Long awaited Smyth SVS Realiser NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE - Page 90

I would always use my Esoteric K01 for playback of music since it is far superior to the Oppo. So I guess the solution for two channel playback is Esoteric -> Realiser analog out -> headphone amp, because the Esoteric is already playing back music so I cannot use it as DAC for the Realiser at the same time although it is capable.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillysally 

Saying you are using your Oppo for 2 CH stereo playback from a disc, thumb drive, ect. You use the same setup as you would for a MCH movie playback.(only one DAC needed)

OR (see below)

Because of the HDMI limitation of the Oppo when using a SACD you will probably need to use the dedicated 2CH stereo analog RCA outs from the Oppo to your Realiser (left/right front RCA).

OR you can use the Oppo's 2CH stereo analog RCA or XLR outs and connect directly your headphone amp, and bypass everything. Your Oppo uses 2 very good DAC's, The SABRE³² Reference ES9018 from ESS Technology 32-bit.

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Sure you could use both DAC's if you want, its just that the Realiser is going to do A/D/A conversion if you are using analog out of your Esoteric K01 and its DAC.

You have so much great gear, experiment with it and hear what works best for you.

Hey Sally,

Quick question: you mentioned that you tested the DAC and amp on the Realizer--but then it seems you only went through the 1/4" HP jack & not the RCAs on the rear.  I'm not sure that's a great test of the DAC b/c a significant limiting factor might have been the amp (as, indeed, seems to be the case from your comments).  

I am interested in the DAC alone because I am now selling my PS Audio PerfectWave DAC (with Bridge) so I can afford to buy a Realizer and I was wondering how much I might suffer for not having a high-end DAC on the back-end; the PWD should bear at least a family resemblance to your W4S as they have many common roots.  I wonder, have you since tried the RCAs vs. your W4S?  My thinking was that the loss from having an external DAC would be minimal (minimized?) because of Smyth’s bizarre (and terrible) decision to limit the digital out to Toslink… probably the worst digital I/O there is, after HDMI, which they have (again, bizarrely) decided to offer as the only digital input. 

NOTE: I am not dumping on the Realizer, per se, after a 2-hour audition at their SoCal HQ, I was sufficiently convinced that I went home and sold my speakers (PMC AML1s) and am selling my DAC, both of which I loved, but I am just pointing out that Smyth could have made much, much better decisions, both in terms of SQ and convenience. 

Finally, in response to a note you posed a few pages back, I actually don’t think that the Realizer is at all wasted when used in 2C—in fact, almost my whole audition was done in stereo and I plan on using the Realizer in 2.0 (or 2.1/.2) the majority of my time, once I buy it.  Simply put, I would never have considered replacing my 2C rig with a headphone system had the Realizer not existed.  Period.  But, because it does, and because I rent (and thus have noise/space/room treatment issues that can never be fully addressed or resolved), the Realizer (+ STAX and KGSS) was a no-brainer for me.  (That said, multichannel sounds very impressive too, I'm not knocking it.)

Even without using an external DAC with the optical TOSLINK output of the Realiser, you're still getting quite the upgrade in sound effect.

No matter how high end the DAC, with headphones, it cannot match the HRTF "virtual surround" effect of the Realiser.

I'd say enjoy the analog outputs in the short run, and then plan on getting another DAC later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood 

Even without using an external DAC with the optical TOSLINK output of the Realiser, you're still getting quite the upgrade in sound effect.

 

No matter how high end the DAC, with headphones, it cannot match the HRTF "virtual surround" effect of the Realiser.

 

 

 

I'd say enjoy the analog outputs in the short run, and then plan on getting another DAC later.

Yea, that's sort of what I figured... +, if I kept the PerfectWave DAC (even if I could afford it), I would have had to mod it so it would have a I2S digital tape-loop on HDMI (e.g. the PS Audio/W4S way) and then mod the Realizer to swap the HDMI I/Os for more I2S-Buses.  That would have involved an ass-ton more $$$, the voiding of warranties, and an indeterminate amount of time at a modder's shop, if possible at all (which I think it would be).  

No Edwood, I agree with you that the analog RCAs are the way to go.  I am not looking back on trading the DAC for a Realizer; my question was more: is there ANY substantial benefit to be gained from using an outboard DAC--esp. if you are stuck with the (unmodded) Toslink out?  

