet, is because Roon itself doesn’t support this format yet. Maybe if there is native Atmos support by Roon, then device makers like Zidoo or EverSolo will implement Atmos support. I can imagine something like this may already be in the works, but just not announced yet.
If anyone is interested in Roon providing native Atmos support, please consider giving a vote to this feature request here
No, that is just my poor English . I mean to this day it is not supported and I am not sure if it will ever be.
What really puzzles me is that only 5.1 via HMDI is supported. I have an Origen media PC as streamer in my main set-up which is 13 years old and even that one is capable of 7.1.
I guess I will stick with this one a little while longer…
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I totally agree with you, Roon should be supporting Atmos by now.
I think with Roon’s support for Atmos manufacturers like EverSolo will start making Atmos or 7.1 channel products.
Having said that, I may still get the DMP-A6, because there is nothing else with its feature set at this price point, especially as a Roon Ready Endpoint.
Yes, I can totally understand that. Maybe there is the possibility for 7.1 after some future upgrades too.
Anyway, it surely is a very tempting device!
Cost of licensing would put the price significantly up and as most modern amps support it, it would be unnecessary.
One of the key tasks of an AVR is the decoding of audio formats including Atmos so I’m not sure what this would accomplish? How many people do you know with an Atmos setup without an AVR? The only “support” we really need from Roon here is bitsreaming of Atmos to a zone with HDMI out to an AVR.
Amplification happens well after Atmos (or any other codec for that matter) has been decoded.
To a zone with HDMI out. Waiting for someone to come out with a DAC with a HDMI out just like a Blu-Ray player but without the CD portion. Feed it a container like MKV with embedded Atmos.
To play DSD or a MQA file thru a DAC, it has to have a supported chipset to achieve this. If this DAC with HDMI out could play a MKV file then it should be able to play Atmos.
Nvidia Shield can achieve this already thru Plex and even from Tidal. If Roon could support the MKV container and or the container from Tidal it is not a stretch to get Atmos thru Roon.
–MD
The A6 is a RR DAC with HDMI out so this already exists. You can also install Roon bridge on a mini-pc with HDMI out to an AVR. I use this combo for mch FLAC files. If Roon supported bitsreaming of formats like Atmos (and DTS/DD formats in general) then both of these options would already work. I don’t know what a “Blu-Ray player but without CD portion is”. I also don’t know what MKV has to do with any of this as it is just a container made popular by those ripping movies/TV shows. That is why video streamers support it but there is certainly no reason for Roon to support it.
Regarding the multichannel flac files I now have sent a question to the Eversolo Support team. I still don’t understand why Multichannel Flac and Wave files should be limtied to 5.1 via HDMI. Doesn’t make sense to me.
What does Roon say in the Eversolo settings? What is the max amount of channels? If it is Roon Ready it should recognize the right amount of channels, should’t it?
Last I checked, the Roon settings for the A6 had 5.1/7.1 options so I would assume 7.1 works fine? I haven’t checked those settings since the last f/w with official RR support came out, maybe I should but I can’t test how it handles 7.1 as I don’t have any tracks to test with. I only have one DTS to FLAC 5.1 album to test with and that worked fine with the A6 f/w prior to this last one (and of course it works fine with my mini-pc with Roon bridge.).