CEDIA 2016

A big advantage of attending a show like CEDIA is getting the chance to hear demos of new object-based surround sound formats carried out using ultra-fancy high-end gear. One such demo of DTS:X was conducted by Datasat, a maker of surround processors and amps for professional digital cinemas and high-end home theaters.

The demo employed a 9.4.4 configuration using Induction Dynamics speakers, a Sony VPL-VW665ES projector, and a Seymour-Screen Excellence TAM-1T screen — all of it enclosed in a custom theater designed by CDGi. With support for up to 34 outputs, the Datasat RS20i processor used in the demo goes well beyond what typical home theater AVRs and processors handle when it comes to delivering immersive audio. Clips played from Gods of Egypt and Crimson Peak showed the advantage to having height channels in the mix, with ambient sound swirling downward during Crimson Peak as the camera view took in the mansion’s decaying upper floors.

Other features of the Datasat RS20i include Dirac Live room optimization and optional Auro-3D decoding. Price: $23,000. Yes, that’s expensive, but if you want to truly push the limits of audio immersion at home, you don’t have many other choices.