[sillysally]

 
Quote:

I am catching this discussion a bit late but basically I have similar feeling to you regarding the realizer: I am not sure I want to include imperfections from the listening environment. However, in my case, the purpose would be to listen to surround sound from movies. As I understand it, these mixes are made assuming that the surround speakers are in a typical listening environment with some reflections, isn't it? Just like it is advised to not have the surround speakers radiate directly to the receiver but use a bit of bouncing around the back and side walls to improve the realism. Even for traditional 2-channel mixes, they actually don't sound great from dead sounding room (I have tried before in full anechoic chamber).
 
So, in conclusion, I believe that the best option here, as has been recommended is getting PRIR from a  high quality setup...
 
On another topic, I haven't read yet through the thread but any info on a possible revised unit accepting digital inputs / included typical decoders? It's a bit compromising to feed the unit with analog because this must get converted back to digital for the processing and then back to analog... Also, I am not sure head tracking is absolutely necessary when primary usage is movie watching...?
 
arnaud
 
 


 

What ever the room and audio system you are making your PRIR from should sound the same when wearing your headphones.
Note, the better the headphone system the better the reproduction of the PRIR will be.
 
Ask Lorr digital inputs. The Realiser uses a PCM 1794 DAC (or 1796 i think).
 
No the head tracker is not necessary to use.
 

 

[TruBrew]

Thanks, that was somewhat helpful. I assumed I would be using it for stereo listening, but I suppoose I should wait to make that call. If I do like it for that use I will likely sell a pair of my cans. I will try contacting Edwood about his decision to use the HE-6. I very much want the 009. I may buy a pair, but likely not for a few years atleast. MkII, I would imagine. I imagine you could get better sound out of one of those for stereo than through a Realiser. If The Realiser was the the end all of perfection everyone here would own one and only one set of cans. 
 
As to my own first question. I may actualy be able to find a studeo here. This is the third largest city in the country for movie production. So I have started to look around for a movie engeneering studio. If not I will try next for a super high end home theater. I am not sure yet. I have been thinking about how I could save enough money from not flying out of town, to say buy a top end portable amp.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[sillysally]

 
Quote:

I have a few questions on the Realiser, as I am going to be buying one hopefully soon.
 
1. Where is the best place to have it calibrated. I am guessing I will have to go out of town to get it done. Southeast, or east coast would be best. I live in New Orleans and would rather not fly across the country for a day trip.
 
2. Is there a point in owning more than one pair of headphones after I buy this. I currently own the HE-6 and LCD-2. If it EQ's headphones to sound the same, should I sell one, since I assume they should sound the same when it is done. Also, what is considered the best headphone with the Realiser.

AIX for your PRIR's, but you have to fly to LAX airport. I made the round trip in >20 hours from Chicago.
 
HE-6 should be all you need, that is if you can properly amp/power the HE-6. Edwood has had both and he recommends the HE-6 over the LCD-2 with the realiser. I have the HE-6's and really like them with the Realiser and my PRIR's from AIX.
 

 

[TruBrew]

My Lyr does a fine job amping the HE-6. I don't see a change anytime soon. Maybe new tubes, but that is likely it.
 

 

[wsilvio]

Anyone here use Bob Ludwig's studio in Maine for their profile?

 

[TruBrew]

 
OK, I am freeing up some more money in case I have to fly to LA, which I would still like to avoid. I am selling my LCD-2. That is not really the point though.
 
I was wondering what makes AIX one of the best places. They use B&W 801. I have never heard them so I can not judge, but they are far from the most expensive speakers around. Is it the acoustics are that good, or the personal setup my Smyth themselves. I just mean, I can likely find someone within an hour drive from me that has a more expensive speakers in a home theater setup. I am just trying to understand how that was worth a flight from Chicago, or anywhere else for that matter. I am not saying there is not a reason, I am just trying to better understand it so I don't feel so bad spending the money.
 
 
Edit: I may try to read through this whole thread to scavenge for answers, it is just so long.

Quote:

Anyone here use Bob Ludwig's studio in Maine for their profile?

