Smyth Research Realiser A16
May 16, 2018 at 3:46 AM Post #2,701 of 15,951
I personally don't see the use in complaining or badgering them. I know they are working as hard as they can, and a reminder from them of that fact is an empty placation. I expect them to have an update when they've something worthwhile to say, and experience has shown that such is what they usually do. These guys are the ones who created both DTS cinema and home codecs, created the first realizer, and are working on this unit which incorporates many different cutting edge technologies; their reputation isn't in dispute yet, and to act like it is feels disrespectful in my mind*. Smyth's work is actual science and unequivocally delivers exactly what they say it does, and I honestly don't care if I've to wait another few months to get back in to that AIX mastering room because, in the end, it's an absolute steal.


*especially given the ridiculous amounts of money spent on/praise directed towards completely worthless, over-hyped, snake-oil esque tripe by members of this forum, purely based on the word of those who made the product or on an purely emotional response.
 
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May 16, 2018 at 3:47 AM Post #2,702 of 15,951
In theory it should be easier for you then the rest of us to wait. At least you have your french dealer that provides you with essential information and you may even get to play at the end of this month with the retail unit:)
You're absolutely right ! Thanks to him, we get more informations that people from other countries. For example, he was the first to release a picture of the remote. It may be nothing but still it's better than being without any news.
I was not only thinking about myself when i wrote my message above, and that's why i share here the information the french dealer releases.
 
May 16, 2018 at 5:28 AM Post #2,703 of 15,951
I personally don't see the use in complaining or badgering them. I know they are working as hard as they can, and a reminder from them of that fact is an empty placation. I expect them to have an update when they've something worthwhile to say, and experience has shown that such is what they usually do. These guys are the ones who created both DTS cinema and home codecs, created the first realizer, and are working on this unit which incorporates many different cutting edge technologies; their reputation isn't in dispute yet, and to act like it is feels disrespectful in my mind*. Smyth's work is actual science and unequivocally delivers exactly what they say it does, and I honestly don't care if I've to wait another few months to get back in to that AIX mastering room because, in the end, it's an absolute steal.

*especially given the ridiculous amounts of money spent on/praise directed towards completely worthless, over-hyped, snake-oil esque tripe by members of this forum, purely based on the word of those who made the product or on an purely emotional response.
In May 2017 this attitude would have sounded quite reasonable to me.
 
May 16, 2018 at 5:42 AM Post #2,704 of 15,951
Dr. Choueiri is in his 5.0 version of his Bacch-dsp software with forth order Ambisonics, but not easy way to measure a high order PRIR and no decoding for ready available proprietary codecs. The software also deals with crosstalk in a very peculiar way.
A16 has its own hardware, advanced procedure to measure a high order PRIR and Atmos, Dts:X and Auro decoding.
I wish the A16 externalization for headphones could also incorporate a HOA engine and crosstalk algorithm similar to those developed by Dr. Choueiri.
I guess that would worth the wait.
 
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May 16, 2018 at 8:33 AM Post #2,705 of 15,951
I wish the A16 externalization for headphones could also incorporate a HOA engine and crosstalk algorithm similar to those developed by Dr. Choueiri.
I guess that would worth the wait.
All very nice but please they can do that in firmware version 3.0 or whatever, let's first have some usable 1.0 to start (and ship) with, and all the promised functionality - as far as still possible with the current hardware - in 2.0, and when all of that works perfect then take the next step.
 
May 16, 2018 at 11:35 AM Post #2,706 of 15,951
A16 Kickstarter Update, May 2018
Posted by James Smyth (Collaborator)
We’re devoting this update to explaining some developments on the business side of Smyth Research, changes that we feel will have a very positive impact on the ongoing development of the Realiser A16.
Smyth Research has joined forces with Heavenly Sound Co, Ltd., a Shanghai based company, and have opened a Heavenly Sound UK office. Together we will continue to research and develop the Realiser and Smyth SVS technology and products, led by the engineering team in the UK.

Heavenly Sound itself has considerable experience in pro audio and musical instrument product design and development, and the company has excellent marketing and distribution networks in Europe, the USA and China.

We have been proud to offer the exceptionally low advance sales price for the A16 until now and will honor that price for all current orders from Kickstarter backers and other pre-sales to date. However we now need to market the Realiser A16 within a pricing structure that accommodates distributors and dealers.

To this end we have now set the retail price for the current Realiser A16 model to US$3995+tax, and this will apply to all new sales from today forward.

