Zidoo Neo Alpha Multi-Channel Native DSD via HDMI, Roon & Tidal Support Media Player-

[spizz]

I'm looking to pick this up soon. Finally an all in one unit with all the features I want. Price is a bit expensive $3000USD. The new Zidoo Neo Signature Alpha.

I can finally have all my Multi-Channel SACDs/DVD-As music together and play it back Natively in DSD and native Multi-Channel DSD, as well as my DTS CDs and DVD-Audios and Tidal via the one unit. I should be able to finally retire my Oppo 203 from those duties and play everything via Roon as I want.

https://www.zidoo.tv/Product/index/model/NEO+Alpha/target/rDjbpe[ld]yhQlKKmVViAFMcQ==.html
- Tidal Connect
- Native DSD and Native Multi-Channel DSD Playback
- Roon Ready Support
- MQA Support
- OLED Toch Panel Screen

There should be an indepth review on the Audio side coming out soon Ill post a link to when its released.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

It's an interesting device for sure. Shame they couldn't offer an 8 channel analogue output set-up for that price.

I wonder how flexible its video file access and playback features will be, as us OPPO player owners have been rather spoilt...

Zidoo: About Us

 

[spizz]

Balanced XLRs as well.

And a couple of first look ats-



and

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It's an interesting device for sure. Shame they couldn't offer an 8 channel analogue output set-up for that price.

Yes. In addition, there's no mention of Atmos, they do not mention multichannel for the USB output and say that the latter is not fully implemented. All that plus my difficulty in fully understanding much of their poorly-translated English makes me skeptical.

 

[spizz]

The Zidoo support bitstream and therefore Atmos. I have a Zappiti Neo (same chipset) and it plays back my entire Blu-Ray and UltraHD collection 1:1 ISO in both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos (though I only need HDR10 for my JVC NX7).

Unless do you mean does it do Atmos from Tidal in which case I guess we will have to wait and see. For now I use my Apple 4K TV for my Atmos Tidal streaming.

I am looking at this unit for myself since it will play back my entire CD/SACDs (2 Channel and Multi-Channel) in Native DSD, DTS-CDs etc all in the one place via Roon so I can hopefully retire my Oppo 203 and the convenience of not having to get up to put my SACDs in the player and no PCM conversion if I did rip them and let Roon do the conversion without this player.

Kal- The Multi-Channel Native DSD is via HDMI 2 output only I believe. There will be another indepth review coming soon from another reviewer going over the DSD side of things hopefully. If you mean the USB to go to an external DAC I have no idea.

 

[spizz]

Everytime I make an Edit and apply it to the first post it says awaiting Approval before being publicly displayed so Ill just add new info in a post below.

Kal- I've also suggested to them (Zidoo via the support email) to send both you and John Darko a unit to review. Hopefully they do so you can do a deep dive into it.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

After watching both of the YouTube videos, a lot of questions I would have had regarding audio and video file access and playback have been answered in a positive way.

For those of us who back-up our disc based content and store it on say, an NAS (or similar storage devices), these types of media players are becoming more and more necessary. Even more so now that A/V manufacturers are pulling out of the (universal) disc spinning player market.

Cheers

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Kal- The Multi-Channel Native DSD is via HDMI 2 output only I believe. There will be another indepth review coming soon from another reviewer going over the DSD side of things hopefully. If you mean the USB to go to an external DAC I have no idea.

That's exactly what I mean. The device has a fully competent MCH DAC chip but skimps on analog outputs and, instead, hands it over via HDMI where it is clearly intended to feed an AVR or prepro rather than a dedicated DAC

 

[gene_stl]

$3,000 bucks. That's alot, imho.
I also prefer to not send royalties nor license fees to MQA.

 

[DuncanS]

I'm looking to pick this up soon. Finally an all in one unit with all the features I want. Price is a bit expensive $3000USD. The new Zidoo Neo Signature Alpha.

