Reality Technologies Surround Master - Info, Questions and Ordering Thread

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JonUrban

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It was suggested that the massive original Reality Technologies thread be split into this thread, and another for owners of the unit. So, here you go.

Keep all pre-order questions and discussions in this thread, and talk among owners concerning tips, problems, hints, etc, in the companion thread located here: https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?17161

The original thread will be closed, but can be accessed here:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?15976

SurroundMaster.jpg
SMBack.jpg

Thanks!
 
Let's start this thread off with a common question for chucky3042

I am ready to order one of these but have a few questions:

1) Would you clarify the price for QQ Members and the procedure for ordering

2) Is the previous offer of Flat Rate Shipping of $18 still good?

3) Is PayPal the only form of payment?

4) Will the "next batch" be ready at the end of this month?

THANKS
 
Let's start this thread off with a common question for chucky3042

I am ready to order one of these but have a few questions:

1) Would you clarify the price for QQ Members and the procedure for ordering

2) Is the previous offer of Flat Rate Shipping of $18 still good?

3) Is PayPal the only form of payment?

4) Will the "next batch" be ready at the end of this month?

THANKS

Hey there - I've been asked to field this one since it's more in my domain :)

1) Would you clarify the price for QQ Members and the procedure for ordering
The retail price is $395 + shipping. For forum members, $345 + shipping - there is a discount code - but it doesn't apply until after you've authorised payment by checking out through PayPal. Once that is done, it returns you to our site, where you can review your order, and add the discount code SM1269CD which will apply a $50 discount, before you finally authorise the payment.

http://www.involveaudio.com/

2) Is the previous offer of Flat Rate Shipping of $18 still good?
Yes, the Flat Rate shipping offer is currently still good. That's integrated into the site at the moment, no need to do anything.

3) Is PayPal the only form of payment?
Currently, yes. I'm exploring options with our web guy at the moment - Paypal allows credit card payments even if you don't have a PP account, - was there a particular method of payment you were hoping for?

4) Will the "next batch" be ready at the end of this month?
Yes, the next batch will be ready :)

Hope this covers your questions.

~David
Involve Audio.
 
Thanks David,

Well, I just ordered one! :)

The discount was applied, however the shipping was $55 instead of $18. Not sure if I skipped around a way to get that shipping price. You guys might want to check the ordering procedure with regards to the shipping.

1x Surround Master for $395.00 each
Discount (code: SM1269CD): $-50.00 USD
Subtotal : $345.00 USD
Shipping : $55.00 USD
Total : $400.00 USD

Of course, I will post in the forum when I get the unit and on it's performance for me! Looking forward to it.
 
Thanks David,

Well, I just ordered one! :)

The discount was applied, however the shipping was $55 instead of $18. Not sure if I skipped around a way to get that shipping price. You guys might want to check the ordering procedure with regards to the shipping.



Of course, I will post in the forum when I get the unit and on it's performance for me! Looking forward to it.

Hey Jon

I'll look into the shipping price issue this morning.

~David.

EDIT: The problem with the website has been fixed. Jon, I sent you a PM with the details on your order.
 
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Hey Jon
I'll look into the shipping price issue this morning.
~David.

EDIT: The problem with the website has been fixed. Jon, I sent you a PM with the details on your order.

Thanks David. That's FAST service!! I figured there was a glitch somewhere. (There always is when computers and web pages are involved) :)
 
Hello! I have a question about use as a QS decoder (although likely I would use it far more often to synthesize from stereo). I just realized I've been walking all over other people's threads and that's not good, so here's my question. I hope it is in the right place:

While I understand that quad fans that are very familiar with the way a given record decodes using their favorite QS hardware decoder (and describe the SM as performing better by comparison), do the sounds go to the same places in the 360 degree sound field on both? I wouldn't mind some variation, and I know perfect decoding is not possible, I just mean in general if a certain guitar solo, for example, appears in L.R. on most old QS decoders, does it also appear in L. R. with the SM?
Hearing both in person would be ideal, hearing a digital recording of each next to each other would be great, but if that is not possible at this time, a description would do fine.

I know it has likely been mentioned before, but within the context of the overall listening experience.
My question is just this: With playback of the same QS recording played back through the SM and another hardware decoder, are the instruments placed in the same positions in the sound field?

What I'm trying to get at is if the person who mixed the original heard it through this device, would he say "No, no, I put the piano in right front!"

