[Dixter]

Imminent A16 Features (APM110/HSR41T hardware)

1) Add eARC audio source
2) Extend ALL/ASYNC PRIR measurements to 24 channels
3) Extend OH key group to 10 overhead/height speakers

In future we are getting 10 more speakers...

So seems that the wides will still not be used, as I had already heard from Stephen, but all the other channels, except for the side centers, but these are channels you only may need with a screen 15 m wider or more (Atmos in real cinemas...)

 

[audiohobbit]

What are you trying to say?
Of course with the new HW there will be up to 10 speakers above the head possible (6 tops and 4 heights), therefore you need 10 keys to solo them.
For example in

• 13.1.10ch (C, Lcs, Rcs, L, R, Lw, Rw, Lss, Rss, Lrs1, Rrs1, Lb, Rb, Lfh, Rfh, Ltf, Rtf, Ltm, Rtm, Ltr, Rtr, Lrh, Rrh, SUB)

But then you still won't be able to solo Lcs, Rcs, Lrs1, Rrs1, because even with the extention there will be max. 20 keys to solo single speakers.

With the new hardware you're getting 8 new speakers (channels), not 10.


Stephen told me he asked Demopad about the Android App, but they didn't respond yet.
A bit unfortunate. Hope they will reply soon.


What is the cheapest iPad... (but I suppose there are ni such things as cheap Apple products)

 

[Janska]

Has anyone tried the app yet and does it work? I don't have apple devices, but I did fiddle around a little with Packet Sender. With the few tested commands, already some of them did not work, like power up/down and volume A+. Actually stopped testing after 4 functions where 3 did not work as they should. Maybe the app works better?

 

[Got the Shakes]

Has anyone tried the app yet and does it work? I don't have apple devices, but I did fiddle around a little with Packet Sender. With the few tested commands, already some of them did not work, like power up/down and volume A+. Actually stopped testing after 4 functions where 3 did not work as they should. Maybe the app works better?

I was able to get the app downloaded the the GUI that the Smyths put together loaded perfectly fine using the QR code in the documentation. Unfortunately my A16 is still in the UK being upgraded so I can’t test it to see if it actually works.

 

[Dixter]

I was able to scan the code and everything loaded properly on an older Ipad Mini 3... a older Ipad... the App , Centro Control opens up perfectly without any scaling issues and it looks cool... its kinda like having the A16 Front display to be bigger and better... can't play with it too much as I don't have the A16 here anymore.... but it looks great and I can't wait to get it going when my A16 gets back to me...

 

[You Gene]

I did my 1.90 firmware update and had to reconfigure my PRESETS/PRIRS…since a full restore was requested. Good exercise by the way to (re)learn all about the menu, etc.

Others :
- after the firmware update I had a new file on my SD card with the name : the number of my A16 followed by .bin (A16HS...bin)
-I watched a Dolby upmixed 5.1 dvd episode of 40 minutes : the trouble was that I heard +- 5 times a very loud buzz that lasted only 1/10 of a second. I believe that someone had the same problem some time ago.
I did not use the new "block mute" switch when these buzz(es) happened (see page 1, item 1 of release note). I will enable it and see what happens.
- I looked at the screen showing the update dates to check and the only difference I noticed was :
HDMI firmware rev : v56.46.40 shows on the release note whilst my screen shows v56.46.52

 

[Got the Shakes]

What are you trying to say?
Of course with the new HW there will be up to 10 speakers above the head possible (6 tops and 4 heights), therefore you need 10 keys to solo them.
For example in

• 13.1.10ch (C, Lcs, Rcs, L, R, Lw, Rw, Lss, Rss, Lrs1, Rrs1, Lb, Rb, Lfh, Rfh, Ltf, Rtf, Ltm, Rtm, Ltr, Rtr, Lrh, Rrh, SUB)

But then you still won't be able to solo Lcs, Rcs, Lrs1, Rrs1, because even with the extention there will be max. 20 keys to solo single speakers.

With the new hardware you're getting 8 new speakers (channels), not 10.


Stephen told me he asked Demopad about the Android App, but they didn't respond yet.
A bit unfortunate. Hope they will reply soon.


What is the cheapest iPad... (but I suppose there are ni such things as cheap Apple products)

Cheapest iPad in the US new is $329 I think. Apple directly never puts them on sale, but third party retailers will from time to time.

I was able to scan the code and everything loaded properly on an older Ipad Mini 3... a older Ipad... the App , Centro Control opens up perfectly without any scaling issues and it looks cool... its kinda like having the A16 Front display to be bigger and better... can't play with it too much as I don't have the A16 here anymore.... but it looks great and I can't wait to get it going when my A16 gets back to me...

