[profsbg]

This along with a good instruction manual and a non-buggy device are the most important things to me at this point. I will probably let mine sit in its box for several months until I am convinced it works properly and I know how to use it.

 

[Eich1eeF]

Are they required to translate it to other languages in order to sell it in the EU at least? (I think they do)

Theoretically yes, but since the Kickstarter campaign was in English only, and thereby not directly targeting a non-english speaking audience, I'd think that that's not strictly required

Do they have CE certification?

Anyone can just declare CE conformity of their products. Just add the sticker / logo and you're done. Having a "Notified Body" certify conformity just shifts some of the accountability (along with a significant amount of money) from the manufacturer to that "Notified Body".

I had assumed that the boards (HDMI and DSP) from mds would be CE certified, but I'm kind of surprised that none of the photos on mds.com show a CE mark.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Now the question moves to how they will ship and support this unit in the field. Hopefully they ship immediately, and offer it for sale to the general public with no further price increases. If it proves to be bug free and is well supported and does what we all hope it can, they'll have a winner.

Now it would be nice if they also released a software version of the A8 which could run on Windows and Mac boxes. That version would need to sell with the in-ear mics and head tracking hardware--but modded to run on a PC.
Especially important since they no longer have parts for existing A8s, so those buyers can no longer be fully supported in the field.

 

[jgazal]

@dsperber, please tell us as soon as you receive the request to inform your shipping address!

 

[m8o]

I don't believe in "a lord" or deity, but I find myself exclaiming "praise the lord" regardless!

 

[Sanctuary]

This is all so hilariously ironic to me. I just recently purchased an A8 because I was tired of waiting, and I'll be getting a measurement for it in two weeks. A week after that though, I'll be going out of town for up to six weeks, and will end up in a similar situation that I did back in 2017 when it comes to shipping. If they do end up shipping them while I am away, I need to make sure they actually don't try shipping it to my home address, but instead to where I actually am, and I also have to hope that there isn't any delay in the mail after it's already shipped...

 

[phoenixdogfan]

This is all so hilariously ironic to me. I just recently purchased an A8 because I was tired of waiting, and I'll be getting a measurement for it in two weeks. A week after that though, I'll be going out of town for up to six weeks, and will end up in a similar situation that I did back in 2017 when it comes to shipping. If they do end up shipping them while I am away, I need to make sure they actually don't try shipping it to my home address, but instead to where I actually am, and I also have to hope that there isn't any delay in the mail after it's already shipped...

Interested in selling the A8? If so, pm me and we can discuss it.

 

[dsperber]

@dsperber, please tell us as soon as you receive the request to inform your shipping address!

I will do so. But at this point, I'm not sure they still remember about and are going to follow through with our "gentleman's agreement" back in early 2018 at CanJam SoCAL to reserve that first A16 unit for me.

I'm just glad the long wait appears to be coming to an end. Not quite the five years I waited for the A8, but still a long wait nevertheless. But it's really just going to be an HDMI-enabled A8 as far as I'm concerned, finally replacing my #0001 analog-only A8 and fed LPCM from my Oppo 203 for quite some time to come I'm sure. I only have 5.1/7.1 PRIR's from AIX that I listen through, not yet having any ability to get a Dolby Atmos personal measurement anywhere that I'm aware of.

But we shall see.

Anyway, I only received that Dolby certification email yesterday like everybody else, with no personal note attached regarding any special treatment. So we need to be patient a bit longer, apparently.

 

[Chillzone21]

I will do so. But at this point, I'm not sure they still remember about and are going to follow through with our "gentleman's agreement" back in early 2018 at CanJam SoCAL to reserve that first A16 unit for me.

I'm just glad the long wait appears to be coming to an end. Not quite the five years I waited for the A8, but still a long wait nevertheless. But it's really just going to be an HDMI-enabled A8 as far as I'm concerned, finally replacing my #0001 analog-only A8 and fed LPCM from my Oppo 203 for quite some time to come I'm sure. I only have 5.1/7.1 PRIR's from AIX that I listen through, not yet having any ability to get a Dolby Atmos personal measurement anywhere that I'm aware of.

But we shall see.

Anyway, I only received that Dolby certification email yesterday like everybody else, with no personal note attached regarding any special treatment. So we need to be patient a bit longer, apparently.

Just take a few measurements at home of ceiling atmos speakers and mix it with the AIX PRIR. A16 has that tech built in now.

 

[Sanctuary]

Interested in selling the A8? If so, pm me and we can discuss it.

No, sorry. I actually just purchased it, and aside from simply being impatient for the A16, I was wanting to get one anyway as a backup unit for the short term in case anything happened to go wrong with the A16. I originally wanted to buy a second A16, but then when it was revealed to be $4,000...nope.

 

[Chillzone21]

To be honest, Atmos for me is not such a big upgrade. Don't care much for it. A8 does me just fine.

 

[Dixter]

Should be interesting using the A8 or A16 with the Yarra sound bar as the A8/A16 headtrackers should output properly with the speaker arrays of the Yarra...

http://idfrancetv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/OBA17_Beamforming-Transaural-Soundbars-Simon.mp4?_=6

 

[sander99]

Should be interesting using the A8 or A16 with the Yarra sound bar as the A8/A16 headtrackers should output properly with the speaker arrays of the Yarra...

http://idfrancetv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/OBA17_Beamforming-Transaural-Soundbars-Simon.mp4?_=6

I posted a reaction to this in the Yarra thread, I don't want to start a long discussion here.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/yarra-speaker-system.860123/page-12#post-15054942

 

[Dixter]

a question for those that were/are owners/users of the A8.... what rooms did exist on the exchange site that was provided by the Smyths... were they offered for sale or given for free ??

 

[sander99]

a question for those that were/are owners/users of the A8.... what rooms did exist on the exchange site that was provided by the Smyths... were they offered for sale or given for free ??

(I am not an A8 owner/user but I can say something about this.)
The exchange site is new and not finished, until now there have not been any rooms available there. Some time ago there were some rooms mentioned with prices, some cheap like $25,- and some expensive like up to $600 I think. But that was maybe just some made up content to test the website at that time. Also I think those several 100 dollar prices maybe were not for a BRIR but for having your personal measurement done in that room(?).
In the future I think the idea is that there will be expensive, cheap and free BRIRs on the exchange site. Plus a list of places where you can have your own personal measurement done. And of course several processing services like personalising a high quality BRIR with your own lower quality PRIR (for a fee yet unknown).

But there is for example a shared folder in dropbox with free PRIRs/BRIRs (already since 2012), see the second post of this thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/smyth-svs-realiser-prir-exchange-thread.610920/