[Sanctuary]

In my understanding of this, the manLOUD eq helps alleviate issues with capturing BRIRs and HPEQ on a closed ear canal and should thus be useful for all speakers, not just the L/R/C.

That's what it should do, but after watching the tutorial again, it specifies that when you are using manLOUD, it has to be tied to a specific PRIR. So I don't think it would actually be useful for what I was wanting to do at all. It might make a BRIR sound better to my ears, but I already have a decent enough 7.1 PRIR, and was trying to add additional speakers from a BRIR.

Using manLOUD in this case might help make the BRIR speakers sound better, but then it would make my own PRIR speakers sound worse I think. I'm not sure using the Composite feature would actually be a way to circumvent this either. I would be able to combine the various sources into a single PRIR, but since the PRIR and BRIR being used would have tonality/room differences, I doubt manLOUD would work well in that case, and would be similar, if not the same as simply making a room with manLOUD BRIR speakers, with my own PRIR.

 

[shmau]

As I’m fond of surround music, I’d be happy to be able to bitstream from my Cambridge Audio CXUHD player various PCM and DSD multichannel files to my A16 unit.

As part of FAQ page, Smyth Research stated that DST was not supported by their HDMI interface so multi-channel DSD support was not imminent. However, what DSD discs playback is concerned, there’re a few posts in this tread. For example, @audiohobbit wrote in his Post #6,714 that a “5ch SACD converted to PCM by the Oppo and sent via HDMI there isn't this problem either.” So, it seems that by converting the DSD signal to PCM the issue would be solved.

My playback setup consists of the Cambridge Audio CXUHD player connected to the Smyth Research Realiser A16 via HDMI cable. I have attached a picture (01) with the settings for the CXUHD audio output.

When a 5.1 SACD disc is played back (picture 02 attached), the 6-channel PCM audio signal is received by Realiser A16 such as (picture 03). On the other hand, when playing back a SACD 5.0 disc (picture 04), the 5-channel PCM audio signal sent to Realiser A16 is received only as a two-channel PCM (picture 05). I’ve played back the two SACD discs on another player, OPPO BDP-103D. The findings are identical to those for CXUHD. This issue has also been reported by @Litlgi74 at another forum.

Previously, I owned AV receivers, but I didn’t notice such weird behaviour. As I’ve got only CXUHD and OPPO BDP-103D players as sources, I’m quite limited in the possible options. I think I should report this issue to Smyth Research, but I’m afraid I won’t find availability for a more or less acceptable solution.

Maybe not ideal but have you considered connecting the multi channel analog outputs from one of your players to the A16? I don't have the analog A16 so not sure what exactly the inputs are, but I suppose you might need four TRS to double RCA cables.

You could also keep the HDMI cable connected for other content.

 

[GeorgeA]

Unlike OPPO BDP-103D, CXUHD is a fully digital player, no analogue outputs.

@Litlgi74 wrote about this weird behaviour at https://www.avsforum.com/threads/official-oppo-udp-203-owners-thread.2676801/page-2069 and he was told that the problem was playing a 5.0 file instead of the more normal 5.1 file where the ".1" channel just happened to contain no content.

As AV receivers are able to render both 5.1 and 5.0 signals, I think Smyth Research might solve this issue in a software update.

 

[shmau]

Not exactly related to the realiser but since there's some talk about SACD mch and HDMI, there's a new (expensive) product out there that allows an SACD player like one of those two mentioned earlier to output raw DSD via HDMI, with the conversion to PCM or DoP happening in high quality within the box itself. Especially useful if you have AES inputs like the A16 AES model. Very very niche use case but I think it's interesting regardless and good to be aware of. The realiser of course operates at 48khz anyway so there's limited benefit in this "purer" signal path. Would help with channel issues though.

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...-vanitypro-review-hdmi-audio-extractor.30440/

Unlike OPPO BDP-103D, CXUHD is a fully digital player, no analogue outputs.

@Litlgi74 wrote about this weird behaviour at https://www.avsforum.com/threads/official-oppo-udp-203-owners-thread.2676801/page-2069 and he was told that the problem was playing a 5.0 file instead of the more normal 5.1 file where the ".1" channel just happened to contain no content.

As AV receivers are able to render both 5.1 and 5.0 signals, I think Smyth Research might solve this issue in a software update.

