[Sanctuary]

So my A16 arrived just fine, although they're still waiting for a signature. But beyond that, I got a notification that an import fee of 24.40 GBP needed to be paid first. I tried paying it myself, but it was declined. When I called UPS, they said that I can't actually pay it due to the way it was shipped, and that it's the recipient's responsibility. They said that's generally always the case though when things are exported and imported.

It seems like it had just cleared customs at 5:33 PM, and I'm not sure if they actually tried to deliver it yet or not. If so, no one would have been there to receive it. Hopefully I don't get grief over a measly $30 USD and that James just pays it (he told me neither of us should have to pay any import fees, so I don't know if this is going to be unexpected on his end) and just asks me to send him money via PayPal. Would be really ironic, after stressing out about getting the customs papers worked out correctly, and making sure I did everything right on my end, it arrives only to get hung up on something like this.

Already emailed him Monday when it shipped, and told him that it was estimated to arrive today, but that I kind of expected it to be there Thursday or even Friday. So he at least knows it's supposed to be there sometime before the end of the week. Whether or not he actually read that email is another story though.

edit: At this point, I don't even care how many weeks, or even months it takes for me to get mine back (OK, I do, but not as much as this) just as long as I know that it's actually inside the Smyth building.

 

[esimms86]

So my A16 arrived just fine, although they're still waiting for a signature. But beyond that, I got a notification that an import fee of 24.40 GBP needed to be paid first. I tried paying it myself, but it was declined. When I called UPS, they said that I can't actually pay it due to the way it was shipped, and that it's the recipient's responsibility. They said that's generally always the case though when things are exported and imported.

It seems like it had just cleared customs at 5:33 PM, and I'm not sure if they actually tried to deliver it yet or not. If so, no one would have been there to receive it. Hopefully I don't get grief over a measly $30 USD and that James just pays it (he told me neither of us should have to pay any import fees, so I don't know if this is going to be unexpected on his end) and just asks me to send him money via PayPal. Would be really ironic, after stressing out about getting the customs papers worked out correctly, and making sure I did everything right on my end, it arrives only to get hung up on something like this.

Already emailed him Monday when it shipped, and told him that it was estimated to arrive today, but that I kind of expected it to be there Thursday or even Friday. So he at least knows it's supposed to be there sometime before the end of the week. Whether or not he actually read that email is another story though.

edit: At this point, I don't even care how many weeks, or even months it takes for me to get mine back (OK, I do, but not as much as this) just as long as I know that it's actually inside the Smyth building.

I’m happy that it arrived. I’m sure that James will bill you for the 24.40 and not even consider shipping it back until he has been reimbursed. And you WILL care about how long it takes to get it back. Good luck with everything.

 

[Sanctuary]

I’m happy that it arrived. I’m sure that James will bill you for the 24.40 and not even consider shipping it back until he has been reimbursed. And you WILL care about how long it takes to get it back. Good luck with everything.

Haha. I will care, but there's something coming up that will eat up most of my time over the next three months. If it takes longer than that I'll probably start getting antsy, but for the foreseeable future I'll be fine.

 

[rubantripleface]

Hello there, I have an opportunity to buy a second hand Smyth Realiser A16 (16ch version). I've only tried the SE version (that I've liked a lot, but that is too pricey for me), and I've never listened to the headphone capability of it, so I have a few question on this device.

I actually have a stereo system (RME ADI-2 dac fs + Focal Twin6 BE). I'm asking myself if I should keep the RME if I'm adding the A16 (my goal is to reduce the number of devices, and at the same time having the freedom of playing every format I can find). Maybe you can help

1) Is the A16 DAC and headphone amp at least as good as the RME?

If I ditch the RME :
2) What's your advice to connect the A16 to my speaker (XLR balanced)?
3) Can the A16 EQ the line out (I always use the 5bands PEQ of the RME)?
4) What do you recommand to play DSD with the A16 (never listened to DSD but I'm curious to try one day)?

So, in this system, I might lose a balanced connexion to my speaker, and lose the ability to play DSD above 192kHz in PCM.


If I keep the RME.
5) How can I connect them together so the RME feed the speaker via XLR, and the 2 headphones outs of the A16 are still available?

I guess the best way to connect them together is via Toslink (as A16 USB goes to 96kHz/24bits, while RME USB goes to 768kHz), but I'll lose the 2 headphones out.