 
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As to Bob Ludwig, obviously I have not used him, but he does seem to have a stellar reputation. If you live near there I would shoot him an email or give him a call to see what type of system he has. Even if he was no experience with the Realiser, I am sure he could figure it out.
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[maverickronin]

The most important thing is the room, not the speakers.  Its all about positioning, acoustics, and other intricacies of room treatment.  All the speakers (and whatever is driving them) really need is a nice flat FR for the Realiser to copy.

 

[CanMad]

I have just received my realizer and I have encountered a number of issues that I am hoping some of the experienced realizer users can help me with.

When I did my first calibration I only only heard a chirp through the left speaker and the realizer turned off all my speakers. I worked out this seemed to be caused by not enough volume on my av amp (Pioneer vsx-lx70). To get the test chirps to sound through all channels and sub I had to turn the volume up to +9. I normally listen at between -20 and -30 db, and the amp only goes up to +12. Does this seem excessive, that I have to turn the amp up this loud to get an acceptable calibration? Is there a way to increase the output level on the realizer? When I have the volume set to +9 I get an OK on the left channel and a hi on all other channels.

I then did a PRIR and it sounded awful. The sound was mostly coming from the right hand side with a bad echo from the left and no sound from the front i.e. Centre. The default PRIR sounds way better. I had my wife position the microphones, so I think they were OK to at least get an OK measurement but it is awful.

I then did an HPEQ measurement. At first using my Grado RS1s plugged into my Benchmark DAC1 headphone output. I had to crank the volume up to 2 o'clock to get an acceptable measurement at which point the realizer displays a message saying right channel OK but for the left channel it says "channel switched". Again it seems I am having to turn the volume up far too high to get a measurement. Listening to music on the DAC1 at 2 o'clock would be ear bleedingly loud. Because of the channel switched message I tried doing a headphone eq from the realizer headphone out, it was unable to get a reading i.e. The volume was too low. This doesn't seem correct to me, at 32 ohm the Grados should be able to be driven by the realizer to adequate volume, shouldn't they?

So does anyone have any suggestions? Are the extreme levels of gain I have to use normal when taking measurements? What does the channel switched message mean? Why can't the realizer headphone out drive the Grados? Does it sound like the microphones or the realizer is defective in some way? Is incorrect microphone placement the cause for all or some of the problems including the terrible sound PRIR I recorded?

Sorry for all the questions but I really am feeling quite disappointed at the moment.

I am also finding the placement of the microphones quite difficult and basically impossible to do myself the yellow foam plugs just seem too short to hold the microphone in my ear. Using the medium foams they feel loose, using the large foams they are impossible to insert. I have been using etymotic er4's for 8 years so I am very experienced at inserting plugs in my ears.

Thanks in advance for any and all help received.

 

[dsperber]

 
Quote:

Sorry for all the questions but I really am feeling quite disappointed at the moment.

I am also finding the placement of the microphones quite difficult and basically impossible to do myself the yellow foam plugs just seem too short to hold the microphone in my ear. Using the medium foams they feel loose, using the large foams they are impossible to insert. I have been using etymotic er4's for 8 years so I am very experienced at inserting plugs in my ears..

I would suggest that you try contacting Lorr Kramer at Smyth directly by email first, since he is "THE MAN".  He's no doubt conducted perhaps many hundreds(?) of measurements for customers (and demos) of the Realiser.  He is certainly the one to ask about the problems and difficulties you're having.
 
Perhaps you could arrange by email to have a phone conversation "meeting" when you're both available.  Inevitably you will get things explained to you more clearly if it's verbal directly from him, rather than in writing.  He should also be able to describe how the microphones should be placed and inserted, and no doubt will be able to straighten out your volume issues and unusual behavior anomalies during the calibration.

 

[sillysally]

@CanMad, the volume level you need to make your PRIR or HPEQ (test tones) has nothing to do with what you Set your volume level at when you are lessening to your audio.
 
Your HPEQ is bad unless you redo it from scratch and you get no warnings like the one you got or volume to low., and the same goes for your PRIR.
 
