Building A Multichannel Sound Chair

[Fourplay]

I wonder if you could build a special comfortable chair with the surround contained in the local sphere of the seat. There would be speakers protruding from the unit, but most of us listen from a fixed position anyway, and the volume would not need to be as loud to have the same impact. The main question would be optimal position of speakers at close range to still produce the spacial image. And it would probably look kinda goofy, but maybe a creative designer could overcome that.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I wonder if you could build a special comfortable chair with the surround contained in the local sphere of the seat. There would be speakers protruding from the unit, but most of us listen from a fixed position anyway, and the volume would not need to be as loud to have the same impact. The main question would be optimal position of speakers at close range to still produce the spacial image. And it would probably look kinda goofy, but maybe a creative designer could overcome that.

I'd opt for the Smyth Realiser over this.

 

[MCDave]

I wonder if you could build a special comfortable chair with the surround contained in the local sphere of the seat. There would be speakers protruding from the unit, but most of us listen from a fixed position anyway, and the volume would not need to be as loud to have the same impact. The main question would be optimal position of speakers at close range to still produce the spacial image. And it would probably look kinda goofy, but maybe a creative designer could overcome that.

Hey Ken, I conceived of something similar a few years back. I was trying to come up with a way to have a surround sound system for movies that wouldn't disturb the neighbors in case I found myself living in an apartment. A near field arrangement (36" or so) of some very small speakers came to mind, arranged around a home theater reclining seat, but the bass frequencies would need some help from a sub, which would be very difficult to keep quiet enough for apartment living. The best idea I came up with is a set of headphones plugged into a Marantz or Harman Kardon AVR that offered Dolby Headphone processing, along with a tactile transducer (instead of a sub) to provide tactile feedback for LFE/bass. The entire rig, including the recliner, would sit on a wooden platform that was isolated from the apartment floor by metal spikes, to prevent transmission of vibration to adjacent apartment units. I'm still in my house, so I never ended up building it, but I think it would be a fun project.

 

[bmoura]

I'd opt for the Smyth Realiser over this.

Yes, the Smyth Research Realiser would be quite a bit more realistic and effective in Surround Sound playback than such a surround chair.

 

[ssully]

I wonder if you could build a special comfortable chair with the surround contained in the local sphere of the seat. There would be speakers protruding from the unit, but most of us listen from a fixed position anyway, and the volume would not need to be as loud to have the same impact. The main question would be optimal position of speakers at close range to still produce the spacial image. And it would probably look kinda goofy, but maybe a creative designer could overcome that.

https://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1259626/e/e7/e75d37fd_QNJNnG7.jpeg


http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/13-495x371.jpg

https://news-cdn.softpedia.com/images/news2/The-D-S-Sould-Labs-039-Surround-Sound-Chair-2.png

 

[skherbeck]

https://www.overclock.net/photopost/data/1259626/e/e7/e75d37fd_QNJNnG7.jpeg


http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/13-495x371.jpg

https://news-cdn.softpedia.com/images/news2/The-D-S-Sould-Labs-039-Surround-Sound-Chair-2.png

snood, you need one of these!!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

snood, you need one of these!!

Just watch out for the ones with the wrist clamps!

 

[bmoura]

I've seen announcements about products like a Multichannel Chair in the past.
Wouldn't be surprised if someone demonstrated such a product in the 1970's Quad era.

 

[atrocity]

I've seen announcements about products like a Multichannel Chair in the past.
Wouldn't be surprised if someone demonstrated such a product in the 1970's Quad era.

I think it was just stereo, but I remember some white, egg-like chair with embedded speakers from the 1970s. Your legs stuck out, but other than that you were enclosed.

 

[Fourplay]

I'd opt for the Smyth Realiser over this.

