[Mad Dude]

Ah, I didn't know that it was possible to use one's own PRIR with the software. I can also see the point that other people may have a better chance of finding a "matching" profile, but from my experience with the Realiser and foreign PRIRs is that even if you find one that works well, the result is still below of what's technically possible.
 
@darinf, your comparison to a pair of jeans is a bit unstable - as of now, the hypothethical brand only offers only a "one size fits some" model. If you can find a way to make HRTF adjustments (as well as Headphone EQ) that would solve the majority of problems and create a really great product.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the concept of your software and think it is to be applauded. However, as it's a commercial software I feel free to criticise it openly. By the way, what about licensing? Strictly speaking, you are using Smyth technology in your software - please correct me if I am wrong - is there some sort of agreement?

 

[darinf]

  Ah, I didn't know that it was possible to use one's own PRIR with the software. I can also see the point that other people may have a better chance of finding a "matching" profile, but from my experience with the Realiser and foreign PRIRs is that even if you find one that works well, the result is still below of what's technically possible.
 
@darinf, your comparison to a pair of jeans is a bit unstable - as of now, the hypothethical brand only offers only a "one size fits some" model. If you can find a way to make HRTF adjustments (as well as Headphone EQ) that would solve the majority of problems and create a really great product.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the concept of your software and think it is to be applauded. However, as it's a commercial software I feel free to criticise it openly. By the way, what about licensing? Strictly speaking, you are using Smyth technology in your software - please correct me if I am wrong - is there some sort of agreement?

I don't want to get this thread too far off topic, so we should move any discussion to the Out Of Your Head thread for future discussion.
 
But I'll just finish this thought.
 
I know, the jeans comparison is not exactly right, as you pointed out. Right now I only a a few "sizes" so if one of those sizes doesn't fit, then it won't be ideal. It's kind of like having small, medium, and large only. 
 
Of course, please feel free to criticize/comment about Out Of Your Head. I welcome all feedback, good or bad. Bad feedback just pushes me harder to make it better.
 
Just to be clear, I have no affiliation with Smyth Research whatsoever. I have no privileged information. I just wanted similar functionality on a cheaper more flexible platform and decided to build software to do so.

 

[VandyMan]

Maybe Out of Your Head will convince Smyth to do something they should have done long ago: make a Windows/Mac software-only version of their system. No head tracker, but all else the same.

 

[Edwood]

Tried Darin Fong's Out of Your Head demo.  Works very well.  Even has AIX Records Preset.  But there is a significant delay to audio, you'll really notice it when watching movies and the audio being out of sync with people talking.  On my system (4GHz Sandy Bridge) it's using about 5% CPU.
 
Comparing it to my SVS Realiser with AIX Records Profile, the Out Of Your Head version is very veiled sounding.  Like cotton balls stuffed in my ears.  That's where the personal PRIR measurements for the SVS Realiser really make the difference.
 
But overall, Out Of Your Head is very impressive, and sounds better than all the other systems out there.  I wish he made a USB sound card that would run his virtual driver as an actual driver, and fix the audio delay.

 

[darinf]

  Tried Darin Fong's Out of Your Head demo.  Works very well.  Even has AIX Records Preset.  But there is a significant delay to audio, you'll really notice it when watching movies and the audio being out of sync with people talking.  On my system (4GHz Sandy Bridge) it's using about 5% CPU.
 
Comparing it to my SVS Realiser with AIX Records Profile, the Out Of Your Head version is very veiled sounding.  Like cotton balls stuffed in my ears.  That's where the personal PRIR measurements for the SVS Realiser really make the difference.
 
But overall, Out Of Your Head is very impressive, and sounds better than all the other systems out there.  I wish he made a USB sound card that would run his virtual driver as an actual driver, and fix the audio delay.

Thanks for trying out Out Of Your Head. Yes, currently on most systems there is a 350-400ms delay in the processing. So, in your media player software you have to adjust for the delay. Most media players like VLC, JRiver, Cyberlink, etc. have audio delay functions. Just set the audio sync to -400ms to start and adjust from there depending on your system. I have not had a problem watching movies/videos once the delay is compensated for in the software. I realize the delay is problematic for applications like gaming. We are working on a rewriting the processing engine for a lower latency version but I have no idea when that will be released. We are focusing on getting the Mac OS X version out first.

 

[Edwood]

Lower latency would be great, preferably <50ms.  Under 5ms would be ideal, especially for gaming.  

 

[Edwood]

Also, your engine needs to be able to handle high bit rate multi channel 24bit audio without clipping, or having to manually adjust levels in playback software end.  The clipping for loud passages is very nasty when listening to DTS-HD MA and TrueHD files.
 
I would really like for Smyth Research to make a USB Sound Card, that SVS Realiser USB.  Would be THE ultimate device.
 
Until then, Darin Fong's Out Of Your Head is the closest thing right now.  

 

[Edwood]

  Ah, I didn't know that it was possible to use one's own PRIR with the software. I can also see the point that other people may have a better chance of finding a "matching" profile, but from my experience with the Realiser and foreign PRIRs is that even if you find one that works well, the result is still below of what's technically possible.
 
