[Evshrug]

Ask me! I heard in Paris in October 2016: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/smyth-research-realiser-a16.807459/page-23#post-12920497

You were the one back one saying: "Yeah, it kinda reminds me of the Rocketeer's helmet!" ))

It realy kills me to wait so long.

Yup! I still think that was a cool look

I’m with you on the frustration of waiting after being able to hear how good it sounds. I know Smyth has released product in the past, I’ve heard the A16 and know it’s a quality sounding product, I believe that they will eventually deliver... it just also kills me knowing they’ve had working models for over a year and still the product languishes in production limbo.

Maybe everyone who has heard it or written impressions should post links/quotes? Hopefully that will help “reset our clocks” and focus more on the goal than the strain to our patience.

The A16 Realiser still holds the overall advantage for particular reasons.

It works with any source: a Windows/Mac/Linux box (I collectively call these PCs), a UHD blu-ray player in your home theater, a game console, you could even connect a Sony Walkman CD player and emulate a 2-channel hi-fi speaker system with two speakers in front of you.
The work is already done: castleofargh was having some success but some trouble configuring a virtual setup, with the Realiser you don't have to work your way through that, plus you get a decent DAC and two headphone Amps. Unintended latency and lip-sync issues were imperceptible. You still can connect upgraded modules to that, but the core "vanilla" experience is still very impressive.

Lastly, sorry about this Darin, but I totally agree with VandyMan: the Realiser demo totally blew away the OOYH demo I heard at RMAF 2015. Maybe it was hurt by the Transformers movie on the OOYH demo, but at its core I had a more convincing surround imaging experience with $20 Dolby Headphone DSP products. I feel there are few movies that use surround effects any better than movies usually use 3D optical gimmicks, but even then the PRIR-calibrated Realiser watching a Dolby Atmos demo and a scene from Mad Max completely created a distinct front-center and rear surround imaging locations in a realistic manner that was for me indistinguishable from pulling off the headphones in the middle of the scene (thus audio was going through speakers) and putting them back on again. I think OOYH would have better imaging if the HRTF used was based on Darin's head measured by a Realiser, and I spent time mentally getting used to the acoustic differences between his head and mine, but that could be a copyright/legal issue. On top of that, the OOYH was non-interactive in regards to head-tracking and speaker placement/imaging. Maybe someday there will be head-tracker apps created to plug-in directly to work with OOYH seamlessly, but today you almost have to be a programmer to get a seamless result.

Basically, OOYH software is fine and is about par with Razer's, Creative Lab's, and Cirrus Logic's separately available software packages, with minor differences inbetween, but none of those will be on the level of the Realiser for a natural and believable experience.

I ended up buying the new Mad Max movie. Very good, highly recommended.

 

[Fox1977]

According to the latest progress status update, the only delay point is the plastic details. In the meantime, if they are done with the firmware, they will send it to get Dolby and DTS compliance, i don't know how long it takes but it's likely that the phase-one units, those who ordered it on Kickstarter, will be shipped late february or early march.
We'll get a much clearer idea of the shipping estimated date once we get next update, hopefully in january.

 

[J.Villain]

I see they still haven't updated the pre-sale page to either stop calling it a pre-sale or to extend it again. I am not sure what to make of that.

 

[Takeanidea]

I heard it at CanJam London 2017. I have an SD Card named after me (#29). I was sat down and the room was hushed. They put a tiny microphone in each ear. 20 seconds later the microphones were taken out. The next thing that was done was a set of tones were played. That must have lasted less than 2 minutes.
I then had a pair of Stax SR-L300 Earspeakers put on me. Each time I took them off the 16 speakers were unmuted. For several minutes I could not tell when I was listening to the speakers and when I was listening to the headphones. It was only a little later into the session that I got the impression of a slightly more prominent bass ; but this was through the earspeakers!

 

[Sordel]

I see they still haven't updated the pre-sale page to either stop calling it a pre-sale or to extend it again. I am not sure what to make of that.

Maybe no one got around to updating the site but, more likely, the trigger to ending the preorder discount will be when the Realiser passes its (future) review embargo and the product moves into being available for retail.

 

[musicday]

I heard it at CanJam London 2017. I have an SD Card named after me (#29). I was sat down and the room was hushed. They put a tiny microphone in each ear. 20 seconds later the microphones were taken out. The next thing that was done was a set of tones were played. That must have lasted less than 2 minutes.
I then had a pair of Stax SR-L300 Earspeakers put on me. Each time I took them off the 16 speakers were unmuted. For several minutes I could not tell when I was listening to the speakers and when I was listening to the headphones. It was only a little later into the session that I got the impression of a slightly more prominent bass ; but this was through the earspeakers!

Same experience for me also, and is hard to impress me. From everything at any price point was on display at CanJam that i heard only the Realiser A16 is 100% worth buying IMHO, if you love movies or music or both.

 

[raband]

When's CES?

Am waiting on the unit to turn up before I get the big TV for the lounge.

Am tipping new models will be released at CES, so the delays have so far held me back from getting a 2016 model TV and a 2017 model TV (at store prices) and it's done me a huge favour.

I don't think there's any real new "specs" on the horizon, so some of the 2017 sellout models should so me well when it's time to buy?

 

[Fox1977]

I cumulated several discounts a month ago to get the Sony KD65-XE9005 for 1450€ (it was released in April 2017 for 2790€) and i'm very satisfied with it...

 

[Richter Di]

I see they still haven't updated the pre-sale page to either stop calling it a pre-sale or to extend it again. I am not sure what to make of that.

I was just on their website.
There is no pre-order possibility anymore.You can now Register your interest
And all you can buy at the moment is the A8 with all accessories, no headphones $2910

I hope this does not mean that they hit a speed bump in the process.

 

[Fox1977]

I hope this does not mean that they hit a speed bump in the process.

If they knew they had extra delay, they would probably prolongate the pre-order period to try and get more sales before the official release. It may be on the contrary a good news meaning that things are progressing well and that release is close... (that's what i hope at least)

 

[musicday]

Edit: now the link works :
http://smyth-research.com/index.html
This can mean only good news:
1. They focus now to finish and have them shipped to all that pre-order it.
2. Once they have shipped all the units, and reviews start to show up, they will sell to anyone interested at the newer price.
3. As someone complained about no activity on their website, this tell me they do indeed monitor this forum and I am grateful to Smyth Research for taking their time and make it as best as possible.
4.The latest improvements such as the latest HDMI 2.0b is much appreciated.

 

[raband]

4.The latest improvements such as the latest HDMI 2.0b is much appreciated.

This more than anything.

 

[Richter Di]

If they knew they had extra delay, they would probably prolongate the pre-order period to try and get more sales before the official release. It may be on the contrary a good news meaning that things are progressing well and that release is close... (that's what i hope at least)

Obviously I am more a pessimist. I fear that they have found that e.g. the provided boards do not work, the plastic parts will take much more time ...
For this reason they stopped pre-sale because they do not want to increase their backlog. As I said, I am more a pessimist. Hope none of this is true.

 

[raband]

Obviously I am more a pessimist.

You don't think they'll make the October 2016 shipping date?

pessimist

 

[VandyMan]

Obviously I am more a pessimist. I fear that they have found that e.g. the provided boards do not work, the plastic parts will take much more time ...
For this reason they stopped pre-sale because they do not want to increase their backlog. As I said, I am more a pessimist. Hope none of this is true.

While I think you are justified to be concerned about the delay, I don't think it is the slightest bit helpful to make up issues out of thin air and post them. I know you are just speculating, but you are likely to confuse some people.