[sander99]

Should be interesting using the A8 or A16 with the Yarra sound bar as the A8/A16 headtrackers should output properly with the speaker arrays of the Yarra...

http://idfrancetv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/OBA17_Beamforming-Transaural-Soundbars-Simon.mp4?_=6

"as the A8/A16 headtrackers should output properly with the speaker arrays of the Yarra"
I don't know exactly what you mean with this, but the standard headtracking of the A8/A16 will not give a correct result in this situation (using the A8/A16 with the Yarra). When looking forward the sound from the Yarra is coming from the front center (assuming you put the Yarra centered in front of you). That means that the binaural signal should be filtered with the inverse of your center-front HRTF (otherwise the binaural signal will have an additional center-front-HRTF overlayed on all the HRTF filtering that the A8/A16 has already done). This hopefully can be realised by doing a HPEQ of the Yarra in front of you (you in your normal listening position looking forward center). However if you turn your head for example 30 degrees to the left, the natural HRTF signal being overlayed on the binaural signal now corresponds to sounds coming from 30 degrees right. So at this moment the HPEQ does not do the proper compensation. At this moment there should be an additional filtering - instead of what the HPEQ currently does - with the inverse of your HRTF for 30 degrees right!
Additional clarification: note that all the time the A8/A16 will create a proper binaural signal for headphones, correctly compensated for the head movement, but the problem is in the changing natuaral acoustic HRTF filtering that this signal will go trough on it's way from the Yarra to your ears.
In fact turning the head tracking off will probably cause less problems for sounds coming from the front. But the best result you will only have while looking straight forward.
[Edit: actually there are similar problems with the Inter Aural Time Delay: when you turn your head to the left there will be a longer travel time from the Yarra to your left ear than to your right ear. The A8/A16 will not have compensated for that (because with headphones moving your head the drivers stay at the same distance to your ears).]

 

[camillem]

Hi, i have received my Yarra 3 days ago but didn't have time to try it yet.

here are some pics

 

[AppleheadMay]

Well, one of my two Yarra has gone missing, none of the tracking companies that handled it know where it is.
What is the best way to contact Comhear on an email address they do reply to? Getting no reply from them so far.

Or better, if anyone wants to sell me a black Yarra I'd be happy to pay a nice sum for it as only one is useless in my setup.

Or can I still order one new somewhere?

 

[Dr AIX]

If Dr. Mark Waldrep is watching this thread can you share in the setup that was used with the Smyth A8 realiser and the Yarra... or if anybody else might have the answer would be good too...

I used a Blu-ray player with content that was already binauralized sent to the A8 using HDMI. Glad to see that some have received their units. I'm still waiting for the two that I pledged for.

BTW, a contact at Comhear is carrie.garcia@comhear.com. I don't know if she's still there but I did have some interaction with her no too long ago.

Mark

 

[sander99]

I used a Blu-ray player with content that was already binauralized sent to the A8 using HDMI.

I have a feeling something went wrong composing this sentence. As if you had already binauralised content on the disc, but then there would be nothing to do for the A8? Or did you mean you the blue-ray player sent multi channel audio to the A8, the A8 binauralised that and sent the binauralized audio to the Yarra?

 

[arabesc]

I received two my units yesterday.
The first impression - I'm not impressed.
Someone on the Indiegogo has said that it sounds like a tin can. I'm not going to argue. There are chinese soundbars ten times cheaper and I don't think they are much worse.
The unit doesn't expose native volume control through the USB connection (is it a general USB audio device limit?), so, there's no volume control in MacOS and there is software (lossy due to double signal suppression) volume control in Windows. It's inconvenient.
The unit automatically turns off after some period of inactivity and I haven't found a way to turn it on automatically when I want some sound. It's necessary to press a power button and select a sound output device in a system. It's like a device from 90th, but it's not funny. You have to press lots of buttons constantly to control it.
I haven't understood the logic behind the mobile app that persistently wants to switch the sound mode from the stereo to the surround that sounds, hmm, weird to my taste.
There are four large buttons on the every side of the soundbar, it's nearly impossible to take the bar by the sides and not press some buttons. Industrial design? Who knows...
I'd wanted a refund long time ago and tried to contact Comhear a few times, but they had ignored all my requests.
I'm not satisfied for the money I've paid.

