[Camano]

I just wired the additional funds to update my 6/2017 preorder to full price. My unit is supposed to ship tomorrow, so they have some stock.

I got my new A16 today, 2U S/N 254.

Here are the firmware versions

• A16 2.03 Sept 13 2021
• APM APM111 v245 Fe
• HDMI v74.50.38
• HT firmware 1.40 May 21 2021
• FPGA firmware 0.65 Oct 16 2020
• A16 serial # A162U2001#000254

Time to dig into the videos and manuals - after I create a log file for 3dSoundShop.

 

[Om ma Ni]

I got my new A16 today, 2U S/N 254.

Here are the firmware versions

• A16 2.03 Sept 13 2021
• APM APM111 v245 Fe
• HDMI v74.50.38
• HT firmware 1.40 May 21 2021
• FPGA firmware 0.65 Oct 16 2020
• A16 serial # A162U2001#000254

Time to dig into the videos and manuals - after I create a log file for 3dSoundShop.

Congratulation for receiving your A16, noticed that you have a new Firmware too ...2.03 dated Sept 2021..
Could you be able to check if it has any new features comparing to the 2.0 firmware?

 

[Dixter]

cool beans... now the fun begins.... congrats on your new toy... its a beast to learn... but worth it in the end...

and you got a newer firmware to boot... I would wait till you get the files from 3dSoundShop before you start to tune in your headphones... that way you can use those files for the HPEQ and the files will sound better for you.... John dialed in the bass in those files very nicely..

if you have a Apple TV4k and Tidal check out the song " Rush, Tom Sawyer (Dolby Atmos)... one of the best songs for testing out the Atmos channels... of course lots of movies to play with too...

 

[Camano]

Congratulation for receiving your A16, noticed that you have a new Firmware too ...2.03 dated Sept 2021..
Could you be able to check if it has any new features comparing to the 2.0 firmware?

Sure but don't hold your breath - I'm starting at page 1 of the manual and the first Smyth video.

I've been using HD650 for years and have an HD800s coming on trial tomorrow.

I already downloaded the log file for 3dSoundShop purchase, but wanted to use the HD800s to review the John's PRIRs before deciding which to get.

 

[Om ma Ni]

Sure but don't hold your breath - I'm starting at page 1 of the manual and the first Smyth video.

I've been using HD650 for years and have an HD800s coming on trial tomorrow.

I already downloaded the log file for 3dSoundShop purchase, but wanted to use the HD800s to review the John's PRIRs before deciding which to get.

Any DTS-X.........?

 

[Dixter]

Sure but don't hold your breath - I'm starting at page 1 of the manual and the first Smyth video.

I've been using HD650 for years and have an HD800s coming on trial tomorrow.

I already downloaded the log file for 3dSoundShop purchase, but wanted to use the HD800s to review the John's PRIRs before deciding which to get.

Probably a good idea on waiting for the 800... and the Smyths also put a factory HPEQ for the 800 there for you to try out the two studios you have on the A16 ... don't be too concerned about the 800 having a reputation for not having much bass... with the A16 you can put as much bass on the 800's as you want... they have plenty of bass
and you can work with the HD650 HPEQ also... you should be pleased how much better they will sound once tuned to your ears..

 

[GeorgeA]

I got my new A16 today, 2U S/N 254.

Here are the firmware versions

• A16 2.03 Sept 13 2021
• APM APM111 v245 Fe
• HDMI v74.50.38
• HT firmware 1.40 May 21 2021
• FPGA firmware 0.65 Oct 16 2020
• A16 serial # A162U2001#000254

Time to dig into the videos and manuals - after I create a log file for 3dSoundShop.

Congratulation for getting your new toy. Prior to dig into videos and manuals from Smyth Research, you may take into consideration @esimms86 post #8,241 and @Dixter post #9,392 that deal with a) preparation before receipt of your A16 and b) getting started after having your A16 in hand. Those two posts offer a practical beginners’ guide for managing a quite sophisticated Realiser A16.

Moreover, if you want to carry out your own PRIR measurements, there’s @audiohobbit post #7,567 with pictures how one can create 12 virtual speakers, one ever 30° with 2 speakers and keep the correct angle, distance and the listener in the sweet spot all the time.

 

[dsperber]

That I did not have.

dsperber said:
Red screen and Error 002 persists every boot after a few minutes.

Heard back from James. He said Error 002 can only be fixed by a minor but physical repair, "a soldering job". So now I need to return my A16 to them for this physical warranty repair work.