6) Appart from the RME ADI 2 DAC-fs, is there another product that can allow me to input the A16, EQ the output, having quality headphones out?
7) Is there a free Club Realiser to exchange PRIR (not a fan of the subscription system...)?
8) Read that the A16 is not in the Logitech Harmony device list, is it still the case?
9) A detail, I read on an old manual that we cannot turn the LCD screen off below 5min, is it still the case?

Thanks a lot

 

[Litlgi74]

Hello there, I have an opportunity to buy a second hand Smyth Realiser A16 (16ch version). I've only tried the SE version (that I've liked a lot, but that is too pricey for me), and I've never listened to the headphone capability of it, so I have a few question on this device.

I actually have a stereo system (RME ADI-2 dac fs + Focal Twin6 BE). I'm asking myself if I should keep the RME if I'm adding the A16 (my goal is to reduce the number of devices, and at the same time having the freedom of playing every format I can find). Maybe you can help

1) Is the A16 DAC and headphone amp at least as good as the RME?

If I ditch the RME :
2) What's your advice to connect the A16 to my speaker (XLR balanced)?
3) Can the A16 EQ the line out (I always use the 5bands PEQ of the RME)?
4) What do you recommand to play DSD with the A16 (never listened to DSD but I'm curious to try one day)?

So, in this system, I might lose a balanced connexion to my speaker, and lose the ability to play DSD above 192kHz in PCM.


If I keep the RME.
5) How can I connect them together so the RME feed the speaker via XLR, and the 2 headphones outs of the A16 are still available?

I guess the best way to connect them together is via Toslink (as A16 USB goes to 96kHz/24bits, while RME USB goes to 768kHz), but I'll lose the 2 headphones out.

6) Appart from the RME ADI 2 DAC-fs, is there another product that can allow me to input the A16, EQ the output, having quality headphones out?
7) Is there a free Club Realiser to exchange PRIR (not a fan of the subscription system...)?
8) Read that the A16 is not in the Logitech Harmony device list, is it still the case?
9) A detail, I read on an old manual that we cannot turn the LCD screen off below 5min, is it still the case?

Thanks a lot

Hello... And welcome.

I own and use an RME ADI2 DAC with my A16. But mainly for diagnostic purposes.

As for your questions.. You have already answered most of them yourself...

1... When it comes to standard headphones, yes. But for sensitive IEMs... You can hear the electronic inner workings of the A16 as opposed to the RME... Which is dead silent.

2... As for connecting you're a16 to your speakers via a balance XLR connection... It is possible... You just need a special, usually custom-made RCA to XLR connector.

3... You will not be able to (shouldn't) use the PEQ of the RME. It degrades the spatial audio portion of your PRIR. Only FIR (finite impulse response) filters are to be used.

4... DSD will not work.

5... Why do you think you lose both headphone connections? You won't. All analog and digital audio outs of the A16 are always active.

6. Any quality DAC/Amp combo can be used... I use two Fiio K7s in my downstairs rig.

7. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iPcVwlQI0bHRRlL876semd6b8lca4Nop

8. You can use the A8 codes but you will not have all of the functions needed for the A16.

9. I don't use this feature... Mainly because the screen says standby... I'm fearful of screen burn in

Hope this helps.

 

[rubantripleface]

Hello... And welcome.

I own and use an RME ADI2 DAC with my A16. But mainly for diagnostic purposes.

As for your questions.. You have already answered most of them yourself...

1... When it comes to standard headphones, yes. But for sensitive IEMs... You can hear the electronic inner workings of the A16 as opposed to the RME... Which is dead silent.

2... As for connecting you're a16 to your speakers via a balance XLR connection... It is possible... You just need a special, usually custom-made RCA to XLR connector.

3... You will not be able to use the PEQ of the RME. It degrades the spatial audio portion of your PRIR. Only FIR (finite impulse response) filters are to be used.

4... DSD will not work.

5... Why do you think you lose both headphone connections? You won't.

6. Any quality DAC/Amp combo can be used... I use two Fiio K7s in my downstairs rig.

7. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iPcVwlQI0bHRRlL876semd6b8lca4Nop

8. You can use the A8 codes but you will not have all of the functions needed for the A16.

9. I don't use this feature... Mainly because the screen says standby... I'm fearful of screen burn in

Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot! It helps a lot

1) I'm not using IEMs, I actually use a HD650. Maybe if I'm not convinced with the A16, I'll try to find an HD800s.
2) I have short lenght cable, but I don't have enough knowledge to understand if a RCA -> XLR cable will affect sound (the idea of having XLR cable was to avoid all the audiophile cable discussion).
3) Very interesting, thanks a lot! FIR are available in the A16?
5) I think that if I use a Toslink output on the A16, it'll bypas the DAC of the A16, and probably won't get sound out of the headphone out, but I might be wrong, that was my question
8) If I can easily turn it on/off, switch inputs, control the volume, that's enough I guess.

