Nantes, France – September 6, 2019  – At 2019 CEDIA Expo luxury home theater hardware brand StormAudio will debut its 2nd generation immersive audio line-up comprised of 16-, 20- and 32-channel analog preamp/processors, a digital AES 32-channel version, and 8- and 16-channel amps. Designated “Mark2” and slated to hit the market in early 2020, the new models boast a fresh industrial design and many performance enhancements.

Adding to the existing line’s built-in compatibility with Dolby Atmos®, DTS :X™, Auro-3D®, and Dirac Live® Room Calibration along with StormAudio’s proprietary web-based remote monitoring tool StormMonitoring™, new is eARC HDMI, DTS:X Pro and IMAX Enhanced, 13.1.10 decoding, rapid codec switching, and improved bass management including the new Dirac Live Bass Management tool.

The processors incorporate StormAudio’s new proprietary 7+2 eARC HDMI card which makes for faster and more robust switching with full HDMI2.0b/HDCP2.2 support. Designed by StormAudio, the card delivers 4K,18 Gigabytes per second bandwidth on all input and output ports, solid DolbyVision and HDR10 is also supported. The integrated eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), a feature of HDMI 2.1, provides a big boost in bandwidth and speed, sending the high-quality audio from the 8K TV to the processor, and on to the amps and speakers.

The brand’s new Mark2 platform can decode up to 24-channels (Dolby Atmos 13.1.10) and features ultra-fast codec switching time and substantially reduced latency (50% reduction). With respect to immersive audio formats, the processors are ready to support both DTS:X Pro and IMAX Enhanced. Also incorporated is Auro-3D Version 2 which enables use of back speakers in a 13.1 layout with a 9.1 or 11.1 Auro-3D stream. Auro-3D V2 also brings improved center channel dialogue when upmixing from stereo.

The processors feature StormAudio’s updated Bass Management system which allows for multiple bass zones (customizable selective redirection). As a major Dirac supporter the processors are ready for Dirac Live Bass Management support which launches at Expo. This premium license supports phase and time alignment of multiple subwoofers within a theater. It is provided at no charge to StormAudio dealers and customers.

StormAudio’s 2020 lineup of immersive sound preamp/processors consists of the following models:
– ISP.16 Analog Mk2 16-channel
– ISP.20 Analog Mk2 20-channel
– ISP.32 Analog Mk2 32-channel
– ISP.32 Digital AES Mk2 32-channel

The Mark2 line’s modular approach, same as with the current preamp/processor line, will bring options such as Digital In, Audio Video Bridging and RCA out, with even more card options planned for 2020.

StormAudio’s 2020 line-up of power amplifiers consists of the following models:

– PA.8 Ultra Mk2, Class D, 8-channels x 200-watts; 4-channels x 800-watts bridged mode

– PA.16 Mk2, Class D, 16-channel x 200 watts (8 ohms)