[Dan Millheim]

Thanks Edwood for the quick reply.

One last question...for now

It sounds like once you have a solid foundation (high end headphone rig) already in place, this unit brings everything to a whole new level with technology that MIGHT make upgrading or changing out headphones, amps, dacs, cables etc., for that last 10% of SQ meaningless?

In other words:
The differences between an HD800 verses a PS1000 with the Smyth becomes less impacting?

A Headroom amp verses a RSA with the Smyth a non factor?

Or am I understanding this wrong?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

The actual headphones and amp are EQ'd out so that you get the sound signature of the speakers, but with the speed and detail limitations (or lack thereof) of the headphones.

The Stax SR-202 with SRM-252 amp were able to reproduce the speakers with better speed and detail than the speakers that Smyth used to set it up!

 

[bmoura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm definitely going to get an SVS Realiser. Talking with Mike, Steve, and Steve at CanJam, we should definitely organize a mini meet at Smyth Research in Camarillo. I think we should definitely get a list of seriously interested buyers. We could then have personalizations done there along with profiling our own headphones. (I don't plan on using the Headphone profiling file). An AIX trip would be great as well. I'm definitely interested. Smyth Research said they could handle a group of about 10-12 people on a weekend, like a Saturday. We could do it sometime this summer, or perhaps as late as early fall. So, who's interested? <raises hand> I'll post a thread in the Meets forum if there is enough interest. -Ed

I'd be game for a meet-up as well. Smyth took my measurements at Can-Jam. So now all I need is the SVS and a couple of AIX discs to take advantage of that offer....

I wonder what other recording studios/sound rooms in the L.A. area might also be available to get measured in. Hmm...

 

[n3rdling]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm definitely going to get an SVS Realiser. Talking with Mike, Steve, and Steve at CanJam, we should definitely organize a mini meet at Smyth Research in Camarillo. I think we should definitely get a list of seriously interested buyers. We could then have personalizations done there along with profiling our own headphones. (I don't plan on using the Headphone profiling file). An AIX trip would be great as well. I'm definitely interested. Smyth Research said they could handle a group of about 10-12 people on a weekend, like a Saturday. We could do it sometime this summer, or perhaps as late as early fall. So, who's interested? <raises hand> I'll post a thread in the Meets forum if there is enough interest. -Ed

I am definitely down to go if this happens. I live in LA, a couple minutes from where CanJam was held. I did the Smyth demo at CanJam and was very impressed. Every question I threw at them (I've been thinking of this device for a while) was answered with what I was hoping to hear. I'd probably be willing to bring my Quad ESL57 setup to their calibration room if there's interest. One of the Smyths told me that they were actually tested around a Quad, though I suspect he was talking about the 63. Anyways, count me in.

All:
I think it is important for people to realize the technical ability of the headphone is actually a limiting factor. They didn't pick the Stax 202 because it looks cool; they picked it because it will just about never be a bottleneck in things that the EQ can't "fix" (speed, detail, etc.). Ex: If you use something like an Audio Technica AD700 and try to replicate a Quad, the headphone drivers will probably do fine at mimicking tonality, but they won't be able to match the speed or detail the Quad can dish out.

 

[Sledge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n3rdling /img/forum/go_quote.gif All: I think it is important for people to realize the technical ability of the headphone is actually a limiting factor. They didn't pick the Stax 202 because it looks cool; they picked it because it will just about never be a bottleneck in things that the EQ can't "fix" (speed, detail, etc.). Ex: If you use something like an Audio Technica AD700 and try to replicate a Quad, the headphone drivers will probably do fine at mimicking tonality, but they won't be able to match the speed or detail the Quad can dish out.

I was considering picking up a balanced HD650 and a Headroom amp or perhaps the HD800's and a FET-A for my HT rig. Hopefully either of those won't be a bottleneck

 

[SleepyOne]

If only Logitech brought them up then we all can have one...

 

[Dr. AIX]

I was very glad to be part of the Smyth-Research effort at the recent Head-Fi/Can Jam event and have been checking back here over the past week to see the musing that visitors and others have offered.

I thought perhaps I would chime in briefly with regards to my recordings, my thoughts on their system and the opportunity for individuals that own the box to come by and have their personal setting done at my ($250,000) surround room (the same room that I use to mix and master my projects).

Stephen and Michael Smyth have accomplished what was previously impossible...and I'm aware of all of the efforts in this area. I received my Ph.D. from UCLA in 1986 with a focus on binaural sound recording and reproduction. My dissertation was the first in the history of UCLA to be played back from my stereo Nagra to a committee that was wearing headphones. I get it.

What the realiser does is model the exact sound received by the listener as they listen in a specific room to a specific system. What you would actually hear is replicated by some very fancy processing to match the movement and timbral qualities that reach each ear...on a personalized basis.

When I heard the demo for the first time at their offices...I was astounded! There was literally no difference between the physical speakers and the presentation through the motion-tracked headphones! The music they used was taken from my sampler disc...so I know those tracks very well. The placement and sonic character was matched exactly.

When they came to my room and set another round of demonstrations for myself and my staff...we were all amazed. What they can accomplish is not for everyone but it brings the kind of audio environment that I'm lucky enough to have to a much larger audience. And the cost of $3000 to take my room on a memory chip to your own headphone setup seems ridiculously cheap.

