INVOLVE - COMING NEW TECHNOLOGY

[Soundfield]

Thanks for all the good suggestions!

At this point (at the top of my head) the pre amp will have:
MM
MC
HDMI
Toslink SPDIF optical
5.1 inputs (for a/b comparison)
Involve/ QS decode
Tape I/O
Metal rackmount case
full rca I/O

I know I have forgot heaps of stuff but its late at night down under.....any thing else chaps??

Chucky - Thanks, that pretty much looks like what I was hoping for in I/O terms.

I also love vector scopes but gets hard....will think about it ....might look interesting with a OLED display???

I wasn't thinking of a particularly high resolution array of LEDS but your OLED idea would look better - it would certainly add to the visual impact of the unit ( but it should have an 'off' switch for those occasions when you don't want to be disturbed by it).

We are not interested in promoting SQ but SQ nuts can tie their QQ special SQ surround master to the I/O of the preamp

I'd sort of assumed, for cost reasons anyway, that the existing circuit of the SM would be at the heart of the Pre-Amp with the addition I/O and functional controls added alongside. Hence I thought that the dual Involve / SQ decoding of the SM would be available (at least as a QQ option). Not sure I really wanted to tie up another SM to provide SQ decoding with the Pre-Amp, but hey, its your product!

Cheers.

 

[chucky3042]

OK, I will include SQ as a special qq option somehow.

Regards

Chucky

Chucky - Thanks, that pretty much looks like what I was hoping for in I/O terms.



I wasn't thinking of a particularly high resolution array of LEDS but your OLED idea would look better - it would certainly add to the visual impact of the unit ( but it should have an 'off' switch for those occasions when you don't want to be disturbed by it).



I'd sort of assumed, for cost reasons anyway, that the existing circuit of the SM would be at the heart of the Pre-Amp with the addition I/O and functional controls added alongside. Hence I thought that the dual Involve / SQ decoding of the SM would be available (at least as a QQ option). Not sure I really wanted to tie up another SM to provide SQ decoding with the Pre-Amp, but hey, its your product!

Cheers.

 

[chucky3042]

OK you guys -now you have me drooling. I have decided to include an OLED display that has 3 switchable display modes

1 4 x VU meters
2 Vectorscope
3 Frequency analysis

Gotta love this democracy stuff

Comrade Chucky

 

[Soundfield]

Duplicated post appeared here somehow - this forum seems to have a mind of it's own sometimes!

 

[Soundfield]

OK, I will include SQ as a special qq option somehow.

Regards

Chucky

That's awesome - thanks Chucky!
Cheers.

 

[Soundfield]

OK you guys -now you have me drooling. I have decided to include an OLED display that has 3 switchable display modes

1 4 x VU meters
2 Vectorscope
3 Frequency analysis

Gotta love this democracy stuff

Comrade Chucky

That's a fantastic solution - we're all drooling now. Don't make us wait too long.
Cheers.

 

[bmoura]

Thanks for all the good suggestions!
I would love meters but dunno if we can fit it.......will check....what do you guys say?
I also love vector scopes but gets hard....will think about it ....might look interesting with a OLED display???

If the Vector Scope/OLED meters and scope display works out that could be a separate product with 4, 5.1 and 7.1 channel displays plus a 5.1/7.1 input and passthrough for those who already have a nice preamp.
Food for thought!

 

[DuncanS]

The new pre-amp/decode combo is sounding great, like the HDMI (in & out?), analogue I/o ports, tape monitor/loop, and a special QQ SQ option (I only have SQ vinyl), I would go with Brian on the VU meters with a colour OLED display you should be able to mimic the good old analogue ones (like the idea of vector scope/Spectrum analysis display too), though 4.0/5.0 VUs are all I need (I have full size floorstanders so no LFE). I do love VU meters, sad I know, but I love Reel-to-reel as well, they're my audio equivalent of watching a real log/coal fire!

PS: The encoder looks really neat, great box

 

[karlkastner]

Hi Chucky,

Here's a literally out of the box idea for you.

What if you designed your next Surround Master so the innards fit within the dimensions of a common device from the 70's? You could sell an adapter front/rear plate to fit something like a Heathkit AD-1304(saw one on Ebay). I'm sure the quad veterans can suggest a better box.

I'd gladly pay for device electronics and "adapter kit", and the old device off Ebay, to make the SM blend in with my vintage Marantz stuff. I'm not handy like some others that have fit the SM into enclosures of their choice. This would keep your costs down, and give us the option.

I know this is way out there, but I for one would like a vintage looking SM. Or SM Preamp.

