[Dixter]

Thanks for the reply... I guess I was under the impression that there was at one time a Exchange site setup for the A8... I didn't know that the exchanges were only done this way with the A8 in the past...
I have those files and plan on using them once I listen to them and figure out what is what.. there are some very nice rooms in that collection....

 

[krismusic]

I'm looking forward to my A16 but I am somewhat apprehensive. I'm not very tech literate. Does anyone know how complex set up is likely to be? I'm not expecting Smyth's manual to be easy to understand!

 

[Sordel]

I'm looking forward to my A16 but I am somewhat apprehensive. I'm not very tech literate. Does anyone know how complex set up is likely to be? I'm not expecting Smyth's manual to be easy to understand!

I've got a feeling that this very thread is where we're going to learn how to get the most out of this thing.

 

[raband]

I'm not expecting Smyth's manual to be easy to understand!

With Smyth's track record of excellent communication, detailed updates, excellent exchange website and replies......

You doubt their documentation?

 

[SergioPOE]

I'm looking forward to my A16 but I am somewhat apprehensive. I'm not very tech literate. Does anyone know how complex set up is likely to be? I'm not expecting Smyth's manual to be easy to understand!

Even though it's a very niche product, I'm sure someone will post a YouTube video explaining at least the basics of how to sample a room, whether with one speaker or a full 9.1.6 setup.

 

[krismusic]

With Smyth's track record of excellent communication, detailed updates, excellent exchange website and replies......

You doubt their documentation?

Ha ha! Exactly!

 

[Evshrug]

Even though it's a very niche product, I'm sure someone will post a YouTube video explaining at least the basics of how to sample a room, whether with one speaker or a full 9.1.6 setup.

Sounds fun!
I visited their setup at 3 different shows and had PRIR’s for me made twice, if you have the speakers set up the actually measurements and saving the settings only took a handful of minutes.

The trickier part will be for someone like me, who only has two “real” speakers. You would have to carefully measure the angle and distance of your head and the speaker, and I honestly don’t think it’s as easy as leaning down your head since shoulder reverberations figure into it. Probably the easiest method for those without access to a Dolby Atmos studio with the speakers already set up properly is to mount a single speaker on a height-adjustable stand, and then sit in a swivel chair with protractor pre-measured angles for each speaker, and then do a set with the speaker at ear level before raising the speaker to a proper “height” level and repeating 4 angle measurements.

I’d love to do such a task where I could take the measurements without the influence of walls in a room (foam spikes on the walls and ceiling, like an anechoic chamber). I wonder if such a setup could be done with the speaker not very far from the head... would make such a setup easier, however your head would occlude more so the directional effect would be more pronounced. Hmm.

 

[castleofargh]

Sounds fun!
I visited their setup at 3 different shows and had PRIR’s for me made twice, if you have the speakers set up the actually measurements and saving the settings only took a handful of minutes.

The trickier part will be for someone like me, who only has two “real” speakers. You would have to carefully measure the angle and distance of your head and the speaker, and I honestly don’t think it’s as easy as leaning down your head since shoulder reverberations figure into it. Probably the easiest method for those without access to a Dolby Atmos studio with the speakers already set up properly is to mount a single speaker on a height-adjustable stand, and then sit in a swivel chair with protractor pre-measured angles for each speaker, and then do a set with the speaker at ear level before raising the speaker to a proper “height” level and repeating 4 angle measurements.

I’d love to do such a task where I could take the measurements without the influence of walls in a room (foam spikes on the walls and ceiling, like an anechoic chamber). I wonder if such a setup could be done with the speaker not very far from the head... would make such a setup easier, however your head would occlude more so the directional effect would be more pronounced. Hmm.

if you can bring electricity in a garden or even better a field, the you can measure some pretty clean stuff by simply elevating the speakers a little(granted there isn't a highway next to it). but TBH you can probably get good results most of the time simply by shortening the impulses to remove the reverb.

