Review on Kanex Pro Embedder 2 Channel HAECOAX by Christopher Scales

I have a good collection of SACDs and I wanted to play them in high definition 2ch on my desktop where real estate is everything. Full-size universal players with analog outputs like Oppos would take up too much space. I settled on a miniature Sony BDP-S6500 ($80) and a TEAC UD-301 for my SACD player and DAC. I needed an HDMI audio de-embedder (extractor) to connect them, but the cheaper model (AV Access) I bought from Revain couldn't handle the high resolution. Enter Kanex Pro. First my setup: An HDMI cable connects the output of the S6500 to the input of the Kanex. Toslink connects the Kanex output to the UD301 input (coax also works). Another HDMI connects the Kanex output and a computer monitor (for viewing the S6500 menu). In the music settings of the S6500, select Super Audio CD and DSD 2ch. I choose Auto for digital audio output (PCM should work too) because the DSD signal is automatically converted to (supposedly) 24/176.4 PCM when the S6500 detects an output device that doesn't support DSD, such as a DVD player. B. the Kanex. It is IMPORTANT to select 5.1 as the input option for Kanex (the select button is next to the HDMI input). Old, my UD-301 requires 176.4 inputs. Selecting 2ch as the Kanex input limits the signal to 44.1. If Kanex didn't work I would consider replacing the UD-301 with Essence HDACC II. I'm glad Kanex worked.