Hopefully while they have it they will also do a firmware upgrade to the apparently most recent 2.03 which was installed on the latest full-price "full retail" unit shipped just this week. Presumably it will end up with whatever is the correct APM89L firmware.

Still surprising nobody here also with the original 16-channel APM89L has upgraded to 2.00 firmware and can answer my question about what APM firmware version they ended up with. Do you have 2.2.5 8901 Jul as I did, or do you have 2.2.6 8909 Oct as the Release Notes screenshot shows should have gotten installed?

 

[castleofargh]

dsperber said:
Red screen and Error 002 persists every boot after a few minutes.

Heard back from James. He said Error 002 can only be fixed by a minor but physical repair, "a soldering job". So now I need to return my A16 to them for this physical warranty repair work.

Hopefully while they have it they will also do a firmware upgrade to the apparently most recent 2.03 which was installed on the latest full-price "full retail" unit shipped just this week. Presumably it will end up with whatever is the correct APM89L firmware.

Still surprising nobody here also with the original 16-channel APM89L has upgraded to 2.00 firmware and can answer my question about what APM firmware version they ended up with. Do you have 2.2.5 8901 Jul as I did, or do you have 2.2.6 8909 Oct as the Release Notes screenshot shows should have gotten installed?

In my case, it's a mix of laziness and fear to change anything to the A16 now that it works fine on a daily basis.

 

[Dixter]

@dsperber.... don't know if James will offer the 24 ch upgrade to you while your unit is with them, but if he does it would be a good time to get that done also... when they originally offered the upgrade it was just when covid was causing all kinds of shipping issues and I was a little worried if I was ever going to get mine back and at what cost before it was back home... I would think by now the shipping/customs and all are on better tracks by now....

 

[shmau]

For anyone looking to send their unit in for repairs, a word of warning. I sent them my unit and it took them around 1 week to repair it, which is completely fine. All was good (though I have yet to confirm whether the repair fixed the issue). However, due to their incompetence and missing paperwork it has now been stuck at UPS in the UK (pre-customs) for two weeks and they seem to be unable to solve the issue. They use a third party company to handle the shipping but it's no excuse. Had I not been hounding them every other day I am sure they would not even have noticed the issue.

 

[Camano]

Any DTS-X.........?

I don't know. I have a BBC 9.1.2 DTS:X room defined under Listening Rooms->DTS:X rooms that can be configured, but maybe previous versions have that too and the decoder hasn't been implemented?

 

[Camano]

Prior to dig into videos and manuals from Smyth Research, you may take into consideration @esimms86 post #8,241 and @Dixter post #9,392 that deal with a) preparation before receipt of your A16 and b) getting started after having your A16 in hand. Those two posts offer a practical beginners’ guide for managing a quite sophisticated Realiser A16.

Thanks. I'm impressed that you were able to reference these posts. I've now gone through @Dixter post and everything checks out.

I've been reading this thread for 4 years, taking notes, reading the manuals, watching the videos. But without a unit in hand it doesn't really sink in. I wanted a PC emulator so I could practice before receiving the unit.

I'm not planning on making my own PRIR anytime soon - 3DSoundShop was the motivation for going ahead and buying the A16.

 

[mrmac]

dsperber said:
Red screen and Error 002 persists every boot after a few minutes.

Heard back from James. He said Error 002 can only be fixed by a minor but physical repair, "a soldering job". So now I need to return my A16 to them for this physical warranty repair work.

Hopefully while they have it they will also do a firmware upgrade to the apparently most recent 2.03 which was installed on the latest full-price "full retail" unit shipped just this week. Presumably it will end up with whatever is the correct APM89L firmware.

Still surprising nobody here also with the original 16-channel APM89L has upgraded to 2.00 firmware and can answer my question about what APM firmware version they ended up with. Do you have 2.2.5 8901 Jul as I did, or do you have 2.2.6 8909 Oct as the Release Notes screenshot shows should have gotten installed?

Yes, I also got APM firmware rev: v2.2.5 8901 Jul after the 2.0 upgrade. I’m on the original APM89L 16ch version.

I’ve been on the 2.0 firmware since release and have no mayor issues. The only thing that sometimes happens is some pops and clicks when switching sources. Luckily no red screen errors.

It’s very frustrating with so little disclosure from the Smyths. I wish they could spill the beans for us once in a while.

Feels like DTS is around the corner…

 

[Om ma Ni]

Feels like DTS is around the corner…

??