Smyth SVS Realiser Virtual Surround Technology for Headphones

[calcetin]

rimrocks: The $3000 includes the headphones?

[earwicker7]

Originally Posted by rimrocks

We haven't actually claimed this for SVS but, based on our own experiences, we still haven't found a loudspeaker+listening environment that 'exposes' flaws in the SVS+Stax combination - and this includes at least half a dozen professional studios. Will this continue to be true? Of course not, but it'll make for an interesting on-going challenge. Mazz is quite correct though in pointing out the potential low-frequency limitations - particularly for the entry-level Stax headphone+amp that we're typically demonstrating with.

Alright, now I can get on board with being excited about this! Thanks for the honesty, it's appreciated.

[rimrocks]

Originally Posted by calcetin

rimrocks: The $3000 includes the headphones?

Yes, entry level Stax headphones (in the USA).
Mike

[HeadphoneAddict]

What if we already have high-end electrostatics - what is the cost then?

[calcetin]

Mike:

As I understand, the only room you'll get 'virtualized' is the one where the personalization was done.

I was wondering, would you include -non personalized- rooms, let's say generic rooms, so I can switch to hear on a concert hall, or maybe a dry room, etc.?

This would be terrific, even if the IR doesn't match exactly your ear. I imagine you must have quite a library of impulse responses, so that would not be a problem.


Adolfo

[rimrocks]

Originally Posted by calcetin

As I understand, the only room you'll get 'virtualized' is the one where the personalization was done.

You'll be able to take personalised measurements as often and in as many rooms as you want - there is no limit - it's just up to the patience of the user and their ability to find interesting rooms to measure.

Originally Posted by calcetin

I was wondering, would you include -non personalized- rooms, let's say generic rooms, so I can switch to hear on a concert hall, or maybe a dry room, etc.?

Absolutely yes, it'll come pre-loaded with generic rooms, and others will be available, on an on-going basis, over the internet.
Mike

[AaronBroad]

Originally Posted by rimrocks

You'll be able to take personalised measurements as often and in as many rooms as you want - there is no limit - it's just up to the patience of the user and their ability to find interesting rooms to measure.

Absolutely yes, it'll come pre-loaded with generic rooms, and others will be available, on an on-going basis, over the internet.
Mike

When you say it will come pre-loaded with generic rooms and others will be available, does that imply that the SVS system somehow determines an individual's HRTF separately from the system/room characterics?

I'll try to explain. As I understand it, here is roughly how the calibration of the SVS system works:
1) Place mics in the ears.
2) SVS system plays various tones through various speakers and records them
3) Leave mics in ears and put on headphones
4) SVS plays various tones through headphones and records them
5) SVS does its magic, effectively determining how the sounds heard in the ears differs from what was played on the speakers and develops a DSP to conform the tones played by headphones to those played by the speakers.

If I understand then, this individualized DSP would take into account two things in order to trick our ears into thinking we're listening to the sound the speakers are producing:
a) The individual's HRTF profile
b) The system / speaker / room characteristics

So back to my question - is there a way to isolate an individual's HRTF profile in all of this measuring? It's not obvious how this is possible, but it would be kick butt if it did. If it were, it seems to follow that I could listen to another system by taking any 'system' profile and pairing it up with my individual HRTF profile. This would allow us to share system profiles with one another, knowing that we are all hearing nearly the same thing, because it is taking into account our HRTF.

So assuming one of us could get in to say Lucas' studios and get measured, we could all enjoy Star Wars as it sounded in the studio it was mixed in. I suppose this would warrant another THX certification of some sort...how about THX Actual?

[rimrocks]

Originally Posted by AaronBroad

When you say it will come pre-loaded with generic rooms and others will be available, does that imply that the SVS system somehow determines an individual's HRTF separately from the system/room characterics?

No, the measurement procedure inextricably combines the HRTFs with the room response - there's no practicable way to unravel them subsequently ('kicking butt' understates this somewhat, but you're right).
By 'generic rooms' was meant rooms measured by someone else or with a dummy head.
Mike

[AaronBroad]

Originally Posted by rimrocks

No, the measurement procedure inextricably combines the HRTFs with the room response - there's no practicable way to unravel them subsequently ('kicking butt' understates this somewhat, but you're right).
By 'generic rooms' was meant rooms measured by someone else or with a dummy head.
Mike

Thanks - that was my suspicion.

[baglunch]

Hey all, I started a thread in General Discussion, wondering about another way of doing headphone headtracking much more cheaply (basically using Johnny Chung Lee's work with headtracking for the Wii):

YouTube - Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the WiiRemote

...and it was recommended I link to that discussion here.

Does anyone have an opinion on the feasability of this?

Absolute positioning? <- Most amazing idea ever in the history of ideas?

[Edwood]

FYI.

Smyth Research will be at the upcoming October 18th SoCal Head-Fi Meet.

More info here:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f24/so...8-08-a-357115/

The Head-Fi Field Trip to Smyth Research is still being planned. Probably going to be sometime in Early November.

-Ed

[Dr. Strangelove]

Anyone know if there are plans to support multichannel (7.1 etc) LPCM input? Or will the digital inputs be limited to the SPDIFF standards?

[Edwood]

Originally Posted by Dr. Strangelove

Anyone know if there are plans to support multichannel (7.1 etc) LPCM input? Or will the digital inputs be limited to the SPDIFF standards?

There are no Digital Inputs, only PCM digital output (stereo stream with the surround processing embedded). The intial product (Called the "Realiser") only has analog inputs.

-Ed

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by Dr. Strangelove

Anyone know if there are plans to support multichannel (7.1 etc) LPCM input? Or will the digital inputs be limited to the SPDIFF standards?

Hey Doc, I love your signature quote!

[Erik Garci]

Is Smyth still planning to release it during fall of 2008?