Merging Anubis

[asdf1000]

We (@tailspn @matthias @Miska @malarz) were chatting a lot in this thread and I thought the upcoming Merging Anubis should get it's own thread.

 

It appears to be the first Merging product to feature their Zman board. It has a lot of Pro Audio related features that will be useless to someone like me but the reason that it's of great interest to me:

 

1. The Premium model supports DXD/DSD256 sample rates on it's ethernet input.

 

2. I hope to be able to eventually get HQPlayer Embedded on Linux to play direct to it over the network, thanks to the recent Ravenna Linux ALSA driver.  No external boxes/converters/renderers and power supplies for those boxes.

 

3. It's said to have a very decent headphone amp section - under 1 ohm output impedance, gobs of powers and very low distortion. Will need to wait for official specs to be released today hopefully

 

4. I can also get my non-HQPlayer audio from Mac and Windows sent to the DAC over the network

 

5. The Premium Anubis is priced similar to a Chord Hugo2 and Pro iFi iDSD - at just over half the cost of the Hapi + DA8P Premium DAC option. So it's the most affordable Merging DXD/DSD256 DAC to date.

 

6. It looks wicked 😁

 

So even with the long list of Pro Audio related stuff that will be useless to me, the list of features that are useful interests me a lot. 

 

I'm not aware of any networked DAC on the planet that is close to this price that supports DXD/DSD256 on ethernet input and supports MacOS + Windows + Linux ALSA driver...

 

More info to be added as more info becomes available.

 

 

 

[asdf1000]

27 minutes ago, Miska said:

This typical pro-audio channel setup is nice, because then I can keep my headphone processing always enabled in the matrix setup and room correction for the line outs. No need to change and both can output simultaneously with different processing.

 

 

But one big question... How does headphone output volume control work?

 

Digitally controlled analogue vol control (so DSD content is not decimated)?

 

Or pure digital vol control (PCM only like RME)?

[asdf1000]

@matthias already mentioned:

 

"I talked already with the German Merging distributor.

This device is terrific.

The premium DSD version is 1900 Euro plus VAT.

The SQ is at least on par with the latest Hapi cards, the HP amp is significantly better. The first batch is sold out."

[asdf1000]

@Kal Rubinson mentioned :

 

"According to what I have heard, the Anubis is not particularly convenient for multichannel because "Two channels come out through XLR connectors, two through line level phone jacks, and the remaining two through the headphone jacks."

 

 

[Miska]

Copied from the other thread to move here:

 

  33 minutes ago, malarz said:

@Miska 

That's very true, but here one has only 4 line outs for a room correction what is very often not enough

 

Hmm, why not? For ordinary stereo pair two line outs are enough. I'm not talking about digital cross-overs, for such Hapi or NADAC would be better. Although two separate channel pair line outs are good for digitally crossing subwoofer(s) and main channels. But just room/speaker correction.

 

But separate outs for speakers and headphones are good because then I don't need to keep switching my matrix setup when switching between headphones and loudspeakers. Most pro-audio interfaces expose these as separate channels. While most consumer interfaces expose just two channels towards the computer.

[matthias]

@Em2016

Thanks for this thread.

 

Anubis is very competitively priced, has a nice aluminium case and can be upgraded by an external LPS.

I will receive today a newsletter with additional info.

 

Matt

[Miska]

6 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

@Kal Rubinson mentioned :

 

According to what I have heard, the Anubis is not particularly convenient for multichannel because "Two channels come out through XLR connectors, two through line level phone jacks, and the remaining two through the headphone jacks."

 

It is very convenient, but in a different way! As mentioned in other message it allows splitting stereo headphone and speaker processing to two simultaneous independent outputs. Plus one extra pair for subwoofer!

 

[Miska]

11 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

But one big question... How does headphone output volume control work?

 

Digitally controlled analogue vol control (so DSD content is not decimated)?

 

Or pure digital vol control (PCM only like RME)?

 

I don't know how it is implemented in Anubis. But ESS has non-decimating digital volume control for DSD. Similar way as the older CS4398 (when not in Direct DSD mode). This piece is always on the way with ESS since it doesn't have a direct mode...

 

[asdf1000]

7 minutes ago, Miska said:

I don't know how it is implemented in Anubis. 

 

If we are better off  using separate head-amp, that's another reason 6 channels is useful I guess.

 

2 feeding integrated/power amp/powered speakers

2 feeding subwoofer/s as you mentioned before

2 feeding separate headphone amp. Analogue volume controlled on headamp

 

 

7 minutes ago, Miska said:

But ESS has non-decimating digital volume control for DSD. Similar way as the older CS4398 (when not in Direct DSD mode). This piece is always on the way with ESS since it doesn't have a direct mode...

 

Noted. Still, it will be nice to have confirmation from Merging that DSD is not decimated in digital volume control.

A digitally controlled but analogue volume control in Anubis would be sweet.. one can dream 😁

[asdf1000]

Another cool feature, in addition to everything else I mentioned that's useful and unique (to me) is support for power over ethernet (PoE).