 

[Dixter]

The A8 manual should give us an idea of how the A16 manual will be written... its pretty good if you just follow the instructions to the letter... but there is a lot of info to take in for the A8 and the A16 is more advanced so the learning curve could end up steep.... but the documentation is good at least... here is the link if you want to get acclimated to the verbiage..
https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/A8manual_08_2011.pdf

 

[phoenixdogfan]

So, how soon before we see the AX6 Realiser on Massdrop?

 

[kh36267]

For those who have used the A8 in the past, have the firmware updates (if any) gone fairly smoothly?

I have a feeling we'll be facing several in a row after we finally receive our A16 systems....bit worried about how that might go

 

[Sanctuary]

With Smyth's track record of excellent communication, detailed updates, excellent exchange website and replies......

You doubt their documentation?

As long as they can write another manual that is at least as adequate as the one for the A8, it shouldn't be an issue for most. And for those that are struggling with it, the forum should be able to fill in the gaps.

I'm no tech wizard, but it only took me reading the relevant parts of the manual twice to do my own measurement.

It might be smart to start a new thread for owners as well once they actually start to ship since this thread is already twice as large as the A8 thread, and no one even has an A16 yet.

The trickier part will be for someone like me, who only has two “real” speakers. You would have to carefully measure the angle and distance of your head and the speaker, and I honestly don’t think it’s as easy as leaning down your head since shoulder reverberations figure into it. Probably the easiest method for those without access to a Dolby Atmos studio with the speakers already set up properly is to mount a single speaker on a height-adjustable stand, and then sit in a swivel chair with protractor pre-measured angles for each speaker, and then do a set with the speaker at ear level before raising the speaker to a proper “height” level and repeating 4 angle measurements.

I’d love to do such a task where I could take the measurements without the influence of walls in a room (foam spikes on the walls and ceiling, like an anechoic chamber). I wonder if such a setup could be done with the speaker not very far from the head... would make such a setup easier, however your head would occlude more so the directional effect would be more pronounced. Hmm.

It's not that difficult. I made a copy of a 5.1 setup, but then did the single speaker method with the fronts to make a 7.0 (then copied the sub) setup. Getting a protractor helps a lot, as does using masking tape. I also ended up using one of the thicker milk crates to set the speaker on top of for height adjustments. If you have a wider speaker, then you would likely want to use more crates, or something different. I just measured at ear level (which was pretty spot on sitting in a chair with the speakers on the floor), then put them on a crate for the sides and surrounds. If they were still too low, I would just get on my knees. Also, it's not exactly the same as what you are looking for, but you can already adjust the reverberation somewhat with the A8 to make speakers sound more distant, or closer (or just more neutral).

The tricky part for me at least will be doing the height speakers. Still haven't found a proper adjustable stand for even the smaller speakers I have.

 

[Eich1eeF]

I'm looking forward to my A16 but I am somewhat apprehensive. I'm not very tech literate. Does anyone know how complex set up is likely to be? I'm not expecting Smyth's manual to be easy to understand!

The Manual for the A8 is available online at https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/A8manual_08_2011.pdf

I'd say that manual isn't too bad. While the processes to set up the A16 will be similar in principle, it'll probably be easier to configure, since the builtin display will proivide more information at a glance. I hope it'll be easier still when using the web based user interface. That doesn't make plugging the microphones into your ears properly any easier, or even moving about your speakers.

 

[krismusic]

The Manual for the A8 is available online at https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/A8manual_08_2011.pdf

I'd say that manual isn't too bad. While the processes to set up the A16 will be similar in principle, it'll probably be easier to configure, since the builtin display will proivide more information at a glance. I hope it'll be easier still when using the web based user interface. That doesn't make plugging the microphones into your ears properly any easier, or even moving about your speakers.

