[sander99]

I haven't checked the manual, but there's a newer version of the 'Async document', the one I have is from March 24th. That one includes rooms up to number 93, and includes 8 configurations that have height speakers, all 5.1.2 (L,R,C,SW,Ls,Rs,Lh,Rh) and 7.1.2 (L,R,C,SW,Lss,Rss,Lb,Rb,Lh,Rh). Everything else uses "top" speakers. I would assume that 9.1.6 (height) should be possible - after all, the Monolith HTP-1 even supports mixed high and top configurations.

To be clear: we are talking about the 16 channel version of the A16. With the APM89L decoder board. Does the Monolith HTP-1 use that same board?

 

[Litlgi74]

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Watching Black Hawk Down and listening to my new 24ch, 15.1.8, Genelec 8351b Atmos listening room. Playing the SVS audio on my Abyss 1266 TCs... All together these speakers would retail for $96,000!

This soundtrack is really something special. All 24 channels get used, but the Atmos channels are subtle and never overdone. You can really hear the space in this film. When the Atmos channels turn on... they are very specific and strategically placed. I love that at times only the Rhr Atmos channel is active... Makes you want to turn around and look... The audio rises and lowers from the 15-bed layer channels... It's just awesome.

Highly Recommended!

 

[GeorgeA]

Congrats for completing your new 24ch, 15.1.8, Genelec Atmos listening room.

 

[Eich1eeF]

To be clear: we are talking about the 16 channel version of the A16. With the APM89L decoder board. Does the Monolith HTP-1 use that same board?

No, the HTP-1 uses an APM-117. I kind of expect the supported speaker configurations (up to 9.1.6) to be the same across all the current(ish) MDS boards, but there's no public documentation regarding that as far as I can tell.

 

[Phil86OSU]

Any updates on KickStarter/PreOrders since the fire? Also, when was the last firmware update? I'm getting cold feet on this after 4 years and 7 months of waiting. May have a pre-order spot to sell or just take my deposit back.
Thanks,
Phil

 

[GeorgeA]

The most comprehensive source of information on history of firmware updates is available at Smyth Research site.

https://smyth-research.com/downloads/

To the best of my knowledge, Smyth Research haven’t completed shipping Realiser A16 units to their Kickstarter backers yet. Also, those on pre-order lists look forward to receiving some good news.

 

[Phil86OSU]

The most comprehensive source of information on history of firmware updates is available at Smyth Research site.

https://smyth-research.com/downloads/

To the best of my knowledge, Smyth Research haven’t completed shipping Realiser A16 units to their Kickstarter backers yet. Also, those on pre-order lists look forward to receiving some good news.

Thanks for the info. I would love some good news. The kickstarter page doesn't show signs of hope. Any inside scoop?

 

[Camano]

I'm only 4 years and 2 months into a preorder and could use some good news too - care to share?

 

[R GS]

“This Dolby software is also capable of transcoding the Dolby Atmos multichannel mix into a stereo rendering optimized for listening through headphones. This is referred to as binaural Dolby Atmos.”

Isn't this what Smyth Virtual Surround within Realiser A16 does, but in a much more accurate approach by means of PRIR captures and HPEQ?

There are various ways (hardware and software based) to emulate MCh with headphones, but they all differ from the Realiser A16 in one critical area, in addition to emulating MCh through HP, the A16 emulates specific rooms and speakers through the HP.

 

[Litlgi74]

If anyone is looking to take their tactile bass to another level... I found a great deal on some Clark Synthesis TST429 Platinum transducers. He is located in Texas and is willing to ship. They are BNIB. Just mount them to your furniture, plug them into an amp... And hold on. These are considered to be among the best available... And for a great price. He accepts Paypal so you purchase is protected... He only has two left.

https://clarksynthesis.com/tst429-platinum-transducer/

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/729619907608313/

 

[Eich1eeF]

There are various ways (hardware and software based) to emulate MCh with headphones, but they all differ from the Realiser A16 in one critical area, in addition to emulating MCh through HP, the A16 emulates specific rooms and speakers through the HP.

There's (going to be(?)) Sony 360 VME, which basically does the same as the Realiser, just in software. No idea if it is going to have head tracking (probably not), and it's apparently a Nuendo plugin, so probably nothing beyond 7.1 for consumers. I'd be very surprised if it was cheaper and more accessible than a Realiser.

 

[Sanctuary]

There's (going to be(?)) Sony 360 VME, which basically does the same as the Realiser, just in software. No idea if it is going to have head tracking (probably not), and it's apparently a Nuendo plugin, so probably nothing beyond 7.1 for consumers. I'd be very surprised if it was cheaper and more accessible than a Realiser.

They will also likely require you to use Sony's crappy closed-backed headphones which always ruin whatever they might have actually been able to accomplish with their virtualization otherwise too. Every, single, time this happens with them and unless they allow the end user to actually use whatever headphones they like, the same thing will likely happen again.

They more recently tried doing something similar with their "Tempest Engine" in the PS5, and they hyped the hell out of that as though it was going to offer a completely new experience, and be the best virtual sound yet. As I fully expected, it only turned out marginally better than their past attempts, but still sounded pretty bad. They gave you basically three presets to choose from and only one of them sounded almost "OK", and it still sounded much worse overall compared to Dolby Headphone.

It won't be "basically doing the same" as the Realiser.

edit:
I just tried out their demo, and all of the speakers are "out of my head", but they are floating above my head, in some cases extremely so. It just sounds similar to the various matrices used over the years and not like discrete channels, or object based audio. That's with using my own headphones too, and on their site it's saying that you'll be able to use your own with their product as well. It's also meant for smartphones.

It's funny how good immersive audio over headphones has existed since the mid 90s until Creative purchased Aureal-3D and then decided to do away with the superior tech for their own CMSS-3D (which was still better than what they've been doing since), then Dolby Headphone arrived and has still yet to be bested out of the consumer based virtualizations that are not exclusive to PC.

 

[Om ma Ni]

I haven't checked the manual, but there's a newer version of the 'Async document', the one I have is from March 24th. That one includes rooms up to number 93

where did you find this updated document with 93 rooms? Is it from the Smyth website?

 

[PROTIEUS]

Hi... can someone help not used my a16 for about 1 year... life stuff... now we can not find the remote. So can't update firmware.. . Where do I go too get new remote... I've emailed the brother but nothing yet...

 

[JonFo]

now we can not find the remote. So can't update firmware.. . Where do I go too get new remote... I've emailed the brother but nothing yet...

Oh man, I feel for ya. I lost the remote days after unboxing, I finally got one from the Smyths, took about two weeks to arrive.

I started to pursue creating a tablet-based remote, even bought the IP to IR blaster from Global Caché but stalled out on lack of IR info IIRC.
Now that I have a remote, maybe I should capture all the IR codes from it before I misplace it or it breaks.
I sure wish the Smyths would push the remote codes to Harmony.