I can finally have all my Multi-Channel SACDs/DVD-As music together and play it back Natively in DSD and native Multi-Channel DSD, as well as my DTS CDs and DVD-Audios and Tidal via the one unit. I should be able to finally retire my Oppo 203 from those duties and play everything via Roon as I want.

https://www.zidoo.tv/Product/index/model/NEO+Alpha/target/rDjbpe[ld]yhQlKKmVViAFMcQ==.html
- Tidal Connect
- Native DSD and Native Multi-Channel DSD Playback
- Roon Ready Support
- MQA Support
- OLED Toch Panel Screen

There should be an indepth review on the Audio side coming out soon Ill post a link to when its released.

I just had a look and saw its based on an XMOS chip, I used to work at a Semiconductor start-up with a few of the people who then went to XMOS!

 

[timothyemerson]

2 cents from a Zidoo product owner:
1. I have the Zidoo Z9X which is great for MKV playback which is why I got it.
2. Not so much for multi-channel music so the Sony X800 still handles that.
3. Z9X was only ~$300 NZD including shipping from Hong Kong too. This Neo unit is over 10 times that amount but I doubt it'll be 10 times better.
4. There are constant beta firmware updates to the Z9X. I've seen what's in them and haven't done any since I bought the unit as it does everything I need it to. I check the forums though and see how every update breaks something that was working which drives me nuts.

 

[spizz]

That's exactly what I mean. The device has a fully competent MCH DAC chip but skimps on analog outputs and, instead, hands it over via HDMI where it is clearly intended to feed an AVR or prepro rather than a dedicated DAC

Fair enough. If that is your usage case then this product is may not be for you and it is indeed a shame they provided no USB or Analogue outputs, other than the 2 XLRs and the 2 RCA Stereo Outs.

For myself I have an Oppo 93, 103, and now 203 and have always played my SACDs via HDMI to my AVP which has the DSD light on the Oppo and my AVP lighting up. Over on the Roon forums, when I see the majority of posts asking why DSD does not work, or is changed to PCM, they are mostly asking about over HDMI.

Now there is a product that does Native DSD Multi-Channel over HDMI in a Streamer format, as opposed to flipping discs so I can have my entire Multi-Channel collection together with my DTS CDs etc. That is what has me exited.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Now there is a product that does Native DSD Multi-Channel over HDMI in a Streamer format, as opposed to flipping discs so I can have my entire Multi-Channel collection together with my DTS CDs etc. That is what has me exited.

Technically you don't need to spin/flip multi-channel SACD discs in your OPPO in order to hear their dsd goodness. Elementary dsd streams (in .dsf or .dff) can be accessed via UPnP or SMB and played by the OPPO. The audio can be sent from the OPPO via its HDMI outputs (as a native dsd stream or transcoded PCM stream) or via its multi-channel analogue outputs...

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Fair enough. If that is your usage case then this product is may not be for you and it is indeed a shame they provided no USB or Analogue outputs, other than the 2 XLRs and the 2 RCA Stereo Outs.

The analog outputs would have been a trivial effort to implement.

For myself I have an Oppo 93, 103, and now 203 and have always played my SACDs via HDMI to my AVP which has the DSD light on the Oppo and my AVP lighting up. Over on the Roon forums, when I see the majority of posts asking why DSD does not work, or is changed to PCM, they are mostly asking about over HDMI.

Agreed but HDMI out from a player to an AVR or from a PC to an AVR are no-brainers these days and does not require a relatively pricey new device.

Technically you don't need to spin/flip multi-channel SACD discs in your OPPO in order to hear their dsd goodness. Elementary dsd streams (in .dsf or .dff) can be accessed via UPnP or SMB and played by the OPPO. The audio can be sent from the OPPO via its HDMI outputs (as a native dsd stream or transcoded PCM stream) or via its multi-channel analogue outputs...

What he said.

 

[spizz]

Technically you don't need to spin/flip multi-channel SACD discs in your OPPO in order to hear their dsd goodness. Elementary dsd streams (in .dsf or .dff) can be accessed via UPnP or SMB and played by the OPPO. The audio can be sent from the OPPO via its HDMI outputs (as a native dsd stream or transcoded PCM stream) or via its multi-channel analogue outputs...

