Smyth Research A16: Modern counterpart of quadraphonic headphones?

[DoctorO]

My A16 arrived on Friday morning just before I left for the Beautiful Days Festival got very wet on Friday, left this afternoon as going up to visit my ill mother tomorrow morning and staying for most of the week, so I won't be able to play with it until next weekend.

Did they send an email with shipping/tracking information? I ordered mine long ago also, but I have no idea where I am in the production waiting list.

 

[sukothai]

There were 3 groups of backers. The first group had 200 backers and were scheduled to ship May '17. The second group had 96 backers and were scheduled to ship Jun '17. The third group had 17 backers and were scheduled to ship July '17. If you can find your original pledge email, it will tell you which group you were in and give you a rough idea of where you are on the list.

 

[bmoura]

There were 3 groups of backers. The first group had 200 backers and were scheduled to ship May '17. The second group had 96 backers and were scheduled to ship Jun '17. The third group had 17 backers and were scheduled to ship July '17. If you can find your original pledge email, it will tell you which group you were in and give you a rough idea of where you are on the list.

Hmm, I'll have to dig out the order info and see which group I'm in...

 

[DoctorO]

There were 3 groups of backers. The first group had 200 backers and were scheduled to ship May '17. The second group had 96 backers and were scheduled to ship Jun '17. The third group had 17 backers and were scheduled to ship July '17. If you can find your original pledge email, it will tell you which group you were in and give you a rough idea of where you are on the list.

I signed on in December 2017. My thank-you email doesn't reference any of those three shipping groups. It was still a Kickstarter at the point I signed on. I guess that leaves me in line behind the three groups you mention??

 

[sukothai]

I signed on in December 2017. My thank-you email doesn't reference any of those three shipping groups. It was still a Kickstarter at the point I signed on. I guess that leaves me in line behind the three groups you mention??

I just realized you can log in to Kickstarter and view your specific backer number by viewing your pledge details.

 

[DuncanS]

Did they send an email with shipping/tracking information? I ordered mine long ago also, but I have no idea where I am in the production waiting list.

Yes once I'd paid the £4000, and the unit arrived the next day. I missed the kickstarter funding so the lower price, but registered an interest. The email I had said there were 20 units available, so I'm assuming that they are all being sold at the full price, so I guess that kickstarter funded units will follow.

NB: The manual isn't ready to download yet so I'm not sure how to use it! Hopefully it will be by the weekend when I get home.

 

[DoctorO]

Yes once I'd paid the £4000, and the unit arrived the next day. I missed the kickstarter funding so the lower price, but registered an interest. The email I had said there were 20 units available, so I'm assuming that they are all being sold at the full price, so I guess that kickstarter funded units will follow.

NB: The manual isn't ready to download yet so I'm not sure how to use it! Hopefully it will be by the weekend when I get home.

New orders filled first because of paying the big price tag? Hmmm. Not liking that at all!

Counting on you to identify all the bugs so that these will be smooth-running by the time mine ships in the very distant future!

 

[DuncanS]

Counting on you to identify all the bugs so that these will be smooth-running by the time mine ships in the very distant future!

That's what I thought after seeing the few posts about kickstarter and began to realise I was getting an 'early' one!

 

[esimms86]

I’m Kickstarter backer #174. Smyth Research has posted new firmware on their website under Downloads. To install you’ll need a microSD card and about 40 minutes according to Smyth. Smyth has also uploaded Windows and Mac drivers for folks who need them. I hope they upload a manual soon. I also hope that a lot of the user issues are sorted out by the time they ship mine. I expect/hope that a few enterprising souls post helpful how to videos on YouTube between now and then. I’d like for Smyth to get Auro3D certification soon/eventually but I’m not so concerned about that as I only have 2 music discs using Auro 3D. I’m highly doubtful that I’ll buy anymore, at least until Smyth has Auro 3D up and running.

I have a Dolby Atmos PRIR made by Smyth at CanJam NY 2017 and I also have a neighbor who recently upgraded his system to Dolby Atmos. I don’t know what components he’s got but I know that he’s big into A/V going back years and that he has deep pockets(a retired orthodontist).