@darinf, your comparison to a pair of jeans is a bit unstable - as of now, the hypothethical brand only offers only a "one size fits some" model. If you can find a way to make HRTF adjustments (as well as Headphone EQ) that would solve the majority of problems and create a really great product.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the concept of your software and think it is to be applauded. However, as it's a commercial software I feel free to criticise it openly. By the way, what about licensing? Strictly speaking, you are using Smyth technology in your software - please correct me if I am wrong - is there some sort of agreement?

 
The Smyth Realiser's PRIR is more like Eyeglass Prescriptions as an analogy for me.

 

[Erik Garci]

This Atlona converter might help HDMI users.  It converts Dolby and DTS audio to LPCM.  Unfortunately the LPCM is only 2-channel.  I contacted Atlona to suggest adding 5.1 and 7.1 LPCM, and they are taking this into consideration.
 
http://www.atlona.com/HD-M2C.html

 

[darinf]

  This Atlona converter might help HDMI users.  It converts Dolby and DTS audio to LPCM.  Unfortunately the LPCM is only 2-channel.  I contacted Atlona to suggest adding 5.1 and 7.1 LPCM, and they are taking this into consideration.
 
http://www.atlona.com/HD-M2C.html

I haven't looked in a while, but I believe that most Blu-Ray players and media players will output 2 channel LPCM from 5.1 and 7.1 sources. The expensive Dolby or DTS licenses are not required for decoding to 2 channel.
 
The main problem is finding a source that can decode 5.1 or 7.1 to 6 or 8 channel LPCM. That is not common from what I understand is due to the cost of licensing. At least that's what Dune told me. That's why their lower end models don't support full LPCM decoding but their higher end models do.
 
You also look at media players like the western Digital WDTV units. All of them will decode multi-channel content to two channel LPCM. 
 
There are a few Blu-Ray players that will decode to 6 or 8 channel LPCM, like the Oppo's, Dune, and some cheaper more mainstream brands like Panasonic, Samsung, etc. But if you have read through this thread, it's very hard to find out which models support it. It's not usually part of the spec sheet. I just kept trying and returning players to Best Buy until I found ones that worked with the Realiser.

 

[darinf]

FYI, here are two Blu-Ray players that I have that will decode 5.1 and 7.1 to 6 or 8 channel LPCM via the HDMI out:
 
Samsung bd-e6500
Panasonic DMP-BDT320 or 500
 
I am guessing these models might be discontinued by now and there are more current models now.
 
But for those of you who don't want to spring for the cost of an Oppo player, there are much lower cost alternatives that will work. Of course you get what you pay for in terms of quality.

 

[The French]

Hi all,
 
I don't get it.
Aren't all Bluray players supposed to be able to output LPCM  in 5.1 to have their Bluray logo ?
 
 
Most media players output 2 CH in LPCM because of the licences fees. But those which are including a Bluray player, such as some Dune's (ie HD Max), are outputting LPCM in 5.1.
 
 
A second hand HD Max will do the job, and is much cheaper than an Oppo (which have maybe more features, or better components).

 

[darinf]

  Hi all,
 
I don't get it.
Aren't all Bluray players supposed to be able to output LPCM  in 5.1 to have their Bluray logo ?
 
 
Most media players output 2 CH in LPCM because of the licences fees. But those which are including a Bluray player, such as some Dune's (ie HD Max), are outputting LPCM in 5.1.
 
 
A second hand HD Max will do the job, and is much cheaper than an Oppo (which have maybe more features, or better components).

Maybe you're right. Perhaps I was thinking about the Blu-Ray players outputting LPCM from files rather than disks. (I rip all my Blu-Rays to hard drives.) It's been a while since I investigated Blu-Ray players.
 
That's why I bought a used Dune HD Max. It works great with the Realiser and no Cinevia problems.

 

[songmic]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed, but has anyone upgraded the power supply of the Realiser? The stock adapter that comes with the Realiser seems mediocre at best, but then again, I'm not sure if a device like the Realiser would actually benefit from a better power supply. I'll be using the Realiser purely as a Realiser only; I will be using a separate DAC (via Realiser's optical out) and headphone amp.
 
Here is one example of a power supply upgrade that is compatible with the Realiser... the question is, has anyone done this and found even a slight, albeit noticeable, improvement in sound?
http://www.teddypardo.com/powersupplies/teddy9-2.html

 

[hekeli]

  I'm not sure if this has been discussed, but has anyone upgraded the power supply of the Realiser? The stock adapter that comes with the Realiser seems mediocre at best, but then again, I'm not sure if a device like the Realiser would actually benefit from a better power supply. I'll be using the Realiser purely as a Realiser only; I will be using a separate DAC (via Realiser's optical out) and headphone amp.

 
People believe and hear all sorts of things, but you would be using a purely digital path, inputting digital HDMI and outputting digital (especially optical which removes any electrical connection to the upstream). What would you think would improve? Maybe if you were using the analog outputs a theoretical difference could be found.