[sander99]

Maybe Waldrep only needed 8 hd pcm channels and that is something A8 can deliver ... l am not sure designers of Yarra had external binauralisation in mind.

Let's continue this discussion in the Yarra thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/yarra-speaker-system.860123/page-2#post-14192272

 

[sphynxxx]

Hoping for an update soon. End of month at latest.

In the meantime, what are you all getting for must have Atmos content? I got fury road so far. Game of thrones would probably be worth re-experiencing. What are the must haves??

 

[Fox1977]

The french reseller informed us that he will be exhibiting the A16 during the Sound Days show in Paris on May, 26-27.
Unfortunately there will be no suitable room there to install a decent 7.1.4 (and let alone 9.1.6) setup, so he will be demonstrating only with BRIR.
I imagine then that it means that he will be demonstrating the (final ?) unit he will be using for testing and translating the firmware (the Smyth brothers won't be there i think).
If he gets a final unit before the end of May, it may mean that first shipping will really happen in June... he says that he has high hopes that it will happen before summer, he is often in touch with Smyth Research, so i'm keeping fingers crossed !!

 

[Got the Shakes]

The french reseller informed us that he will be exhibiting the A16 during the Sound Days show in Paris on May, 26-27.
Unfortunately there will be no suitable room there to install a decent 7.1.4 (and let alone 9.1.6) setup, so he will be demonstrating only with BRIR.
I imagine then that it means that he will be demonstrating the (final ?) unit he will be using for testing and translating the firmware (the Smyth brothers won't be there i think).
If he gets a final unit before the end of May, it may mean that first shipping will really happen in June... he says that he has high hopes that it will happen before summer, he is often in touch with Smyth Research, so i'm keeping fingers crossed !!

Fingers crossed here too. If it were to really happen before summer I’m assuming in the next update shipping would be mentioned or at least that they’ve completed version 1.0 of the firmware and it’s been submitted for certification.

 

[Richter Di]

Hoping for an update soon. End of month at latest.

In the meantime, what are you all getting for must have Atmos content? I got fury road so far. Game of thrones would probably be worth re-experiencing. What are the must haves??

I got Blues Brothers in Atmos.

 

[edwardsean]

I got Blues Brothers in Atoms.

No way. I got Caddyshack in Molecules.

 

[Fox1977]

I stored a few movies with rich soundtrack in 4K Atmos like The Last Jedi, Wonder Woman, Coco, The Greatest Showman, Justice League (not the best but the multichannel effects should be interesting), etc.
I also have some DTS 5.1 music albums. I should try to find R.E.M "Automatic for the people" album in Atmos to see how it sounds.

 

[462429]

...
In the meantime, what are you all getting for must have Atmos content? I got fury road so far. Game of thrones would probably be worth re-experiencing. What are the must haves??

...
And what do I have already?
Music:
Kraftwerk - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 - Dolby Atmos
David Miles Huber - GAMmA - Auro 3D
David Miles Huber - Paralax Eden - Auro 3D
Roger Waters - The Wall - Dolby Atmos
Trondheim Solistene - Magnificat - Auro 3D
Trondheim Solistene - Reflections - Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D (2 copies, 1 unopened - possible exchange)
Movies:
Intern - Dolby Atmos
Jason Bourne - Dolby Atmos, dts X
Legend Of Tarzan - Dolby Atmos
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - Dolby Atmos
Inferno - Auro 3D
Batman v Superman - Auro 3D
Lucy - Dolby Atmos
...

And today I can add:
Music:
R.E.M. - Automatic For The People - Dolby Atmos
Hoff Ensemble - Polarity - an acoustic jazz project - Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D (ordered 2 days ago from 2L Norway)
Movies:
American Made - dts X

And which of these are 'must have'? I don't know yet. The Realiser A16 will reveal. Until then I experience them as 5.1 only.

 

[MichaelJames99]

Will the A16 pass thru Dolby Vision and HDR10 via HDMI or how is that handled?

 

[Got the Shakes]

Will the A16 pass thru Dolby Vision and HDR10 via HDMI or how is that handled?

Yes. That’s one of the reasons they changed to the new HDMI board last year.

Edit: Here is a link to the update from last year where they talk about it https://www.kickstarter.com/project...al-3d-audio-headphone-processor/posts/1917399

 

[Evshrug]

I'm curious how most plan to setup their A16. Mine will go below my TV, where my Xbox One X, PS4 Pro, Nintendo Switch> HDMI> A16> HDMI> TV> optical> 2 channel stereo. A16>optical>Creative X7 DAC>MICROZOTL2.