Assuming it works as intended, I'll be able to get my setup down from like 6-7 remotes to the Harmony remote I bought and my iPad for A16 functions. That will be really nice.

 

[Dixter]

For music on the A16 I'm going to start using the new Topping D90 MQA DAC... it does streaming like TIDAL and others very well and it has 5.0 Blue Tooth that actually sounds pretty good... I should be able to feed the A16 via the D90 MQA DAC from the Ipad mini on a blue tooth connection or USB from my laptop/desktop... that way I can sit and work everything wirelessly while listening to music... and whats cool is if someone comes over to the house and wants to listen to their music on my A16 they can just bluetooth connect a android phone/iphone or a dedicated DAP .... nice options to have...

 

[sahmen]

For music on the A16 I'm going to start using the new Topping D90 MQA DAC... it does streaming like TIDAL and others very well and it has 5.0 Blue Tooth that actually sounds pretty good... I should be able to feed the A16 via the D90 MQA DAC from the Ipad mini on a blue tooth connection or USB from my laptop/desktop... that way I can sit and work everything wirelessly while listening to music... and whats cool is if someone comes over to the house and wants to listen to their music on my A16 they can just bluetooth connect a android phone/iphone or a dedicated DAP .... nice options to have...

Okay, it sounds interesting, but will this hook-up be for listening on speakers and headphones, or on headphones alone? It has never been completely clear to me how the A-16 fares in the role of a pre pro for driving live speakers, which is one of the reasons for my question.

Thanks.

 

[Dixter]

you can do both... for the D90 MQA it has pre amp and DAC modes... they also just realeased a matching Amp that you could also put the output of the A16 into that and drive headphones or live speakers.... its getting a lot of interest at the moment and its Toppings answer to the THX amps, the measurements indicate it is better than the THX amps... the Amp is shown here with the test results... they just released it a few days ago this week... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...topping-a90-headphone-amplifier-review.13592/
for the DAC D90 ... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/topping-d90-balanced-usb-dac-review.10519/

They also are in development of a pre amp to compliment the DAC and Amp.. it will be released as the Pre90...

 

[phoenixdogfan]

you can do both... for the D90 MQA it has pre amp and DAC modes... they also just realeased a matching Amp that you could also put the output of the A16 into that and drive headphones or live speakers.... its getting a lot of interest at the moment and its Toppings answer to the THX amps, the measurements indicate it is better than the THX amps... the Amp is shown here with the test results... they just released it a few days ago this week... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...topping-a90-headphone-amplifier-review.13592/
for the DAC D90 ... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/topping-d90-balanced-usb-dac-review.10519/

They also are in development of a pre amp to compliment the DAC and Amp.. it will be released as the Pre90...

How will you connect the A16 to your DAC? Will the A16 output a two channel binaural LPCM stream via USB or SPIDF at this point? I never got far enough b/c of my freeze up problem to be able to even attempt connecting an external dac.

 

[GeorgeA]

How will you connect the A16 to your DAC? Will the A16 output a two channel binaural LPCM stream via USB or SPIDF at this point? I never got far enough b/c of my freeze up problem to be able to even attempt connecting an external dac.

I’ve also got a Topping D90 DAC (non MQA version) and I intend to connect Realiser A16 to an external DAC (Topping D90) via optical/coaxial cable.

 

[Dixter]

For " music " input to the A16 via DAC I'm just using the two RCA jacks from the DAC to the A16 RCA input... thats whats nice about the A16 as it has so many options for inputs.... you still get to use the HDMI for your movie sources and you can input the output of the DAC or any type of play back device you want via the RCA inputs... you can upmix or just use the 2 ch.... you use the headphone jacks for the output for headphones... or use the output jacks at the back of the A16 if you want to use a different amp for the output... if you use speakers you shouldn't use the DSP function of the A16... wont sound right... theTopping DAC and AMP are pretty small and heavy so I plan on stacking the DAC/AMP/A16 as they are about the same footprint... should look nice and be functional as a stack...

 

[GeorgeA]

........... I plan on stacking the DAC/AMP/A16 as they are about the same footprint... should look nice and be functional as a stack...

Doesn’t A16 get too hot when using it on a long period of time?

 

[sahmen]

if you use speakers you shouldn't use the DSP function of the A16... wont sound right...

Yes that was the nuance I have been anticipating. It would seem to suggest, if I am not overlooking something, that if one wants to use live speakers, then it might be best to bypass the A-16 entirely in favor of some alternative component, such as a standard pre pro,or avr, independently attached to their own amps, or maybe an integrated amplifier, Right?