[audiohobbit]

Not "upmixed".

Bass managed: The bass of the 2 channels can be redirected to a subwoofer. Has nothing to do with "upmixing"
Bass management can also be set in the Realiser.
This is explained in the manual v2.0 section 10.4 p. 68ff

In an Atmos / DTS X room:
Set "hp DB" on, set a volume (try) and crossover frequency behind that setting.

In a PCM room:
Set "hp DB" to "direct", set a volume (try) and crossover frequency behind that setting.
In the PCM room you can also set "hp DB" to "virtual", which is a virtual subwoofer.

A "virtual subwoofer" refers to subwoofer recorded in a PRIR. So this is not Direct bass.
You need to have a SW speaker in your PRIR for the specific listening room.

For bass redirection to a "Direct Bass subwoofer" in a PCM room you set hp BM to Direct, set a crossover frequency and a volume.
It seems (looking at the diagram on p. 142) that the bass managed speakers are automatically all set to small with the highpass above the set crossover frequency.
The diagram only refers to PCM via USB or Line, but I can not find a description of PCM via HDMI so I supoose it's all the same.

For Direct bass+bass management in an Atmos or DTS-X room: If I look at the daigram on p. 141 then it's basically the same as with the PCM room: you set hp DB to on, set a crossover frequency and volume, and all the speakers then seem to be automatically set to small.
As far as I understand this, in the case of Direct bass in an Atmos or DTS-X room do NOT also set hp/av BM to on. Otherwise there would be two cascaded low and high pass filters.
hp/av BM should only be set to on if the PRIR used contains a (virtual) SW speaker and the bass of other speakers should be redirected to this virtual SW speakers.

At least this is how I understand those diagrams.
I haven't tested it myself yet. In the PRIR I use all channels are recordes as full range, so there's no need for bass management in the Realiser.
The speakers recorded in the PRIR have been bass managed already with existing subs in that room so that all channels are full range.
This is what I would recommend if you create your own PRIRs, because bass management is a complex topic and the Realiser is a bit limited here, especially considering the phase in the crossover area which you can not set or correct, so if the bass manged speaker and the virtual sub (or the "direct sub") are out of phase in the region of the crossover frequency you'll get a dip in the resultant frequency reponse.
Also it could be necessary to set a delay (or distance) between the sub and the bass maneged speakers which can also not be done in the Realiser.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Just received a new communication from the Tennessee Dept of Revenue. They are assessing me $450 use tax for my September 2020 receipt of the $4000 Realizer in September 2020.

That importation was for the Smyth's return of the A16 from a warranty repair which took more than 7 months. I've sent an email to James Smyth asking him to send the invoice to the taxing authority to verify this was nothing other than warranty service rather than purchase of a new unit. (I have already paid in full to Tennessee the use tax for the initial purchase of the A16)

The other scary shoe to drop is that I sent the A16 back in early November 2020 for a second warranty repair. Still have not received a communication from Tennessee Revenue for that one, but I'm quite sure I will. I've asked James for that invoice as well in order to head off another $400+assessment.

So it look like I may just be assessed in excess of $1200 for one A16 and two warranty repairs.

I'll keep everyone informed on Smyth's responsiveness to this urgent request.

I'm sick of this crap.

 

[pervysage]

Just received a new communication from the Tennessee Dept of Revenue. They are assessing me $450 use tax for my September 2020 receipt of the $4000 Realizer in September 2020.

That importation was for the Smyth's return of the A16 from a warranty repair which took more than 7 months. I've sent an email to James Smyth asking him to send the invoice to the taxing authority to verify this was nothing other than warranty service rather than purchase of a new unit. (I have already paid in full to Tennessee the use tax for the initial purchase of the A16)

The other scary shoe to drop is that I sent the A16 back in early November 2020 for a second warranty repair. Still have not received a communication from Tennessee Revenue for that one, but I'm quite sure I will. I've asked James for that invoice as well in order to head off another $400+assessment.

So it look like I may just be assessed in excess of $1200 for one A16 and two warranty repairs.

I'll keep everyone informed on Smyth's responsiveness to this urgent request.

