[audiohobbit]

Concerning this Belmont theatre: As was already mentioned if the room the PRIR was taken is way too big than the room where it is listened to then it will just sound too echoey and silly.

And as it seems to me this is a real DCI compliant cinema with a cinema ATMOS processor (Dolby CP850 for example) and I have my doubts thst you can connect the A16 via 16ch analogue to this processor and even if so how do you route the channels and where because there are way more speakers than for a home Atmos system. Won'twork at all I bet.

What you need is a good home Atmos setup in a room that's similar in size to your home or an Atmos for home mixing studio, but even there there can be problems like with the msm studios here in Munich if they only can accept digital signals. The Atmos mixing cinema of msm would be ideal, they mix Atmos for home and have a room size similar to a home theatre.

 

[mrmac]

@mrmac has it arrived?

YES!!!! After a I had a complete hissyfit with UPS (it said they delivered although I was home) it finally arrived in all its glory!

I had a 45m play while my daughter was sleeping and so far this thing is insanely complex. It’s deep neard, non intuitive interface for sure. But I’m sure this miracle machine will provide in spades as soon as we get the manual!

Funny first notes is that although I’m backer 3 I got number 13 (lucky I’m not superstitious). So they must have sold a bunch at full price. Also mine was delivered with a US style power lead. Confusing!?
Also I pledged for dual headtrackers but I think I only got one and rack tabs that I don’t need instead. Did I get someone else’s?

More delightful fiddling this evening!!!

We’re all in for a treat!

 

[CanMad]

Yeah I’m off work Monday and Tuesday. I won’t be surprised if UPS pull the same stunt. Startrack always do.

I also backed for two head trackers no rack ears. I thought to mention in my reply to James about the 2U. I didn’t think to mention the two head trackers.

Hopefully they sort that out for you. I’ll email James again so he can check the order and send a second tracker if necessary.

So UPS had to come back? Do these couriers actually have anything in their vans?

 

[audiohobbit]

Funny first notes is that although I’m backer 3 I got number 13 (lucky I’m not superstitious). So they must have sold a bunch at full price. Also mine was delivered with a US style power lead. Confusing!?
Also I pledged for dual headtrackers but I think I only got one and rack tabs that I don’t need instead. Did I get someone else’s?

If backer number should equal serial no. I wouldn't be sure about that. But the wrong power cord, the rack ears and missing head tracker could mean that you got the unit of s.o. else. I'd contact James.
This would be annoying, esp. because its Australia in your case.

 

[sander99]

@Sander: I wouldn't recommend connecting the pre out to the mic in at all! Even an electronics expert has to know the exact specs of pre out and mic in to create an adapter (voltage, impedance,...)
And even then: For me that would be too risky potentially damaging hardware worth 4000 dollars that is so rare and who knows how long it would take Smyth to repair it and how much it will cost you, because it was your fault and won't be protected by warranty.

And all that just for some casual tv viewing (or just background noise)?

You are probably right. I edited my post (and offered an alternative method, safer and easier although maybe not very precise).

 

[hadron70]

...
If the A16 can not skip binaural processing for any of the user A and B stereo outputs but only downmix to stereo and apply a stereo PRIR to that downmix: create a dummy stereo PRIR
...

The A8 has a dedicated remote button which completely bypasses the SVS processing. In the menus you can even specify how much each channel should contribute to the left resp. right signal, so it can be a simple stereo downmix or something else. In fact, I love this function because when switching back and forth between SVS sound and stereo downmix, you can appreciate even better how the music gets "out of your head".

Of course you can use this non-processed downmix also as input for external speakers. So, no need to torture your brain how to create a dummy stereo PRIR. I am sure the A16 has this feature as well.

It is time for the manual.

 

[audiohobbit]

Yes you're right, I just had the same thought and looked into the A8 manual: https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/A8manual_08_2011.pdf
On p. 45:

Virtualisation bypass
This function allows the user to bypass the virtual
isation algorithm and listen to the input signals as
“normal”. Since there are multiple input channels,
capability is provided to create a downmix into
stereo or LtRt.

