Reality Technologies Surround Master - Owners Thread

[quadsearcher]

Hi Quadsearcher

This is really news to me, it should be completely flat. Can you get a test CD or oscillator and do an in/ out Voltage measurement. Otherwise I am happy to take it back and check it out.

Regards

Chucky

The GeoDisc should be here this week. I'll try as Soundfield suggested and first play other SQ records through SQ, then QS and bypassed. I'll try some CDs but I don't have many. I have a tone generator and scope, I guess I'd set it to SQ and do a spot check at 10 or so frequencies 20-20K (or 40 to 15K, It ahould show up there and be easier to hear) comparing a flat input to any output? Or just the fronts? I'm guessing you mean it should be any of Rf, Lf, Rb, Lb. I wouldn't mind checking it. It is so great at QS/simulated that I'm hesitant to want to ship it. I'll report back on the tests, might take a while to clean off the bench.

 

[chucky3042]

The GeoDisc should be here this week. I'll try as Soundfield suggested and first play other SQ records through SQ, then QS and bypassed. I'll try some CDs but I don't have many. I have a tone generator and scope, I guess I'd set it to SQ and do a spot check at 10 or so frequencies 20-20K (or 40 to 15K, It ahould show up there and be easier to hear) comparing a flat input to any output? Or just the fronts? I'm guessing you mean it should be any of Rf, Lf, Rb, Lb. I wouldn't mind checking it. It is so great at QS/simulated that I'm hesitant to want to ship it. I'll report back on the tests, might take a while to clean off the bench.

Yep basically the surround decode should be not dependant on frequency.

 

[hobie1dog]

Makes me wonder how many people will be selling their current models for 200.00 when they replace them with the new model?

I thought I would have gotten at least one reply, so that must mean everyone is going to keep their standard model when they get the new version.

 

[chucky3042]

I thought I would have gotten at least one reply, so that must mean everyone is going to keep their standard model when they get the new version.

Hope not!

 

[hobie1dog]

Hope not!

Well, that helps me make my decision to go ahead and get the current version. Living on disability income I was hoping to find a used one for $200 but that doesn't look like a possibility.

 

[hobie1dog]

 

[chucky3042]

Err sorry I missed your initial post. The RRP of the new SM will be $595, but a qq members price of $495. For those with an existing SM it will be $445.

Did Dave get back to you?

One other option if you just want stereo decode/ Involve/ QS/ RM/ EV is to buy our unboxed evaluation module at $150 see below:

 

[hobie1dog]

Err sorry I missed your initial post. The RRP of the new SM will be $595, but a qq members price of $495. For those with an existing SM it will be $445.

Did Dave get back to you?

One other option if you just want stereo decode/ Involve/ QS/ RM/ EV is to buy our unboxed evaluation module at $150 see below:

Thanks Chucky- Yes Dave did say he could get me the current model which I think I will go ahead and get as it will give me my fake quad from my stereo sources.

 

[jefe1]

Hi Chucky

I may have missed a thread but are there plans to bring out a new involve unit with a modern CD-4 decoder? I realise the customer base for that will be smaller....

 

[chucky3042]

Hi Chucky

I may have missed a thread but are there plans to bring out a new involve unit with a modern CD-4 decoder? I realise the customer base for that will be smaller....

Hi Jefe1

Yes, but its in a que. The preamp and headphone surround is ahead of it

 

[Soundfield]

The preamp and headphone surround is ahead of it

That's interesting Chucky, I'd thought you'd had to put the headphone project on the 'too difficult' pile. Would be great if you could crack that 'in the head' image problem though.

 

[chucky3042]

That's interesting Chucky, I'd thought you'd had to put the headphone project on the 'too difficult' pile. Would be great if you could crack that 'in the head' image problem though.

Looks like it is on again, subject to the outcome with a meeting with an investor in this area this week. It turns out there are around 15 different types of head that you need to tune to. And yes the in head thing and the creation of an actual frontal image are the hard bits

 

[Soundfield]

Looks like it is on again, subject to the outcome with a meeting with an investor in this area this week. It turns out there are around 15 different types of head that you need to tune to. And yes the in head thing and the creation of an actual frontal image are the hard bits

Knowing my luck I've got the sixteenth type! Hope the meeting goes well though.

 

[hobie1dog]

Err sorry I missed your initial post. The RRP of the new SM will be $595, but a qq members price of $495. For those with an existing SM it will be $445.

Did Dave get back to you?

One other option if you just want stereo decode/ Involve/ QS/ RM/ EV is to buy our unboxed evaluation module at $150 see below:

Chucky: after looking at the photo of the module, why is there 8 rca Jacks on the output side, especially since it only does 4 channel ? The input side has 2 Jacks as expected .....now I'm confused.