I'm sick of this crap.

Jesus... $450 but I suppose that does come with the $4000 MSRP price tag

Thank god I only got dinged $167 Canadian dollars on the Kickstarter price tag.

 

[esimms86]

Just received a new communication from the Tennessee Dept of Revenue. They are assessing me $450 use tax for my September 2020 receipt of the $4000 Realizer in September 2020.

That importation was for the Smyth's return of the A16 from a warranty repair which took more than 7 months. I've sent an email to James Smyth asking him to send the invoice to the taxing authority to verify this was nothing other than warranty service rather than purchase of a new unit. (I have already paid in full to Tennessee the use tax for the initial purchase of the A16)

The other scary shoe to drop is that I sent the A16 back in early November 2020 for a second warranty repair. Still have not received a communication from Tennessee Revenue for that one, but I'm quite sure I will. I've asked James for that invoice as well in order to head off another $400+assessment.

So it look like I may just be assessed in excess of $1200 for one A16 and two warranty repairs.

I'll keep everyone informed on Smyth's responsiveness to this urgent request.

I'm sick of this crap.

Having suffered my trials with UK CustomsI live in the US), I feel your pain. Sorry to see you having to go through this.

 

[frank2908]

This is a copy from the manual
Bass Management (BM) can be set OFF or Virtual or Direct.
If set to Virtual, bass management is enabled, and a virtual sub-woofer speaker is used for the final bass-managed low-frequency signal.
(Appendix I: Bass Management.)
If set to Direct, bass management is enabled, but the final bass-managed low-frequency signal is sent directly to the headphone outputs and
by-passes the virtual sub-woofer speaker of the PCM listening room. (Appendix I: Bass Management). If set to OFF, bass management is
disabled, and the LFE input signal is sent to the virtual sub-woofer speaker of the PCM listening room. (Appendix I: Bass Management.)

So if I just listen to 2 chanel music, there os no LFE signal right?
This sounds to me like there are 3 "subwoofers" to choose from:
Direct: its like EQ the low frequency.
Virtual: A16 's own virtual agorithm for a subwoofer
Off: using the room prir of the subwoofer ( is there is any in your room)
Is this correct?

 

[audiohobbit]

I would say no.

As far as I understand it, there is no "A16 's own virtual agorithm for a subwoofer".
When they refer to the SVS algorithm, then it means processing the sound through a PRIR and HPEQ.
A PRIR needs to have recorded real speakers, otherwise you won't hear the specific channel.
Exception is the bass below a certain frequency (80-100 Hz) where we don't perceive directionality, so this bass can bypass the SVS algorithm and can be delivered directly to the headphone rather than being processed through SW speaker recorded in a PRIR, which is referred to as a virtual speaker or virtual subwoofer in this case.

So there are only two options for a subwoofer:
- virtual, which means you have a (previously recorded) SW speaker in the PRIR you're using
- direct, which means sending the bass unprocessed to the headphone.

The third option for the bass of the main channels (not the LFE in a surround signal) would be if your virtual speakers in the PRIR are fullrange and would not need bass redirecting.
For a surround signal with an extra LFE channel then you'd need a virtual SW speaker from a PRIR only for this specific LFE signal.
I see no way using direct bass only for a LFE channel, if direct bass is enabled all the bass of all speakers is redirected directly to the headphones.

In your 2 channel case with non bass capable main speakers you have two options:
Load a SW speaker from any PRIR and set bass management to on (hp/av BM on in Atmos or DTSX room or hp BM to virtual in PCM room)
Or do not load a SW speaker and set bass management to direct bass (hp/av DB on in Atmos/DTSX room or hp BM to direct in PCM room)

Direct bass would be the "perfect" subwoofer (no room modes, no reverb) but my experience with the Realiser A8 and direct bass tells me that it could sound too dry for some, because normally we are used to some room modes/reverb with bass in small rooms.

But you can easily try this out yourself. You can create different listening rooms with different SW speakers from PRIRs you find, and the already installed BBC and Surrey rooms, plus one room with direct bass.
You can then use the AB comparison mode where you can load one room to user A and one room to user B and switch between the two rooms by just clicking the right arrow key on the remote while always listening to user A.