 

[sander99]

@arabesc : could it be possible that you did not set it up optimally yet? Are you sure the beams are aimed at your ears the way they should? Are you sitting at a suitable distance, using the correct mode for that distance? Are you sure the sub is working ok, level and maybe delay correctly matched with the soundbar? Does the sub have a built in low-pass filter with variable crossover frequency that could be set too low?
(I don't know how all that should be done exactly or how the optimal result sounds like but I can imagine that the result will be far from optimal if not setup properly. Most of all the proper aiming of the beams, if that is not done correct it would sound extremely weird indeed because that is the key to how the whole thing works.)

 

[esimms86]

I received two my units yesterday.
The first impression - I'm not impressed.
Someone on the Indiegogo has said that it sounds like a tin can. I'm not going to argue. There are chinese soundbars ten times cheaper and I don't think they are much worse.
The unit doesn't expose native volume control through the USB connection (is it a general USB audio device limit?), so, there's no volume control in MacOS and there is software (lossy due to double signal suppression) volume control in Windows. It's inconvenient.
The unit automatically turns off after some period of inactivity and I haven't found a way to turn it on automatically when I want some sound. It's necessary to press a power button and select a sound output device in a system. It's like a device from 90th, but it's not funny. You have to press lots of buttons constantly to control it.
I haven't understood the logic behind the mobile app that persistently wants to switch the sound mode from the stereo to the surround that sounds, hmm, weird to my taste.
There are four large buttons on the every side of the soundbar, it's nearly impossible to take the bar by the sides and not press some buttons. Industrial design? Who knows...
I'd wanted a refund long time ago and tried to contact Comhear a few times, but they had ignored all my requests.
I'm not satisfied for the money I've paid.

I don't have my unit and, since I live on the east coast of the United States, I expect to be one of last people to receive it. Now, I have zero hands on experience with the Yarra 3DX and I don't for a moment pretend to have any notion as to why your experience with your unit has been unsatisfactory. I do, however, want to point out something out for any people planning to post impressions. Please do not be offended as this is not my intention in any way, and please know that I am in no way questioning how thorough you've been in setting up and testing your unit. I would just like to point out the obvious which is, please, please, please, people, please consult the manual/quickstart guide/faq and do a little troubleshooting (if needed) before posting impressions. There are many of us here waiting expectantly, hoping to enjoy our units when they arrive. A Yarra 3DX Users thread would also be great for people to turn to to sort out any issues they may experience. In closing, here are the links posted in the recent Yarra 3DX Kickstarter email. The 4th link refers to the quickstart guide. Thanks for indulging me and hearing me out.


http://www.yarra3dx.com/support/

http://www.yarra3dx.com/faq-2/

http://www.yarra3dx.com/wp-content/uploads/Yarra3DXManual.pdf

http://www.yarra3dx.com/wp-content/uploads/QSGHDMI.pdf

 

[arabesc]

Does the sub have a built in low-pass filter with variable crossover frequency that could be set too low?

I haven't found anything like the variable crossover frequency control. However, there's a separate volume control for the sub and some bass boost feature.
BTW, there's a user's manual available.

I don't know how all that should be done exactly or how the optimal result sounds like but I can imagine that the result will be far from optimal if not setup properly.

I haven't tried a real surround yet, I just listen to a stereo. I can't say that it's absolutely awful, but there's nothing special for the money.

Most of all the proper aiming of the beams, if that is not done correct it would sound extremely weird indeed because that is the key to how the whole thing works.)

As far as I remember there has been promised a great sound experience for the in beam listeners and a good stereo for listeners outside beams. I tried to listen a stereo source in the surround mode and I didn't like it.

 

[arabesc]

I would just like to point out the obvious which is, please, please, please, people, please consult the manual/quickstart guide/faq and do a little troubleshooting (if needed) before posting impressions.

Ok, that was my first impression and I will refrain from further comments until there will be more device users.
One more note: I found it unusual that an audio device (that targets to $599) doesn't have specification for its audio capabilities.

 

[esimms86]

Ok, that was my first impression and I will refrain from further comments until there will be more device users.
One more note: I found it unusual that an audio device (that targets to $599) doesn't have specification for its audio capabilities.

I’m not asking you not to post. I do, however, think that it would be wonderful if you and others would post any tips that you happen upon to make the experience easier for other owners.

 

[Dr AIX]

I have a feeling something went wrong composing this sentence. As if you had already binauralised content on the disc, but then there would be nothing to do for the A8? Or did you mean you the blue-ray player sent multi channel audio to the A8, the A8 binauralised that and sent the binauralized audio to the Yarra?

