Peer Review-Violet Audio ADP61
Peer Review-Violet Audio ADP61; Price: $1,495 MSRP
My Pick: Violet Audio ADP61 studio AV preamp decoder, $1,495 MSRP
What I Like About It: The Violet Audio ADP61 decoder was super easy to use — right out of the box. The ADP61 enables monitoring and decoding for all audio signals from stereo to 6.1 surround audio. Anyone can hook it up and get sound.
Its balanced outputs also make for easy integration into a large pro sound system, rather than just for “prosumer” audio systems built for family room sound.
I Would Change: Because markets exist outside of video gamers and home theater sound, it would be nice to see a digital loop-through that takes the input of TOS link (optical) and provides alternative digital in/outs, such as BNC and/or XLR AES/EBU, and visa versa. Otherwise, it tends to be a tedious process to switch audio in the digital realm to follow many of today’s HD video signals, and keep time and sync.
Manufacturer Specifications
Pre-Amplifier Section
- 6.1-Channel: Line out
- Muting Attenuation: 65 dB
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 1.5 dB
- Video Section
- Input (Sensitivity/Impedance): 1 Vp-p/75 ohm
- Output (Level/Impedance): 1 Vp-p/75 ohm
- AM Tuner Section
- Tuning Range: 520 to 1,710 kHz
- Step: 10 kHz
- Frequency Response: 80 Hz to 2 kHz, ±6 dB
- Usable Sensitivity: 55 dBu @ S/N 20 dB
- Image Ratio: 27 dB @ 1,000 kHz
- IF Rejection: 35 dB
FM Tuner Section
- Tuning Range: 87.5 to 108.0 MHz
- Step: 0.05 MHz
- Frequency Response: 40 Hz to 15 kHz, ±3 dB
- Quieting: 24 dBu
- Image Ratio: 40 dB
- IF Rejection: 50 dB
Where I Used It: We rent this decoder for presentation of new video games in the gaming conventions and private corporate launches of video game manufacturers and programmers, which typically call for a larger sound system which the ADP61 easily interfaces with.
My Results: Violet Audio’s ADP61 is a sonically superior choice to your average receiver for your house that’s typically used to decode video game surround audio. In the rental industry, it ships well in its rugged shell and provides a consistent sound every time. You just put it in a rack, and you have a durable decoder equipped with XLR outputs with as much control as you’ll need to tweak any environment from home theater to large media events. The unit’s front panel is also easy to use, so there’s no need for a complicated remote, manual, etc.
Overall, the Violet Audio ADP61 has been an easy and smart integration to our company, and to the industry in general. I’d recommend this product if you’re in the market for a decoder that can do more than your home stereo receiver and offer sonic gratification in your surround adventures.
Peer Reviewer: Brady Belavek, audio manager, VER-Video Equipment Rentals, Glendale, CA. VER is an AV gear rental house.
