STORM ISP CORE 16+ Processor
Looking back at all the different processors I have had over the years I realized it's been a really long time since I have had something like this. Enter the STORM CORE ISP 16+. For its smaller size it packs one heck of a punch. I was waiting in anticipation for the CORE 16+ to arrive. After carefully connecting all the cables I then connected the power. I found the STORM device in my App and ISP in record time. I first went at it alone because I wanted to be as if I am purchasing this as a 100% customer setting up on my own. I had great help from my STORM buddy West. He loves his and has made it a personal point to be incredibly fluent when it comes to set up and features. After selecting my actual speaker room set up utilizing Mains, Heights and Tops I was ready for the speaker assignments. I will say I learned rather quickly to play the numbers not the speakers. Meaning, after you assign the speakers and enter the Configurator (Speaker assign and set up area) it's way easier to go down your numbers (1 to whichever amount of speakers you have) and start the Test sound. Where you hear it just assign that number to the corresponding speaker. It reminds me a lot of when I was a kid and I would do those quizzes where you would draw a line from the matching pictures. Once you have that done it is time to head to Dirac Live land.
Commenting on the images above... The outside of the box had a clue on what you were in for. The black dots with lines connected to them resembles how the calibration process looks when doing Dirac. Once opened you are greeted by the remote, power cord and the intuitive start here paper. Once you download the Storm App either on Android or Apple you can access their StormEasy for set up. You can also log in using Wi-Fi using the Storm's IP address. Also, to remove the protective film on the Storm's face just get a piece of scotch tape or packing tape and pull it off. Using a tool or your own nail is risky and could result in a scratch to your unit. Easier to be safe than sorry...
Setting up should not take a super long time for most. It did for me because in anticipation of the Core 16+ 's arrival I decided to completely redo all my cables. In the process I accidentally left one of my amps unplugged. Happens to the best of us! I was perplexed at first trying to figure out why half the speakers were silent. After discovering the mishap I was on my way. I labeled all of my inputs and selected my speaker configuration as mentioned above. Doing the Dirac Live calibration is both fun and easy. There are plenty of videos explaining how to do it. I used the miniDSP UMIK-2 mic. It works very well and so easy to connect to your laptop using USB. Just try the follow the map on your laptop the best you can. I did all of them and and made sure the mic was high and very high at times. I felt the more measurements the better the results. I did it twice. I rushed the first time and then a few days later took my time and had even better results. Dirac ART is the best sound I have heard to date bar none. If you have a Marantz or another brand and it's available, you're doing your ears a big disservice not doing Dirac's Active Room Treatment (ART.) It is like having a Ferrari and never driving it above 10 mph. So finally let's discuss the Storm Remote App and which movies I tested and what the results were. The image directly below shows a very impressive looking front display. Enabling the Global Vumeter brings me back to my Datasat Rs20i...
EQUIPMENT USED FOR ALL OR PART OF THIS REVIEW:
Kaleidescape Strato E and C, Christie 4K860, SIM2 UN4, JVC and Epson QS100 UST Projector, madVR MK2 ENVY Extreme, Stewart Studiotek 144 ST100 16:9, STORM CORE 16+ ISP Sound Processor, Marantz AV10, McIntosh MX180, Apple TV 4K 2023, NVIDIA Shield Pro, Datasat RA7300 Amps X 2, Oppo UDP-203 4K Player, Samsung UBD-K8500 4K Ultra Blu-ray player, Furman Elite-20 PFI, Monster Power HTS 5100, AC INFINITY Component Coolers, Speakers: MARTIN LOGAN ILLUSION Center, IMPRESSIONS (Left and Right), VANQUISH (HEIGHTS & ATMOS & Top), AXIS (Backs), Subwoofers- Martin Logan BalancedForce 212 X 2, Seatcraft Equinox Seating with Sound Shakers, Remote: One For All, Harmony 1100, HARMONY ELITE, Harmony ULTIMATE, Cables: Audioquest shorter HDMI cables top to bottom. Audioquest Cherry Cola 48s...
The Storm Remote App is sleek and easy to use. The layout makes perfect sense and I find it far easier to use than the remote. And that statement is coming from a "remote guy!" Volume and mute, inputs and tweaking any other parameters just takes a few seconds. It's great not having to go hunting into the GUI. And if you're running a second Zone it's right there on the main page as well. Another thought about the beautiful display on the front panel. The speaker indicators is great so you never have to wonder if for some reason you lose a speaker. It's easy to confirm all is working well. Also, checking out the Dolby Atmos logo (and others) STORM gets a big thumbs up for making them look this well. They just look polished and very professional. So how does it sound?
