thegizzard Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 I want to be sure that I am not missing something. In this era of streaming, how/why are people using digital audio distribution? Arent people just piping analog outputs of whatever source... into a 8 zone matrix? Are people transcoding audio into digital streams for distribution somehow? Sorry if I sound daft, but I feel like I am missing something important that I should be taking advantage of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 47 minutes ago, thegizzard said: I want to be sure that I am not missing something. In this era of streaming, how/why are people using digital audio distribution? Arent people just piping analog outputs of whatever source... into a 8 zone matrix? Are people transcoding audio into digital streams for distribution somehow? Sorry if I sound daft, but I feel like I am missing something important that I should be taking advantage of. Streaming is PART of digital audio distribution. Within C4, 'digital audio' also includes TuneIn, Deezer, Tidal, Napster, Pandora and Shairbridge (Airplay). In it's most basic use, remember that any native services are running on your main controller, and you may have multiple controllers outputting audio (to have more streams, to feed a local AVR). If you're talking about the digital inputs on a controller - with advanced audio especially - these can easily be used to digitize audio only sources (Sonos or other streaming 'receivers'). This then allows you to 1) distribute these to local controllers for use and 2) input several of these and not use up inputs into a matrix switch NEXT to controller outputs (in other words, allowing more available sources). Wether those functions are of value to you you'll have to judge for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegizzard Posted February 16, 2017 Author Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks again Cy. This confirms my understanding. If all of my speakers are wired to a central rack where my audio matrix is, and I have as many distinct audio sources as I need to run in parallel (2 Sonos connects) then I don't have the need to digitize audio. I do not use the controllers as an audio source, and I do not need more than two simultaneous streams. I thought I might need more streams or more wired rooms, but my kids are attached to their tablets and my oldest prefers to ask for music from the echo dot in her room, bypassing Control4 entirely. I suspect my son will eventually do the same. I guess I am saying, my family is walking around with digital streaming devices they use in "private areas" of our home and the main areas are wired to the matrix. Given all this, I do not think I am missing anything by not digitizing audio and distributing via the controller. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 3 minutes ago, thegizzard said: Given all this, I do not think I am missing anything by not digitizing audio and distributing via the controller. Arguably, sound quality, but again - that's up to you to decide if it matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed94582 Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I asked a broader question in a thread about the 8 zone amp -- but this is probably a better place for it. Specifically if you connected an Hc-800 to the 16 channel amp -- using RCA cables -- is there a significant drop off in sound quality vs connecting it via the Digital Coax out on the HC-800 and then using some type of cheap converter such as this one: http://a.co/8nr8ZBd to connect from the HC-800 to the 16 ch amp vs just using RCA cables for both the HC-800 and the 16 channel amp. My 16 channel amp is currently only feeding the in-ceiling speakers in 5 rooms and a pair of outdoor speakers in my backyard. For more serious listening I have dedicated AVRs in 3 of the other rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMHarman Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 None you would notice feeding ceiling speakers in a non critical listening environment. But like the 320Kbps vs 192 for streaming. 192 is enough for esrbuds. Good headphones and amp may spot 192>256 but beyond is mostly inaudible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdepaola Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 220, 221, what ever it takes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMHarman Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 220, 221, what ever it takes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdepaola Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Seriously? Am I showing my age? Mr Mom - 1983 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Control-IT Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Would it be a good idea to sacrifice one of the digital inputs and put it directly into an AVR for sound quality? Or would you just use the HDMI audio from the controller that is already connected to the AVR anyway? Any difference? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMHarman Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Would it be a good idea to sacrifice one of the digital inputs and put it directly into an AVR for sound quality? Or would you just use the HDMI audio from the controller that is already connected to the AVR anyway? Any difference? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk The HDMI is a digital output fromthe controller / input to the avr. Look at the audio output counts on a controller. HDMI is counted as one of the digital outputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 D 17 hours ago, Control-IT said: Would it be a good idea to sacrifice one of the digital inputs and put it directly into an AVR for sound quality? Or would you just use the HDMI audio from the controller that is already connected to the AVR anyway? Any difference? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk audio via HDMI is often the least desirable digital path when you are talking sound quality due to high jitter. After that, its usually equipment specific as to whether optical or coax digital is the best sounding. Agree with what someone mentioned earlier though that when audio is matrixed and then sent to in ceiling speakers its moot point in most cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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