[Eich1eeF]

That's correct but it's not really a big deal. On macOS it's set up as a 16ch aggregate device and one of the dac8 is the master clock. The other one has drift correction enabled. I don't have any problems with this. However, since the dac8 in AES/USB mode uses the clock signal it recovers from AES to also clock the USB data transfer, technically speaking it should be the Realiser that sets the effective clock for both units and drift correction probably isn't even needed. However that goes beyond my knowledge.

Correct, the Realiser will be the master clock in such a setup, and both DAC8 will just follow it. The only unknown would be if there's a guarantee that the USB stack will have the exact same latency for both DACs, i.e. the Mac may be a few whole samples off when starting playback.

Edit: this has actually been discussed over on audiosciencereview.com, but I can't recall at the moment what the result was.

 

[GeorgeA]

At the 2023 Shanghai International Musical Instruments Exhibition, Yitong Technology booth, visitors were able to compare a Smyth Realiser A16 headphone version with the actual Atmos system to better understand the actual experience and application of the A16.
Source: https://wwww.midifan.com/modulenews-detailview-48340.htm

 

[MichaelJames99]

So I've been using Airpod Max headphones. its OK for Dolby Atmos movies using spacial audio.. but looking for something else as well. Is there anything else coming that wouldnt be as expensive while I wait til Smyth decides to fill preorders from 2017?

 

[zdjh22]

So I've been using Airpod Max headphones. its OK for Dolby Atmos movies using spacial audio.. but looking for something else as well. Is there anything else coming that wouldnt be as expensive while I wait til Smyth decides to fill preorders from 2017?

Virtuoso software (see upthread, or Michael Wagner’s YouTube videos) works fairly well, particularly on an Apple, since Apple has a built-in Atmos renderer. It is a far cry from an A16, but then again it’s $99 (or a free trial) plus maybe another $100 for an optional head tracker, and it does every virtual speaker / spatial layout you can imagine. Unless you have your own HRTF, you have to use one of the three they provide, so depending upon how well your head and ears match the ones they use, the quality of the virtualization will vary. They provide a good variety of speaker types. They also provide equalization curves for a huge number of headphones, and will generate new ones (supposedly) on request.

 

[MichaelJames99]

Virtuoso software (see upthread, or Michael Wagner’s YouTube videos) works fairly well, particularly on an Apple, since Apple has a built-in Atmos renderer. It is a far cry from an A16, but then again it’s $99 (or a free trial) plus maybe another $100 for an optional head tracker, and it does every virtual speaker / spatial layout you can imagine. Unless you have your own HRTF, you have to use one of the three they provide, so depending upon how well your head and ears match the ones they use, the quality of the virtualization will vary. They provide a good variety of speaker types. They also provide equalization curves for a huge number of headphones, and will generate new ones (supposedly) on request.

Can you send a link? I'm using AppleTV4k, Firestick4k Max. I can watch some movies on my Windows PC using Stremio. I dont have an ipad or Macbook.

 

[Litlgi74]

There are two A8s on eBay for the dirt cheap price of $200.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3257976195...ukVeI0_Qka&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

A friend purchased one... And it is working (after firmware update) as it should.

 

[MichaelJames99]

I think I found the link. https://apl-hud.com/product/virtuoso/
So is this only for Windows platforms?
Have they created a Firestick app on the App Store?
Or on the AppleTV4k, Apple TV app store app?

Like the VLC Media player for Android for playing streaming movies. It installs thru the Firestick Apps store and is used as an external player.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Side note: James responded to me about buying a new set of mics when I made a new email. That was good advice, for whomever suggested it.

 

[zdjh22]

I think I found the link. https://apl-hud.com/product/virtuoso/
So is this only for Windows platforms?
Have they created a Firestick app on the App Store?
Or on the AppleTV4k, Apple TV app store app?

Like the VLC Media player for Android for playing streaming movies. It installs thru the Firestick Apps store and is used as an external player.

They have both Windows and Mac versions (and the Mac is a better platform for it). Nothing for Apple TV 4K or Firestick unfortunately. Virtuoso needs to be fed the individual audio channels from a multichannel renderer.