You're right...I've demoed the YARRA 3DX from my laptop as well and that content was binauralized. The HDMI out of a Blu-ray player sent the 5.1 surround sound to the A8, which then did the binauralization and the outputs were sent to the YARRA. I played a variety of discs including the Beatles Sgt. Peppers and QUeen.

 

[Dixter]

You're right...I've demoed the YARRA 3DX from my laptop as well and that content was binauralized. The HDMI out of a Blu-ray player sent the 5.1 surround sound to the A8, which then did the binauralization and the outputs were sent to the YARRA. I played a variety of discs including the Beatles Sgt. Peppers and QUeen.

do you know what the PRIR and HQEP was that you used for the demo with the A8 ???

thanks

 

[NigelJ]

Having just received my Yarra 3DX in the UK today, I find it strange that a product that supposedly entered production in April 2019 includes a flyer with a special backer offer of a discount on a further order valid until 31 January 2019. I have not yet had any opportunity to test the unit.

 

[SierraMadre]

For any confused about (lack of) surround effect / cues:

Multichannel PCM and non-Dolby Surround formats

The *Multichannel* PCM promised (in the final email update to backers when they announced they would shortly be ready to ship) clearly doesn’t work properly (if at all), neither by USB nor HDMI. Have tried a variety of sources and I get no proper surround channels at all. I haven’t seen a single commenter on any of the forums thus far say that PCM surround works.

The system does not support DTS or other surround formats.


Dolby Digital Surround

The only way to get proper surround on the Yarra is from content encoded in Dolby surround formats bitstreamed to the Yarra from your source device as Dolby Digital 5.1. If there’s no Dolby Digital 5.1 in the audio stream you’re feeding the Yarra then you won’t get Surround.

If your source content is *not* Dolby encoded, the only way you will get surround on the Yarra from that content is if your Media player, games console, PC, TV ARC etc. can convert PCM multichannel surround into Dolby digital 5.1 or transcode other non-Dolby Surround formats such as DTS into DD5.1.

(Warning for those using ARC without previous experience: On some usually older TVs, ARC does not support 5.1 DD passthrough (some do, some don’t, most recent models do), in which case you will only be feeding 2.0 stereo to the Yarra).

The Xbox 360/One/One X and the Playstation 3 / 4/ Pro consoles can definitely do this (convert to DD5.1) for games and DVD/Bluray DTS content, you just need to select bitstream in the audio output settings and choose Dolby Digital 5.1. Some DVD/Bluray players and PC soundcard / motherboard audio chip drivers are capable to differing degrees of transcoding some non-Dolby formats and Multichannel PCM into Dolby 5.1 too.

(*In the case of Xbox One consoles specifically (not sure about PlayStation), for DTS encoded DVD and Bluray content, you need to ensure that that the System’s Bluray Player app setting of “let my receiver decode” is un-ticked, otherwise you would just be passing the DTS through to the Yarra which won’t result in surround.)


Testing DD5.1 surround cues

DD5.1 Surround testing via films and TV shows can be hard if you don’t already have strong familiarity with how the surround effect should sound on a properly setup true 5.1 speaker system, or at the very least how it sounds when converted into virtual surround format with decent headphones. Pause/rewind/play of film and TV scenes, rinse and repeat can get pretty tedious.

For this reason it may be easier to conduct at least some of your testing via a surround test function on a DVD or Bluray (THX branded ones often have such tests), a speaker/channel test on a PC that supports DD5.1 (using windows in-built sound manager etc.) or via a video game. The latter two options are particularly useful in in that they offer more control over the testing of directional cues for the various channels as you please.
If the video game supports surround sound and has free control of the camera view then just find a consistently emitting sound source in gameplay, say a fire or waterfall etc., and just rotate the camera around your character to test different angles of origin and also to test perceived depth (of the cues) try moving your character to test different positions and distances.

Testing on PC

Provided your motherboard audio chip or sound card supports multichannel audio and Dolby Digital 5.1 encoding, then all you need to do is set your PC to 5.1 speaker config in the sound manager and, in the case of games, set audio to “surround” in the in-game audio options, should there be any.

If you are not a gamer, don’t own a console and don’t want to spend money on games, there are games which are free to play or trial on PC and some of these use surround sound.

Be mindful that game surround tracks tend to be mixed a bit differently from movie and TV surround. Rear cues tend to be much louder and feel much closer than front cues, even if the ‘virtual’ distance in-game from the source cue is the same.