It almost sounds like your left mic's wire is broken, or you simply don't have the left plug going out from the splitter that runs to mic's is not plugged in properly (chances are how you plug in) and make sure all four plugs are plugged properly. Also reread how to setup your speakers, PRIR and make sure you are not doing anything wrong.
You may want to make a new HPEQ and make sure the plugs four are inserted all the way in and the mic is not covered by the foam. If you don't get any warnings when making the HPEQ then you know the mic's are fine. You may have to do this more than once.
 
You don't want the ends of the mic's to be covered by the foam. The foam is not to short, I think you are not inserting the foam and mic properly. Look at how the example has the foam and mic inserted. The mic is located on the top that the wire is on, not the bottom.
 
It may take three or four (or more) treys to get your PRIR and HPEQ right. Also if you have coped down your test results from your PRIR give those to Lorr.
 
And yes E-Mail Lorr, if you still are having problems.
 
 
 

 

[bmoura]

Quote:

Anyone here use Bob Ludwig's studio in Maine for their profile?

I'm guessing that PRIRs done at Bob Ludwig's studio in Maine would be a great addition to anyone's Realiser setup!  Good luck with that project.
 

 

[wsilvio]

yeah, If It happens, I'll let everyone know how it works out.  But first I need to get a realizer.  The price is a bit much, but may be worth it in the end.  

 

[CanMad]

Thanks for your help guys!

 
Quote:

@CanMad, the volume level you need to make your PRIR or HPEQ (test tones) has nothing to do with what you Set your volume level at when you are lessening to your audio.
 
Your HPEQ is bad unless you redo it from scratch and you get no warnings like the one you got or volume to low., and the same goes for your PRIR.
 
It almost sounds like your left mic's wire is broken, or you simply don't have the left plug going out from the splitter that runs to mic's is not plugged in properly (chances are how you plug in) and make sure all four plugs are plugged properly. Also reread how to setup your speakers, PRIR and make sure you are not doing anything wrong.
You may want to make a new HPEQ and make sure the plugs four are inserted all the way in and the mic is not covered by the foam. If you don't get any warnings when making the HPEQ then you know the mic's are fine. You may have to do this more than once.
 
You don't want the ends of the mic's to be covered by the foam. The foam is not to short, I think you are not inserting the foam and mic properly. Look at how the example has the foam and mic inserted. The mic is located on the top that the wire is on, not the bottom.
 
It may take three or four (or more) treys to get your PRIR and HPEQ right. Also if you have coped down your test results from your PRIR give those to Lorr.
 
And yes E-Mail Lorr, if you still are having problems.
 
 
 

Yes a broken microphone is what it appears to be, as swapping them over caused the "Channel Swapped" message to occur for the right hand side when doing a HPEQ.  Lorr has given me information on how to do a microphone test with the realizer, so I can determine if it is the mic, the y-adapter or the microphone cable.
 
He tested the realizer before shipping it to me so it should be unlikely that there are any issues with that, which is a relief, given that I am in Australia.
 
 


Quote:

 

I would suggest that you try contacting Lorr Kramer at Smyth directly by email first, since he is "THE MAN".  He's no doubt conducted perhaps many hundreds(?) of measurements for customers (and demos) of the Realiser.  He is certainly the one to ask about the problems and difficulties you're having.
 
Perhaps you could arrange by email to have a phone conversation "meeting" when you're both available.  Inevitably you will get things explained to you more clearly if it's verbal directly from him, rather than in writing.  He should also be able to describe how the microphones should be placed and inserted, and no doubt will be able to straighten out your volume issues and unusual behavior anomalies during the calibration.

Thanks again, hopefully all issue will be sorted out soon.
 
 

 

[Socrates]

 
I was wondering if somebody with an Aix calibration would be so kind as to send me a copy of the file. In Ireland I have no access to a decent set-up. I'm hoping to travel to one of the distributors in mainland Europe at some stage, or hopefully Smyth will have a UK distributor soon with access to a high end set-up and I can fly over to England. I know the chances are that the calibration may not work very well, but it would be fun to compare someone elses PRIR on a high end system in an acoustically superior room to the personalised calibration of my $3k system in a far from ideal room (square with a small bay window). It would be interesting also to compare two different calibrations from the same room as well !! Many thanks if anyone can help.
 

 

[sillysally]

Sure but I need a E-Mail address. My PRIR's are from AIX, doubt they will do you much good.