For those who are not familiar with this device, as I was not, a video and info can be found here:

http://www.smyth-research.com/

The biggest problem I have with this device is that I am not a fan of using headphones for music listening. As great as they make the music sound, with perfect stereo separation, and possibly perfect surround imaging, I have yet to find a pair of 'phones that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I always end up feeling like my head is clamped in a vise, even with ones that start out quite comfortable.

There is currently a Kickstarter campaign for the new Realiser model. For US $1,022.36 you can preorder the new unit, which does not include headphones.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1959366850/realiser-a16-real-3d-audio-headphone-processor

As for headphones, the A16 demonstration in Munich used the Sennheiser HD800 headphone whereas the Stax 2170 had previously been recommended for the previous A8 model. Here is their word on recommended headphones:

"We judge headphones in a number of ways. How comfortable are they to wear for an extended period of time, can they faithfully reproduce virtualised loudspeakers and how cost effective they are. For example the entire range of Stax headphones are comfortable and can reproduce virtual loudspeakers with stunning accuracy. Hence we continue to use the Stax 2170 for our own internal use due to its cost effectiveness. Sennheiser HD800s on the other hand have the same performance, are almost as comfortable, but are physically more robust, don’t require an external amplifier and they go louder. Hence we have moved over to using these headphones for demonstrations. These are two headphones we use every day and can vouch for their performance and comfort."

It appears the Sennheiser HD800 headphones can be had for around a grand, bringing the system price tag to around $2025.

FYI.

 

[Fourplay]

http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/13-495x371.jpg

The V1 Flagship Chair appears to be out of production, as the website is gone, but it looks cool!

 

[beerking]

Ref the Realiser A16, I found this latest update from James Smyth. I, for one, am very interested in this concept. As I can then sit in any chair and not annoy the neighbour. Which, in my case, is the good wife in the next room!!

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...al-3d-audio-headphone-processor/posts/2349084

 

[hirez]

I expect in a few years to be downsizing so this might be of very great interest to me at that time. I expect to go to headphone listening at that time.
Currently I have an upstairs listening room separate from the downstairs TV room. My great wife of 50 years has never complained about my music listening, which is longer that these blessed 50 years.

 

[MCDave]

Here's a video of Tyll Hertsens talking to Smyth and reviewing the system at the 2018 SoCal CanJam. This is really interesting.



Unfortunately, the kickstarter campaigns ended, and the retail price will be US$3,995 + tax. Headphones not included.

 

[beerking]

Here's a video of Tyll Hertsens talking to Smyth and reviewing the system at the 2018 SoCal CanJam. This is really interesting.



Unfortunately, the kickstarter campaigns ended, and the retail price will be US$3,995 + tax. Headphones not included.

How much!!!!! Oh well, back to boom, bang a boom as my better half puts it...
I must stop tweakin that sub up...

 

[François]

I think it was just stereo, but I remember some white, egg-like chair with embedded speakers from the 1970s. Your legs stuck out, but other than that you were enclosed.

Stereo lays an egg

 

[Fourplay]

Here's a video of Tyll Hertsens talking to Smyth and reviewing the system at the 2018 SoCal CanJam. This is really interesting.



Unfortunately, the kickstarter campaigns ended, and the retail price will be US$3,995 + tax. Headphones not included.

Oops, did not catch that. Ended in 2016... Oh well.

 

[DuncanS]

Ref the Realiser A16, I found this latest update from James Smyth. I, for one, am very interested in this concept. As I can then sit in any chair and not annoy the neighbour. Which, in my case, is the good wife in the next room!!

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...al-3d-audio-headphone-processor/posts/2349084

My name is down for one if somebody drops out of the Kickstarter, though the full retail price is rather scary

 

[Kal Rubinson]

There is currently a Kickstarter campaign for the new Realiser model. For US $1,022.36 you can preorder the new unit, which does not include headphones.

Old news. I have a couple of friends who have preordered more than a year ago and still not received anything.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

For those who are not familiar with this device, as I was not, a video and info can be found here:

Here's my review of the original: https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-45