Smyth Research Realiser A16

[sander99]

Normally you would always use a HPEQ (the result of the headphone measurement).

I was just wondering if there was any other capacity for interim HRTF personalisation (e.g. dialling in head measurements such as head circumference and inter-aural arc etc.)

As far as I know, no.

 

[CanMad]

Hi all! I’m a loooongtime lurker doing my first post. I’m number 3 Kickstarter backer. James asked for my address at the same time as the shipping update came. No communication since.
Just got a message from ups that I need to pay 244.66 AUD in import duties.

ETA for my A16 is Wednesday.

I'm backer number 9, also in Australia. No contact from James.... Good to know how much extra I'll have to pay though. Less than I was expecting.

Hmmm six apart, minimum 10 a week. Doesn't add up.

How were you contacted to ask for your address?

 

[SierraMadre]

Normally you would always use a HPEQ (the result of the headphone measurement).

As far as I know, no.

Thanks.

 

[Dixter]

There can be many different setups depending on your equipment...

when the A16 ships to you with the Atmos loaded all you have to do is get your headphone(s) and put the A16 on your kitchen counter, plug the A16 into the AC outlet, plug in the two small microphones in your ears.. put your headphone on your head over the microphones and perform the HPEQ routine... the A16 will sweep the signals and record your ears.... this gets saved and you take the A16 and load the Atmos PRIR and the HPEQ you just made with your headphones and then the A16 will create a preset that will have ATMOS and your headphone ready to play.... at that time all you have to do is un plug the two mics.... plug in a source... it can be just about any player, a CD player a blueray player a DAP (line out) the A16 just needs something to play to your headphones.... and thats how easy it is to just get it going right out of the box...

 

[sander99]

@SierraMadre: I don't understand what you said about quoting and 25% extra. I still see the same price $3995,- on the Smyth website. Or maybe the extra is related to taxes? For example for EU customers 20% VAT is added. Did you request a quote?

 

[SierraMadre]

There can be many different setups depending on your equipment...

when the A16 ships to you with the Atmos loaded all you have to do is get your headphone(s) and put the A16 on your kitchen counter, plug the A16 into the AC outlet, plug in the two small microphones in your ears.. put your headphone on your head over the microphones and perform the HPEQ routine... the A16 will sweep the signals and record your ears.... this gets saved and you take the A16 and load the Atmos PRIR and the HPEQ you just made with your headphones and then the A16 will create a preset that will have ATMOS and your headphone ready to play.... at that time all you have to do is un plug the two mics.... plug in a source... it can be just about any player, a CD player a blueray player a DAP (line out) the A16 just needs something to play to your headphones.... and thats how easy it is to just get it going right out of the box...

Thanks, so the procedure is not just about deriving compensation offset values to provide a flat response for your headphones but also a degree of personalised HRTF?

 

[SierraMadre]

@SierraMadre: I don't understand what you said about quoting and 25% extra. I still see the same price $3995,- on the Smyth website. Or maybe the extra is related to taxes? For example for EU customers 20% VAT is added. Did you request a quote?

It could be V.A.T I suppose given that they list the price in dollars despite apparently shipping from Ireland/Europe. I would have expected the price to be listed in euros, inclusive of sales tax or with a little asterisk or disclaimer sub-title saying “not including any sales tax”.

I did get a quote, yes. But, if it is just sales tax then why not just handle it all through the payment cart / portal instead of the more nebulous request for quote? Given that they are based in Ireland and ship either from there is somewhere in the EU, I am inclined to think that $3995 was, shipping and customs duties aside, the all-inclusive price (UK and European V.A.T and all) back when they were still taking the final round of pre-orders.

 

[sander99]

Thanks, so the procedure is not just about deriving compensation offset values to provide a flat response for your headphones but also a degree of personalised HRTF?

Not really a degree of personalised HRTF. Only in so far that the HPEQ compensates for the headphone's frequency response on your head and ears and I guess you could in a way say that that also depends on your HRTF for sounds coming straight from the side (or for whatever angle the headphone drivers are aiming in to your ears). With a BRIR or PRIR the influence of the HRTF on the sound from speakers in a room is emulated (your own HRTF it it was your own PRIR, someone else's otherwise). So the emulation of the preloaded Atmos room still is not in any way based on your personal HRTF.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

It could be V.A.T I suppose given that they list the price in dollars despite apparently shipping from Ireland/Europe. I would have expected the price to be listed in euros, inclusive of sales tax or with a little asterisk or disclaimer sub-title saying “not including any sales tax”.