Since bass perception should not be affected much by our anatomy you could basically use any SW from any PRIR but I think the already installed BBC or Surrey rooms recorded with an artificial head would be a good start.

 

[jk6661]

Does anyone use an external high-end DAC with their A16 (between the A16 and an external amp), and does it improve sound quality? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that the DAC in the A16 was somewhat of an afterthought given all the other processing it does, and given that many high-end DACs cost at least as much as the A16 itself. I have the Abyss AB1266 Phi TCs and XI Audio Formula S/Powerman, and I'm thinking about getting the XI Audio Sagra DAC.

 

[Litlgi74]

Does anyone use an external high-end DAC with their A16, and does it improve sound quality? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that the DAC in the A16 was probably somewhat of an afterthought given all the other processing it does, and given that many high-end DACs cost at least as much as the A16.

Using an RME ADI-2 DAC... Very small change... wouldn't necessarily call it an improvement.

I use it for the EQ and tone controls.

 

[dsperber]

I have two separate Realiser -> high-end DAC -> amp/headphone setups:

(a) A16 optical -> Audio-GD NFB9 DAC XLR -> Stax SRM-007tII amp -> Stax SR-009 headphones
(b) A8 optical -> Oppo Sonica DAC XLR -> Stax SRM-T1S amp -> Stax SR-Omega headphones

I've been using the Audio-GD DAC since 2012, and the Oppo DAC since 2017, both primarily to serve as "preamps" to feed the headphone amps via "direct XLR" rather than "amplified RCA".

My personal comparison of this approach (i.e. using external DAC feeding XLR to the headphone amp) vs. the alternative (i.e. using the built-in DAC/amp and feeding analog headphone output to RCA input of the headphone amps) is that it is much cleaner and superior sounding. I think the key here is not so much the use of the external DAC vs. the Realiser's internal built-in DAC as it is the elimination of the Realiser's built-in analog amp (and front panel "L/M/H gain" switches) feeding its headphone outputs which then feeds unbalanced RCA to my external headphone amps. I am hearing only the effect of the Stax headphone amps.

There is in fact a volume control on both of my DACs, but I have them both set fixed at "max" (i.e. 46 out of 47 on the Audio-GD NFB9 and 0db on the Oppo Sonica) which results in "fixed line level" output via XLR to the Stax headphone amps (both of which have their own analog volume control set at "fixed 2PM" which I never touch). This approach, with DAC volume set at "fixed max" and headphone amp set at "fixed 2PM" allows me to use just the Realiser's digital volume control to accomplish the overall net volume level in its optical digital output feeding the external DAC that I eventually hear through the headphones. Very convenient to be able to use only the Realiser's remote for my one and only "variable volume control".

To really be able to make an A/B comparison fair, between an unbalanced RCA path with two analog amps on it vs. a balanced XLR path with only one analog amp on it, you have to take steps to ensure that the "volume levels" out of the headphones are the same from both paths. Inevitably "louder sounds better" so the two paths/volumes need to be "matched" in order to actually be able to objectively compare "quality" unrelated to volume. Having done that I still feel the external DAC -> XLR approach is superior sounding, again no doubt because of the elimination of the A8/A16 analog amp in the overall path leaving the Realiser and ending with the headphones.

There is no EQ or tone control involved in my setups.

 

[shmau]

Just received a new communication from the Tennessee Dept of Revenue. They are assessing me $450 use tax for my September 2020 receipt of the $4000 Realizer in September 2020.

That importation was for the Smyth's return of the A16 from a warranty repair which took more than 7 months. I've sent an email to James Smyth asking him to send the invoice to the taxing authority to verify this was nothing other than warranty service rather than purchase of a new unit. (I have already paid in full to Tennessee the use tax for the initial purchase of the A16)

The other scary shoe to drop is that I sent the A16 back in early November 2020 for a second warranty repair. Still have not received a communication from Tennessee Revenue for that one, but I'm quite sure I will. I've asked James for that invoice as well in order to head off another $400+assessment.

So it look like I may just be assessed in excess of $1200 for one A16 and two warranty repairs.