I immediately jumped in with my favorites to test. Then dug deep. Anything I tested sounded like I was hearing it for the first time. The biggest compliment I can give. Darkness Falls made my 9 year old twins leave the room ASAP as it was night time and the inflection in his voice made it pure scary!
I then jumped into Oblivion and Tom's chomping on the toast. Those that are irritated by chewing sounds will hate this moment as it is do distinct you will think he's sitting right next to you in your room. Sicario "Relax" whispering by Emily was very distinct. The second one the best I have ever heard it. The other scene with helicopters and traffic also enveloped the room. Made it very immersive. I then stumbled upon T2 and the start of it was next level in my room. The smashing of the skull and laser firing appeared to be coming from every aspect in my room! Sunshine narration was better than any theater cinema you could walk into. As he describes their mission and the sound completely circles your room you can tell the Storm ISP Core 16+ is something very special. Same feeling with The Greatest Showman. The stomping of the audience's feet on the bleachers as Hugh begins his song reminded me this was the best I have heard it. Not in my demo clips below but Elvis and Bohemian Rhapsody instantly turned our theater into a concert. Now I am looking forward to watching the movies again in their entirety. Mad Max Fury Road begins with that distinguished deep voice, "My name is Max. My world is fire and blood." The eerie beginning grabs you and it is hard to look away. Huge compliment to the Storm! True Lies the detonated explosion lit the room up! The bullets, snowmobiles came alive around the room. Finally, the new Tron: Ares has risen as the new master reference for both image and sound!
Dolby Surround is my preferred upmixer but when titles come with an Atmos soundtrack your ears are in for an eventful experience.
The remote is very basic yet effective. I am sure the vast majority will use the App or connect via WiFi. Also, there are universal options and still Harmony (I have two or three still.) We do get direct Input buttons and Upmixer selections with the Storm remote. We also have immediate acces to the Info and Display buttons which prove helpful when learning.
Key Features
18 channels post-processing Multi-way active speakers and PEQ management
Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D, DTS:X Pro, IMAX Enhanced
18ch decoding / upmixing Up to 9.4.5 / 11.1.6
StormXT ambiance expander
16 channels XLR outputs Multiple theaters and zones management
2ch optical output
Upgradeable HDMI 7 inputs / 2 outputs Matrix (optional)
Roon Ready
Looking at some of the key specs the 16+ can do up to 18 channels with all of the latest sound modes. It comes with their amazing StormXT. This is a feature that allows your audio system to take full advantage of all of your speakers in your theater room. It is particularly useful for setups with a high channel count, like 13.1.10 tailored for Dolby Atmos content. By utilizing all available speakers, the StormXT can extend the audio output to a wider range of channels, enhancing your overall audio experience. This makes you sense sound all around your room and in places between speakers. This is essentially what total immersion is! If you are wondering about future proofing your investment Storm has you covered with allowing field updates. This should set you up for many, many years to come.
Over the Holidays we have had a good amount of people here and the first thing they have said is, "WOW!" That to me is one of the biggest compliments to any component I have in our setup. I will also point out I have not experienced any delays or weird HDMI handshakes between the Storm, Christie, Epson, JVC, Roku, Oppo Blu ray Player, Nvidia Sheild, MadVR Envy MK3 and of course Kaleidescape. The HDMI outs both have worked with ease with sending the image to either projector or to the display in our restroom. Yes, I have the same exact image sent there so our guests don't miss anything and we never have to pause a movie. The Storm is impressively built from the ground up.
1/5/2026
JoeRod
The owner of Storm Audio is Olivier Thumerel, who serves as the CEO of the company. I had the pleasure of having dinner with him in Denver at CEDIA 2025. He was very proud (as he should be) for STORM winning a prestigious HOF award.
In closing, I would like to say that if you're seriously considering a STORM and you must be if you have read this far then rest assured this is the one. Think of it as this is your "forever" piece or the one you marry and not a temporary or "stop-gap" component. Storm's amazing full clarity sound combined with future proofing upgrades make this well worth the initial investment. I used to wonder what an updated Datasat RS20i would sound like. Not anymore! The STORM CORE 16+ has proven it meets and exceeds the best sound we have heard in our theater. From the exceptional immersive enveloping to the powerful LFE punch both in our subwoofers and in all of our 8 soundshakers, STORM has not only raised the bar, they have reinvented it!
Click below to read the specs on Storm's site:
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Joerodhometheater.com
Let me know if you have any questions or want purchase advice. I'm here 24/7/365!
I really want to thank my family, especially the kids who spent a good amount of time watching movies over their Christmas break. They made it fun watching new and older movies. We just watched Seabiscuit and they loved it! Great sound as well!!!
