[CanMad]

@Sanctuary no you don’t have a multichannel input. So won’t be able to even measure 7.1 easily. I’m pissed

Does anyone know what they were using at the demos? Some high end pre-pro with 16 analogue inputs?

 

[sahmen]

I tried to get James to divulge some more details yesterday about expected timing of preorders shipping. It was one question that just kept being avoided.

I did get tracking info this morning for my A16 unit that I paid the difference on. Does not have a delivery date yet, but they used 2 day shipping and James told me yesterday that it would either arrive Saturday or Monday.

I can't lie about this one : your in-bound by 2-day shipping A-16 has got me grinning... errr greening with envy :

With that said, I wholeheartedly say congrats! to you, and it is 100% heartfelt. What can I say? I am typically a nice guy, if you can forgive the Grinch graphic and the demonic green eyes... he he he!

 

[Lamerhouse]

shipping ....

 

[Got the Shakes]

I can't lie about this one : your in-bound by 2-day shipping A-16 has got me grinning... errr greening with envy :

With that said, I wholeheartedly say congrats! to you, and it is 100% heartfelt. What can I say? I am typically a nice guy, if you can forgive the Grinch graphic and the demonic green eyes... he he he!

I appreciate it. I’m excited, but it sure was costly to skip to the front of the line.

On another note, I asked James if I could get a digital copy of the owner’s manual to prepare for receiving my unit, and haven’t heard anything back yet. If I get one I’ll let you guys know as it will hopefully answer a lot of the questions we have.

 

[Sanctuary]

I tried to get James to divulge some more details yesterday about expected timing of preorders shipping. It was one question that just kept being avoided.

I did get tracking info this morning for my A16 unit that I paid the difference on. Does not have a delivery date yet, but they used 2 day shipping and James told me yesterday that it would either arrive Saturday or Monday.

Like the other poster that mentioned it, I had been considering buying a second A16 as well, but then decided not to after they raised it to $4,000. With what I paid for my A8 though, on top of the A16, overall I paid slightly less than that, but if I did not have the A8, it would be very tempting to pay the difference in cost to get the A16 "early" (LMAO...). Good luck, and thank you for your sacrifice and the many headaches you will likely have with the initial firmware growing pains.

 

[sahmen]

@Sanctuary no you don’t have a multichannel input. So won’t be able to even measure 7.1 easily. I’m pissed

Does anyone know what they were using at the demos? Some high end pre-pro with 16 analogue inputs?

I have to say that I'm troubled by this shortcoming in taking measurements beyond the traditional 5.1/7.1 range. With that said, I hope that the A-16 can at least normally play (out of the box)16-channel formatted PRIRs that have been measured and imported from better-equipped systems and rooms... otherwise the "16" in "A-16" would become completely meaningless, among other things,

 

[Got the Shakes]

Like the other poster that mentioned it, I had been considering buying a second A16 as well, but then decided not to after they raised it to $4,000. With what I paid for my A8 though, on top of the A16, overall I paid slightly less than that, but if I did not have the A8, it would be very tempting to pay the difference in cost to get the A16 "early" (LMAO...). Good luck, and thank you for your sacrifice and the many headaches you will likely have with the initial firmware growing pains.

I really went back and forth and I’m still not sure it was worth it instead of just waiting but I’m hoping the months of enjoyment I get out of it before my preorder would have shipped makes up for the extra cost. Plus I found myself starting to consider tracking down an A8 while I was waiting so likely I was going to spend money either way.

I’m anticipating headaches all over the place since I’ve never used an A8 or measured a room before. Hopefully getting things setup are quite as difficult as I anticipate them being.

 

[Sanctuary]

I really went back and forth and I’m still not sure it was worth it instead of just waiting but I’m hoping the months of enjoyment I get out of it before my preorder would have shipped makes up for the extra cost. Plus I found myself starting to consider tracking down an A8 while I was waiting so likely I was going to spend money either way.

I’m anticipating headaches all over the place since I’ve never used an A8 or measured a room before. Hopefully getting things setup are quite as difficult as I anticipate them being.

It ended up being a lot less daunting than I expected. The actual measurement process is pretty simple. The hardest part was getting the speaker angles exactly where they needed to be. That took me a good eight hours to get each angle measured accurately, since the angle of the speaker has to match the angle that the Realiser is set to internally. Or at least, that is what the manual stated. Not sure if it has no leeway with that, but I ended up doing my best to get the speakers in their correct positions, and I ended up with a few really good 5.1 and 7.1 PRIRs. The mic placement is actually pretty forgivable as well. It doesn't have to be ultra specific like some led me to believe.

Now if I can only figure out the bug that was causing some of them to **** up horribly bad, where when I would try to do multiple captures of each speaker set until the diagnostics read perfect that would end up with half of the channels at a volume so low that raising them to their max, and lowering the rest did not really compensate for it. I currently have a different receiver to use, but I haven't had the time to test it just yet. When just trying to copy a 5.1 (or 7.1) system "as is", it worked flawlessly. The issue was when trying to do channels individually, which is something I need to make sure wasn't an issue with the A8 itself. Because if it is, then it would likely persist with the A16, which would throw a wrench into getting height speakers from a receiver that doesn't natively support them, or simply trying to measure a set of height speakers in different locations if you only have a single pair.

