[shmau]

I've seen it mentioned somewhere that their chips would technically be capable of Dirac Live if they felt like implementing it (at additional cost of course). Obviously not useful for headphone users but the A16 is becoming a fairly capable AV processor too. I am actually using mine mostly as an AV processor with actual speakers currently, however room correction is obviously hugely lacking. Would be a way to make the device attract a wider audience.

 

[Sanctuary]

Ironically, after asking this, I popped in Hellboy 2 to test out my sub and of course it was DTS:X, with no Atmos.
Also, I just found out that DTS:X is actually enabled on my A16, and I don't know if it was an oversight, or if I was charged for it without being asked if I wanted the option. My player is set strictly for bitstreaming right now, and sure enough for any non-object based DTS track, the Neural:X logo lights up, and for DTS:X specific tracks, that lights up.

This was entirely unexpected, but not unwelcome I guess. Not that I would have intentionally paid $200 right now for the option. I already knew that the A16 decodes the object based formats and that my player would only be playing non-object based PCM, which I was fine with since the majority of my library is either Atmos (UHD collection) or just 5.1 Dolby Digital or 7.1 DTS-MA blu-rays.

Edit: I really have no idea how much I should have paid for the A16, but I thought it was $4,000 before tax. I wasn't sure if the cost might have risen slightly over the years, but my total (with tax and shipping) was $4,375.

edit2: Does the A16 still have the ability to relable speakers after they're already associated with a PRIR, and if so, how? I want to use some working Atmos middle tops for the DTS:X heights.

 

[sander99]

Does the A16 still have the ability to relable speakers after they're already associated with a PRIR, and if so, how?

With the "composite PRIR builder application", see page 100 of the User Manual v2.0 for A16 firmware v2.05,
https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A16_v2.0_user_manual_20_Oct_2021.pdf

 

[dsperber]

Also, I just found out that DTS:X is actually enabled on my A16, and I don't know if it was an oversight, or if I was charged for it without being asked if I wanted the option. My player is set strictly for bitstreaming right now, and sure enough for any non-object based DTS track, the Neural:X logo lights up, and for DTS:X specific tracks, that lights up.

Doesn't the lighting up of the Neural:X light (on the A16?) indicate that the audio is being played artificially up-mixed fromthe original source audio (which was DTS but was not in DTS:X) to make use of all of your supposedly available speakers? You may or may not like this result.

My own preference is NOT to do this, even if it were possible. That's one direct advantage of using "bitstream" from the player (like my Oppo 203). I want to receive original non-object 5.1/7.1 untouched, and I also don't want the A16 to up-mix either. I want to listen to the original audio just as produced in the source content. I would actually want to do the same thing if I had real physical speakers.

So I've created three separate presets, matching three separate listening rooms with either 5.1 speakers, 7.1 speakers, or 9.1.4h/15.1.8 speakers. I pick which of the three presets to use (adjusted for the proper HDMI input being used) depending on source content characteristics. First two presets are purely for non-object source Dolby/DTS source, and third preset is for Atmos or DTS:X source.

 

[Sanctuary]

With the "composite PRIR builder application", see page 100 of the User Manual v2.0 for A16 firmware v2.05,
https://smyth-research.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/A16_v2.0_user_manual_20_Oct_2021.pdf

I actually was going to try that out after posing the question, but had not gotten around to it yet. Good to see that does it. Kind of surprised you can't just do it similarly when setting up a room though.

edit: I think I figured it out. When you rename them, you have to just remember what you had in that position. I thought at first it was simply changing the speaker to what the reference was each time.

Doesn't the lighting up of the Neural:X light (on the A16?) indicate that the audio is being played artificially up-mixed fromthe original source audio (which was DTS but was not in DTS:X) to make use of all of your supposedly available speakers? You may or may not like this result.

My own preference is NOT to do this, even if it were possible. That's one direct advantage of using "bitstream" from the player (like my Oppo 203). I want to receive original non-object 5.1/7.1 untouched, and I also don't want the A16 to up-mix either. I want to listen to the original audio just as produced in the source content. I would actually want to do the same thing if I had real physical speakers.