Thanks for mentioning this, as it would be simple to mount it in a plastic black project box since there would be no switches to operate. I could leave it in back of the rack and forget about it.

I have another question - I read somewhere that to switch between modes ( say from SQ to normal decode) that you had to disconnect power from the unit? Are there indicator lights on the unit? I thought there was just the one switch on the front that is either 2ch or 4ch.

Thanks

 

[Soundfield]

why is there 8 rca Jacks on the output side, especially since it only does 4 channel ? The input side has 2 Jacks as expected .....now I'm confused.

Hopefully this snapshot of the rear of my cased version should make it clear-

 

[hobie1dog]

Hopefully this snapshot of the rear of my cased version should make it clear-
View attachment 36282

Thanks, so I guess that some of the jacks are there in case you want to buy the extra board for $100 that adds the 5.1 part to the original board. The bare board didn't appear to have any markings on the jacks but the instructions must identify what the channels are .

 

[chucky3042]

Thanks, so I guess that some of the jacks are there in case you want to buy the extra board for $100 that adds the 5.1 part to the original board. The bare board didn't appear to have any markings on the jacks but the instructions must identify what the channels are .

I assume you are talking about our evaluation module (not the shown above plastic case SM). Yes if you want 5.1 (not 4 ch) then you add the $100 expansion module. Like you mention you would need to mount it in a box. The evaluation module only has one mode - (involve/ QS/ RM/ EV/ ambiosonics/ stereo ) decode, not SQ or 2 ch surround.

When you go for 5.1 channel because you like the center channel myth then you use a different set of RCA's for the fronts, as we separate out the center content from the left and right (yes I know this is mathematically impossible - blah blah)

Regards

Chucky

 

[hobie1dog]

After reading your explanation now I think that I would be better off with getting the 399 full version so that I could decode the few SQ recordings I have. So the switch on the front that lets you select 2 channel or 4 channel means that in the 2-channel position it basically decodes 2-channel and turns it into fake quad, then in the four Channel position it simply decodes any original four channel recorded material as in SQ. I hope I got it right now.

I'm beginning to believe that the vast majority of surround Master owners do not use a center Channel? I have never used one as I have been a firm believer that if you have large front speakers it automatically put all the vocals and speech into the center position anyway , therefore a center channel is not needed and most Center channel speakers are wimps and simply cannot handle full range material. Last week I ended up buying a Definitive Technology CLR 2000 Center Channel speaker in a package deal and it seems to be very robust unit so I will probably give it a try. I'm a big advocate of lot's of displacement so the more speakers the better, more cone surface area means each speaker only has to work a fraction of what it normally would by itself. I'm ready for 20.8 surround sound myself. Lol

 

[chucky3042]

After reading your explanation now I think that I would be better off with getting the 399 version so that I could decode the few SQ recordings I have. So the switch on the front that lets you select 2 channel or 4 channel means that in the 2-channel position it basically decodes 2-channel and turns it into fake quad, then in the four Channel position it simply decodes any original four channel recorded material as in SQ. I hope I got it right now.

I'm beginning to believe that the vast majority of surround Master owners do not use a center Channel? I have never used one as I have been a firm believer that if you have large front speakers it automatically put all the vocals and speech into the center position anyway , therefore a center channel is not needed and most Center channel speakers are wimps and simply cannot handle full range material. Last week I ended up buying a Definitive Technology CLR 2000 Center Channel speaker in a package deal and it seems to be very robust unit so I will probably give it a try.

Hi Hobie1dog

We are getting there - but not quite.

On the SQ special SM the front switch switched between 2 channel in - Involve/ QS/ RM/ EV/ Ambiosonics /stereo synthesiser out, in the SQ position it just decodes SQ format.

On the standard "vanilla" SM the switch lets you either do 2 channel in - Involve/ QS/ RM/ EV/ Ambiosonics /stereo synthesiser out, and in the other position (TSS) mode it produces a 2 channel virtual surround output (that works well with 70% of heads- the others are just deformed).

Re the center channel. It really was a "band aid" solution to the old 70's quad problem of only one good seat in the house with the central vocalist position going wildly off to the left or right for those sitting elsewhere. Dolby in the mid 80's reintroduced the old concept of the center channel in Prologic 1, the advantage was that it stabilised the central vocalist for those sitting outside the "sweetspot".

I have never liked it because with the TV you see the voice coming from mid screen yet you hear it coming from under the TV where the center speaker is located - just a strange frontal image. Also the best imaging I have had is always with electrostatic speakers up front (Nakamichi Dragons- I designed them)- just dont like the shitty center speakers.

Check out our SST (Sweet Spot Technology) - its in our Y4 system, where we have patented an approach that stabilises the central vocalist in all positions in the room WITHOUT THE CENTER CHANNEL - and puts the voice in line with their mouths!!!

see: http://involveaudio.com/sweetspot-technology/