[VerloK]

Thanks for your help guys
Cya~

 

[pervysage]

When you want to use your own DAC/AMP via Optical out, do you just set the headphone output to 99 (which I assume is the max) on the A16? Is there some kind of Line option that just maxes out the volume all the time (so I can just control volume via my DAC/AMP?)

EDIT: seems the outputs are indeed variable level according to the manual.. when I have them at 99 I seem to have issues with crackling/peaking out and the volume automatically reduces itself to about 70-ish... what's up with that?

 

[GeorgeA]

I think that optical/spdif out is not volume controlled as the signal is diverted upstream the internal DAC and headphone amp.

 

[pervysage]

I think that optical/spdif out is not volume controlled as the signal is diverted upstream the internal DAC and headphone amp.

Definitely seems to be volume controlled from everything I have tried so far lol. I can adjust the volume on the A16 with my headphones connected to my own DAC/AMP.

 

[pervysage]

DUDE, this thing is so cool in games!!! haha, I am giddy with laughter only 10 minutes of firing up Overwatch.

For one, I was super surprised that it just WORKS. Instantly saw all the surround speakers lighting up while jumping around and shooting surprised me as I thought there would be a lot of setup involved. Right now I am on the basic out of box settings and it just simply works! (via HDMI right now and selecting 7.1 Speaker setup in Windows 10). I still gotta download the Dolby Atmos app and give that a whirl. But I literally didn't have to do anything in Overwatch for it to work in surround... that is super cool. Wonder if it would be like that for other games.

 

[Dixter]

When you want to use your own DAC/AMP via Optical out, do you just set the headphone output to 99 (which I assume is the max) on the A16? Is there some kind of Line option that just maxes out the volume all the time (so I can just control volume via my DAC/AMP?)

EDIT: seems the outputs are indeed variable level according to the manual.. when I have them at 99 I seem to have issues with crackling/peaking out and the volume automatically reduces itself to about 70-ish... what's up with that?

if the A16 detects clipping then it will adjust the volume down... that could be what you are seeing...

 

[pervysage]

if the A16 detects clipping then it will adjust the volume down... that could be what you are seeing...

Yeah, that is what it seems like. Seems to always settle down around 73 no matter how much I try to max it out. So I suppose it would be best to keep it at that 73-ish point and just control the volume via my DAC/AMP?

 

[pervysage]

Anyone have issues getting higher than 1080p from the HDMI video output on the A16?

The monitor I have connected to the A16 HDMI output is usually running at 1440p but it's stuck on 1080p with no option to switch to anything higher in Windows 10 display settings.

 

[sander99]

Yeah, that is what it seems like. Seems to always settle down around 73 no matter how much I try to max it out. So I suppose it would be best to keep it at that 73-ish point and just control the volume via my DAC/AMP?

Yes. Or only use the range below 73-ish.
(In case you are wondering where this clipping/correcting thing is coming from in the first place: because of the SVS processing it is hard to predict beforehand the actual digital peak level of the result.)

 

[phoenixdogfan]

if the A16 detects clipping then it will adjust the volume down... that could be what you are seeing...

Is that digital clipping or are the A16's headphone amps clipping?

 

[Sordel]

I got everything I needed when I ordered two headtrackers. I admit my wife hasn’t been keen enough to join me in listening to headphones though, sadly.

My wife was reluctant to watch tv in headphones and I was worried about the fact that the optical tracker only supports one user but in fact the magnetic tracking has been rock solid and she's even managed over three hours of The Irishman in headphones. I think that the individual vlume controls are a nice benefit to highlight when enticing one's SPUD to use the A16.

 

[Evshrug]

DUDE, this thing is so cool in games!!! haha, I am giddy with laughter only 10 minutes of firing up Overwatch.

For one, I was super surprised that it just WORKS. Instantly saw all the surround speakers lighting up while jumping around and shooting surprised me as I thought there would be a lot of setup involved. Right now I am on the basic out of box settings and it just simply works! (via HDMI right now and selecting 7.1 Speaker setup in Windows 10). I still gotta download the Dolby Atmos app and give that a whirl. But I literally didn't have to do anything in Overwatch for it to work in surround... that is super cool. Wonder if it would be like that for other games.

