[phoenixdogfan]

Thing is, I know there's no legal requirement I provide DHL with with POA, because I didn't need to provide it to UPS when the Realiser was imported into the US on the initial purchase in early January. This is some kind of CYA requirement by them, and because it was so poorly executed, it cost me this delivery opportunity.

 

[sander99]

Any pre-orders out yet?

No. (Except at least one that was payed full retail price for: $3995,-.)

James indicated they had around 100 ks units to ship out in late June.

(June 2019?)
Shipping paused for a few months due to the adaptation to new hardware (and due to corona, or so they say), but now seems to be going again at the slow pace of around 10 units per week. This week ks units #279-#289 are supposed to be shipped. (But beware: there also seem to be unused backer numbers so it is not as if we know they already shipped 278 ks units!)

 

[georgep]

No. (Except at least one that was payed full retail price for: $3995,-.)

(June 2019?)
Shipping paused for a few months due to the adaptation to new hardware (and due to corona, or so they say), but now seems to be going again at the slow pace of around 10 units per week. This week ks units #279-#289 are supposed to be shipped. (But beware: there also seem to be unused backer numbers so it is not as if we know they already shipped 278 ks units!)

The way I read it was #279-289 was supposed to be shipped LAST week. But maybe I am reading it too optimistically given that I am ks backer #290.

 

[Fox1977]

glad you're enjoying the equipment. did you find it fairly easy to connect your BassMe to the A16?

i have the BassMe from earlier in the year......but I had sent my A16 back to James for upgrading in April and never had a chance to try it out yet. i'm looking forward to utilizing it if/when I ever get my A16 back in my hands

BassMe is easy to connect. It comes between the A16 and the headphones. There should be also a possibility to connect it to the tactile output but I haven’t tried it yet.

 

[sander99]

The way I read it was #279-289 was supposed to be shipped LAST week. But maybe I am reading it too optimistically given that I am ks backer #290.

Yeah, last week is what I should have said.

 

[You Gene]

No. (Except at least one that was payed full retail price for: $3995,-.)

(June 2019?)
Shipping paused for a few months due to the adaptation to new hardware (and due to corona, or so they say), but now seems to be going again at the slow pace of around 10 units per week. This week ks units #279-#289 are supposed to be shipped. (But beware: there also seem to be unused backer numbers so it is not as if we know they already shipped 278 ks units!)

And after the KS will then come about 280 preorders according to James last February : …preorder list of 280…
https://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum...view-hcfr-liens-en-post-1-t30075654-1380.html

Of course also taking into account :
- the interruptions due to "full price" deliveries
- the now 4 different types of A16 (A16, A16PA, A16AES and A1632) which complicate the manufacturing and delivery schedule in a way
- etc., etc., if you get the drift

 

[Eich1eeF]

A1632

I was told that the A16/32 was a one-off for a customer, and that the Smyths were waiting to see if there was any significant demand for that model before actually making any more. Does anyone around here know who actually got that first 32 channel model, or has actually ordered one?

 

[You Gene]

I was told that the A16/32 was a one-off for a customer, and that the Smyths were waiting to see if there was any significant demand for that model before actually making any more. Does anyone around here know who actually got that first 32 channel model, or has actually ordered one?

And yet it is on sale at For-tune for EUR 5410 : https://for-tune.de/produkt/smyth-research-a162u-realiser/

 

[rsbrsvp]

Can someone explain to me what this component does?

I assume it recreates a speaker experience in a headphone. Is that correct? Doesn't the raal SR1a already do that? Does this A16 do it better?

Does it replace my dac, or my headphone amplifier or neither? Where in the chain of transport, dac, headphone amplifier does it go?

Thanks...

 

[illram]

Any pre-orders out yet? James indicated they had around 100 ks units to ship out in late June.

Pre-order 66 here.

Thanks!

FWIW back in April James told me I was #177 on the preorder list, and he estimated me getting it Q4 of this year. This was during the upgrade process.

That seems highly unrealistic at this point given I don't even know if they're done with KS backers...so take that with a giant 2 ton lump of salt. Personally I think it is more realistic to expect pre-orders start going out at the end of the year and hopefully finish sometime in the first half of 2021.