 

I can have a PoE switch and long Belden Cat 6A ethernet cable hidden away in the TV furniture.

 

And if I want to listen to music in my living room late at night on headphones while people are sleeping and while I want to watch sport on TV, I could bring Anubis with me from the desk to the couch and just feed it the Cat 6A cable for both power and ethernet.

 

Just one cable coming in and one cable coming out for headphones.

 

No separate PSU to worry about.

 

When I finish, just coil the ethernet cable back into the TV furniture, hidden out of sight when not used.

 

Nice!

 

[malarz]

Yes, nice one.

Are  you sure it will be possible with a TV and other devices that maybe has not a MERGING (RAVENNA) driver ?

[asdf1000]

7 minutes ago, malarz said:

Yes, nice one.

Are  you sure it will be possible with a TV and other devices that maybe has not a MERGING (RAVENNA) driver ?

 

No sorry, I meant this is useful when I want to listen to music (say Tidal + HQPlayer) while watching sport on the big TV late at night, on the couch, while everyone is sleeping (so using headphones).

 

The audio itself for sport is not important 😁

 

I would just need to pull out long ethernet cable from the TV and it's ready to rock and roll. Once late night listening is done, the long ethernet cable can be hidden in the TV furniture again, out of sight. And other times, Anubis can be used elsewhere, like office/desk headphones listening or wherever.

 

It's very small and light and PoE just adds another useful function for ease of use.

 

Just one long Cat 6A ethernet cable required for quick hookup. No external PSU required, which suits couch listening late at night with headphones.

 

[malarz]

OK, I understand now.

In fact very useful, vive AES67 ! 😎

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

It is very convenient, but in a different way! As mentioned in other message it allows splitting stereo headphone and speaker processing to two simultaneous independent outputs. Plus one extra pair for subwoofer!

Yes but that is not really what is meant by multichannel audio (as distinct from stereo).

[Miska]

37 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

It's very small and light and PoE just adds another useful function for ease of use.

 

Ahh, it has PoE? That is very nice indeed! I have other PoE equipment already, such as WiFi access points where the reduced number of wiring makes life so much easier and installation cleaner.

 

[Miska]

11 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

Yes but that is not really what is meant by multichannel audio (as distinct from stereo).

 

Yes, that is more like multichannel in pro-audio sense. But since the product is primarily for pro-audio, it fits that bill.

 

[asdf1000]

3 minutes ago, Miska said:

Ahh, it has PoE? That is very nice indeed!

 

Yes indeed!

 

3 minutes ago, Miska said:

the reduced number of wiring makes life so much easier and installation cleaner.

 

Yep, this suits a lot of applications, even at home for general consumer like me too. Just from reduced wires and PSU's as you say.

 

[matthias]

ANUBIS is now online at merging.com:-)

 

Matt

[matthias]

Anubis uses ES9026PRO and not ES9028PRO as DAC chip like DA8P.

@Miska what are the differences?

Thanks

 

Matt

[Miska]

18 minutes ago, matthias said:

Anubis uses ES9026PRO and not ES9028PRO as DAC chip like DA8P.

@Miska what are the differences?

 

I don't know... I haven't seen datasheet for that one. And ESS is very secretive in general. Seems to be somewhat lower specs and less pins (smaller chip). I'm not sure what are the pins that have been cut...

[matthias]

From the DAC section DA8P remains king.

DA8P has 4dB better dynamic range and 6dB better THD than Anubis.

A little bit disappointing.

Matt

[matthias]

43 minutes ago, Miska said:

I don't know... I haven't seen datasheet for that one. And ESS is very secretive in general. Seems to be somewhat lower specs and less pins (smaller chip). I'm not sure what are the pins that have been cut...

 

You are right, smaller chip, 12 vs. 16 pins per side and lower specs.

Interesting that they use for ADC the same chip as Hapi, but not for DAC.

 

Matt

[bmoura]

1 hour ago, matthias said:

A little bit disappointing.

 

 

Hmm, Merging+Anubis still looks impressive to me.

But the Hapi remains available for purchase for those who are disappointed with the new product. :)

 

[weltarm]

1 hour ago, matthias said:

 

You are right, smaller chip, 12 vs. 16 pins per side and lower specs.

Interesting that they use for ADC the same chip as Hapi, but not for DAC.

 

Matt

It is slightly disappointing, but I'm certain that the DAC is still excellent. I've preordered Anubis, which will replace my Hapi with DA8P card. HAPI has been rock solid for my uses -- playback/editing of field recordings and listening -- but ANUBIS will work better for me. 

[matthias]

7 minutes ago, weltarm said:

It is slightly disappointing, but I'm certain that the DAC is still excellent. I've preordered Anubis, which will replace my Hapi with DA8P card. HAPI has been rock solid for my uses -- playback/editing of field recordings and listening -- but ANUBIS will work better for me. 

 

Looking forward to your SQ impressions in comparison to HAPI. 

Please keep us updated.

Thanks

 

Matt