Smyth Research Realiser A16

[SierraMadre]

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.

That’s why I said a “degree of personalised HRTF”. Obviously that procedure would be limited to the transfer fuctioms between your ears and the headphones in question but that processing is then applied on top of the Atmos room or whatever you play.

I know this is the A16 thread, but it's somewhat relevant. My A8 arrived on Tuesday, and it was pretty well known that to get the best experience, you must have your own PRIR done. Some people's files will work well enough for others if they have similar physical characteristics, but it's still not going to be as good as having your own measurements done. That being said, I won't be able to do my own for a few weeks, and I am also waiting on some replacement foam pads to arrive as well. However, one thing instantly stands out to be true for me, and someone at Smyth even said as much: out of the box (or using someone else's PRIR), it blows away other well known virtualization algorithms. I've been going through the few dozen 5.1 and 7.1 files that others have uploaded, and right now it sounds nothing like Dolby Headphone (other than both simulate surround out of your head). The crappy reverb is no longer present, even when all channels are active, and on top of that, it doesn't mush some of the channels together into this muffled blob of sound. They each sound distinct, and very clear. Haven't found a file yet that really tricks me into believing there are any sounds coming directly behind me at all times with the rear channels, but there are a few that at least at times sound that way, and I still have a bunch more to go through. Being able to shut off all the channels you don't want on at any given time to test spatial awareness is a great feature too.

Still learning the main functionality, but I hope the A16 at least allows you to edit previously saved PRIRs (without needing the web functionality) so that you can iterate on a baseline. Have a 7.0 that you think sounds perfect, then later make a copy adding the virtual sub, then make another copy adding height if the recordings need to be broken up over time, or you just want different versions of the same recording. I know the A8 allows you to use even a single speaker for all eight channels if you wish (this is great for those who only have 5.1 setups), but as far as I can tell, that's only before you finalize your current PRIR, and that you can't actually edit them once you save them.

Hi, if I may ask, with respect to your out-of-the-box experience of the A8 (i.e. just using the default generic PRIR rather than one of your own) how well does it virtualise front / center channel depth out-of-your-head? How much farther out in front of you did they feel in comparison to pre-existing headphone virtual surround solutions you have tried?
Thanks

 

[Richter Di]

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

This is weird. Okay what is the sequence Smyth is using?

 

[CaptainFunk]

This is weird. Okay what is the sequence Smyth is using?

Maybe they go alphabetically? I am not even sure they are aware of the backer numbers.

 

[CanMad]

So its a bit random then. Was the email address: james@smyth-research.com

If so that's annoying.

 

[CaptainFunk]

So its a bit random then. Was the email address: james@smyth-research.com

If so that's annoying.

I actually think it is fair to treat all Kickstarter purchases equally, just because someone backed early doesn't mean they are more important than someone who backed later in my opinion.

 

[valleynomad]

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?

In A16 this procedure is only for HPEQ, period. It has nothing to do with HRTF which requires a separate procedure without using the headphones.

 

[CanMad]

I actually think it is fair to treat all Kickstarter purchases equally, just because someone backed early doesn't mean they are more important than someone who backed later in my opinion.

I don't agree. It should be first in first served.

I set my alarm clock and got up in the middle of the night to get in as soon as it started. I knew the deal was so good I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out.

A backer is effectively a purchaser (I know there are differences) but the same principles should apply.

So by your reasoning, even though I was one of the first ten backers it will be fair if I have to wait 30 weeks to get my realiser?

 

[CaptainFunk]

I don't agree. It should be first in first served.

I set my alarm clock and got up in the middle of the night to get in as soon as it started. I knew the deal was so good I wanted to make sure I didn't miss out.

A backer is effectively a purchaser (I know there are differences) but the same principles should apply.

So by your reasoning, even though I was one of the first ten backers it will be fair if I have to wait 30 weeks to get my realiser?

But we all paid at the same time, when the project was funded. That's why I think everyone should be treated equally.

No need to discuss this further, I can understand your argument too, I was just looking for a reason why they are seemingly processing the Kickstarter orders randomly and this makes the most sense to me

 

[Maestroso]

But we all paid at the same time, when the project was funded. That's why I think everyone should be treated equally.

No need to discuss this further, I can understand your argument too, I was just looking for a reason why they are seemingly processing the Kickstarter orders randomly and this makes the most sense to me

If I may ask what backer no are you?

 

[CaptainFunk]

If I may ask what backer no are you?

#25

 

[CanMad]

Given they are only shipping 10 - 20 a week it is impossible to treat every backer equally. Therefore there should be a system.

 

[Takeanidea]

I actually think it is fair to treat all Kickstarter purchases equally, just because someone backed early doesn't mean they are more important than someone who backed later in my opinion.

Doing it in order number seems to me to be the only fair and logical way of doing the distribution. Kickstarter backers should be first - although they paid more - the risk was higher for them than using the pre order method. That being said, whether the order numbers have gone in order of when they were purchased and are a mix and match of KS and preorder, that would be fine for me, because that means I'd wait less time. But if I had to wait longer for the KS to be done first, I'd have no problem with that. Nothing else makes sense to me in terms of the order in which the product is sent out, particularly the speculation that selling cancelled orders for $4K will speed up delivery. The only thing that can be proven to do at this juncture is SLOWING DOWN delivery!

 

[Maestroso]

#25

Ahhh ... You will be fine.
No panic ... on the Titanic .

 

[CanMad]

#25

Get behind me then

 

[Maestroso]

Get behind me then