Smyth Research A16 REALISER Review

[zeerround]

What Genelecs do you have? I also have a 24 channel Genelec 8351b PRIR. Like my Dutch and Dutch... the Genelec PRIR was made in a sound treated recording studio.

8020b (except #13 directly overhead is a a 6010A). Subs are 7050Bs, then I have a DBX 223XL crossover for the "extra" pair of satellites, since the 7050B subs only have 5 crossovers each. The 6010A is running full range (only used for Auro 3D content).

 

[esimms86]

8020b (except #13 directly overhead is a a 6010A). Subs are 7050Bs, then I have a DBX 223XL crossover for the "extra" pair of satellites, since the 7050B subs only have 5 crossovers each. The 6010A is running full range (only used for Auro 3D content).View attachment 75985

The overwhelming majority of people on this forum listen with anywhere from quad to Dolby Atmos speaker systems. They run the gamut from pretty modest systems to setups in the high end audiophile range sitting in specially constructed rooms. More than a few people have legacy quad decoders and many also have reel to reel and eight track tapes. I stumbled onto the A16 through the Kickstarter campaign where I was fortunate enough to get my unit for around 800 USD plus 3 1/2 years of waiting for delivery. And, at that, I’m one of the lucky ones, as you know. I believe that there is another QQ forum Kickstarter A16 owner in the UK who owns but rarely users his unit due to the lack of a PRIR.

 

[3DSoundShop]

The overwhelming majority of people on this forum listen with anywhere from quad to Dolby Atmos speaker systems. They run the gamut from pretty modest systems to setups in the high end audiophile range sitting in specially constructed rooms. More than a few people have legacy quad decoders and many also have reel to reel and eight track tapes. I stumbled onto the A16 through the Kickstarter campaign where I was fortunate enough to get my unit for around 800 USD plus 3 1/2 years of waiting for delivery. And, at that, I’m one of the lucky ones, as you know. I believe that there is another QQ forum Kickstarter A16 owner in the UK who owns but rarely users his unit due to the lack of a PRIR.

I get it... I too have a preorder that I am still waiting for. #66. I ended up getting the one I have now from a Kickstarter who purchased two.

But still, the Smyths tell me that there are over 1000 A16s in the wild. Which is why I was surprised at the lack interest/chatter here.

So there are potentially four a16 owners on this forum. Where are the rest?

 

[Soundfield]

So there are potentially four a16 owners on this forum.

4? Why so?

 

[3DSoundShop]

Myself, Essims86, Zeerroynd and the guy in the UK.

 

[Soundfield]

Myself, Essims86, Zeerroynd and the guy in the UK.

Sorry, I thought you meant there were 4 you couldn't identify.

 

[3DSoundShop]

Sorry, I thought you meant there were 4 you couldn't identify.

Do you own an A16?

 

[DuncanS]

I have an A16 (not with balanced inputs) but I didn't get it as a Kickstarter, I paid £4000. I haven't used it that much and I can't get the PRIR function to work with my amp. I am looking at using it for Atmos listening as I recently bought the Sennheiser HD800S headphones.

 

[3DSoundShop]

I haven't used it that much and I can't get the PRIR function to work with my amp.

I am sorry... what does that mean? Can you be more specific?

 

[Soundfield]

Do you own an A16?

No

 

[3DSoundShop]

No

Bummer... So we're still at 4.

 

[zeerround]

So there are potentially four a16 owners on this forum. Where are the rest?

Studios?

It would be nice if they would launch the promised PRIR marketplace and make other efforts for a forum or other community. I get that it's a small shop, but it's such a critical piece of my process I really want them to succeed and build a bigger ecosystem. Maybe there would be a point where increased demand = more volume = price reduction, which drives more volume, etc. Or maybe a technology license deal to someone with deeper pockets and more gear volume.

There are starting to be more studio based solutions in the space, but I haven't seen any others that can compete technically yet, or that have the Atmos, DTS:X (or promissed) AURO 3D decoding in addition to the virtualization.

 

[DoctorO]

Make that five, I hope...I was a preorder purchaser after the initial kickstarter. No delivery yet and no reply to emails. Let me know if there is a way to get a response from Smyth. I do have the precursor, I believe called the A8.

 

[3DSoundShop]

Make that five, I hope...I was a preorder purchaser after the initial kickstarter. No delivery yet and no reply to emails. Let me know if there is a way to get a response from Smyth. I do have the precursor, I believe called the A8.

It appears the only way to get an A16 these days is to pay full price or the difference of your pre-order amount.

 

[DuncanS]

I am sorry... what does that mean? Can you be more specific?

The PRIR should output tones, then I can characterise a personal listening set-up with the ear mics in place. The audio level out of the analogue is so low it can't be detected, not sure why, I need to grab an oscilloscope and check the levels without and with the connections made. As the SM2 is happily driving the amp I don't see why the A16 shouldn't, the input impedance is 47k and the amp wants a level around 400mV.

 

[zeerround]

You can do a headphone + ear measurement though, as the tones come out the headphones, then use the BBC room...

 

[DuncanS]

You can do a headphone + ear measurement though, as the tones come out the headphones, then use the BBC room...

Hadn't thought of that one! ..................... and that is embarrassing as I'm an electronic engineer

 

[3DSoundShop]

Can you also verify the "Max sweep vol" and "SVS Mic gain"



And are you certain you are using the 16 Ch Line Outputs... And not the Line In?

 

[DuncanS]

Can you also verify the "Max sweep vol" and "SVS Mic gain"

View attachment 75999

And are you certain you are using the 16 Ch Line Outputs... And not the Line In?

View attachment 76000

Yep, I'm an Electronic Engineer

 

[chucky3042]

I am a headphone lover from way back when I was 15 years old, currently I am a Stax guy. My experience will all the headphone surround HRTF is that its great on side, rear and up but the frontal vocals etc are still stuck inside my head.

Real question, what have you guys found on frontal image with the Smyth, is it clearly up front outside the head?