[username1]

Yes, talking about the software that was mentioned here. I understand that perrsonal measured PRIP is the way to go. And i intend to do it with A16 if i order it. I have DT770 here with my only, so i'm not sure how good of headphones they need, but the presets sounded clunky-metally. Not just positionally awkward, but sounded like when you have a loose 3.5mm connection to your sound device, then it makes this half-assed sound.

 

[Clive101]

Yes, talking about the software that was mentioned here. I understand that perrsonal measured PRIP is the way to go. And i intend to do it with A16 if i order it. I have DT770 here with my only, so i'm not sure how good of headphones they need, but the presets sounded clunky-metally. Not just positionally awkward, but sounded like when you have a loose 3.5mm connection to your sound device, then it makes this half-assed sound.

Same hear did not work and sounded distorted with a metallic sound.
I do want to order the A16 but need silver..!

 

[Richter Di]

For me, the one i like best is the Magico Q3 preset. The software is a bit weird sometimes, when i turn it on, it makes some cracklings when playing sounds, and then i have to turn it off and on 2-3 times before cracklings disappear. It's a bit annoying, but it's only temporary (though with the A16 production delay, temporary lasts longer than expected !). It would be interesting to convert a PRIR made with the A16 (or A8 because Out Of Your Head can reproduce "only" 8 channels) to use on the software and then compare if it sounds like with the Realiser. Darin Fong actually uses an A8 to capture rooms and then he converts the PRIRs for his software. But it costs 150$ to do it !!! so much ! (i read some people complaining that Darin took their PRIR without their permission to sell them via OOYH... not cool if it's true)

Okay, off topic, but I just wanted to shortly respones to this Out of your Head comment.
Magico Q3 preset seems no longer available.

 

[Fox1977]

Magico Q3 preset seems no longer available.

Really ? Too bad ! In the list, it was the second, just after Acoustic Zen... I suppose i still have it because i got the license for it.

 

[Richter Di]

Really ? Too bad ! In the list, it was the second, just after Acoustic Zen... I suppose i still have it because i got the license for it.

Oh sorry, it is still there, but it does not work for my ears.

 

[J.Villain]

I notice that they have their latest pre sale running to the end of the year. That doesn't give me a warm or a fuzzy.

"This pre-sale price represents a US$300 discount on the retail price. This offer will end on the 31st December 2017"

 

[jdev]

Even less warm and fuzzy is on the new preorder page http://www.smyth-research.com/preorder_A16.html

Estimated shipping of the Realiser A16 purchased under this scheme will be around March-April 2018.

I'd be a fool to think that the one I preordered during the last round will show up much sooner than that. I haven't finalized the preorder yet. . .https://www.kickstarter.com/project...l-3d-audio-headphone-processor?token=e7f27544

 

[Sanctuary]

That's nice. If not for the fact that we already know that the technology is a proven one (A8 and A16 demos), I'd almost start to get worried that this is a scam. They've continually pushed back the release date without fail, and I'm just waiting for when they file for bankruptcy and announce none of these will be produced, or just come up with some other excuse as to why they cannot produce them (production costs were much higher than anticipated, board manufacturer went out of business, their assembly lines exploded etc.). Alternatively just as bad, they end up releasing a much more stripped down and comparatively featureless version due to costs. "You really expected to get all of these features for only $1700? HA!".

This just means that I can expect to not buy a UHD player for another 6-12 months (best case scenario) to go along with the 4K OLED I've had since last summer. In the meantime, I'm currently paying off the A16 credit card purchase for no real reason.

 

[username1]

I actually think the stripped down road is the way they end up with. It's a very common approach in situations like this. And honestly, they sold the A8 for a lot more for a lot less features. They can definitely invoke the argument for this.

But i hope i i'm wrong.

 

[jgazal]

Okay, two significant pieces of information:

Think of the YARRA 3DX as a replacement for the headphones used by the Smyth Realiser. I am friends with the Smyth brothers and will be speaking with Mike tomorrow about this. We used my A8 at several trade shows in conjunction with the YARRA 3DX and listeners were very impressed. It even translates the head tracking aspects of the Smyth devices. If you're fortunate enough to have a Smyth A16 (have they delivered them yet?), the perfect complement to experience fully immersive 3D Audio is the YARRA 3DX speaker bar. All formats are supported. The binaurlization happens in the Smyth box.

Now I can assume crosstalk cancellation is not enough to render elevation. So a prir and the interpolation algorithm are still mandatory.

