[The French]

  Guys, has anyone here faced this problem?
 
It's not the problem with the Smyth Realiser per se, but with the computer connected to it. In my case, I use an Apple iMac, using an adapter to connect it to the Realiser's HDMI input. Everything works fine in this case. However, if I turn off the screen of the Mac, the computer automatically disconnects the HDMI signal, both video AND audio. I understand why this happens; HDMI is originally meant to be a video format, and since the screen is off, the connection is cut off. However, it is a bit frustrating that the audio signal is also cut off.
 
The reason I'm asking this is because I like to have my iMac's screen turned off when listening to music. With other interfaces such as USB (and USB DAC), this doesn't happen obviously, but with HDMI and Smyth Realiser, I cannot turn off the screen and maintain audio over HDMI at the same time.
 
Is there a way to continue enjoying music via HDMI with the screen turned off? Either by keeping the music signal alive and disconnecting the video signal only, or by maintaining both video and audio even though the screen is off?

 
Hi,
I've had the exact same issue.
Here is my setup :
Dune HD Max => Realiser => Benq Projector
 
When the Benq is off, I've got no sound.
 
I've contacted Smyth, but they don't have any solution.
I've been told that HDMI was a touchy thing, as devices communicates : if one is off, there no communication.
 
I was first using the analog output to solve the issue (but I guess you don't necessarly have any on an Imac)
Then I've been using an HDMI spitter (for other matters) and I found out that it's solved the issue.
 
But I might also depends on the splitter used...so I canno't garanty i will works for you.

 

[John_M]

Some queries:
 
- Has anyone ever tried making a PRIR outdoors? If so, was it any good?
 
- I have speakers in a very reverberant room. PRIRs created in this room are horrible. Is there anything obvious I can do on a temporary basis to reduce reverb (e.g. temporarily hanging stuff on the wall?)
 
- Would there be any way of using measurements of the frequency response of IEMs to create HPEQ files for a particular IEM? Obviously it isn't possible to take microphone measurements. I know the HPEQ files also measure how the sound hits your ear but surely that wouldn't make any difference with IEMs. It'd be good to have a generic HPEQ file for each IEM.

 

[LB1947]

First, I wish to express my appreciation for all the posts in this thread. I have been following the Smyth Realiser since Gary Reber wrote about the prototype in 2004(Widescreen Review) . As an apartment dweller, who hates the collapse of the soundstage inherent in headphone listening and enjoys movies as much as two channel listening I have searched for a solution. The best I found was the wired version of the AKG Hearo 999 (long out of production).

On May 5,2014, I attended the meeting at Glen Poor's store and Lorr Kramer did my measurements in the home theater and two channel rooms. I will be picking up my A8 this week and look forward to using the product. I chose the Sennheiser 800 (Long time owner of the Senn 600/Zu headphone cable) and will be using the OPPO105D as a source.

I have three questions for which I would appreciate any information.

1. Are there any locations in the Midwest that you have been able to negotiate with to permit measurement of their speaker set ups ? I will be looking and will let the thread know if I find any on my own.

2. It appears most people do not employ had an additional headphone amp and external dac is that because an additional headphone and Dac would only add a marginal improvement to the Realiser experience? (I am thinking about adding a seat transducer device)

3. Has anyone had experience with adding a linear power supply/or battery power to the Realiser?

Again thanks to one and all for sharing your experiences with the Smyth Realiser

 

[sillysally]

  Some queries:
 
- Has anyone ever tried making a PRIR outdoors? If so, was it any good?
 
- I have speakers in a very reverberant room. PRIRs created in this room are horrible. Is there anything obvious I can do on a temporary basis to reduce reverb (e.g. temporarily hanging stuff on the wall?)
 
- Would there be any way of using measurements of the frequency response of IEMs to create HPEQ files for a particular IEM? Obviously it isn't possible to take microphone measurements. I know the HPEQ files also measure how the sound hits your ear but surely that wouldn't make any difference with IEMs. It'd be good to have a generic HPEQ file for each IEM.

Outdoors will not work, no walls.
No IEM will not work for HPEQ
 

First, I wish to express my appreciation for all the posts in this thread. I have been following the Smyth Realiser since Gary Reber wrote about the prototype in 2004(Widescreen Review) . As an apartment dweller, who hates the collapse of the soundstage inherent in headphone listening and enjoys movies as much as two channel listening I have searched for a solution. The best I found was the wired version of the AKG Hearo 999 (long out of production).

On May 5,2014, I attended the meeting at Glen Poor's store and Lorr Kramer did my measurements in the home theater and two channel rooms. I will be picking up my A8 this week and look forward to using the product. I chose the Sennheiser 800 (Long time owner of the Senn 600/Zu headphone cable) and will be using the OPPO105D as a source.

I have three questions for which I would appreciate any information.

1. Are there any locations in the Midwest that you have been able to negotiate with to permit measurement of their speaker set ups ? I will be looking and will let the thread know if I find any on my own.

2. It appears most people do not employ had an additional headphone amp and external dac is that because an additional headphone and Dac would only add a marginal improvement to the Realiser experience? (I am thinking about adding a seat transducer device)

3. Has anyone had experience with adding a linear power supply/or battery power to the Realiser?

Again thanks to one and all for sharing your experiences with the Smyth Realiser

1. Not That I know of. I went out to LA to make mine.
2. Adding a amp will improve the SQ. Because I use HDMI out from my Oppo to the Realiser and then out via Toslink out to my W4S Dac, I keep the signal digital. From my W4S Dac I run balanced to my Stax amp and then balanced out to my SR-009.
3. Keeping everything in the Realiser digital, linear should not make a difference. 
 
ss

 

[LB1947]

Thanks for the response, SillySally. If I find any local (I live in the suburbs just north of Chicago) I will post that info for now I guess Glenn Poor's Audio is the only place nearby.

