[Rene Lou]

I already asked Stephen about your rearward facing mics, but they are very busy at the moment testing the next firmware update which should come out maybe next week or so.

Ok, great, then let them do the firmware testing first - newer firmware is more important then this topic since with microphone rotations one can perfection the localisation (not only me is waiting eagerly for the new features).
Will be happy to hear other A16 users experience with microphone orientations - looking at the different ear shapes just in the A8 and A16 manual and my own ear, I assume different people will make different experiences.

 

[mrmac]

I have recently come across some issues, albeit small, that I would like to add to the list of requests. @audiohobbit

The AV mode (speakers on) is now NOT permanent for a preset. It gets turned off during a power cycle. And also follows if you change presets. It even follows to a preset where AV mode is turned off! I liked it as it was when the AV mode stayed on for a given preset. I’m using my A16 as a prepro and need the rest of the family to be able to turn on (harmony remote) and get it to be switched on with the right input and speakers turned on.

Mute on the A16 doesn’t mute the (optical) pre outs. Only the headphone amp. This should at least be an option along with full volume pre outs.

I’m also experience low volume in AV mode. This should be independent of any PRIR and just be the signal output to the amplifier. So it’s strange that volume is so low. Maxed at 99 and its just enough. Anyone else experience this?

@Rene Lou Can you please give us a little more details how you made your PRIR for your overheads. Did you just tilt your head forward? Following the degrees on the A16 display to whatever vertical and horizontal angles? I also assume that you had to make a single PRIR for every 2 channel pair? And then add all the different PRIR’s together in the rooms.

Regarding you getting better results with the microphones rearward facing, can be a case of YMMW. I don’t think Stephen is wrong (he built the machine...) Maybe that’s a solution for just you and your ears. It’s a testament that the PRIR measuring is quite critical and slight changes can sometimes make a big difference.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I have recently come across some issues, albeit small, that I would like to add to the list of requests. @audiohobbit

The AV mode (speakers on) is now NOT permanent for a preset. It gets turned off during a power cycle. And also follows if you change presets. It even follows to a preset where AV mode is turned off! I liked it as it was when the AV mode stayed on for a given preset. I’m using my A16 as a prepro and need the rest of the family to be able to turn on (harmony remote) and get it to be switched on with the right input and speakers turned on.

Mute on the A16 doesn’t mute the (optical) pre outs. Only the headphone amp. This should at least be an option along with full volume pre outs.


@Rene Lou Can you please give us a little more details how you made your PRIR for your overheads. Did you just tilt your head forward? Following the degrees on the A16 display to whatever vertical and horizontal angles? I also assume that you had to make a single PRIR for every 2 channel pair? And then add all the different PRIR’s together in the rooms.

Regarding you getting better results with the microphones rearward facing, can be a case of YMMW. I don’t think Stephen is wrong (he built the machine...) Maybe that’s a solution for just you and your ears. It’s a testament that the PRIR measuring is quite critical and slight changes can sometimes make a big difference.

"I’m also experience low volume in AV mode. This should be independent of any PRIR and just be the signal output to the amplifier. So it’s strange that volume is so low. Maxed at 99 and its just enough. Anyone else experience this?"

At a minimum the AV Preamps should be able to output a full 2 volts as this is what is required to drive most amps to full output in unbalanced mode. Does anyone know what the maximum voltage of those outputs are?

 

[Richter Di]

Then Stephen is wrong, sorry. I know what I'm hearing. ...

In my posting about optimal A16 microphone positioning in the ear I just described what I'm hearing when comparing PRIRs and my high-end speakers, and I'm very happy that I could finally make a copy of them with the A16. For doing so, I had to rotate the microphones.

When you have an A16, try it for yourself - it's quite easy, just make some PRIRs with one microphone position and some others with another position.

First of all I believe you.
Secondly, @sander99 did not find the microphone placement with these yellow foamies not easy at all.
Thirdly, I will try it out without remodeling the studio this time. So just a quick test.

 

[Richter Di]

I’m also experience low volume in AV mode. This should be independent of any PRIR and just be the signal output to the amplifier. So it’s strange that volume is so low. Maxed at 99 and its just enough. Anyone else experience this?

I find it so strange that also SPDIF out is changed by the volume knobs.