Regarding hrtf acquisition:

A method for efficiently calculating head-related transfer functions directly from head scan point clouds
Authors: Sridhar, R., Choueiri, E. Y.
Publication: 143rd Convention of the Audio Engineering Society (AES 143)
Date: October 21, 2017

A method is developed for efficiently calculating head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) directly from head scan point clouds of a subject using a database of HRTFs, and corresponding head scans, of many subjects. Consumer applications require HRTFs be estimated accurately and efficiently, but existing methods do not simultaneously meet these requirements. The presented method uses efficient matrix multiplications to compute HRTFs from spherical harmonic representations of head scan point clouds that may be obtained from consumer-grade cameras. The method was applied to a database of only 23 subjects, and while calculated interaural time difference errors are found to be above estimated perceptual thresholds for some spatial directions, HRTF spectral distortions up to 6 kHz fall below perceptual thresholds for most directions.

 

[jdev]

We know smyth can make this, it is real and has been demoed, but I could see the kickstarters put in the back of the queue tho because they need to sell the units that they can afford to produce right now at full retail in order to fund future production.

 

[Got the Shakes]

That's nice. If not for the fact that we already know that the technology is a proven one (A8 and A16 demos), I'd almost start to get worried that this is a scam. They've continually pushed back the release date without fail, and I'm just waiting for when they file for bankruptcy and announce none of these will be produced, or just come up with some other excuse as to why they cannot produce them (production costs were much higher than anticipated, board manufacturer went out of business, their assembly lines exploded etc.). Alternatively just as bad, they end up releasing a much more stripped down and comparatively featureless version due to costs. "You really expected to get all of these features for only $1700? HA!".

This just means that I can expect to not buy a UHD player for another 6-12 months (best case scenario) to go along with the 4K OLED I've had since last summer. In the meantime, I'm currently paying off the A16 credit card purchase for no real reason.

I agree. I think the only thing that gives me solace is that the Smyth's company has been around for years and are pretty well known in the audio world so I like to believe that they aren't going to close up shop and run with our cash. I think it's much more likely that your point about them stripping features since costs got too high is the more likely scenario. I went and looked for the hell of it at my PayPal transactions, and I am covered by PayPal buyer protection until like December 20th. If the next update from them is pushing deliver date back into 2018 or stripping features, I'm going to highly consider filing a PayPal claim to get my money back.

 

[Sanctuary]

We know smyth can make this, it is real and has been demoed, but I could see the kickstarters put in the back of the queue tho because they need to sell the units that they can afford to produce right now at full retail in order to fund future production.

That doesn't make much sense, and flies in the face of what preorders are all about in the first place. I didn't support the Kickstarter budget (Those that did have even more reason to be upset than I do, and I'm starting to get really annoyed with the delays). I also don't actually truly care much about any of the features beyond being able to record a real speaker setup, whether it's your own or someone else's while also being able to playback Atmos 7.1.4 and also have an amp that powers most headphones adequately enough with the single jack without having to resort to double jacking just to get the required output. Beyond that, everything else like the exchange program and all of the other listed features are gravy.

As for the A8 costing much more? Right, but part of that cost had to do with designing the SVS in the first place and the parts were also probably much more expensive in 2008 when it was released as well. The A16 for all intents and purposes is just the modern iteration of the A8, where the groundwork had already been researched. If the A8 was released today, and the research costs were not a factor, it probably would not have launched at $4,000 at all. Things tend to go down in price, not up when it comes to technology.

I know how ironic that might sound too considering the site we're on, where headphone price gouging has been going on for no good reason other than people are willing to pay for what they believe is a better sound, where that sound justifies the ridiculous cost.

 

[username1]

I'm just saying the delay here can result in a stripped down version, while the firm has a "legitimate" argument compared to the retail price of the A8. Whether the research was a lot more with the A8 doesn't play so much role here. In the world of Capitalism maximum profit is the keyword.

 

[jdev]

It makes total sense to me. Yeah it sucks that preorders would be put on the back burner. Depends how cash strapped they are. If they need cash to make more of these things, what makes more sense: 1) fulfilling a $600 pre-order that you already got the money for, or 2) selling to someone new for $2295?

They could offer an option to pay the difference and get a unit now. Like, you pre-ordered for 1695 but you could pay 600 more (to make it full 2295 retail) and get it tomorrow, else you gotta keep waiting to get it on the cheap.