That is indeed true. A few caveats for my situation. My music resides on my Synology NAS. Ever since DSM7 it never remembers the Username or Password on each use, even trying a working around with Authetication.

More importantly I am over using the file based structure of the Explorer on the Oppo to browse media on my Network drive and play files. Scrolling through directory structures with no cover art. So if the Zidoo can offer my entire collection through Roon and play it back in Native Multichannel DSD or even using the Zidoo Media Player then great.

Luckily there are options for people. Topping on one end and Exasound on the other. This seems to tick all my boxes and hopefully it pans out in actually using the unit. Having my entire collection at my finger tips through a nice interface. YMMV.

 

[spizz]

The analog outputs would have been a trivial effort to implement.

Agreed but HDMI out from a player to an AVR or from a PC to an AVR are no-brainers these days and does not require a relatively pricey new device.

Kal on the first point I totally agree with you. I would of also liked to see Qobuz support (though available through Roon), and Internet Radio (though also available through Roon).

Luckily there are other options as I mentioned in my post above. On the second point, this is the only product that I am aware of in a Media Player format, that will play back Multi-Channel Native DSD and supports Roon so I can have my entire collection and cover art in the one spot. Well that is the plan if the unit works as intended.

In regards to pricing I agree it is expensive, however I guess you are also paying for the Video side of things. But then again Lumin's which only do 2 Channel DSD are around the same price points (though offer other features) and the Exasound at $7000 is double the price for me than the $3k Zidoo. They do have a cheaper Neo S etc but it is only 2 Native Channel DSD.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

That is indeed true. A few caveats for my situation. My music resides on my Synology NAS. Ever since DSM7 it never remembers the Username or Password on each use, even trying a working around with Authetication.

Yep, personally I don't have that issue as my Synology model is running DSM 6.2.3.

More importantly I am over using the file based structure of the Explorer on the Oppo to browse media on my Network drive and play files. Scrolling through directory structures with no cover art. So if the Zidoo can offer my entire collection through Roon and play it back in Native Multichannel DSD or even using the Zidoo Media Player then great.

Agreed, when compared to newer media playback devices, the OPPO's file navigation is clunky and antiquated. Due to it's inability to map directly to directories/folders and scan the contained files!

However, the ability for a stand-alone media player to offer album or movie cover art does not warrant such extraordinary prices, indeed Android based media players have been offering this ability for around a decade!

 

[spizz]

However, the ability for a stand-alone media player to offer album or movie cover art does not warrant such extraordinary prices, indeed Android based media players have been offering this ability for around a decade!

Understood. It is an expensive proposition for an Android based player. However show me a cheaper media streamer on the market that is Roon Ready and does Native Multi-Channel DSD via HDMI (doesn't convert to PCM) in one package and I'm happy to consider it. The only other thing I was considering was the Exasound S88 but that is over double the price of the Zidoo at $7000 and forging the HDMI output to my AVP. I guess pricing will come down over time and the feature set will trickle down as this is the first Android player from any manufacture to offer this. feature.

This is all dependent for me on an in-depth review which will hopefully be coming soon that goes over its usability of Roon and Native Multi-Channel DSD and shows no issues. The good thing I can see from a quick glance is Zidoo is quick to offer firmware updates to address issues if I do purchase one.

If I do I'll post my impressions both here and over on AVS for those that may be interested. I think Australian stock is due in late August according to the local distributor here.

 

[HomerJAU]

I’m running two Intel NUCs (under $500AU each) running Kodi. Fantastic user interface that can be controlled from a RF remote control or from phone and tablet apps. I also have two Synology NAS running DSM 7 without any problem.

If you want to know more or want a hand to set one up (I have a spare NUC you can borrow and try out). You and I met years ago on the old DTV Forum I think, now part of Stereo Net AU.

THX
Garry

 

[spizz]

Thanks mate. Appreciate it. But I have my heart set on Roon and playing back my Multi-Channel SACD collection via it in Native DSD as well as the rest of my audio collection. Was looking at a Nucleus Plus at one stage but it can't do DSD via its HDMI without converting to PCM. Again appreciate the offer though.