 

[Richter Di]

So, as you may have read already I visited @Richter Di and we did some PRIR and HPEQ measurements for the both of us. We only managed to do 2.0 because we needed time to carry some absorbers, bass traps and carpets into the room, and set the speakers up etc. And then we first had a few less satisfactory measurements due to microphones moving out of position.
But the end result: magnificent! Very nice to hear the Realiser in action again after the 2.5 years that passed since my demo in Munich. It was a confirmation for me that those old memories weren't just a dream, the A16 is real!
And now actually it was the first time I listened to normal stereo over a stereo pair of virtual speakers instead of Dolby ATmos 7.1.4 over a 7.1.4 set of virtual speakers.
And the speakers (Focal Aria 906), and the way we set them and the room up was probably much better sounding than the Smyth demo setup, except only limited to 2.0 channel of course.
So thank you Richter Di for this oppertunity!

My PRIR and HPEQs are on the Google Drive managed by @Rene Lou: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MWWb8KELPBbAC5WSHf82UXeV73v1O84W?usp=sharing

Very happy you liked the result. Just listening with the HD800 PRIR and HPEQ we created.
It was quite a task to model the Pilates studio to a sound studio, but we succeeded.
So a big thanks to you!

 

[phoenixdogfan]

First of all I believe you.
Secondly, @sander99 did not find the microphone placement with these yellow foamies not easy at all.
Thirdly, I will try it out without remodeling the studio this time. So just a quick test.

If the microphone's are truly omnidirectional at any distance, then Rene Lou's tweak falls into the "couldn't hurt" category. If the mics are not truly omnidirectional, then his tweak may well be of benefit. I will therefore be using his tweak when I get my Realiser.

 

[audiohobbit]

If I find some time I will also try the facing rearward (and maybe forward for comparison) position.
I already made several PRIRs with different mic positioning, but always looking downward as recommended, just to see how good is repeatability and I also used another set of mics. And different set of look angles. I have now already 12 PRIRs and 3 or 4 HPEQs.
Comparing these all will be a difficult task. What I also do is analyse the frequency response of those PRIRs/HPEQs. If I find some time... This will take a lot of time...

 

[Richter Di]

I also used another set of mics.

Maybe I missed this, but what kind of mics did you find that you could use with the A16?
Did they do in your opinion a better, same or worse job than the microphones supplied with the A16?

 

[audiohobbit]

Another set of A16 mics, from a friend of mine who also has an A16. That's what I meant.

 

[VandyMan]

Anyone gotten a shipping notice in the last couple of days? Wondering what # they are up to.

 

[Eich1eeF]

I find it so strange that also SPDIF out is changed by the volume knobs.

I'd say that's should not be all that surprising since this is not "high end" or consumer gear, but pro equipment, and adjustable digital outputs aren't uncommon there at all. However, I'm wondering if the PRIRs and HPEQs are normalized in any way, and if and how the A16 prevents clipping when the volume is cranked too high.

 

[You Gene]

Anyone gotten a shipping notice in the last couple of days? Wondering what # they are up to.

In November 2019, about 14 people (Kickstarter, Head-Fi and HCFR) claimed to have received their A16. The last one being on HCFR forum on November 25th 2019 (kickstarter?). Accordingly, the overall quantity must be larger since this figure is partial.

Kickstarter 107 seems to be the last one.

For your information an official Indian importer (Mumbai) of Realisers A16 replied to my enquiry about deliveries : ... "I sell in restricted quantity so as to not disrupt the Kickstarter back-log too much"...I thought that was good info for us, or am I being naive?

Unfortunately Christmas is already at our doors and 2020 is coming fast...

 

[audiohobbit]

I have recently come across some issues, albeit small, that I would like to add to the list of requests. @audiohobbit

The AV mode (speakers on) is now NOT permanent for a preset. It gets turned off during a power cycle. And also follows if you change presets. It even follows to a preset where AV mode is turned off! I liked it as it was when the AV mode stayed on for a given preset. I’m using my A16 as a prepro and need the rest of the family to be able to turn on (harmony remote) and get it to be switched on with the right input and speakers turned on.

Mute on the A16 doesn’t mute the (optical) pre outs. Only the headphone amp. This should at least be an option along with full volume pre outs.

I’m also experience low volume in AV mode. This should be independent of any PRIR and just be the signal output to the amplifier. So it’s strange that volume is so low. Maxed at 99 and its just enough. Anyone else experience this?

Is it ok for you to wait for the next FW update (next week as I understood) and then see if anything changed there?
Did mute work for digital outputs before current FW?
What amplifier do you use in AV mode?

 

[jazzfan]

Anyone gotten a shipping notice in the last couple of days? Wondering what # they are up to.

Fingers crossed, it looks like Christmas may be coming early for me this year. I'm KS backer #116. On Monday, Nov. 25th, I received an "A16 ready for shipment" notification from Mr. Smyth. Also stated in the email, "At this moment we only have 2U units available to ship this week, you will have to wait until next week if you want a Headstand unit.". Fortunately for me, I originally requested a 2U unit.