$3k isn't too much for a high-end DAC but very good pro DACs can be had for much less (and Smyth makes much of their pro roots... despite their conspicuous lack of balanced analog I/Os and AES/EBU)... but I wonder how much of the Realizer's $3k goes into the DAC section?

Yes it is as Edwood says.

In my case I like to take things to the best they can be. But I am sure you will be happy with using the Realiser's DAC.

Yes I for the most part use the Realiser for 2CH stereo, and I am not saying there is anything wrong by doing that. Its just that I enjoy the Blu Ray movies that have been mastered in say the last two years, the improvement in the overall sound is amazing for DTS HD MA 5.1/7.1. 2CH stereo pales in compassion to what you will hear coming from the newer Blu Ray movies, or for that matter even the 5.1 music CD's.

imo yes there is a gain by using the HDMI in port of the Realiser bypassing the Realisers internal DAC and outputting via a Toslink. But that's only because I like the ES9018 DAC if it is properly implemented in a DAC, like my W4S.

If you are asking if this is a day and night difference from using the Realisers DAC, no there is not.

Thanks Sally.  Yes, I was wondering about "night-and-day;" I had hoped that it would not be so.  I may look at getting an external DAC in the future (esp if I commit to moding the output to something other than Toslink) or, if the gain might likely be higher, I might look to spend the $$$ on better AC filtration/regeneration.  That's all in the future in any case.

BTW, I was surprised to hear you say that your W4S uses the SABRE DAC as my PerfectWave uses the Wolfson WM8742.  Given the ties between PSA and W4S, I assumed that they would have been the same....

Got the Realiser yesterday. Booked in a time at the audio shop, fly down to Sydney next thursday to calibrate with the Steinway Model D speakers and Room Perfect all digital sound processor. The Room Perfect completely eliminates all room nodes and reverberations.

Here is a review from 6Moons: http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/steinway/1.html

At another audio shop, I have also booked in a session on thursday to calibrate with the 802D's and a high end Focal model. Conveniently they also have the Stax Omega's and the SRM-007T, will be nice to see what they can do with the Steinways.

Since they are primarily 2 speaker set ups, I will use the L/R mode on the realiser, I think the Steinways room perfect will prove to be something amazing with the Realiser, I asked if I could run a calibration in the "Focused" mode, for the Steinways, there is also a 'Global" mode.

I'll be doing the same, as soon as my DAC sells and I can buy the Realizer; I hope within the month (though I'll be headed to NYC and/or Boston to calibrate).  I was wondering, if you do not mind my asking, how much you are having to pay to use the audio shop's listening room?  What is the going rate of some "studio time" in a retail store?

Thanks for the response dsperber.  Yea, that price sounds right/fair, I just hope I can talk dealers around here into letting me set up shop there for about that amount of $$$; I guess it will depend on the dealer.  Last time I was in Southern California, I stopped by the Smyth US headquarters and I talked to Lor, who was also very sold on the AIX space/system.  I am originally from SoCal and my family still lives there, so I figure I will eventually make it back and I will do the AIX room(s) then, but I doubt I'll make a special trip. 

Sensorum AV is the NYC Smyth dealer, and I think that they should let me replicate their rooms for no charge if I buy the Realizer from them, so I figured I'd begin there.  From there, I absolutely LOVE the mbl speaker line--more, much more than any other speaker system I have ever heard.  So my thinking was to find the best mbl system/room in the North East, hopefully also in NYC so I could do Sensorum and mbl in one trip....  I also thought that the Goldmund Media Room in NYC would be fun.  IMHO, Goldmund (1) sounds great (2) doesn't sound nearly good enough to justify their over-the-top prices.  But, in this context (assuming they'll let me in the door), price is not really an issue.  And how many people can say they have a $1,000,000+ home theater, even if it's just simulated!?!

I did a measurement at a local dealer's place in Los Angeles for free.

FREE is always best  !

KingLocal-

Please keep us updated on how getting measurements in NYC goes! I live in Brooklyn and plan to get a Realiser, but don't want to ever go back to LA, if I can avoid it. :-)

Will do.  I have to wait until my DAC sells so I can finance the purchase... I hope to buy it in the next 30 days or so.  I will check back when I (finally!) do.