Thank you very much for that. Had a quick look. Technofear kicked in pretty quickly but I am looking on my phone. I'll have a proper look on my tablet later. I've had a PRIR done at a show and hope to use a preset BRIR as I don't have a speaker set up. I use an iPhone, iPad and Sonos speakers so I am used to being spoonfed my tech. It will be very interesting to see if I can master the A16 interface. I agree that a new thread might be good so that people like me don't drive all you knowledgeable guys nuts with dumb questions!

 

[Evshrug]

Thank you very much for that. Had a quick look. Technofear kicked in pretty quickly but I am looking on my phone. I'll have a proper look on my tablet later. I've had a PRIR done at a show and hope to use a preset BRIR as I don't have a speaker set up. I use an iPhone, iPad and Sonos speakers so I am used to being spoonfed my tech. It will be very interesting to see if I can master the A16 interface. I agree that a new thread might be good so that people like me don't drive all you knowledgeable guys nuts with dumb questions!

I can’t promise that it will be easy... just like the saying “easy as apple pie” isn’t a given anymore because so many people have forgotten how to make a pie crust, or bake pretty much anything. That anecdote aside, the Smyths expressed that simplifying and automating the PRIR process was a major goal for the new unit. Also, when they “took” my PRIR in the CanJam hotel/seminar rooms, they didn’t have to push many buttons or adjust things a lot for each person. I believe that if you can hook up a home theater speaker array, you will be able to do this

So, how soon before we see the AX6 Realiser on Massdrop?

Ha. Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
O.k., I’m not laughing at you, I’m just laughing at the idea of Smyth doing something on a high-volume, economy build basis for Drop (formerly known as Massdrop). Sure, it’s possible, but to tailor a less expensive version for Drop and “the masses,” I imagine Smyth would have to axe the head-tracking, maybe even the ability to measure PRIR’s and just using a generalized profile (friend of mine told me Smyth’s generic binaural processing already sounded more realistic to him than other leading software, before the A16 Kickstarter was announced), and even if it was still better than, say, a Creative Super-Fi or SoundBlaster X7, people would look at it and wonder what the advantage really was. Also, if the Smyths were to make a new product after this three year Kickstarter + however many years it took them to develop the first prototypes to show in the Kickstarter, I imagine an “AX6” (good name idea by the way) would also take several years.

Right now, there’s already strong competition from Creative, Redscape Audio, Darin Fong’s Out-Of-Your-Head software, and others. That said... nobody else has done a small DSP unit, designed strictly to take HDMI or Optical Surround streams and make a binaural stereo digital-output for feeding a third party DAC. I think it would be AMAZING if Smyth could partner with Schiit and make a little DSP box that would stack under a Bifrost and Gungnir or under a Modi/Magni!

It might be smart to start a new thread for owners as well once they actually start to ship since this thread is already twice as large as the A8 thread, and no one even has an A16 yet.

Maybe? I don’t particularly like the clutter of multiple threads on the same topic, as people inevitably post on all the threads, but then again Head-Fi makes separate “CanJam Announcement” and “CanJam Impressions” threads for each meet. If the first poster of this thread could edit their first post to include a link to an “impressions” thread, that would be great, but even if we only keep the one thread, I think people would generally skip to the latest page anyway.

Getting a protractor helps a lot, as does using masking tape.

That’s what I imagined!

I also ended up using one of the thicker milk crates to set the speaker on top of for height adjustments. If you have a wider speaker, then you would likely want to use more crates, or something different. I just measured at ear level (which was pretty spot on sitting in a chair with the speakers on the floor), then put them on a crate for the sides and surrounds. If they were still too low, I would just get on my knees. Also, it's not exactly the same as what you are looking for, but you can already adjust the reverberation somewhat with the A8 to make speakers sound more distant, or closer (or just more neutral).

The tricky part for me at least will be doing the height speakers. Still haven't found a proper adjustable stand for even the smaller speakers I have.

Clever thinking!
You could stack more milk crates for more height, except you would want to figure out a way to angle the speaker while keeping it secure. I’m thinking wedges/books and bungee cords might be our friends.