 

[sander99]

I assume it recreates a speaker experience in a headphone. Is that correct?

Yes

Doesn't the raal SR1a already do that?

No, not really. The raal just sounds like speakers attached one or two inches from your ears (as that is what they basically are, and that may sound a little different than traditional headphones, but not at all like real speakers at greater distance in a room.)

Does this A16 do it better?

Yes, way, way, way better. With normal speakers in a room both ears hear all speakers and all reflections and reverberations of all speakers. The A16 emulates all that, and in accordance with your personal hrtf, for up to 24 speakers (16 in the older hardware version), and with headtracking (so the virtual speakers stay stationary). The result really sounds like speakers at a distance in a room. But you have to do a personal measurement in a room with speakers for best results.

Does it replace my dac, or my headphone amplifier or neither? Where in the chain of transport, dac, headphone amplifier does it go?

It is very flexible in this regard:
It can replace your DAC and headphone amplifier (for 2 users), but the processed signal intended for the headphones for each user is also available via optical and coaxial spdif, and via analog stereo RCA/cinch so you can use your own DAC(s) and amp(s), or only your own amps if you want.
On the input side:
-analog stereo
-analog multichannel up to 16 channels
-via optical and coaxial spdif inputs: 2 channel pcm, bitstreamed dolby digital, in the future: bitstreamed DTS
-via HDMI inputs: up to 8 channel pcm, and bitstreamed dolby digital / dolby truehd / dolby atmos up to 24 channels (16 in the older hardware version), in the future: dts / dts hd ma / dts X and Auro 3D
-up to 16 channels PCM via USB

 

[Litlgi74]

Thank you @sander99 for the great explanation.

Unfortunately... I think the majority of my media collection is in the format of DTS-HD MA. Is there a work around for all things DTS? I assume that "in the future" is the closest we'll get to a release date.

 

[sander99]

Thank you @sander99 for the great explanation.

Unfortunately... I think the majority of my media collection is in the format of DTS-HD MA. Is there a work around for all things DTS? I assume that "in the future" is the closest we'll get to a release date.

Yes, for DTS-HA MA certainly (for DTS X and Auro 3D also but a bit more expensive and unpractical):
Use a player that can decode DTS-HD MA and output it as multichannel PCM over HDMI.
(Note: not every player that has an option "output multichannel PCM" in the menu can actually do this with DTS, but there are players that can.)

Or: use a player with 7.1 analog outputs and connect those to 8 of the analog inputs of the A16 (you will have an extra DA and AD conversion but that is not a drama).

Or: use a pc with for example jriver as a player, that can decode DTS-HD MA and output it as multichannel PCM via HDMI.

Or: use a AV Receiver or AV (pre-)amp that can decode DTS-HD MA and connect the 7.1 pre-outputs to 8 of the analog inputs of the A16.
(And for DTS X and Auro 3D: use a AV Receiver or AV (pre-)amp that can decode those and connect the 11.1 or 13.1 or whatever pre-outputs to the analog inputs of the A16.)

 

[Litlgi74]

Yes, for DTS-HA MA certainly (for DTS X and Auro 3D also but a bit more expensive and unpractical):
Use a player that can decode DTS-HD MA and output it as multichannel PCM over HDMI.
(Note: not every player that has an option "output multichannel PCM" in the menu can actually do this with DTS, but there are players that can.)

Or: use a player with 7.1 analog outputs and connect those to 8 of the analog inputs of the A16 (you will have an extra DA and AD conversion but that is not a drama).

Or: use a pc with for example jriver as a player, that can decode DTS-HD MA and output it as multichannel PCM via HDMI.

Or: use a AV Receiver or AV (pre-)amp that can decode DTS-HD MA and connect the 7.1 pre-outputs to 8 of the analog inputs of the A16.
(And for DTS X and Auro 3D: use a AV Receiver or AV (pre-)amp that can decode those and connect the 11.1 or 13.1 or whatever pre-outputs to the analog inputs of the A16.)

Thanks again for the thorough explanation. Kind of makes me wish I didn't just sell my Dune media player that had multi-channel analog outs.

 

[Litlgi74]

Looks like MakeMKV can convert DTS-HD MA to LPCM.