I did get a quote, yes. But, if it is just sales tax then why not just handle it all through the payment cart / portal instead of the more nebulous request for quote? Given that they are based in Ireland and ship either from there is somewhere in the EU, I am inclined to think that $3995 was, shipping and customs duties aside, the all-inclusive price (UK and European V.A.T and all) back when they were still taking the final round of pre-orders.

If you are not a Eu or UK customer you will not have to pay VAT. Did you specify your location, and was it somewhere in the EU?

 

[mrmac]

I'm backer number 9, also in Australia. No contact from James.... Good to know how much extra I'll have to pay though. Less than I was expecting.

Hmmm six apart, minimum 10 a week. Doesn't add up.

How were you contacted to ask for your address?

I got an email from James 19 minutes after the latest Kickstarter update was sent out. It was very brief.

Hi Eric,
Great news, we are finally ready to ship your A16 unit
Can you confirm the following information:
1) Shipping address?
2) Contact telephone number?
Regards
James

I answered and have haven’t heard anything since. No tracking number, it’s now on its way, nothing! Today I got a text from UPS with the request for import duties and with that the tracking number. I suspected import duties, however I wonder if it’s based on the full price or my pledge...

Now where is this promised manual???

I’m very excited!!

 

[CanMad]

It should be 5% import duty on the cost of your pledge as it included shipping. As it should be 5% on cost of item, shipping and insurance. Then the 10% GST is calculated on top of the total value of that i.e. you pay 10% on the 5% import duty as well. It's not a straight 15%. It appears you (we) may be paying for a shipping cost on top of the value of your pledge. I'm guessing they put your pledge amount as value of item, then customs can see the postage and insurance cost on top of that. Even though your pledge included shipping.

Still my A8 was about $3300 AUD landed without the Stax headphones. Even with duties the A16 is going to have cost me about $1600 AUD with two head trackers, so can't complain about the cost. Now the pain in the ass measurement process is a different story.

Do you have a good system to measure? I plan to do a couple of two channel measurements of my mates Revel Ultima Salon 2's and Active Focal Twin6 Be speakers as well as my 7.3.4 Golden ear Triton 1, Harbeth SHL5, M&K and SVS Atmos system.

Keep us posted. Hopefully James will be in touch with me soon.

 

[Richter Di]

Update: The manual is being delayed in order to update it to match the changes in the firmware release....
some of the screens have changed and the manual is being corrected to reflect them.... won't be long now...

How do you know these things?

 

[Richter Di]

Hi all! I’m a loooongtime lurker doing my first post. I’m number 3 Kickstarter backer. James asked for my address at the same time as the shipping update came. No communication since.
Just got a message from ups that I need to pay 244.66 AUD in import duties.

ETA for my A16 is Wednesday.

Congratulations!

I'm backer number 9, also in Australia. No contact from James.... Good to know how much extra I'll have to pay though. Less than I was expecting.

Hmmm six apart, minimum 10 a week. Doesn't add up.

How were you contacted to ask for your address?

That is strange. 9 should be in the ball park of 10 to 20 units per week.

 

[teacher1000]

I got an email from James 19 minutes after the latest Kickstarter update was sent out. It was very brief.

Hi Eric,
Great news, we are finally ready to ship your A16 unit
Can you confirm the following information:
1) Shipping address?
2) Contact telephone number?
Regards
James

I answered and have haven’t heard anything since. No tracking number, it’s now on its way, nothing! Today I got a text from UPS with the request for import duties and with that the tracking number. I suspected import duties, however I wonder if it’s based on the full price or my pledge...

Now where is this promised manual???

I’m very excited!!

I received the very same email, less that an hour after the kickstarter update. I am backer #46.
Nothing else heard since.

EDIT: I'm in the UK

 

[Richter Di]

When looking at the instruction to flash the new firmware and calculating the time it takes, I assume it will be around 40 minutes. Now if Smyth has to do this with all the units they send out, this is quite a bit of work.