# ADA Suite 7.1 HD Luxury HT Preamp: Official Thread



## recruit (May 9, 2009)

*ADA Suite 7.1 HD Luxury HT Preamp*

The Suite 7.1 HD is ADA's brand new home theater controller/preamplifier featuring 8 HDMI inputs in addition to four analog audio and 8 digital audio inputs (6 coaxial & 2 optical). You can connect up to twenty components to the amazingly small (only 1 rack-unit tall) Suite 7.1 HD. But don't let its size fool you. The Suite 7.1 HD is the most sophisticated ADA home theater preamplifier to date, incorporating the latest Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Audio Master and Multi-Channel PCM decoding capabilities. These lossless uncompressed formats on high-definition Blu-ray DVDs sound amazing when listened to on the Suite 7.1 HD. Just as HD video is noticeably better than regular DVD, high-resolution audio is dramatically better than regular 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound. You really can hear the difference and will never want to watch or listen to regular DVDs ever again. From film to TV series to concerts, everything looks and most important, sounds better on Blu-ray and the Suite 7.1 HD. Naturally, the Suite 7.1 HD also features decoding of the standard Dolby, DTS and THX formats as well as several proprietary modes for music and TV. From a technical standpoint, the Suite 7.1 HD features HDMI equalization per input and output to compensate for HDMI cable type and length. It also features a multi-band parametric equalizer per channel as well as other features only available from ADA. If high-definition is how you want to experience theater in your home, then an ADA home theater system is the very best choice you can make. 




















*Features*

•Dolby TrueHD & DTS HD Master Audio
•Multi-Channel (192KHz/24 Bit) PCM Audio
•Full 7.1 EX/ES, THX Ultra 2, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS Neo 6
•8 HDMI Inputs with HDMI Equalization Settings per input
•2 (Dual) Mirror HDMI Outputs with HDMI Equalization Settings
•4 Stereo Analog Audio Inputs
•6 Digital Audio Coaxial Inputs
•2 TOS-Link Optical Digital Audio Inputs
•7.1 Channel Audio Output
•Parametric Multi-Band Equalizer
•Rear Panel Ethernet Connection
•1 Low Voltage Output Trigger (Power Amplifier)
•90-260 Volts AC 50/60 Hz 30 Watts
•13 lbs 1.75"H x 19"W x 16.5"D

This product is getting a lot of hype and feedback buzz over in the UK but the pricing is on the high side and when you look at it £5000+, it is so compact, I suppose more designed for custom Install than main stream, impressive looking pre/pro though all the same.

 Product Data Sheet 

 ADA website


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

*Re: ADA Suite 7.1 HD Luxury HT Preamp*

Hello,
ADA makes excellent gear. That is such a Professional Studio looking piece of kit. So it has a Parametric EQ as opposed to Audyssey or Trinnov. When implemented correctly, that kind of EQ is quite powerful.

And as always, nice write up, John.
Cheers,
JJ


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

There are a couple of people over in the UK who have swapped out there Arcam AV888's for this unit unit, although I seriously doubt I will as I just love the Arcam sound too much!!


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

The one question which I cannot quite seem to find the answer to, is what DAC's and Processors are being used for the ADA processors are they custom made or ie Wolfson/Burr Brown - Sharc?

Just cannot seem to find the answer, does anyone know?


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## Ashmanuk (Sep 14, 2007)

Yes i would like to know too please 

Looks like a serious bit of kit but like recruit the way i have my AV888 sounding now i could not give it up top class sound.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

This is the kind of head unit that would be used in the theaters, Very nice piece of gear for sure but a little pricey for what you get.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

tonyvdb said:


> This is the kind of head unit that would be used in the theaters, Very nice piece of gear for sure but a little pricey for what you get.


Yes and more custom Installs tbh, seems like a lot of money for something that only sits 1U high :whistling:

It would be nice to get some feedback from any owners out there, and comparisons to other SSP...


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## AngelEyes (Nov 6, 2006)

recruit said:


> It would be nice to get some feedback from any owners out there...


Hi John, 

Your wish is my command :T

ADA Suite 7.1 HD Review

If anyone has any comments or questions, let me know.

Adam


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Excellent Thanks Adam :T

Also an excellent review !! how does it fare with 2 channel material ?

Edit: don't worry Adam I have found the right page on Audio performance :dumbcrazy:


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

The PC software does remind of the days when I was using the G68 and sometimes it was a headache, especially when upgrading software and they had kindly moved certain values on to different pages without saying :rant:


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## AngelEyes (Nov 6, 2006)

recruit said:


> Excellent Thanks Adam :T
> 
> Also an excellent review !! how does it fare with 2 channel material ?
> 
> Edit: don't worry Adam I have found the right page on Audio performance :dumbcrazy:


Sorry, it was just getting so long I decided to break it down it to multiple pages 

I really found it _very_ good with 2 channel, something I wasn't expecting.