So I've created three separate presets, matching three separate listening rooms with either 5.1 speakers, 7.1 speakers, or 9.1.4h/15.1.8 speakers. I pick which of the three presets to use (adjusted for the proper HDMI input being used) depending on source content characteristics. First two presets are purely for non-object source Dolby/DTS source, and third preset is for Atmos or DTS:X source.

I wouldn't actually be using the Neural:X feature, I was just mentioning how it lit up. Most likely just because the room that was already set up for DTS:X had more than 7.1 speakers by default, but the source did not.

 

[JohnEW]

I finally decided I had waited long enough for my A16. My A16 is still on back order but just got fed up waiting.. for it. At the moment I cannot play my DVD's in DTS-HD or Dolby Atmos, as I only have an old 5.1 Tritton Headphone Sound System. Today I finally went and purchased a Sony HT-A9 System. Not a headphone system I know but the reviews for it have been positive.

You may think why did I not pay the difference and pay the full price for the A16. Adding the balance would have been about the same, but Smyth Research have not given a date/year or no communication with me of when my A16 will finally be delivered. Although the Sony is also on back order I have been quoted about 3-4 months, but that is nothing compared to the years I have had to wait for, or may still will have to wait for my A16.

 

[esimms86]

I finally decided I had waited long enough for my A16. My A16 is still on back order but just got fed up waiting.. for it. At the moment I cannot play my DVD's in DTS-HD or Dolby Atmos, as I only have an old 5.1 Tritton Headphone Sound System. Today I finally went and purchased a Sony HT-A9 System. Not a headphone system I know but the reviews for it have been positive.

You may think why did I not pay the difference and pay the full price for the A16. Adding the balance would have been about the same, but Smyth Research have not given a date/year or no communication with me of when my A16 will finally be delivered. Although the Sony is also on back order I have been quoted about 3-4 months, but that is nothing compared to the years I have had to wait for, or may still will have to wait for my A16.

You've made a decision that sits well with you, however, it's my understanding that, if you were to pay the difference for the A16, you could probably have reasonably expected it to be in your hands by month's end. OTOH, I fully understand that you are fed up with Smyth Research. As they say, "YMMV." Anyway, I'm sorry to hear that you will be missing out on the A16 experience. I sincerely wish you much enjoyment with the Sony system.

 

[JohnEW]

Thanks for your comment. I still have the A16 on order and not completly given up, so hopefully it should not be to long before orders start moving again

 

[Sanctuary]

Thanks for your comment. I still have the A16 on order and not completly given up, so hopefully it should not be to long before orders start moving again

I'm actually a little confused myself. While I know it's easy to miss posts with how large the thread has gotten, especially if you infrequently read it, but I recently posted about getting tired of waiting and decided to pay the difference. The hardest part was actually getting a hold of James multiple times (during our correspondence even), but after around a total of two and a half weeks my A16 arrived at my doorstep. I hope you enjoy your Sony, but with a little persistence you would have likely been able to have your A16 long before those actually become available.

I was considering getting my A16 in Feb or March, but decided to jump on it early due to the speculation that because some parts were seemingly delayed until the end of this year, it would put yet another halt to them finishing up the Kickstarter and even starting pre-orders. So I can't speak for Smyth Research of course, but I'm assuming that pre-orders will be delayed even further because of this, yet they still had units in reserve to sell at full price. If it's not too late for you to cancel your Sony purchase, you might consider seeing if you can even contact James first if you are unsure how long it will actually be before the HT-A9 even becomes available. Another thing is that virtualization isn't new for Sony. They've been at it for a while now, and every single attempt they've done sounded relatively poor to my ears. Even normal Dolby Headphone has been better than everything I've heard from them.

On the other hand, the A16 requires a PRIR to truly shine, and if you cannot have one made for you, your mileage will vary. There are plenty of BRIRs available, and the system ships with two, but none have sounded accurate to my ears as far as the center and front speakers are concerned, and out of the dozens upon dozens I've listened to, only one of them had rears that sounded close to my own, but my own 7.1 PRIR still sounds to best to me (as it should). Some get lucky and find BRIRs that sound good to them though. Just depends on how similar your head and ear shape is.