I knew about this function and used it as you said to compare the SVS processing to the normal stereo signal wich is always an eye opener!
But I forgot so much since I mainly just switcht the A8 on and off and don't do anything else at the moment.


The problem is that for this kind of "pass-through" the Realiser has to be turned on.
A real passthru mode in sleep status would be desired.

 

[Got the Shakes]

YES!!!! After a I had a complete hissyfit with UPS (it said they delivered although I was home) it finally arrived in all its glory!

I had a 45m play while my daughter was sleeping and so far this thing is insanely complex. It’s deep neard, non intuitive interface for sure. But I’m sure this miracle machine will provide in spades as soon as we get the manual!

Funny first notes is that although I’m backer 3 I got number 13 (lucky I’m not superstitious). So they must have sold a bunch at full price. Also mine was delivered with a US style power lead. Confusing!?
Also I pledged for dual headtrackers but I think I only got one and rack tabs that I don’t need instead. Did I get someone else’s?

More delightful fiddling this evening!!!

We’re all in for a treat!

After a few days with the interface, I actually feel like I have a lot of it figured out (besides the most important part, capturing a PRIR). Last night I finally figured out how to make new rooms from the existing speakers and how to mix and match speakers should you want to.

I upgrade my preorder to full price to get it faster and I got serial number 150 which was kind of random.

Anyway, congratulations on receiving your unit! I’ve been enjoying mine even with the frustration of not having a user manual.

 

[Fox1977]

do you know what the preset name is from OOYH

The preset I use is Magical Speakers (Magico Q3).
It’s not echoey at all and the sound is really out of my head. I can clearly hear sounds coming from behind me (i’d say that the virtual speakers behind seem to be about 1m from me)
The central front speakers is less easy to locate but after a few minutes, I really “forget” that I’m having headphones in my head.
It even happened that I didn’t know if sounds were in the movie or in real life (dog barking, thunder...)

 

[sander99]

After a few days with the interface, I actually feel like I have a lot of it figured out (besides the most important part, capturing a PRIR). Last night I finally figured out how to make new rooms from the existing speakers and how to mix and match speakers should you want to.

You mean combining speakers from different PRIRs? That's one of the things I want to know most!

 

[Got the Shakes]

You mean combining speakers from different PRIRs? That's one of the things I want to know most!

The A16 ships with two preloaded rooms, the BBC room and a setup from Surrey University I believe. Yesterday I finally learned how to make new rooms from those speakers. I made a 5.1 room because I was watching some 5.1 encoded content. When I went to pick the speakers for the room it appeared that I could select each individual speaker from any PRIR loaded on the A16. If I had 5 different PRIRs on there I believe I could have selected one speaker from each to make a new room. It does appear that combining speakers has made it into the A16. I will test more tonight though to be sure.

 

[audiohobbit]

That's very cool, thanks!

 

[teacher1000]

The A16 ships with two preloaded rooms, the BBC room and a setup from Surrey University I believe. Yesterday I finally learned how to make new rooms from those speakers. I made a 5.1 room because I was watching some 5.1 encoded content. When I went to pick the speakers for the room it appeared that I could select each individual speaker from any PRIR loaded on the A16. If I had 5 different PRIRs on there I believe I could have selected one speaker from each to make a new room. It does appear that combining speakers has made it into the A16. I will test more tonight though to be sure.

Maybe you could write a manual...

 

[Fox1977]

The KS backer #1 received his A16 this morning (form factor : 2U) and he shared pictures of the unboxing on the French forum homecinema-fr.com

 

[Got the Shakes]

Maybe you could write a manual...

Ha! I’m getting there with figuring out the interface, but still don’t have the most important part figured out which is actually capturing a room. There are things that took awhile like when the A16 ships, all of the available spots to create new rooms is locked. It won’t let you change anything. You have to figure out to navigate to a key shaped icon and then pressing the adj+ button to unlock the ability to edit the room.