You might be able to stream from VLC on a Firestick or AppleTV to VLC on a Mac and then into Virtuoso using Blackhole or Loopback. But probably not for Atmos, for which you’d need to use the Apple TV app on the Mac or a BluRay.

If there are Dante endpoints for Firestick or Apple TV (I have never looked), that would work similarly to VLC, allowing you stream audio channels to Virtuoso using Dante Via on Windows.

Much like the A8 and the A16, a primary intended audience (the primary intended audience?) is music folks who are mixing multichannel or spatial audio. Both just happen to be good for consumers as well.

 

[gimlet]

They have both Windows and Mac versions (and the Mac is a better platform for it). Nothing for Apple TV 4K or Firestick unfortunately. Virtuoso needs to be fed the individual audio channels from a multichannel renderer.

You might be able to stream from VLC on a Firestick or AppleTV to VLC on a Mac and then into Virtuoso using Blackhole or Loopback. But probably not for Atmos, for which you’d need to use the Apple TV app on the Mac or a BluRay.

If there are Dante endpoints for Firestick or Apple TV (I have never looked), that would work similarly to VLC, allowing you stream audio channels to Virtuoso using Dante Via on Windows.

Much like the A8 and the A16, a primary intended audience (the primary intended audience?) is music folks who are mixing multichannel or spatial audio. Both just happen to be good for consumers as well.

I am currently using Virtuoso when I am travelling and unable to use my A16. It works well on a MacBook Pro, especially for video streaming (Netflix has an extension for 5.1 channels on Chrome, and Mubi has 5.1 channels on native Safari). I also use it for audio streaming (Roon and Apple Music - where it recognises and plays multichannel and Atmos files). In both cases, I am using Blackhole (donation ware) as the renderer. Huge flexibility on speaker layouts as long as the inbuilt HRTF suits your ears.

Upsides - it's low risk, with a free test period of 14 days, and a full early access license is only $99. Also the lead developer (a professor of acoustics at a UK university) is highly responsive to feedback and very interested in user experiences so that they can improve functionality in the next release. Downsides - not an A16!

 

[MichaelJames99]

So there no renderer for MS Windows I can use?

 

[MichaelJames99]

I am currently using Virtuoso when I am travelling and unable to use my A16. It works well on a MacBook Pro, especially for video streaming (Netflix has an extension for 5.1 channels on Chrome, and Mubi has 5.1 channels on native Safari). I also use it for audio streaming (Roon and Apple Music - where it recognises and plays multichannel and Atmos files). In both cases, I am using Blackhole (donation ware) as the renderer. Huge flexibility on speaker layouts as long as the inbuilt HRTF suits your ears.

Upsides - it's low risk, with a free test period of 14 days, and a full early access license is only $99. Also the lead developer (a professor of acoustics at a UK university) is highly responsive to feedback and very interested in user experiences so that they can improve functionality in the next release. Downsides - not an A16!

The Netflix extension for 5.1 you are using doesnt feed into Virtuoso does it? I just enabled Boom 3D and then launched Virtuoso and it still shows 2 channels only for Netflix thru Chrome

 

[gimlet]

The Netflix extension for 5.1 you are using doesnt feed into Virtuoso does it? I just enabled Boom 3D and then launched Virtuoso and it still shows 2 channels only for Netflix thru Chrome

I couldn’t make Boom 3D work either. I downloaded Netflix 1080p instead and installed as an extension - it works well (on chrome only).

 

[MichaelJames99]

I couldn’t make Boom 3D work either. I downloaded Netflix 1080p instead and installed as an extension - it works well (on chrome only).

I got Boom 3D to work after you download the Windows application as well. You have to install both the extension and the desktop app to get it to work. Desktop app is on their website.

So, with the Netflix 1080p extension, does it feed the Virtuoso application with seperate channels? In other words, does it render the 5.1 channels into Virtuoso and does it show 6 channels inside Virtuoso? Or are you saying its a replacement for Virtuoso?

 

[gimlet]

I am using it to feed 5.1 channels to Virtuoso / Blackhole - and they show up in Virtuoso as separate channels. Weirdly, the back / surround channels only show if I configure a 7.1 layout but I can see all 5.1 channels on my Mac.