The people behind DTS cinema sound have built the RS20i cinema processor for the home…

Datasat is the power behind the professional high-resolution digital sound format formerly known as DTS. And when the people who kit out the sound in film theatres all over the world build a cinema processor for the home, it’s probably worth hearing.

The RS20i is based on Datasat’s AP20 audio processor. However, the unit has been given a cosmetic upgrade by Neal Feay and has also been customised by the Datasat team, which includes Dave Kerstetter of Theta fame.

Many home cinema brands claim that their products reproduce sound ‘as the director intended’. Rarely is this substantiated, but in this case it’s wise to remember that given that Datasat uses its professional AP20 audio processor to certify the quality and delivery of the sound in commercial cinemas worldwide, from the mix, EQ and production of the master discs to the processing of the sound in-theatre.

Datasat said that over the last few years it has received numerous requests from consumers to leverage the performance of the professional AP20 unit for the luxury home cinema space. The company has responded by taking the base platform and adding a number of features, upgrades and consumer-specific specification enhancements to create the RS20i home cinema audio processor.

“The RS20i is a natural progression from the professional unit, combining Datasat’s considerable experience in conventional analogue sound systems with state-of-the-art digital signal processing,” a Datasat suit said. “No expense has been spared in producing arguably the most versatile, customisable and feature-rich audio processor available in the high-end consumer space today.”

Given that “no expense has been spared”, you might be wondering what this unit costs. Well, when it is released in December 2012 the retail price will be £16,500.

So what do you get for such a hefty chunk of cash? Like the pro AP20, the modular, upgradeable RS20i features 16 channels, 20 memory presets for all settings, 3rd octave, parametric, shelving EQs and low and high bandpass on all channels; individual channel and global delays, Dirac Live room optimisation and three expansion bays for future development.

The RS20i improves upon the audio quality of the AP20 with changes to specific components and cards, and the addition of Bass Management, HDMI v1.4 for 3D video pass through, level shift for the consumer space and new menus.

Controls can be viewed remotely and operated using a Virtual Network Connection (VNC), on a laptop, iPhone, iPad or Google Android phone.