My X7/MZ2 sits next to my couch, with an optical cable traveling under a thick throw rug (currently use an optical switcher from the 3 consoles into the X7). I sit fairly close to my TV and stand, so I could connect directly to the A16. Just not crazy about headphone cables running across the floor.

I also imagine some have some very nice DACs and amps, and would prefer to use those over the built in. I upgraded the op amps in my X7 with Sparkos SS3601s and SS3602s. They made a tremendous difference over the stock, and a good difference compared to Burson V5i (which could just be a synergy thing with the X7). Compared to the Schiit Modi Multibit, if there's differences, I can't tell (and that's instantly switching between the 2, no idea which was which). X7 has some cool features, like answering phone calls, Bluetooth audio, USB audio, optical audio (which is 5.1 game audio converted to virtual surround), all controllable by volume/mute, which can be great while gaming. Only thing I'm not sure of is mic with the Xbox. Not really a huge deal, as I don't need one often, but that is what I am not sure of at the moment with a setup like this.

For me, the Realizer is completely replacing the Creative X7. The DAC should be a step up, the processed output to pass to an external amp or amp/DAC will have more options (I'll use mine with a Sennheiser HDV 820, digitally connected via coax if possible), the A16 supports chat/mic with a dedicated port for connecting to the controller of an Xbox/PS4 (though I'll probably use a desktop USB mic), and certainly an upgrade in the binaural processing. I don't know yet if it will allow simultaneous playback from different sources like the X7 (game SFX, custom music, and maybe a whole separate chat connection like Mumble or Skype conference call), which is cool but I only really used it to patch in the chat. Oh, and the Realizer will have a remote. So, in a practical sense it takes over for everything and more that the X7 did for me.

I'll be using mine in a home office, on a desk with probably the HDV 820 stacked on top (maybe on risers for airflow), the desk has my iMac and a second monitor on VESA swivel arms, PS4 (I'd like a Pro, probably get one eventually), custom built PC under the desk, a Creative Katana for those "I need a speaker" moments, PS Camera and my PSVR HMD, Blue Snowball on the desk (or maybe a Sennheiser USB shotgun mic at some point). I may mount a postboard on the wall like Tyll did for his InnerFidelity Wall of Fame to hang all my headphones and the PSVR when not in use, but I might also try an 8-hook coat hanger post. I've got an AK Racer chair (the tall backrest and adjustments are nice, the stylish looks in black, gray and an accent of blue are just bonuses), and a backdrop of my wife's cheesy theatre stuff in the backdrop. Should be fun!

And today I can add:
Music:
R.E.M. - Automatic For The People - Dolby Atmos
Hoff Ensemble - Polarity - an acoustic jazz project - Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D (ordered 2 days ago from 2L Norway)
Movies:
American Made - dts X

And which of these are 'must have'? I don't know yet. The Realiser A16 will reveal. Until then I experience them as 5.1 only.

I know the Flaming Lips have released 5.1 albums, I think Radiohead has as well?

I was actually happy with the 2-channel emulation in my Realizer demos (I've had three now, CanJam NYC 2017, Munich High End 2017, CanJam London 2017), and I anticipate it will do a great job of making my small home office "sound" bigger. Sure, I won't "feel the bass" the same way as speakers, nor will the Realizer preserve the headphone's "the instruments are inside your head" presentation and clinical channel separation, but I perceive both of those differences as a plus. Even if I heard my neighbors leave for work and I'm alone in the middle of the day, I only keep the subwoofer in my home theater to a modest volume because I don't enjoy that heart-stopping thump of a sudden boom. What I HAVE heard, in replicating the Yamaha speakers the Smyths bring to their demos, was a complete transformation of the Stax headphone they brought (I believe SR-202?). Stax have been accused of sounding unnaturally fast with short decay characteristics, also cold with dull unemotional bass, but the HPEQ + PRIR calibration totally conveyed the Yamaha's warmth and emotional response. The EQ startled me even more than the natural presentation of virtual surround, and I think I said as much on this thread after my NYC audition. My experience wasn't as convincing at CanJam London as it was at CanJam NYC (I think it was the room acoustics, also perhaps I did something different with my head during the calibration process), so I asked the Smyths to please use my older PRIR and I recommend to everyone to try and get the PRIR measured twice in case you like one better. I'll probably also try to do a PRIR of my own someday, using my Chane speakers which IMO have a very pleasing sound even if they aren't the price of a luxury car.

