ToneWinner AT-300 - Budget Dolby Atmos/DTS: X Pre-amp with 13.1 channel support + 3 sub outs. (1 Viewer)

[ankitbhargava]

Thank you so much for the detailed information
We have a group of HT enthusiasts in India planning for a group buy of AT300.

Your positive feedback is much appreciated.

 

[DanH1972]

Thank you so much for the detailed information
We have a group of HT enthusiasts in India planning for a group buy of AT300.

Your positive feedback is much appreciated.

Glad I could help.

 

[n_rich]

DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS42528 (24 bit/192 kHz) - no native DSD decoding that I can tell in the specs, so any DSD sources will need to be pre-converted to PCM at the player.

This is confusing me. Does this mean that the Tonewinner can only support PCM from a player (i.e. Xbox) and cannot accept a bitstream input?

 

[DanH1972]

This is confusing me. Does this mean that the Tonewinner can only support PCM from a player (i.e. Xbox) and cannot accept a bitstream input?

It means that the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) chip model here doesn't seem to support the native Direct Stream Digital (DSD) format from SA-CD's and some audiophile download music sites. You would first have to have the SA-CD player or music streamer convert the DSD data to high resolution PCM.

The ToneWinner's DAC only appears to accept native PCM from decoded audio codecs (like DTS and Dolby) and native PCM streams, according to the Cirrus Logic website.

The processor will allow bitstreaming of everything else.

 

[rccarguy]

Just thought I'll drop in. I bought a at-300, made a review on summit hifi

Happy with this AV pre. However some things
Room eq, auto ruins the sound it makes it sound really tinny and bad. Makes big high end floorstanders sounds like pc speakers. Sounds best disabled. Maybe I'll buy laptop and rew with umik but disappointed auto doesn't at least make it slightly better sound
No music and movie modes, I like sub a few dB reduced in stereo. And hot for movies. There are no user level settings, per mode
When you calibrate speaker levels in the right setup page, all values are mirrored in the user parameter settings, when you adjust user parameter not adjusts speaker levels.
No discrete on/off
Had issues with e-arc, drop outs,.clicks when changing TV inputs. Now connected sources into tonewinner

Apart from that I'm happy with the purchase.

 

[DanH1972]

A new official firmware update has dropped. Version 4.01.0129

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vvnr9y4iicm8i3w/AT-300_v4_01_0129_20220329 (4).upg?dl=0

 

[DanH1972]

I just wanted to update any potential buyers of the AT-300 processor that I have been living with the latest March firmware update for a little while, and at least in my system I have not run across any random audio drop outs or any other audio related anomalies. The unit seems a lot more stable.

As you may know, Emotiva released their stripped down OEM version of this same model a little while back, the BasX MC1. It lacks many of the XLR outputs of the AT-300, if that is important to you. There is also the issue that Emotiva may be an extra stumbling block to receiving timely firmware updates, given their past track record, as they are kind of acting like a ToneWinner middle man. FYI.

 

[DanH1972]

From ToneWinner for North American models:

Software Update September 18 -2022

• Dolby 5.1 signal input for configuration 7.x.x for no sound output ( Direct, Pure & multi channel) - Resolved
• Audio dropouts - Resolved
• Hdmi Connection for video and audio - resolved

https://www.dropbox.com/s/79iy1j3ndrxsdc7/AT-300_v4_03_0156_20220913.upg?dl=0