My reasoning with regard to adding battery or linear power is that "cleaning" up the power supply appears to be a common strategy employed by manufactures to raise the SQ of their products. I am conservative when it comes to adding tweaks but I have used voltage regulation(Monster power AVS2000 and the Bp-3 from B-P-T (balanced power products) to improve picture quality on my TV. For me the result has been increased picture detail and increased audibility of sound track information. YMMV.

 

[John_M]

Can someone explain what some of the settings on speaker angles are doing? I don't find the manual too clear.
 
I'm using a PRIR recorded using the LBRB method in head-tracker mode. My questions:
 
1. When I press LOOK, the figure for C is -0 degrees, the figure for L is -24 degrees and the figure for R is +31 degrees. What exactly does this mean? That these are the angles I looked when the PRIR was being measured? (Even though I looked left and right three times - once for the L and R speakers, then for left and right surround, then for left and right back - so this wouldn't make a lot of sense).
 
2. Am I right in saying that I don't need to make any adjustments to 'correct' the -24 and +31 angles?
 
3. When I press MENU and then (say) left surround speaker, it shows -120 degrees for VSPKR and -110 degrees for SPKR. Am I right in saying that it's the VSPKR information that determines what I'm hearing?
 
4. How do I adjust the VSPKR position?

 

[John_M]

I have yet another question to add to my previous bombardment.
 
I've been recording some of my own PRIRs in rooms which have not been acoustically treated and are likely to be poor quality. What I've found is that the PRIRs sound EXTREMELY "tinny" and reverberant. Much more so than just listening to the speakers.
 
I've tried recording a PRIR outdoors albeit not in an open space - a wide area surrounded by brick walls. Again, tinny and reverberant, although not as bad.
 
These PRIRs are much worse than the one 'good' PRIR I have, which was taken in a high-end listening room at an audio dealer. While this is unsurprising, the difference in quality is much greater than I'd expected.
 
Have people found that the Realiser is very unforgiving on reverberant rooms - and, in fact, makes the reverb worse?
 
I know there's a setting to adjust it but this will never be as good as recording in a good quality room to start with.

 

[JeffJK]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but has anyone directly compared the HDMI version with the non-HDMI version? The theory is that a cleaner signal path with fewer a/d conversions will sound better, but I'm wondering if that's true--especially because my Realiser isn't upgradable, so I would have to buy a whole new unit.

 

[silverlight]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but has anyone directly compared the HDMI version with the non-HDMI version? The theory is that a cleaner signal path with fewer a/d conversions will sound better, but I'm wondering if that's true--especially because my Realiser isn't upgradable, so I would have to buy a whole new unit.

HUGE HUGE difference, definitely a better SQ to run directly from an HDMI-equipped source (i.e., Oppo Player, Mac Mini, Audio PC server with HDMI out, etc), and then also route out from the optical to a good quality DAC, isolating just the processing and avoiding A to D and D to A in the unit.  I also found quality of HDMI and optical cables made a difference as well (more HDMI than optical in my case).  Note this was not testing between the HDMI and non HDMI version of the unit, but rather a comparison of the HDMI and analog connectors with the same HDMI unit (comparing only 2 channel audio sources).  Good luck!

 

[John_M]

  I also found quality of HDMI and optical cables made a difference as well (more HDMI than optical in my case). 

Come on now, really?
 
There are some dubious claims about cables carrying an analogue source, but HDMI is carrying a digital source so we're on  whole different level here. Are you quite, quite sure this makes a difference?

 

[blubliss]

Yeah, "HUGE, HUGE difference", no way.  

 

[JeffJK]

 
Come on now, really?
 
There are some dubious claims about cables carrying an analogue source, but HDMI is carrying a digital source so we're on  whole different level here. Are you quite, quite sure this makes a difference?

Please, pretty please, don't turn my question into an argument about cables.

 

[John_M]

Hehe sorry.
 
Can someone please answer my question? I know I asked a lot but just focus on this one:
 
When creating a PRIR in a non acoustically treated room, do you find that you get an exaggerated, tinny reverb effect?
 
I'm about to book some expensive time in a high quality listening room and just want to check that I'm not doing anything wrong, and that there's nothing wrong with my equipment.

 

[JeffJK]

 
Hehe sorry.
 
Can someone please answer my question? I know I asked a lot but just focus on this one:
 
When creating a PRIR in a non acoustically treated room, do you find that you get an exaggerated, tinny reverb effect?
 
I'm about to book some expensive time in a high quality listening room and just want to check that I'm not doing anything wrong, and that there's nothing wrong with my equipment.

I had the same experience. Got my measurements in a pretty "live"-sounding room (windows all along one wall), and there is some of that tinny effect. I need to get new measurements someplace else.

 

[John_M]

Glad to hear it's not just me.

I have another PRIR taken in the listening room of a high end audio dealer, and it's fine - but it wasn't recorded on my own Realiser.

Anywhere I myself have recorded a PRIR (in my non-acoustically treated flat) I've had the tinny reverb effect.