They also had a video demo of EA and DICE's Battlefield game (I believe bf 3?), but despite that game's wide array of features and complex sound effects, I do not regard that as an audiophile game with great positional imaging. The Smyths told me that pre-recorded demo mostly had all the action coming from the front rather than all around and above anyway, so I skipped it.

I've used bad DSPs before, some seem to just add channel-specific amounts of reverb and haze over the audio without adding a consideration for HRTF. Those can present "surround" if you train your brain to interpret "this" effect as the engineer's idea of what "that back-left" speaker should sound like, but those hardly present an "out of the head" experience and feel like a step back from stereo. Better attempts do seem to have proper directional imaging and occasionally sound "out of the head." But the Realizer is on a whole other level above, consistently sounding "out of the head" and a good PRIR makes it sound like "That" particular studio/theater.

 

[mbyrnes]

For me, the Realizer is completely replacing the Creative X7. The DAC should be a step up, the processed output to pass to an external amp or amp/DAC will have more options (I'll use mine with a Sennheiser HDV 820, digitally connected via coax if possible), the A16 supports chat/mic with a dedicated port for connecting to the controller of an Xbox/PS4 (though I'll probably use a desktop USB mic), and certainly an upgrade in the binaural processing. I don't know yet if it will allow simultaneous playback from different sources like the X7 (game SFX, custom music, and maybe a whole separate chat connection like Mumble or Skype conference call), which is cool but I only really used it to patch in the chat. Oh, and the Realizer will have a remote. So, in a practical sense it takes over for everything and more that the X7 did for me.

I'll be using mine in a home office, on a desk with probably the HDV 820 stacked on top (maybe on risers for airflow), the desk has my iMac and a second monitor on VESA swivel arms, PS4 (I'd like a Pro, probably get one eventually), custom built PC under the desk, a Creative Katana for those "I need a speaker" moments, PS Camera and my PSVR HMD, Blue Snowball on the desk (or maybe a Sennheiser USB shotgun mic at some point). I may mount a postboard on the wall like Tyll did for his InnerFidelity Wall of Fame to hang all my headphones and the PSVR when not in use, but I might also try an 8-hook coat hanger post. I've got an AK Racer chair (the tall backrest and adjustments are nice, the stylish looks in black, gray and an accent of blue are just bonuses), and a backdrop of my wife's cheesy theatre stuff in the backdrop. Should be fun!

I'll try direct and the way I outlined. Living room setup, and I hate cords running across the room. The less the better. I doubt I'll use the stock amp much. After I know it's operational for a few days. I cannot wait.

 

[Got the Shakes]

I'll try direct and the way I outlined. Living room setup, and I hate cords running across the room. The less the better. I doubt I'll use the stock amp much. After I know it's operational for a few days. I cannot wait.

I think with my setup in my media room I'll be able to hide almost all of the cables, but can't do anything about the cable from my HD 800 to the front of the Realiser.

 

[Evshrug]

I specifically bought a short, balanced (Pentaconn!) cable for desktop use, to reduce the cable spaghetti. Using the stock cable when I’m only four feet away (and in a chair with wheels) seems to be begging for tangles and damaging accidents.
If I was using a cable in the living room (and sometimes I do), I would be really picky about always coiling up the cable after every use and putting the headphone away out of danger, or putting it away if I think there’s going to be a lot of traffic in front of the TV.

 

[Got the Shakes]

I specifically bought a short, balanced (Pentaconn!) cable for desktop use, to reduce the cable spaghetti. Using the stock cable when I’m only four feet away (and in a chair with wheels) seems to be begging for tangles and damaging accidents.
If I was using a cable in the living room (and sometimes I do), I would be really picky about always coiling up the cable after every use and putting the headphone away out of danger, or putting it away if I think there’s going to be a lot of traffic in front of the TV.

When I first learned about the Realiser in early 2017 and preordered one it got me rethinking my entire gaming/media viewing setup. I originally was going to setup something very similar to what you have setup on a desktop with a nice monitor and everything hooked up to that monitor. Then when I was researching stuff trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do the TCL P series tv launched and it was a performance to dollar ratio that I couldn’t pass up. Becsuse if that and having to sit further back that I would have with a monitor I don’t have much choice but to have a longish cable from my headphones to the Realiser. It is the only thing that I don’t like about my setup, albeit I admit it’s a minor issue.