You are of course right but even if they do agree to produce a fix, realistically I don't think they would actually be able to release it for quite some time. Seems like 1-2 firmware updates per year has been pretty standard so far.

 

[Sanctuary]

Is there a known bug with A>B switching? I'm trying to compare rooms with minor alterations or just compare different HPEQs but I can't even get a valid baseline.
When I have both A and B set identically in every way B always tends to boost the LFE by around 30%, and I can't figure out why. Everything, and I mean everything is the same for both, yet I must be missing a setting elsewhere that is affecting this. It's not the preset, HPEQ, gain or volume for either. And yes, I reload the user profile (presets) each time I change an HPEQ so that it loads.

Also, is it normal behavior for the A16 to reload presets after each time I just finished making an HPEQ and want to make another? Every time I make one, then go to transfer it from the temporary folder to system storage, I get "wait" for both profiles and can't do anything until they reload. This happens every time, even though I changed nothing about those presets at all. Is it because user profiles go in some kind of standby mode when using certain apps?

 

[esimms86]

There is another, much cheaper solution for enabling one to listen to DSD files on the A16. Well, cheaper if you already own a laptop with an HDMI out and you also have your DSD music files ripped in DSF format. You can purchase J River Media Center online for $60($80 if you want to use it with both Mac and Windows). J River then imports your DSF files and sends them off to the A16 via HDMI using DSD over DoP.

There is the freeware SACD Ripper program that is compatible with various SACD players(I use my OPPO 103D for ripping SACDs). You have the option of ripping to DSF or DFF, however, DSF files retain the metadata.

 

[Eich1eeF]

There is another, much cheaper solution for enabling one to listen to DSD files on the A16. Well, cheaper if you already own a laptop with an HDMI out and you also have your DSD music files ripped in DSF format. You can purchase J River Media Center online for $60($80 if you want to use it with both Mac and Windows). J River then imports your DSF files and sends them off to the A16 via HDMI using DSD over DoP.

There is the freeware SACD Ripper program that is compatible with various SACD players(I use my OPPO 103D for ripping SACDs). You have the option of ripping to DSF or DFF, however, DSF files retain the metadata.

It's compatible with the Oppo 103, among others. It's not clear if JRiver would send a ripped 5.0 file as 5.0 or 5.1 over HDMI.

 

[esimms86]

https://www.psaudio.com/copper/article/down-the-rabbit-hole-of-sacd-ripping-and-dsd-extraction/

 

[shmau]

It's compatible with the Oppo 103, among others. It's not clear if JRiver would send a ripped 5.0 file as 5.0 or 5.1 over HDMI.

You could use the A16 as a USB DAC instead of HDMI I suppose. I haven't used it but I assume the interface is functional.

Coincidentally I have one of those cheap Sony players on the way to hopefully facilitate mch ripping.

 

[sander99]

Also, is it normal behavior for the A16 to reload presets after each time I just finished making an HPEQ and want to make another? Every time I make one, then go to transfer it from the temporary folder to system storage, I get "wait" for both profiles and can't do anything until they reload. This happens every time, even though I changed nothing about those presets at all. Is it because user profiles go in some kind of standby mode when using certain apps?

That is normal behaviour, yes. I just assume the A16 assigns certain resources, like memory, to either the apps or the normal svs processing hence needs time to switch.

 

[makan]

Ok. Given up on getting atmos from Disney+ using eARC from my hisense tv to the A16. Wondering if anyone has a good atmos connection from a standalone streaming device for Disney+ to the A16? I am thinking that the fire stick 4K is the most cost effective if it works, then followed by Apple TV 4K and the nvidia shield pro. We are likely only going to subscribe to disney +…maybe Netflix. Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[dsperber]

Ok. Given up on getting atmos from Disney+ using eARC from my hisense tv to the A16. Wondering if anyone has a good atmos connection from a standalone streaming device for Disney+ to the A16? I am thinking that the fire stick 4K is the most cost effective if it works, then followed by Apple TV 4K and the nvidia shield pro. We are likely only going to subscribe to disney +…maybe Netflix. Thanks in advance for your responses.

Having all three (Roku Ultra 2020, ATV4K 2019, and NVidia Shield Tub 2019), if you are going to go with just one it would be the ATV4K.