 

[makan]

The A16 is driving me nuts. Got the Apple tv4k…it is mainly outputting by PCM and not Dolby atmos…it is hit and miss and I can’t see a pattern where I can reliably know that atmos will be showing up on the A16….mainly it is PCM.

Got a hdmi splitter from Amazon that a few of you have and it is not able to output atmos as the 4k7.1 setting which has the atmos is not able to output the video to my tv, but the 4k5.1 which does not have atmos can! Tried the update function too!

https://www.amazon.ca/HDMI-Splitter...ocphy=9000982&hvtargid=pla-831832789422&psc=1

Any tricks to make either work?

 

[Got the Shakes]

The A16 is driving me nuts. Got the Apple tv4k…it is mainly outputting by PCM and not Dolby atmos…it is hit and miss and I can’t see a pattern where I can reliably know that atmos will be showing up on the A16….mainly it is PCM.

Got a hdmi splitter from Amazon that a few of you have and it is not able to output atmos as the 4k7.1 setting which has the atmos is not able to output the video to my tv, but the 4k5.1 which does not have atmos can! Tried the update function too!

https://www.amazon.ca/HDMI-Splitter...ocphy=9000982&hvtargid=pla-831832789422&psc=1

Any tricks to make either work?

I looked on the Amazon page but didn't find an answer, but are you sure that splitter supports Dolby MAT? That is the Atmos format that Apple TV uses. I know I had issues in the past with trying to run my Apple TV through the HDMI in for my Oppo 203 because it couldn't handle MAT.

 

[makan]

I looked on the Amazon page but didn't find an answer, but are you sure that splitter supports Dolby MAT? That is the Atmos format that Apple TV uses. I know I had issues in the past with trying to run my Apple TV through the HDMI in for my Oppo 203 because it couldn't handle MAT.

Not sure. But the Apple TV 4K even when hooked up directly to the a16 is only doing PCM most of the time and sometimes when it feels like it will go to atmos and sometimes no sound at alll…..just weird.

 

[arnaud]

Not sure. But the Apple TV 4K even when hooked up directly to the a16 is only doing PCM most of the time and sometimes when it feels like it will go to atmos and sometimes no sound at alll…..just weird.

Maybe try a certified cable / do a bandwidth test?

 

[VandyMan]

Not sure. But the Apple TV 4K even when hooked up directly to the a16 is only doing PCM most of the time and sometimes when it feels like it will go to atmos and sometimes no sound at alll…..just weird.

I find it works best if I start my Apple TV 4k after my A-16 is fully started. Sometimes that is not enough and a reboot of the Apple TV is needed.

 

[dsperber]

The A16 is driving me nuts. Got the Apple tv4k…it is mainly outputting by PCM and not Dolby atmos…it is hit and miss and I can’t see a pattern where I can reliably know that atmos will be showing up on the A16….mainly it is PCM.

Got a hdmi splitter from Amazon that a few of you have and it is not able to output atmos as the 4k7.1 setting which has the atmos is not able to output the video to my tv, but the 4k5.1 which does not have atmos can! Tried the update function too!

https://www.amazon.ca/HDMI-Splitter...ocphy=9000982&hvtargid=pla-831832789422&psc=1

Any tricks to make either work?

Can you please provide several examples of source content delivered from ATV4K -> A16 that you say is not arriving as Atmos? And by that I assume you mean the display screen of the A16 doesn't show Dolby Atmos, but rather PCM. What streaming source provider app, and then what program/movie from that app?

I've never had a failure to see DV+DA for the three standard movies from Netflix that I use as my standard test bed. I realize there are many other streaming sources, but my own situation is mostly from Netflix and these three movies are 100% reliable test data, from my three streaming devices Roku Ultra 2020, ATV4K 2019, and Shield Tube 2019 (all three of which feed the A16 directly). But if your story is from other than Netflix I'd like to see if I have the same erratic results as you do.

Also, can you outline your complete source->target cabling path into and out from the A16. Does it go to an AVR, or to a TV? Where is the splitter placed? As I've reported in my own earlier posts, I tried and discarded the splitter for various reasons. All streamers go directly into my A16. And my A16 HDMI-out goes directly into my AVR, and then its HDMI-out from the AVR directly to the TV.