Within the audiophile community that I associate with, $3000 doesn't even get enough cable to hookup even a stereo pair of speakers...let along a full 5.1 or 7.1 system.

I'm a huge fan of high definition, surround music...it is my passion and AIX Records is dedicated to producing and releasing projects that demonstrate the amazing improvement in one's listening experience that can be achieved through careful (and unique) recording processes AND the presentation of the music in multichannel. Now for the first time, thanks to the Realiser, everyone that cares about great music and great sound can hear my recordings the way that I hear them hear at the studio where they are made. This has never happened before!

So I'm tremendously excited by what they have done. For those that get one of their boxes and are interested in coming to my facility to acquire a personalized setting...I'm very open to providing the opportunity. It's good news for the world of surround music AND the headphone community.

BTW Our first Blu-Ray sampler disc will be bundled with the new Oppo BD-83 (the unit that I was showing at the CanJam event). It's almost finished and should be replicated next week. Anyone that's interested in real HD surround audio should enjoy it a great deal.

 

[Ripley]

Thanks for the informative post! A few quick questions:

- Do you have a Realiser permanently setup in your studio, or do we need to bring our own Realiser with us for the calibration?

- Is there a cutoff date for your (amazingly generous) offer to use your studio for calibration?

(I ask these mainly for selfish reasons: I'm about to move back to Salt Lake City (from Berkeley), so I'm considering driving down to L.A. to get a calibration before I head out.)

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

How do we contact Smyth?

 

[Dr. AIX]

I spoke to the Symth brothers and will be getting my own box as soon as they can spare one. I don't know when that will be.

I'd like to ask this group what you think would be a reasonable charge for the hour spent in the studio doing the setup for each person. As a studio we charge $250 per hour for outside clients (mostly high end mixing and post sound). I obviously want people to experience our recordings in our room and would consider doing a reduction of the fee against purchases from our catalog. That's how I handled the CanJam event...if someone purchased $100 worth of AIX Records products then I offered the opportunity in the studio.

I love sharing the sound of my recordings and have some stuff that I cannot sell that I can share with visitors.

I'm flexible and open to ideas from this group.

As for getting in touch with the Smyth Research guys, they have a web site...I think. Or send an email to them at symth-research.com. I don't think I should publish their exact addresses...unless they give me permission. But if someone wants to send me a private message...I will pass it along.

Mark

 

[Ripley]

According to the original post back on AVS, anyone interested in ordering a Realiser should email Lorr Kramer at lorr@smyth-research.com.

On a related note: has anyone heard word of when the Smyth Research webpage will go live? I'm in desperate need of an official page to salivate over.

 

[Ripley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. AIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I'd like to ask this group what you think would be a reasonable charge for the hour spent in the studio doing the setup for each person. As a studio we charge $250 per hour for outside clients (mostly high end mixing and post sound). I obviously want people to experience our recordings in our room and would consider doing a reduction of the fee against purchases from our catalog. That's how I handled the CanJam event...if someone purchased $100 worth of AIX Records products then I offered the opportunity in the studio....

I would definitely be willing to buy $100 worth of AIX Records for the opportunity to calibrate in your studio!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. AIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif I spoke to the Symth brothers and will be getting my own box as soon as they can spare one. I don't know when that will be. I'd like to ask this group what you think would be a reasonable charge for the hour spent in the studio doing the setup for each person. As a studio we charge $250 per hour for outside clients (mostly high end mixing and post sound). I obviously want people to experience our recordings in our room and would consider doing a reduction of the fee against purchases from our catalog. That's how I handled the CanJam event...if someone purchased $100 worth of AIX Records products then I offered the opportunity in the studio. I love sharing the sound of my recordings and have some stuff that I cannot sell that I can share with visitors. I'm flexible and open to ideas from this group. As for getting in touch with the Smyth Research guys, they have a web site...I think. Or send an email to them at symth-research.com. I don't think I should publish their exact addresses...unless they give me permission. But if someone wants to send me a private message...I will pass it along. Mark

I regret not taking you up on that deal you offered to get a profile on your system in your room, in return for buying $100 worth of music. It was a big mistake on my part, and a great offer by you. The problem there was just so little time during CanJam, but that would have been the best way to spend my Saturday night.

I did guess at an email address and contacted "info at Smyth-research dot com" to have them hang onto my profile and my son's profile from their demo room, just in case. Stephen responded lightning fast. I have to figure out what to sell to pay for it first. If I didn't have a 50% deposit on a EC ZDT amp, with the other 50% due in a couple of weeks then I would have most of the funds.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. AIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's how I handled the CanJam event...if someone purchased $100 worth of AIX Records products then I offered the opportunity in the studio. I love sharing the sound of my recordings and have some stuff that I cannot sell that I can share with visitors. I'm flexible and open to ideas from this group. Mark

I'm definitely interested in getting an SVS Realiser profile done in your studio.

-Ed

 

[Ripley]

If Dr. AIX obtains a Realiser in the next month or so, and if his generous offer for calibration still stands at that time, then I'd more than likely be up for making a day trip to L.A. sometime during the last week of July. Very exciting!