SinnSoundBox for immersive 360° sound (AV review)
Adding a SinnSoundBox to your stereo system enhances your listening experiences for streaming music, movies, TV shows – any sound. Why? Because it creates a highly realistic 4.0 – 360° sound field.
We won’t go into the science, but it is a ‘black’ box that takes any digital Bluetooth or analog AUX-in stereo 2.0 signal (or Optical Digital with an adapter) and outputs 4.0 ‘quadrophonic’ sound.
It is not magic, but it took an Aussie entrepreneur Henry Sinn to bring it to market with more than 20 years of experience in technology and telecommunications.
And as it is a black box, it is more important than ever for Cybershack to tell you more about this and how we set it up without the benefit of a manual – not that an audiophile needs one.
SinnSoundBox 2.0 to 4.0 quadrophonic converter
Website | Product page |
Price | $975 or $1855 with 4 ELAC Debut 2.0 speakers and 2-wire speaker cables |
Warranty | 12-months ACL with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee |
Company | SinnSound (Est 2017) is Australian owned and Melbourne-based |
More reading | How to tell if you have good music (sound signature is the key) |
What is it, and what does it do?
The SinnSoundBox takes a left/right 2.0 stereo signal over Bluetooth (digital) or 3.5mm AUX-in (analogue left/right RCA). It processes it via an SM (spatial modulation) decoder to 4.0. Sound is output to four passive speakers (or 4.1 with a powered crossover subwoofer).
It is not an ‘upscaler’. It does not ‘copy’ sound to create four outputs! SinnSoundBox recreates sound as it should be.
Why it works is simple enough. We hear with two ears, yet we hear from all around us – left, right, front, back, overhead, below, etc. Stereo sound recording uses two microphones or more mics mixed down to two channels, and those directional ‘hints’ remain part of the audio stream. The SM decoder presents a strong ‘likelihood’ that sound comes from a front left/right or left/right rear speakers.
It is not quadraphonic 4.0, where four discrete tracks are in the audio stream, but it is an amazingly close approximation.
We used Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (a throwback to my youth and one of the first Quadrophonic records I ever owned) to test. Rolling Stone Magazine said at the time, “It has a textural and conceptual richness that not only invites but demands involvement.” And it did now as it did then! I was a teenager again.
Setup – easy, but you need the space
First, you need a space big enough to appreciate 4.0 sound – probably at least 5 x 5 m square. You want to sit almost equidistant from all four speakers. The rear speakers have a separate volume adjustment, so you can cheat a little with their placement.
Next, you need four identical speakers. Many readers have decent 4 to 8 Ohm speakers lying around. If not, SinnSound has an $1855 bundle with 4 x ELAC Debut 2.0 (Woofer and crossover tweeter).
The box does not add or subtract from the digital or audio sound it receives. The speaker choice has the most bearing on what you hear.
Next, you need to run four speaker cable pairs. These connect to the SinnSound via spring-loaded clips. An RCA sub-out (not tested) is for a powered crossover sub-woofer.
Plugin the power (24V/4A/96W DC plug pack) and switch on. Then touch the front power sensor, and it lights up.
A Bluetooth 5.0 connection is easiest via NFC pairing (for a smartphone) or standard BT pairing for a PC/Mac/iPad/Tablet. The 3.5mm to 2 x RCA AUX-in was easiest for the laptop.
Also on the rear are two USB-A ports (not tested) marked 5V/2.1A (1A if both used), RCA Front L/R, and Rear L/R lineout. There is a touch slider volume control.
Inputs affect sound quality
This is a classic case of garbage in, garbage out. It supports Bluetooth SBC (sub-band coding standard codec) and a maximum of up to 24bit/96kHz. Set your streaming for maximum quality (at least 16-bit/44.,1kHz) because ripped, lossy 8-bit MP3s don’t sound all that different. It does not support AAC and other lossless codecs simply because it is all you need to do this job.
The analog input produced significantly better sound than the BT SBC codec. It avoids the lossy digital to analog conversion (DAC) stage. The best results were from a turntable, vinyl, and a preamp – spectacular. But using a 3.5mm port from a Windows Surface Pro 7 was almost as good.
Amp – quality TI Class-D
It uses a pair of Texas Instruments 60W (1% THD+N) stereo into 8 Ω Class-D amps. These amps are in high-end soundbars and better active speakers. That means each channel is a maximum of 60W, which is plenty to drive bookshelf speakers.
There was minor harmonic distortion at 84dB (maximum volume), so we backed off a few decibels. Volume and sound quality depend on your host audio source, speakers, and cables.
Use case – for immersive pleasure
The SinnSoundBox is not audiophile-grade equipment – nor should it be. It is for pure enjoyment and to hear a vastly expanded sound stage.
The use case is to get ‘more’ from your 2.0 sound – whether it is vinyl, Spotify, or TV. That ‘more’ is the real immersion in 360° surround sound. No, it is not Dolby Atmos – there are no 3D height channels. Read our Five tips for better TV sound – Dolby Atmos for beginners for more information.
While TV/streaming now offers many programs in Dolby Digital formats up to 5.1, most free-to-air programs are stereo 2.0. In our test with the latest LG QNED Mini-LED, we did not need a centre channel – it was crystal clear.
The right buyer has a 2.0 sound system and wants to make it 4.0/4.1 for the pure listening pleasure it can bring.
Cybershack view
The SinnSoundBox adds enjoyment back into stereo. Immerse yourself in 360° sound, sit back; it is pretty spectacular. I really did not want to give it back!
I have a 5.1 Pioneer AV Amp that provides a simulated surround, so I put it to the test. With genuine 5.1 Dolby Digital, it was ahead of Sinnsound as each speaker has a discrete audio channel and amp.
But when fed a 2.0 signal from a turntable and vinyl, the SinnSound box came into its own, producing a realistic 4.0 sound stage where the AV AMP could only provide a weak approximation.
Rating
We have nothing to compare it to. Yes, there are other 4.0 and 5.1 decoder boxes, but these are more for enthusiasts.
Price: What you pay. Considering a reasonable 5.1 amp and speakers can cost $3,000 or more, this may do the trick.
SinnSoundBox for immersive 360° sound
$975 or $1855 wth 4 x ELAC Debut 2.0 spealersBrought to you by CyberShack.com.au