 

[esimms86]

Scroll down to the 7th post for still pix of A16 unboxing:

https://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post180009465.html#p180009465
BTW, I'm weeks to months away from receiving my A16 but I'm thinking that I may also end up using mine with the Surround Master V2. All I would need to do is to plug the V2 analog outs to the A16 analog ins.

 

[MCDave]

I was hoping to see the headstand version. I'm sure we'll see one of those any day now. Also, for 4 G's would it be too much to ask for a choice between black or silver faceplate?

 

[esimms86]

I was hoping to see the headstand version. I'm sure we'll see one of those any day now. Also, for 4 G's would it be too much to ask for a choice between black or silver faceplate?

Out of the gate they have somewhere between 330 and 376 Kickstarter units that they are selling at a loss. After that, they have pre-orders bought at well under $4000. The A8 was never able to break out of a small niche market so it’s anyone’s guess as to how well the A16 will sell(plus, the Smyths are not the best business men to walk the face of the earth). Bottom line is, I don’t know how profitable an endeavor this will prove to be for a couple of brothers who ostensibly made their fortune on coming up with DTS and who are now doing work on the A16 as retired engineers.

I would imagine that a silver fronted unit could eventually see the light of day if the A16 becomes more profitable and especially if their investors/backers (Heavenly Sound) make that a priority.

 

[DuncanS]

The A16 User Manual etc. is now up on the website (along with all the firmware/USB drivers etc.)

 

[esimms86]

Excellent news. Thanks @DuncanS!

 

[DuncanS]

I've just had a quick play with the A16 after doing the firmware update. I haven't calibrated for my ears or my headphones yet. I had the system set up to use the default Atmos BBC room (calibrated with a dummy head I think) so I ran the Test, where it plays a saxophone loop and turned the 'virtual speakers' on in turn, L, Lw, Ls, Lb, C, LFE. Rb, Rs, Rw, R (OH overhead? had no sound) and the sound stage was a large oval with my head in the centre, and I could distinguish distinct sound positions coming from behind, the two side speakers, front, centre and the LFE and they all matched the positions on the graphic display. I don't have an Atmos system and out of curiosity I played REM's Automatic For The People, and I could distinguish sounds all around me, didn't notice anything discrete from above, sound stage was as before a large oval. Played something in stereo through the headphones and the sounds were in the middle of my head and to the left and right. So even with default and uncalibrated it is impressive (mind at that price I should be!).

 

[DoctorO]

The A16 User Manual etc. is now up on the website (along with all the firmware/USB drivers etc.)

The A16 manual has me very excited about this product. The presentation of this unit's capabilities is more clearly articulated than the earlier A8--the graphics help a lot. Many of the graphics reflect the drastically upgraded display on the front of the A16. This product is deep and endlessly tweak-able. Now I really wish I was not waayy down on the production list!

 

[DuncanS]

We'll I'm back from the pub then the next bar, so a wee bit drunk & listening to Phaedra which is showing up as Quad! & its still outside my head, wherever that may be its good, tomorrow I'll try calibrating for my head or try calibrating my head!
Edit: Movements Of A Visionary is definitely 5.1

 

[esimms86]

We'll I'm back from the pub then the next bar, so a wee bit drunk & listening to Phaedra which is showing up as Quad! & its still outside my head, wherever that may be its good, tomorrow I'll try calibrating for my head or try calibrating my head!
Edit: Movements Of A Visionary is definitely 5.1

Do a YouTube or google search on Smyth Realiser A16 Basics. The Smyths have thus far uploaded 6 videos with instructions on how to use the A16. Hopefully, the background music won’t drive you crazy!

 

[DuncanS]

Do a YouTube or google search on Smyth Realiser A16 Basics. The Smyths have thus far uploaded 6 videos with instructions on how to use the A16. Hopefully, the background music won’t drive you crazy!

I'm waiting on some 3.5mm stereo plug to phono plug cables to turn up to attach it to the analogue ports on my receiver to do the synchronous calibration, and then to be able to hook it up to my Involve SM2.

 

[DoctorO]

Anyone hear any news on this? Or receive one? There hasn't been an update from Smyth since August....