 

[Got the Shakes]

It ended up being a lot less daunting than I expected. The actual measurement process is pretty simple. The hardest part was getting the speaker angles exactly where they needed to be. That took me a good eight hours to get each angle measured accurately, since the angle of the speaker has to match the angle that the Realiser is set to internally. Or at least, that is what the manual stated. Not sure if it has no leeway with that, but I ended up doing my best to get the speakers in their correct positions, and I ended up with a few really good 5.1 and 7.1 PRIRs. The mic placement is actually pretty forgivable as well. It doesn't have to be ultra specific like some led me to believe.

Now if I can only figure out the bug that was causing some of them to **** up horribly bad, where when I would try to do multiple captures of each speaker set until the diagnostics read perfect that would end up with half of the channels at a volume so low that raising them to their max, and lowering the rest did not really compensate for it. I currently have a different receiver to use, but I haven't had the time to test it just yet.

Good to hear. My initial plan is to take a measurement of an existing 5.1 and 7.1 system that I have access to as well as trying out the preloaded Atmos room since I have a good amount of Atmos content. Luckily for now I’m not going to have to deal with trying to make a 5.1 or 7.1 PRIR with a single speaker so hopefully that makes the initial measurement process simpler.

 

[Sanctuary]

Luckily for now I’m not going to have to deal with trying to make a 5.1 or 7.1 PRIR with a single speaker so hopefully that makes the initial measurement process simpler.

I'm sure some might have the patience for that, but that's not something I would want to bother with. IMO, you get the best results from measuring the fronts and center at the same time at the very least when trying to do group measurements before finalizing. All I was trying to do though was use two fronts for seven of the speakers, including the center. I ended up getting a PRIR that used the fronts for the fronts, surrounds and rears that sounds great, but you know what blows that away? Using the same front as your center, since most center speakers are comparative trash for multiple reasons, but they are used mainly for space/obstruction issues. Due to the stupid bug with either the receiver or the A8 itself, I wasn't able to get a good one like that. I would get a bunch of "close, but flawed" PRIRs that had volume issues, and that sucks, because it really does make a difference, and it makes it sound a whole lot like one of those mid-high tier theaters that have great sound from the front.

For what you want to do, just try to angle the speakers to whatever you end up having them set to in the A16. Buy a protractor, and buy some masking tape or even thicker yarn (and use thumbtacks) depending on the surface you will be using. Once everything is set up correctly and you are sitting in the "sweet spot" of 0 degrees, the rest is pretty much cake. If you plan on doing this for more than yourself though, invest in some foam replacements for the mics, unless potential ear infections are not a worry for you.

 

[Maestroso]

I really went back and forth and I’m still not sure it was worth it instead of just waiting but I’m hoping the months of enjoyment I get out of it before my preorder would have shipped makes up for the extra cost.

I’m anticipating headaches all over the place since I’ve never used an A8 or measured a room before. Hopefully getting things setup are quite as difficult as I anticipate them being.

You did the right thing! I’m sure the process will be quite straightforward (ok, mic placement, in some cases, is a bit of a hassle, but nothing that could not be sorted out). Happy for you!

BTW, not sure how your systems work, but in my studio the analogue only measurement limitation won’t be an issue. Everything is behind a surround monitor controller with multiple ins and outs anyway. For some this might be worth an investment. However, I’m sure that Smyth Research will add the missing modes in good time - now that the biggest obstacles have been overcome.

Really glad that they start shipping! Let’s celebrate this great news together .

 

[DaveN]

I own a Realser A8 that I used at another house years ago. I thought that it was able to measure 1 speaker and then recreate the same speaker perfectly placed at all positions. The system worked great and I did not need to use the head tracker.

With the A16 would I be able to measure my 7.4.2 system and recreate the sound? I am confused after reading this thread.

 

[sahmen]

I own a Realser A8 that I used at another house years ago. I thought that it was able to measure 1 speaker and then recreate the same speaker perfectly placed at all positions. The system worked great and I did not need to use the head tracker.

With the A16 would I be able to measure my 7.4.2 system and recreate the sound? I am confused after reading this thread.

In my personal opinion, the best answer to your question remains unknown, and it would be so, at least until after the earliest adopters have had their units in hand for about a month or two, and experimented the hell out of the A-16 with all the initial firmware updates taken on board.

Yes, there have been several helpful speculations on this board regarding this or that feature of the A-16. especially from owners of the A-8, and others who have studied various helter-skelter statements from Smyth-Research and brief publications here and there regarding the operation of the A-16. However, in my view, the information and knowledges gathered in this way about the A-16 are provisional and highly fluid at best, since the technological resemblance of he A-8 to the A-16 is only partial, especially when one considers that the fact that the A-16 will deal with the simulation of object-based speaker technologies that are not available to the A-8.

Hell, even the A-16's user manual is not out yet, and without it, one cannot know what the manufacturer's fully realized recommended methods for operating the unit are...That tells me that the first couple of months of real-world customer ownership and testing are going to be very important.and vital for us all in helping to determine and define the operational learning curve.

 

[m8o]

Personally I take it as a kick in the family jewels that backers and pre-orders get delayed even more by immediate shipment to each new full retail sale. I guess I'm alone. Really frustrated and feel trodden-on.

 

[VerloK]

Nope you are not alone, that's ridiculous...