What is this? And is it something worthwhile?

[jimfisheye]

I wouldn't assume any audio interface had built in decoding of proprietary formats like dolby or dts unless specifically stated. They'd absolutely want to advertise that feature and certainly be required to disclose it and plaster the logos on the front of the thing.

The SOP is to do any decoding of encoded formats with your media player app. You're sending the fully decoded audio channels out through the host connection to your interface. It only does the DA conversion of already discrete digital audio channels.

I wouldn't expect DACs that sounded like Apogee or the like for that price either. (Or from seeing the cheapness that is unbalanced outputs only!) Again again though... We're all been trained to pay attention (and pay too much) to(for) boutique level AD and DA converters. But the lowly stock AD and DA stages in modern budget devices are honestly solid. The last 10 years are a different animal than it used to be with this stuff. (Yes, I know... blasphemy!) Now having said that, this is exactly the kind of cheapo device that I'd expect to be the exception to that comment!

Of course I'm also not a fan of HDMI as the host connection. Too much bs. I'll always go to USB, firewire, or thunderbolt first. Or Dante network now.

That's as much riot act as I can read it just by looking.
Could still be a fair deal and useful! Laptop -> this HDMI interface -> amps & speakers. Boom! Done!

Just understand it's simply an HDMI connecting audio interface. You're shopping for the DA stages, connectivity, and routing ability as with any interface. Or combo product like an AVR with the audio interface built in.

HDMI can really be fun! There's circuitry in the connectors. The signal can be switched off. Or partially disabled (audio or video). There's various copy protection schemes in various different media player apps (and integrated into stand alone hardware systems). Assuming you already know about that grifting and avoid buying files that don't play to begin with. The cable and connector quality starts to come into play. That software controlled 'off' button can get triggered following connection issues. The kind of infuriating shit where where the 15' cable works but the 20' one doesn't. But it does work on this other machine... Aaaahhhhh! Nothing's wrong with the computer or software, it's the new HDMI cable that works on a different system failing here! You know... fun!

 

[ubertrout]

Found the unit on eBay; 4K HDMI 5.1 Audio Decoder Bluetooth 5.0 DAC Lossless For DTS U Disk RH-699X tps | eBay
Quadio Doobies is my first digital Quad... I’m all analog, never owned a DVD or Blu-ray player.

It would probably be easier to find a blu-ray player with analog outputs? A used Oppo BDP-83 or 93 would be great but not necessarily cheap.

On the other hand, something like this (auction ends in an hour) would be perfect: Sony Blu-ray Player BDP-S1000ES, Mint Condition, Works Great! | eBay

 

[jimfisheye]

It would probably be easier to find a blu-ray player with analog outputs? A used Oppo BDP-83 or 93 would be great but not necessarily cheap.

On the other hand, something like this (auction ends in an hour) would be perfect: Sony Blu-ray Player BDP-S1000ES, Mint Condition, Works Great! | eBay

If you just want to get the files into the computer to play it's a lot simpler and cheaper.

Tower:
https://www.newegg.com/lg-wh14ns40-...ers-_-lg electronics-_-27136250&source=region
Laptop:
https://www.newegg.com/p/0XE-0057-00002
I'm not sure if those examples are the best deals. Just the first search results. I think that UJ-267 might be the only 9.5mm height choice that fits in laptops though. (We were limited to the 12mm one that only fit into 17" laptops before this.)

Then: computer -> audio interface (maybe this HDMI one) -> amps & speakers

 

[ubertrout]

If you just want to get the files into the computer to play it's a lot simpler and cheaper.

Tower:
https://www.newegg.com/lg-wh14ns40-...ers-_-lg electronics-_-27136250&source=region
Laptop:
https://www.newegg.com/p/0XE-0057-00002
I'm not sure if those examples are the best deals. Just the first search results. I think that UJ-267 might be the only 9.5mm height choice that fits in laptops though. (We were limited to the 12mm one that only fit into 17" laptops before this.)

Then: computer -> audio interface (maybe this HDMI one) -> amps & speakers

I feel like if someone has never done any kind of digital the leap to ripping and PC output could be a big one? I'd agree if you want analog output these days a PC interface might well be better.

 

[jimfisheye]

I feel like if someone has never done any kind of digital the leap to ripping and PC output could be a big one? I'd agree if you want analog output these days a PC interface might well be better.

I feel like it might appear this way at a glance and vs. the comfort zone of familiar component style equipment. Honestly though, nowadays and especially with surround, the stand alone component style system is more difficult to dial in and use.