The new price only applies to new orders – it does NOT apply to any of our current Kickstarter backers or pre-sales customers.

These changes will give us greater resources to support the A16, allow us to focus on the research and development of new products based on the SVS technology, and will also allow us to build a demonstration and distribution worldwide network for such products.

Smyth Research Team

I was a bit surprised to hear nothing about when we get the A16.
 
May 16, 2018 at 11:43 AM Post #2,708 of 15,951
I am very surprised - as a Kickstarter backer - to not receive an update regarding delivery of the A16.
Please we are waiting since September 2016!
Delivery was promised for May 2017.
Now a year later you tell us about a partnership - which is great - but you should also address the delivery date.
Your last update before was from end of March and since then we only have heard verbal statements from Can Jam.
So please let us know when you will send the A16 out to your Kickstarter backers. Thank you!

Just left this comment under the Facebook post about the update.
If you have an Facebook acount please use it to comment there.
While Smyth might choose not to react here or even read, they actively use Facebook. So comments there are relevant for their image.
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:08 PM Post #2,709 of 15,951
I wish I could say I’m surprised by the lack of shipping update, but I’m not at this point. I hope I’m wrong, but I’m starting to think they are going to ship anything at all this summer.
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:27 PM Post #2,710 of 15,951
This update does explain the delay. Smyth has had the assemblies for a while and you don't manufacture stuff until you're ready for retail, so I was worried why they were prevaricating. They have obviously been putting into place some financial security and risk management, which they couldn't talk about publicly for obvious reasons. Now they have that security they also have the time they need to bring the best product to market. That sucks for us, who have been waiting so long, but the Kickstarter did not raise a massive amount of money and Smyth have had to eke out their money. Now they seem to have done an equity deal of some sort, which gives them everything they need to bring the A16 to market.

Frankly, it doesn't do us any good having the A16 in our homes if the next thing that happens is Smyth going out of business and ceasing support. This is an important step; it's just that I would have rather had an A16 to play with at an earlier point.
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:34 PM Post #2,711 of 15,951
This update does explain the delay. Smyth has had the assemblies for a while and you don't manufacture stuff until you're ready for retail, so I was worried why they were prevaricating. They have obviously been putting into place some financial security and risk management, which they couldn't talk about publicly for obvious reasons. Now they have that security they also have the time they need to bring the best product to market. That sucks for us, who have been waiting so long, but the Kickstarter did not raise a massive amount of money and Smyth have had to eke out their money. Now they seem to have done an equity deal of some sort, which gives them everything they need to bring the A16 to market.

Frankly, it doesn't do us any good having the A16 in our homes if the next thing that happens is Smyth going out of business and ceasing support. This is an important step; it's just that I would have rather had an A16 to play with at an earlier point.

There is no doubt that Smyth securing a partnership that will allow them to put more resources into the long term viability of the A16 is a good thing. It’s certainly understandable that they couldn’t discuss any of that while the details were being worked out and finalized. However, it can be assumed that the discussions of their partnership took months of negotiations to get worked out and they knew where they stood in that process while telling Tyll at CanJam 4-6 weeks was when they hoped to launch. Maybe they planned to hit that window and the business side pulled them away from finishing up 1.0 of the UI/firmware or maybe trying to finish the firmware has been such a mess that they need more time for that. The fact that there is zero mention of where they stand on that front isn’t a good sign though.
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:40 PM Post #2,712 of 15,951
I feel this is a very positive update. I just found out that my Kickstarter cost about 25% of the current price, and the product will now have a sound financial basis for future support. I hope to see a refined product shipped by the end of the year.
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:54 PM Post #2,713 of 15,951
We were asking for an update, we got one !
Now, the main point is still avoided. We still have no idea when it's gonna be ready, nor how much they progressed on the software development since the march update.
I googled this Heavenly Sound company and it led me on a page of the companycheck website informing that the UK branch of this company has its address in Bangor (like Smyth Research) and that the director is Stephen Smyth, appointed since january 2018.
It's interesting to know that they made a deal for a partnership to expand the company and their technology. The retail price of the A16 got a huge bump, i can imagine that Heavenly Sound will be receiving most of the extra cost.
It's good for us to know that we'll eventually get it with such a big discount compared to retail price (it was already big before !), maybe Heavenly Sound will help them completing the software.
Let's hope to have more information soon...
 
May 16, 2018 at 12:57 PM Post #2,714 of 15,951
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