Karl

 

[chucky3042]

Hi Karl

The problem is the total market is about 200 people worldwide for that style of thing

Regards

Chucky

Hi Chucky,

Here's a literally out of the box idea for you.

What if you designed your next Surround Master so the innards fit within the dimensions of a common device from the 70's? You could sell an adapter front/rear plate to fit something like a Heathkit AD-1304(saw one on Ebay). I'm sure the quad veterans can suggest a better box.

I'd gladly pay for device electronics and "adapter kit", and the old device off Ebay, to make the SM blend in with my vintage Marantz stuff. I'm not handy like some others that have fit the SM into enclosures of their choice. This would keep your costs down, and give us the option.

I know this is way out there, but I for one would like a vintage looking SM. Or SM Preamp.

Karl

 

[0tto]

OK you guys -now you have me drooling. I have decided to include an OLED display that has 3 switchable display modes

1 4 x VU meters
2 Vectorscope
3 Frequency analysis

Gotta love this democracy stuff

Comrade Chucky

inline 6 x analog VU meters

 

[Soundfield]

inline 6 x analog VU meters

6?- Oh dear, I don't think that can be right. Surely the only legally acceptable format for such metering is....

 

[0tto]

6?- Oh dear, I don't think that can be right. Surely the only legally acceptable format for such metering is....

c'mon, you could be appreciative i don't ask for 8, to fit 7.1 setup

 

[Soundfield]

c'mon, you could be appreciative i don't ask for 8, to fit 7.1 setup

That is a very fair point – I admire your restraint!

 

[chucky3042]

Dear All

Just to turn back to our current focus of the new cheaper Involve studio Encode/ Decoder as shown a few photo's back I did a check of the circuitry count yesterday and found that it has the following:

85 INTEGRATED CIRCUITS including 3 Digital signal processors (DSP'S) and just on 1000 components.

I claim not bad value for USD$1500!

I know this unit may not be the main focus of listeners belonging to QQ but it really is very important to us as we claim the Involve intelligent triband encode produces a stereo stream indistinguishable from conventional stereo and as such is a "no brainer" successor as a universal surround/ stereo recording format. The big difference to discrete multiband stuff is that it can be transmitted by low bandwidth sources such as radio, Itunes, MP3, internet TV providers and totally backwards compatible.

Well at least I am excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Regards

Chucky

 

[chucky3042]

Dear surround extremists

Here is proof that we listen to your views. See below for a few different versions of the new Involve pre amplifier, I would love to get your opinions on looks, functionality or anything else.

Regards

Chucky

 

[DRChrisC]

Hello everyone!

I haven't made many posts so I'll quickly introduce myself, I'm one of the guys from Involve Audio who does the styling and mechanical engineering.

Here's a close up of the Involve Pre Amp so you can see the inputs, levels and functionality a bit clearer.

And here's a list of the proposed inputs (12 in total!):
HDMI x3
- Takes STEREO Audio track
- Video pass through
Optical
Phono x2 (Record Player)
- Moving Magnet
- Moving Coil
Aux x2
- Video Pass through
5.1 direct
- Bypasses involve
TAPE Mon
Bluetooth
Power
- 120v and 240v switched
USB 3.0
- Play files on usb
- For DAC with PC
- To be developed at a later date
- Firmware updates

The OLED screen will be a touchscreen with NO HIDDEN MENUS, to swap between the screens you press on the small graphics below the main screen.

Here are the propsed screens:
1. VU Meters, we'll have it so you can swap between 4 channel and 6 channel
2. Vector scope
3. Spectrogram
4. Graphic EQ
5. DAC interface
6. Info/Testing

Can't wait to hear your feedback!

Best Regards,

Chris

 

[lmwallnj]

Hi Chucky and Chris,
My initial thoughts... I prefer version #2 layout with black faceplate. I hate sliders and prefer standard rotary pots for the channel volume controls. Really like the proposed inputs. Love the OLED display and proposed screens. One question - where would the SQ decode select be on the QQ version?

 

[rustyandi]

Cris
A few questions
Will there be a 6 channel RCA outputs?
Are Tape Mon. 2 channel?
Are Aux. 2 channel?
Will there be a remote /What will it control?
Can I switch of VU Meters when playing 4 Channel?
3 HDMI in Will there HDMI out?
What about SQ Decoder for True Believers ?
Would'it be great if there was room for a CD4 Demodulater in it
I like Number 8 model

That's all for now

Ron

 

[rustyandi]

PS

I thought that the slider controls could be

LF RF Center LB RB Sub

It just looks when you have set them you can see you Channels

And would you explain the Vector Scope displays