This highly advanced audiophile HDMI audio extractor features custom DSD-to-PCM conversion algorithms and an advanced jitter reduction system. The result is a reference-quality digital audio signal suitable for the most demanding applications of stereo and multi-channel digital playback.
Download the VanityPRO Productsheet, User Manual or visit FAQ page.
VanityPRO introduction by Frank Doorhof
KEY FEATURES
• HDMI 2.0a input and output (up to 4K 60Hz).
• Up to 8-channel 192kHz/24bit PCM and 6-channel DSD64 audio extraction.
• Custom high quality DSD to PCM conversion.
• Advanced jitter attenuation.
• DSD to DoP encoding.
• HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC).
• HDMI Audio status monitoring.
• Multiple options of multi-channel or stereo digital audio outputs. All major formats.
• Synchronization clock outputs.
A unique feature of the product is the configurable output module. It can be supplied in a stereo or eight-channel configuration with different output connectors and signal levels.
HDMI Audio
HDMI is great for video, but could it be made great for audio too? HDMI is the primary method of transporting AV signals in the consumer environment. It works great with high resolution audio and video, but it has never found its way into the hi-fi world.
Apart from some non-technical reasons, one of the biggest issues associated with HDMI audio is quality of the clock recovered from the HDMI stream and electrical noise associated with it. Despite many improvements in the newest HDMI receiver devices, the recovered clock always suffers from high levels of phase noise. While this is usually not an issue in consumer audio – home theatres, sound bars, etc., in the discipline of critical listening the imperfections of HDMI audio are instantly noticeable. Also, HDMI audio is notoriously known to be sensitive to various forms of electro-magnetic interference, cabling quality, ground loops and in the hi-fi world generally considered as inferior when compared to dedicated digital audio transport methods such as SPDIF, AES/EBU or proprietary links based on the I2S bus.
There is usually nothing wrong with the audio data itself, provided the receiver can take advantage of all the digital formats and sampling rates available on the source side. It is mainly the way the audio data is packed and interleaved with the video data in a high frequency digital signal and eventually recovered on the HDMI receiver (sink) side. There are many cheap HDMI audio extractors in the market, and some of them being able to output digital audio via S/PDIF up to 192kHz sampling rate. But they still don’t come even close to a good digital transport in terms of audio quality.
How is the VanityPRO different from all other HDMI audio extractors? It basically tackles all the imperfections of HDMI audio one by one, with a lot of extra features that the others don't have. For example, the VanityPRO galvanically isolates the HDMI section from the sensitive audio and clock circuits to eliminate all noise and interference associated with video transmission and HDMI signaling. Both isolated sections have their own power connections.
HDMI
• Version 2.0a
• 1x input and 1x output for pass-through + ARC
Digital Audio Outputs
• 8 or 2 channel (stereo) output module options
• 4xBNC/RCA/XLR or 1xUSB for 8-channel output
• 1xXLR + 1xBNC + 1xRCA + 1x TOSLINK for 2-channel output
• protocols: S/PDIF (IEC958 / EIAJ CP1201), AES/EBU and TOSLINK
• transformer isolated outputs
• output impedance: 75 ohm for BNC/RCA and 110 ohm for XLR
• linear PCM 16/24 bits
• supported sampling rates: 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192kHz
S/PDIF Re-clocking
• 2x custom low jitter on-board VCXO
• digitally controlled frequency tuning, fc<<1Hz
• ultra low-noise power regulators for VCXO and TX circuits
High Quality DSD to PCM Conversion
• custom developed Zero Alias Linear Phase Filter
• 37bit arithmetic / 47bit accumulator
• output sample rates: 88.2kHz / 176.4kHz
• 4 selectable DSD to LPCM filter characteristics
• full precision 4.0 DSD down-mix option
• DoP v1 output encoding of raw DSD
Full Precision Volume Control
• less than 0.001dB gain error
• bit accurate volume bypass at 0dBFS
• TPDF dithering
• PCM and DSD level matching and channel trim
Synchronization outputs
• Word-clock output: BNC, 50 ohm impedance, 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192kHz
• Super-clock output: BNC, 50 ohm impedance, 22.5792MHz or 24.576MHz
User Configurable Functionality
• DSD to LPCM output sampling rate: 88.2kHz / 176.4kHz
• DSD to LPCM output bit depth settings: 16 / 24bit
• PCM and DSD output level matching enable / disable
• Multichannel down-mix enable / disable individual channels
• DoP v1 output encoding enable / disable
• 4 user-selectable DSD to LPCM filter characteristics
• Adjustable output gain (volume) with 0.5dB step for each channel
HDMI and Audio Monitoring & System Diagnostics
• Monitoring of HDMI stream parameters and EDID control
• 8-channel audio level metering
• Comprehensive system health diagnostics
Power
• separate power for HDMI and audio sides via USB-C connectors
• 2x DC input 5V / 1A
Dimensions & Weight
• w/d/h: 10.47 x 7.2 x 2.56 inch, including the output connectors
• weight: 2lbs