So maybe I can sell my RME then, will try to find answer on that cinch/XLR question.

 

[esimms86]

Hello... And welcome.

I own and use an RME ADI2 DAC with my A16. But mainly for diagnostic purposes.

As for your questions.. You have already answered most of them yourself...

1... When it comes to standard headphones, yes. But for sensitive IEMs... You can hear the electronic inner workings of the A16 as opposed to the RME... Which is dead silent.

2... As for connecting you're a16 to your speakers via a balance XLR connection... It is possible... You just need a special, usually custom-made RCA to XLR connector.

3... You will not be able to (shouldn't) use the PEQ of the RME. It degrades the spatial audio portion of your PRIR. Only FIR (finite impulse response) filters are to be used.

4... DSD will not work.

5... Why do you think you lose both headphone connections? You won't. All analog and digital audio outs of the A16 are always active.

6. Any quality DAC/Amp combo can be used... I use two Fiio K7s in my downstairs rig.

7. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iPcVwlQI0bHRRlL876semd6b8lca4Nop

8. You can use the A8 codes but you will not have all of the functions needed for the A16.

9. I don't use this feature... Mainly because the screen says standby... I'm fearful of screen burn in

Hope this helps.

What John said except for one further clarification. You cannot listen to a DSD file on your A16 UNLESS you first convert it to bitstream LPCM. So, while you can listen to the file, it will not be the same as hearing it in the original DSD format. Anyway, OPPO players and OPPO clones are the way to go if that piques your interest.

While there is not a ton of "mainstream" music available in SACD/DSD, there is a niche category of music still out in the marketplace as 3.0, 4.0 and/or 5.1 SACD/DSD. The vast majority of that material is in the classical music genre, however, the mainstream music finds sporadic release on discs which quickly sell out, go out of print, and then sell for ridiculous amounts of money on the used market(Discogs and eBay) IF you can even then find them.

 

[esimms86]

Thanks a lot! It helps a lot

1) I'm not using IEMs, I actually use a HD650. Maybe if I'm not convinced with the A16, I'll try to find an HD800s.

An HD800 or HD800s will blow an HD650 out of the water when paired with the A16. The difference in soundstage and having the sound image "outside of your head" is substantial.

 

[Litlgi74]

3) Very interesting, thanks a lot! FIR are available in the A16?

Yes and no .. the manLOUD and auto HPEQ process use internal FIR filters (512 taps) to linearize your headphones. But if you know how to create your own FIR filters... You could use a DSP to take linearization process even further.

5) I think that if I use a Toslink output on the A16, it'll bypas the DAC of the A16, and probably won't get sound out of the headphone out, but I might be wrong, that was my question

Yep... You're wrong ... Though I don't recommend your overdrive the a16... You could potentially use every analog and digital audio output at the exact same time.

 

[GeorgeA]

What John said except for one further clarification. You cannot listen to a DSD file on your A16 UNLESS you first convert it to bitstream LPCM. So, while you can listen to the file, it will not be the same as hearing it in the original DSD format. Anyway, OPPO players and OPPO clones are the way to go if that piques your interest.

While there is not a ton of "mainstream" music available in SACD/DSD, there is a niche category of music still out in the marketplace as 3.0, 4.0 and/or 5.1 SACD/DSD. The vast majority of that material is in the classical music genre, however, the mainstream music finds sporadic release on discs which quickly sell out, go out of print, and then sell for ridiculous amounts of money on the used market(Discogs and eBay) IF you can even then find them.

I’m aware that this post is somehow off topic and that it might offend some people's sensibilities. With respect to what’s better DSD or LPCM, one can read an interesting article at the following link:
https://bobpariseau.com/blog/2018/7...n-or-sacd-noise-shaping-for-fun-profit?rq=DSD

A subtitle in that article states that DSD is an Archive Format DESIGNED to be Convertible into LPCM at High Quality.

