[audiohobbit]

I can't say it for the top speakers but the front wides are often not used, that's right. I think the 6 top speakers are used if there, only the front wides are the ones not often used.
In theory there shouldn't be a fixed channel layout for Atmos, there should just be Atmos and the decoder should decode it to as many channels there are in the setup. It seems that with Atmos at home this is different. Probably also a limitation of bandwidth in the compressed stream.

The DSU (Dolby Surround Upmixer) does not do anything with an Atmos signal I think. Only non atmos Dolby signals are upmixed, but only to 7.1.6 max. It doesn't use the front wides either.
So front wides are rarely used, but there are definitely Atmos tracks that use them, especially the trailers and test signals I linked in the thread in my signature.

Hhowever you don't have to set up extra rooms for 7.1.4. 9.1.6 is all you need for Atmos (if the PRIR contains all those speakers of course).
I have only set up a 9.1.6 room and a 5.1 room from the Surrey room. Luckily there are Ls and Rs speakers in the Surrey PRIRs that you can use for 5.1 although they have an azimuth of 135 degrees and are also used as Lb and Rb in other setups. So as backs they are theoretically too far apart and as surrounds in 5.1 too near together, but it's a compromise.

 

[Om ma Ni]

I can't say it for the top speakers but the front wides are often not used, that's right. I think the 6 top speakers are used if there, only the front wides are the ones not often used.
In theory there shouldn't be a fixed channel layout for Atmos, there should just be Atmos and the decoder should decode it to as many channels there are in the setup. It seems that with Atmos at home this is different. Probably also a limitation of bandwidth in the compressed stream.

The DSU (Dolby Surround Upmixer) does not do anything with an Atmos signal I think. Only non atmos Dolby signals are upmixed, but only to 7.1.6 max. It doesn't use the front wides either.
So front wides are rarely used, but there are definitely Atmos tracks that use them, especially the trailers and test signals I linked in the thread in my signature.

Hhowever you don't have to set up extra rooms for 7.1.4. 9.1.6 is all you need for Atmos (if the PRIR contains all those speakers of course).
I have only set up a 9.1.6 room and a 5.1 room from the Surrey room. Luckily there are Ls and Rs speakers in the Surrey PRIRs that you can use for 5.1 although they have an azimuth of 135 degrees and are also used as Lb and Rb in other setups. So as backs they are theoretically too far apart and as surrounds in 5.1 too near together, but it's a compromise.

That s way more clearer for me now regarding the atmos signal.. Thx to you again Audiohobbit!
What i noticed so far is that when playing a movie with original 7.1.4 on a A16 9.1.6 room, the front wides are off and there are only 2 top height (top left and right) speakers working in the set of 6... But when i switch the A16 to 7.1.4 room , all of these 4 top virtual speakers are working..Is it normal or should we notice it to the Smyth for the next firmware ..?

 

[audiohobbit]

What movies from which sources for example?
I could not say that I saw only 2 of the 6 top speakers working.

Normally movies are not labelled as 7.1.4 but just as Atmos.

 

[Richter Di]

Any 3,5mm (1/8 inch) to Cinch cable off ebay or amazon or from your favorite HiFi dealer or electronics store should do, assuming your Amplifier has Cinch inputs, which should apply to > 99% of all consumer products. Those cables are commonly used to connect computer sound cards or mobile audio devices to active speakers or (pre-)amplifiers.

If you're going with long cables to get 5.1 or more channels hooked up at the same time, labeling the plugs or possibly even better, getting the correct color coding for surround channels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surround_sound#Channel_identification) might be a beneficial. I'll probably borrow the cable label printer from my office to make a few labels for my cables, but I've got no Idea how to quickly, easily and cheaply get the color coding right.

Thanks! So something like this?
https://www.thomann.de/de/cordial_cfy15wcc_yaudiokabel.htm
But doesn’t this mean shared ground? Shouldn’t it be TRRS?

 

[sander99]

But doesn’t this mean shared ground? Shouldn’t it be TRRS?

In the diagram on the kickstarter A16 campaign page they mention simply stereo 3.5 mm jacks, so I assume TRS. (Internally it will all have common ground anyway). But I am not 100% sure, anyone tried to use these connections already? [Edit: well, of course all the people who made PRIRs already must have used them so what plugs did you guys use?]

In a newer datasheet they don't mention anything at all.

 

[Richter Di]

Thanks a lot @sander99 .

 

[sander99]

Question: how long are the mic cables, so how close must the A16 be to the sweetspot where you have to sit during a PRIR measurement?

 

[sm0rf]

Question: how long are the mic cables, so how close must the A16 be to the sweetspot where you have to sit during a PRIR measurement?

3 meters

 

[Eich1eeF]

In the diagram on the kickstarter A16 campaign page they mention simply stereo 3.5 mm jacks, so I assume TRS.[...]
In a newer datasheet they don't mention anything at all.

The manual also lists "8 x 3.5mm stereo sockets" for the 16 channel analog in and out on page 23. If it was some 4 contact variant, I'd have expected a connection diagram in the manual.

 

[Richter Di]

The manual also lists "8 x 3.5mm stereo sockets" for the 16 channel analog in and out on page 23. If it was some 4 contact variant, I'd have expected a connection diagram in the manual.

Manual 20 Appendix J: Connections

Connecting loudspeakers

To be added …

Speaker installation

To be added …

Speaker configuration

To be added …

Speaker and amplifier connection

To be added …

 

[pervysage]

For gaming purposes there is a game microphone port on the front panel, correct? And does this passthrough to Windows via USB connection?

Is the port 3.5mm?

 

[Eich1eeF]

For gaming purposes there is a game microphone port on the front panel, correct? And does this passthrough to Windows via USB connection?

Is the port 3.5mm?

Manual, page 22: GAME port – for a stereo headphone output signal and mono microphone input signal (3.5mm 4-pole socket)

It's probably not functional at the moment (check the release limitations listed in https://www.kickstarter.com/project...al-3d-audio-headphone-processor/posts/2592312 , few additional features have been added in the meantime). Also, the latency may be too high for games.

 

[Om ma Ni]

What movies from which sources for example?
I could not say that I saw only 2 of the 6 top speakers working.

Normally movies are not labelled as 7.1.4 but just as Atmos.

Had a try on the Star Wars last Jedi 4k bluray..on the cover it say Dolby Atmos 7.1.4..Well my mistake, after playing it on 9.1.6, had the front wide still off but 4 of the top speakers are working..
All the speakers are on when in 7.1.4 room. So i presume that it is only a "7.1.4" atmos soundtrack on its core..
On the other side, i had a try with the Dolby Atmos demo "Horizon" (thx to your link) and it was the first time that i could experience the 9.1.6 room at its best! Could really feel and localize the precise sound direction and movement from the 6 top speakers! It was with the Surrey room in 9.1.6 after flatEQ and L+C+R ManLoudEQ..
Only down side is that my center channel with Surrey is not that great atm..so i will try to replace it with the one from BBC room and test again...
Really wish to find movies with full Atmos soundtrack in 9.1.6 ..

 

[Shep]

A question for you Kickstarter backers. How do you know where you are in the queue?
I paid in September 2016, received an email saying I was one of 330 backers, filled out a survey response (January 2017) and got patchy updates from James afterwards but I never received a number, position, ranking or whatever.
TBH, I ignored this thread for 3 years because I became sure that Smyth would go belly up and I wasted my money, so apologies if this is already answered.

 

[GeorgeA]

You must log in to your kickstarter account. There you will see all the projects you have backed. Select view pledge, scroll down the page and you'll see your backer number.