9. Simplifi Digital 7075AB ADAT Input Media Center Amplifier

By Ed Tittel

In 2005, while writing a couple of books about HTPCs, I learned that hooking an HTCP up to an entertainment center for ultimate audio can be an interesting challenge. High-end AV audio vendor Simplifi Digital has come up with an elegant solution to this problem: the company offers two different types of multi-channel amplifiers that hook directly up to MCE PCs with ease. Amplifiers are available that support both 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound input/output. The secret of the design lies in the amplifier's ability to handle PC audio output using either a USB connection (for the 5.1 models that also include a built-in sound card for signal processing) or an Alesis Digital Audio Tape (ADAT) optical connection (aka "TOSLINK," on the 7.1 models that work only with high end Intel or equivalent motherboards that support Viiv).

The beauty of this approach is that the entire system works around the HTPC, rather than requiring it to be integrated into a more standard receiver or pre-amplifier/pre-processor unit. The more advanced (and expensive) 7.1 ADAT amplifier unit (the 7075 AB) keeps all audio information in digital form until it reaches the signal-processing circuitry built into the amplifier. This means that signals stay clean and clear, and won't be affected by the kinds of hum and interference that might otherwise affect audio generated on a PC system, where the environment inside the case isn't always as free from RFI and EMI as most audiophiles might like.

The 7075 models only work with Media Center Systems that support Intel Audio Studio 2.0 and that use the SigmaTel 9223 sound chip. Intel Audio Studio 2.0 supports Sonic Focus and Dolby Labs surround sound technologies. It can also handle and render materials created for DTS, THX, and other high definition sound environments with astonishing fidelity and clarity. For other MCE systems the 5075 models use a USB connection to route audio from the HTPC to the amplifier. Though this does eliminate the interference that can affect such systems, it does offer good sound quality and incredible convenience for those who want to make the most of the audio that their older MCE systems output.

The 7075 models retail for around $600 and the 5075 models for around $500, but PCAlchemy, the US source for Simplifi products, offers them for about $150 below retail. For students seeking to make the most of an MCE system with a 5.1 or 7.1 speaker rig, these amplifiers offer amazing convenience and incredible sound at a pretty affordable price.