I'll keep everyone informed on Smyth's responsiveness to this urgent request.

I'm sick of this crap.

Not an expert, but in my country you have to let customs examine the unit before sending it out for repairs or you are practically guaranteed to get dinged again when you get it back. Naturally this can only be done physically at a remote location, for your convenience. Otherwise they're unlikely to accept the fact that it's the same unit.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Does anyone use an external high-end DAC with their A16 (between the A16 and an external amp), and does it improve sound quality? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that the DAC in the A16 was somewhat of an afterthought given all the other processing it does, and given that many high-end DACs cost at least as much as the A16 itself. I have the Abyss AB1266 Phi TCs and XI Audio Formula S/Powerman, and I'm thinking about getting the XI Audio Sagra DAC.

I send the spdif output to my Octo DAC 8 Pro and from there to the THX AAA 789 headphone amp for my HD 800 and LCD X headphones. I never have used the internal dac or headphone amp. I can tell you those two components are unexceptionable, edge of the art performers, so I never felt the need to use the Smyth dac/amp.

 

[esimms86]

Not an expert, but in my country you have to let customs examine the unit before sending it out for repairs or you are practically guaranteed to get dinged again when you get it back. Naturally this can only be done physically at a remote location, for your convenience. Otherwise they're unlikely to accept the fact that it's the same unit.

Not saying that you're wrong but wouldn't they take into account the fact that the serial number of the unit matches the one on the invoice when you first received it? Of course, logic doesn't necessarily have to apply here.

 

[shmau]

Not saying that you're wrong but wouldn't they take into account the fact that the serial number of the unit matches the one on the invoice when you first received it? Of course, logic doesn't necessarily have to apply here.

I think you can try to make a case for it. However they are famously inflexible here, and this is indeed what I had to go through when I got my unit repaired. I sent the package, clearly labeled as for repair, but the next day they called me and said I'd have to take it back and submit it to customs first if I want it to come back for free. I chose not to do so as commuting to the location and the time spent on it would have outweighed the cost. The unit eventually came back (IIRC marked as a repair) and I had to pay tax again.

YMMV depending on country.

Regardless I am not sure if contacting Smyth is going to be of any use in cases like these.

 

[esimms86]

I think you can try to make a case for it. However they are famously inflexible here, and this is indeed what I had to go through when I got my unit repaired. I sent the package, clearly labeled as for repair, but the next day they called me and said I'd have to take it back and submit it to customs first if I want it to come back for free. I chose not to do so as commuting to the location and the time spent on it would have outweighed the cost. The unit eventually came back (IIRC marked as a repair) and I had to pay tax again.

YMMV depending on country.

Regardless I am not sure if contacting Smyth is going to be of any use in cases like these.

Thanks for your reply. I had shipped my A16 back in spring of 2020 for a hardware upgrade. I live in the US and I was billed by UK Customs. I went through the torturous process of filing a claim for a refund and was eventually able to get my money back, minus a small nonrefundable fee. I also had to set up an online international bank account in order to receive the funds. Once received, I then had the funds transferred to my personal bank in the US. After that experience, I would have to give serious thought as to whether I would go through that experience again. Of course, if my A16 was in need of repairs(as opposed to getting an optional hardware upgrade), I would have no choice but to ship it back again.

 

[frank2908]

Does anyone use an external high-end DAC with their A16 (between the A16 and an external amp), and does it improve sound quality? I could be wrong, but I'm guessing that the DAC in the A16 was somewhat of an afterthought given all the other processing it does, and given that many high-end DACs cost at least as much as the A16 itself. I have the Abyss AB1266 Phi TCs and XI Audio Formula S/Powerman, and I'm thinking about getting the XI Audio Sagra DAC.

I just compared the A16 HP out vs spdif out connected to the Chord Mojo 1. The sound from Mojo is cleaner, a bit warmer, but lack the space effect. I sounds like the background noise is "muted", whereas in the A16 you can "hear" it as a room space. I don't know how to explain this. It's like the mojo kills the "room" sound like an anechoic chamber, whereas the A16 retain the room effect.