The software is quite basic looking but once you get to learn you way round it is really powerful. The video and new manual are a great help in getting to grips with it.

Adam


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

It really is a smart piece of kit considering it's size and with the new amps I bet your having some fun :T

I am not really watching many films now as I am enjoying 2 channel Hi-Fi again and listen to so much music which the Arcam is very good at


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Adam - was your unit installed and calibrated for you with the EQ files stored just in case you lose them?


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## AngelEyes (Nov 6, 2006)

recruit said:


> It really is a smart piece of kit considering it's size and with the new amps I bet your having some fun :T
> 
> I am not really watching many films now as I am enjoying 2 channel Hi-Fi again and listen to so much music which the Arcam is very good at


I do seem to recall you had invested in some spangly new speakers 



recruit said:


> Adam - was your unit installed and calibrated for you with the EQ files stored just in case you lose them?


I did the calibration myself using REW (I just entered the sugegsted filters for each channel) but I will get it Pro calibrated as soon as I sort my subwoofers out.

You can save the filters as a text file and to the Rom on the ADA so you are pretty well covered. In fact you can save several versions so have a different one for Music or Movies if you wanted to tailor the sound at all.

Adam


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

AngelEyes said:


> I do seem to recall you had invested in some spangly new speakers
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, well you know what this hobby can do to your bank balance but there only ProAc's :spend:

It took me a while to get used to the Meridian PC software but if your a quick learner which you are it poses no problems :T


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## GrahamMG (Sep 24, 2006)

A small note on the Suite 7.1HD's size, when you consider that the size of an AV processor is largely as a result of the hundreds of connections on its back plate of which you need precious little these days, I would rather a manufacturer spend the money on where it counts instead of a big thick alloy box that does nothing for the sound 

Good, well desgined digital and analogue PCB's and modular design (upgrades anyone??) don't need a lot of room.

As I finally gave up the unequal struggle and swapped my beloved TagMcLaren AV192R for the Suite 7.1HD's bigger brother the Cinema Rhapsody MachIV, once I set it up, it was clear to all that a significant leap in audio preformance had been achieved and it powers up every time I ask it to as well.......
With no HDMI issues either (try that with the Arcam.....) and becoming the bloke who sets up most of the UK sales of these items, I can't find much wrong with it.
It took 7 years to find something better and worthwhile chucking ones' money at but with excellent backup and swift response to my comments/wishes it reminds me very much of a certain Shack founder members (Hi John!) former lifes work. Those that know John will take that as quite some praise and achievement.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Hello Graham, I think ADA may have got it right by keeping the video side separate and the 7.1 suite as a switcher only and therefore isolating the Audio side solely in this unit, I have not heard one yet but am sure it must be very very good from all the excellent feedback :T


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## GrahamMG (Sep 24, 2006)

Indeed, not getting all "marketing feature count" with scaling engines built into the AV processor is a wise move as the unit already passes SKYHD 3D and probably Blu-ray 3D as well (maybe an EDID update to the board) but one thing is for sure, everyone I show the unit to (or go out to train them) is amazed that you just plug it in and it works over HDMI. Naturally not doing anything to the video makes life so much easier to get a working result and if people want an off board scaler they have the flexibility to add one (and update it) without throwing everything away.....
With scaling in some good quality projectors and screens now pretty good, I find that I specify scalers for their other nice features for use with anamorphic sizing and switching setups, triggering and ISF type duties than for the basic scaling duties, and some scalers do an excellent job of making an install such as these fairly automatic once setup, worth their weight in gold so why buy an Av procesor with it only to find that an off-board device suited much better. I'd rather AV processors concentrate on audio and reliable switching....
I am proud to have worked on the design, setup and calibration of all three CEDIA 2010 home theatre award winning installs and have learnt a lot about what makes a great install and keeping it reliable. The ADA is almost a no-brainer in these type of affairs, everyone that uses them seems to love them.
Whilst the setup software is quite extensive, it is not frightening and fairly simple to get your head around. Things like being able to revert to a factory setting or indeed the installer default, means you can be quite brave in finding out what stuff does without getting into a mess.
The amps ain't bad either, punching way above the quoted output and current delivery.
I simply love using them and bringing a smile to the faces of the clients who have bought them.


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## michael123 (Jul 26, 2008)

Sound-quality wise, isn't that Cinema Rhapsody MachIV just adds more connections than Suite 7.1 HD?

I could not get the manual of MachIV, but does it have digital output?
Is it possible to use it as a parametric EQ in a digital domain (e.g. get digital data on S/PDIF and output via S/PDIF corrected stream)

I have two sources - HDMI (movies) and S/PDIF (stereo up to 192/24, music)
For the HDMI, ADA will be a decoder/preamp, as for the S/PDIF I want it to function as a digital PEQ. 
These two sources are, obviously, mutually exclusive.
Is it possible?


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