There are pitfalls to avoid in either direction!
Buying an AVR? This is a combo device. Make sure you don't duplicate expensive bits! Have fun navigating the HDMI associated copy protection gone wild crap. Oh, the hardware DVD player isn't playing one of the formats in full quality? Guess you have to re-purchase a couple expensive things over again. That sucks.

Computer -> HDMI AVR?
Watch out for restricted HDMI outputs on netbook style Windows computers and restricted HDMI inputs on random AVR models! Yep, that's a thing! Super slick when it works though.

Computer -> USB interface -> whatever amps & speakers you please?
THIS is hard to go wrong with!
The oldest crappiest Windows computer will have USB.
Standard regular old analog outputs on that USB interface.
Standard regular old analog inputs on whatever amps you like.

Put together a system and listen to music like a musician.
You can be super targeted on what you buy when it's modular like this. As opposed to the combo style AVR. If you're struggling with this and facing investing just as much or more in older or more difficult tech, you might want to ponder all this!

Oh, and audio interfaces have analog inputs on them for recording. You can digitize your old analog stuff if you're into that as a bonus. You can also use the interface/computer the very same way you used your receiver's input selector and listen to your old analog gear connected up live.

 

[ubertrout]

I feel like it might appear this way at a glance and vs. the comfort zone of familiar component style equipment. Honestly though, nowadays and especially with surround, the stand alone component style system is more difficult to dial in and use.

There are pitfalls to avoid in either direction!
Buying an AVR? This is a combo device. Make sure you don't duplicate expensive bits! Have fun navigating the HDMI associated copy protection gone wild crap. Oh, the hardware DVD player isn't playing one of the formats in full quality? Guess you have to re-purchase a couple expensive things over again. That sucks.

Computer -> HDMI AVR?
Watch out for restricted HDMI outputs on netbook style Windows computers and restricted HDMI inputs on random AVR models! Yep, that's a thing! Super slick when it works though.

Computer -> USB interface -> whatever amps & speakers you please?
THIS is hard to go wrong with!
The oldest crappiest Windows computer will have USB.
Standard regular old analog outputs on that USB interface.
Standard regular old analog inputs on whatever amps you like.

Put together a system and listen to music like a musician.
You can be super targeted on what you buy when it's modular like this. As opposed to the combo style AVR. If you're struggling with this and facing investing just as much or more in older or more difficult tech, you might want to ponder all this!

Oh, and audio interfaces have analog inputs on them for recording. You can digitize your old analog stuff if you're into that as a bonus. You can also use the interface/computer the very same way you used your receiver's input selector and listen to your old analog gear connected up live.

I feel like this overstates the problems substantially of AVRs and the like. I got my Sony ZA2100ES refurb direct from Sony for $600 and it plays everything I throw at it beautifully. The Sony X800 plays every format (pretty much at least, not sure about HDCD) without any issues. Both are mass market devices and as such have efficiencies of cost you can't get for boutique devices. The only reason I upgraded my gear was to go 4K, everything else worked beforehand (Oppo BDP-93 and Yamaha AVR).

As someone who has well over a thousand SACDs computer audio just isn't realistic (I buy a lot of classical SACDs at clearance/used). I don't have the time to rip and transcode and tag and organize the music, and frankly storage space would become an issue. And while the OP is coming from a different perspective, I think a disc spinner will be a lot easier than learning MakeMKV and all the other tools of ripping blu-rays (or getting a PC blu-ray player to work).

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that your way works too and might be preferable. But if someone has never used any digital audio recommending that they go the PC route seems like setting them up for failure.

 

[atrocity]

And while the OP is coming from a different perspective, I think a disc spinner will be a lot easier than learning MakeMKV and all the other tools of ripping blu-rays (or getting a PC blu-ray player to work).

I don't think anything will ever beat the simple act of playing physical media for ease and simplicity. And that's not even taking into account the fuzzy emotional aspect of it for those of us who remember when that was literally the only option.

There's a very, very long list of advantages to playing from files that arguably might even include sound quality (only when talking about Red Book CDs, though), but the learning curve and necessary effort can be enormous.

In hindsight, I'm kind of stunned that I ever had the energy to do it so long ago, but I've never had a second of regret and honestly get more use of out my collection than I did before. The sheer scale of my obsession means that some CDs are just plain physically difficult to access, which means that they used to get unfairly ignored when I was just browsing for something to listen to. I also no longer have those frustrating moments when I know exactly what I want to listen to...but can't find it!