 

[rubantripleface]

Yes and no .. the manLOUD and auto HPEQ process use internal FIR filters (512 taps) to linearize your headphones. But if you know how to create your own FIR filters... You could use a DSP to take linearization process even further.


Yep... You're wrong ... Though I don't recommend your overdrive the a16... You could potentially use every analog and digital audio output at the exact same time.

About FIR, I just understand thanks to your message that the HP-A and HP-B output stands for "Headphone" and not speaker. I was saying that I used the RME to PEQ the speaker out. Seems not possible with the A16 then (except by finding a way to create FIR filters as you said).
Can I use one of the HP cinch output to feed the stereo speaker without FIR, PRIR and HPEQ treatment on the audio signal? Do you think I will have to manually disable all of those treatement each time I want to use the speakers?

 

[audiohobbit]

8. You can use the A8 codes but you will not have all of the functions needed for the A16.

9. I don't use this feature... Mainly because the screen says standby... I'm fearful of screen burn in

8. As far as I am concerned, the A8 codes on my Harmony(s) always initiate a "double click" on my A16. So when I'm in the menu and press the down button for example, the cursor always jumps two rows, so you can't reach the even (or odd, depends where your starting point is) rows.
Vol up/down won't work at all since the A8 remote doesn't have these dedicated keys (especially not for user A and B). With the A8 vol up/down is done via the up/down arrow keys afair.
Also the Power toggle button initiates a two click event. Switchting on is ok, since after the first command the A16 doesn't react for a long time to any remote commands, but when I switch it off with the Harmony, the A16 switches off and immediately switches on again!
So the A8 codes do somehow work but not as intended. Plus you have a lot of keys on the A16 remote that are not on the A8 remote, e.g. the already mentioned volume key, the PA/PB keys etc.

I always wanted to let the Harmony learn all the A16 codes from its remote but I didn't find the time to do it.

9. I think he means the display going dark when the A16 is running. There still is the minimum time of 5 min. after any command that the display automatically turns dark, so that to not distract you when watching a movie etc.

 

[Litlgi74]

Can I use one of the HP cinch output to feed the stereo speaker without FIR, PRIR and HPEQ treatment on the audio signal? Do you think I will have to manually disable all of those treatement each time I want to use the speakers?

To use speakers... I think you are supposed to use the 3.5mm line outs.

 

[VandyMan]

2... As for connecting you're a16 to your speakers via a balance XLR connection... It is possible... You just need a special, usually custom-made RCA to XLR connector.

I would be very cautious doing this. The A16 can be very glitchy and I would not personally trust the volume control to not accidentally blast my speakers and burn out a driver. Does the A16 have line level outputs that can be connected to a pre-amp? (I run the optical out to my Benchmark DAC which then feeds a Benchmark HPA4. That gives me a super clean headphone output that can drive pretty much any headphone and pre-amp outs. It is a kind of expensive setup, but the same could be achieved with a DAC/amp combo or gear from Topping, etc.)

 

[rubantripleface]

To use speakers... I think you are supposed to use the 3.5mm line outs.

This is what AV-in suggest too.

To listen to a stereo mix on the A16, I should have a 2.0 PRIR loaded, and connect the 2 speakers to line outs 1 & 2. Am I right?

AV-in said that it's an interesting idea to use the stereo mixdown mode, that may allow me to plug the speakers on the HP-A output.
"The stereo mix down path can be used to pass regular.
stereo content straight to the headphones, or it can be used to create a stereo mix down of multi-channel content".

Let's say I go the classic way with speakers pluged on the 3,5mm line outs, practically, how do you switch from a headphone multichanel setup to a 2.0 speaker setup? Switching PRIR (multichannel to 2.0) can be done via the remote? Then I need to switch from headphone mode to AV mode?

I think users can have multiple setup? (I'm not familiarized with A16 lexicon yet. Setup/preset/room...).

That means that even on AV mode, when the speakers works, a PRIR is needed? I guess it's just for internal processing and doesn't affect audio signal, right?

I would be very cautious doing this. The A16 can be very glitchy and I would not personally trust the volume control to not accidentally blast my speakers and burn out a driver. Does the A16 have line level outputs that can be connected to a pre-amp? (I run the optical out to my Benchmark DAC which then feeds a Benchmark HPA4. That gives me a super clean headphone output that can drive pretty much any headphone and pre-amp outs. It is a kind of expensive setup, but the same could be achieved with a DAC/amp combo or gear from Topping, etc.)

I think there is a static level setting, made for connect a DAC to the A16.