It was like that for me with LPCM 7.1 from my PS4 Pro’s HDMI output. With the headtracking (and the fact that the default EQ is set to make an HD 800 sound like the AIX Studio, and I have an HD 800), it’s so good... and then you look at the manual and imagine how to set up your own 2 speakers to “fake” a full 7 speaker, 9, or 16 speaker setup, and you start to think you might be happy enough out of the box

I have to admit, I have a 1080P monitor and a 720P plasma TV, so I don’t really know what it does for higher res screens or how to fix it. I believe the HDMI 2.0 should be 4k capable.


@Sordel Thanks for the comment. I wonder if my wife would end up with the volume louder or quieter? I tend to turn up the TV volume when I join her, but then when there’s a siren up the street or a funny noise coming from the neighbors, I’m always the one who hears it first and she has to really concentrate

However, my wife’s issue with headphones comes from hating the feeling of her ears trapped inside something. She also doesn’t do well with our masks during Covid... she knows she has to, but about 20 minutes in to grocery shopping, she starts getting irritable and panicky, feeling her “breath coming back at her” is like someone covering her mouth with their hands to suffocate her. Lately she just stays in the car or at home while I shop. Sooooo, earbuds and supraaural clip-ons only, and even those not for very long. Wish I knew that before I bought the extra tracker. Just one of those things ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[sander99]

Is that digital clipping or are the A16's headphone amps clipping?

@pervysage is using a digital output connected to an external DAC/amp so it has to be digital clipping.
At what volume setting the clipping starts depends on many things. How loud are the virtual speakers? What frequencies are lifted by how much in the overall process, for example because the measured speakers/room had peaks, or the headphone had dips that needed to be EQd up, what frequencies are present at what level in the input channels? That is why it is hard to predict, if all above combines in an "unlucky" way the clipping starts at a lower volume level.

 

[Dixter]

Is that digital clipping or are the A16's headphone amps clipping?

Headphone Clip Attenuation Override
The A16 headphone volume control (user A and user B) is implemented inside the SVS rendering DSPs using a digital gain control. A consequence of this approach is that it is relatively easy to clip the PCM signal output to the headphone DACs (as well as the SPDIF transmitters and USB stereo line out) when a high-volume setting coincides with high input signal levels. To mitigate this potential problem the A16 steadily reduces the digital gain (volume) each time a clip event is detected, thereby ensuring the listener is not subjected to sustained clipping distortion. In practice this means that the A16 will automatically reduce the dialled in volume during loud portions of the sound track until clipping ceases. The problem can normally be avoided either by moving the A16 gain slider (L-M-H) on the front panel to a higher setting when the headphone is directly by the A16, or by increasing the headphone amplifier gain when using an external headphone amplifier. Previously any automatic reduction in volume setting was not reflected on the A16 display until an attempt to adjust the volume was made by the user. As of rev 1.98, the volume shown in the top right-hand corner of the speaker rendering page will now match the actual gain in real time. Real time volume display Nonetheless there are times when it is useful to not have the system automatically attenuate the gain on clipping. As of rev 1.98 a ‘Limiter off’ switch has been added to the AUDIO Settings. When enabled, the digital gain will always remain at that set by the volume, for both user A and user B and for both 16-ch and 24-ch modes of operation. Note that the ‘Limiter off’ switch is implemented in real time and does not require the reloading of Presets. Attenuation override switch in AUDIO settings

 

[badgeratu]

Hi all, long-term A8 owner here patiently awaiting my A16 preorder. I’m currently buying some new kit and want to plan for the A16 fitting into the setup properly. Does anyone know if the A16 now supports both video and bitstream audio pass-through on the HDMI ports when in standby? Also is it possible to change the HDMI source when in standby so it can be used as a source switching unit when the headphones aren’t required? Thanks in advance!