Many (including me) will say that unfortunately not one of these is 100% perfect for all sources and that that is why a "triple-based device solution" is the only way to truly get optimal results for any given source, which is why I bought all three. I really didn't know about an of them, and started with the Roku (which has a simple basic GUI and a nice comfortable and tactile remote). I then decided to see what ATV4K was all about (I own NOTHING from Apple) and really don't like its touch-sensitive remote with hardly any buttons, that I'm always doing the wrong thing with. And then finally, well what-the-* I might as well try the Android-based Shield.This last one seems to have the fewest non-mainstream apps written for it, with Roku and ATV4K being "universal" for both big and small streaming sources.

I have not tried any other devices, such as Amazon products.

So for Netflix and Disney+, these are "biggies" and any device can be used. I don't subscribe to Disney+ so I can't comment on it, but I do have all the other majors (Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, HBO Max, Showtime Anytime, ESPN+, Peacock Premium) along with numerous "minors" (only available through Roku and ATV4K).

However my own beef with Netflix on Roku (and also now on Shield with the new Experience 9 software) is that it is framerate-locked at 60hz for video, even if the source movie is 23.976/24.000. Only the ATV4K can be successfully configured to do "automatic framerate/color match for your TV" to the delivered source characteristics. I love how 24fps movies look on my LG OLED C9 presented as 24fps, which is different than how the same movie looks delivered/presented at 60fps. This is important to me (forgetting about audio), which is why I use ATV4K for Netflix (or, the LG Netflix app with audio sent to the A16 via eARC, which works fine for me and again presents 24fps movies at 24fps onscreen).

Netflix and Hulu on Roku are framerate locked to 60hz. Other sources are not, and the "automatic framerate/color match" feature on Roku actually does work properly for those other sources. Unfortunately not for Netflix and Hulu, which is unfortunate. Shield has an Android add-in named "Refresh Rate" that allows you to manually change the output refresh rate for the TV to match whatever the input source content is delivered at. This used to work perfectly before the just pushed-out Experience 9 software, which has now made Refresh Rate non-functional for Netflix. So it, too, is now apparently framerate locked to 60hz on Shield with no way to change it automatically or manually.

==> ATV4K will deliver Netflix at true framerate, and its own "automatic framerate/color match" of TV to source content DOES WORK... for all sources. So while I hate its remote, I now use ATV4K most of the time for precisely this reason. It delivers source untouched and unlocked to the TV just as it should be. And it also supports all of the other major and minor sources I subscribe to. And it plays nice with the A16 as well.

 

[Sanctuary]

So how exactly should the top speakers sound? I know they should be coming from above obviously, and the front, middle, rear should sound like they are coming from those directions, but should they sound like they are right next to you, or is it fine to have them further out to the sides? I've found a few useful BRIRs where they are convincing enough to me for both setups, but I'm not quite sure which I should be using. It doesn't help that the user map shows six basically directly on either side of the user's chair, yet I've seen diagrams where they are wall mounted and down-firing from the left and right walls besides the typical voice of god setup.

 

[GeorgeA]

So how exactly should the top speakers sound? I know they should be coming from above obviously, and the front, middle, rear should sound like they are coming from those directions, but should they sound like they are right next to you, or is it fine to have them further out to the sides? I've found a few useful BRIRs where they are convincing enough to me for both setups, but I'm not quite sure which I should be using. It doesn't help that the user map shows six basically directly on either side of the user's chair, yet I've seen diagrams where they are wall mounted and down-firing from the left and right walls besides the typical voice of god setup.

Have a look at Post #6,302. @audiohobbit posted a link to a website with Atmos trailers and test tones in various formats.

 

[Sanctuary]

Have a look at Post #6,302. @audiohobbit posted a link to a website with Atmos trailers and test tones in various formats.

Thanks. Side note, the Lw and Rw from your PRIR is pretty much perfect to my ears. Went through all that had been uploaded as well as the two factory defaults, and yours were the only ones that sounded right positionally (for me of course), plus despite being different speakers (I'm using Klipsch), they sounded closer in timbre than the rest too.

edit: I was hoping there was going to be some videos like the old Dolby 7.1 channel test, but I couldn't find any on my own. These are very helpful.