Either way is OK with me as that is apparently not the primary function of the unit, but the original mix on playback would make me pull out the credit card soooo much faster!

Thank you for your time,

signed: a thorough shopper.
 
As long as the source is QS encoded and played through a QS decoder, the sounds will always appear in the same place. The sounds are encoded to appear in that particular area.

I'm guessing what your after is a unit that wouldbe able to manipulate sounds on the fly. I'm guessing there might be a unit that can do it,but a standard QS decoder is not the way to go
 
As long as the source is QS encoded and played through a QS decoder, the sounds will always appear in the same place. The sounds are encoded to appear in that particular area.

I'm guessing what your after is a unit that would be able to manipulate sounds on the fly. I'm guessing there might be a unit that can do it,but a standard QS decoder is not the way to go

Me? No. That would be nice, but no.
What do I like about the SM, without hearing it?
Some background is I have the analog outs of an Oppo with the fronts through Y connectors to go to both FL/FR 6ch. IN and and also a 2ch. input. So if I play a 2ch. disc, I can switch from 6-direct In to "Video In" and use DPLII or NEO. Some (relatively few) records will sound amazing and the simulated surround seems to have more information. I can hear the instruments better.
So mostly I like the idea of a device that does simulated surround from stereo better than DPLII or NEO.
Secondarily, I have a few QS, and more important to me, EV/DY (whatever) records that I have been listening to for a long time and probably will continue to listen to for a long time. If the device gets even close to playing back what the mixer(s) of the record heard when they mixed it, that is a huge bonus for me. Maybe not exactly what everyone else wants, but that's me.

correction: I do have a few QS records that are very important to me, as well as the EV.
 
Just wondering how the decoder knows what it is decoding? I may have misunderstood but from what I can gather, the current unit decodes both QS material and INVOLVE? The 2or 4 channel switch is for source material? Is this correct? If so, does it sense from the source material the type of material? If the unit is upgraded I seem to remember that INVOLVE would be removed and replaced with SQ. I've read through the threads and have not got a clear idea of how you select the type of decoding.
Thanks
Tom
 
Involve is the encoding of music it has nothing to do with the decoder
but when music is encoded in it there is no difference when playing in stereo
the QS system did have a narrow image when played in stereo
So the decoder has 2 systems in it
what he is replacing is there is a system in the decoder that
makes 2 channel sound wide or some people are able the hear a
surround effect from 2 channels

So there will be a QS and SQ decoding

ron
 
You switch the unit of
then switch to 2 channel then turn it back on
then it does the wide or surround to 2 channels
then switch of, turn to 4 channel turn on
and go
 
Hey there Tom.

The mode switch is to decide if you want to output multi channel surround sound or our 2 channel virtualiser. The way it decodes the material remains the same regardless.
The unit does make its decisions based on the material it gets, it's to do with the way it "listens" to the source signal. That's about as detailed as I can get without getting proprietary :)

4ch mode is for 4, 4.1 or 5.1 surround sound output.

2ch mode is our 2 channel virtual surround sound, similar in concept to Dolby Virtual, or DTS Surround Sensation and so on. We're pretty happy with the results, and have about an 80% success rate in terms of perceiving the surround sound, which is pretty good considering there's no such thing as an average ear. :)

In both modes the Sub channel is active.

If you want to change modes, you need to turn the unit off, change the mode, then turn it back on after a few seconds.

When the unit is powered down, which is the other switch, it simply passes the stereo signal through to the FL and FR outputs.

Hope that answers your question. Give the manual a look, it should be available for download at the website - http://www.involveaudio.com -
If the information isn't clear enough in there, I'll have a word to those in control that it may need to be refined or clarified.

~David
Involve Audio.
 
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David,
I did have a look at the manual and the threads before I asked the stupid questions. From your explanation it does seem to work pretty much as I'd suspected. Thanks
Regards
Tom

One thing I was taught and I'll always believe it - there's no such thing as a stupid question. Do you think the manual requires clarification?
 
Maybe I didn't glean from it what I was after because I was expecting that the user would need to select the type of decoding required but I could see no way to do that. Maybe I was just over complicating the situation? I am wondering if there is a defined QS and SQ mode in a future mod/release, would you need to reset the device if you were changing from one format to another? All academic I know but I wonder if there is an initialising period to determine how it should decode. No real matter as I won't be getting one too soon. Still paying off Christmas!
 
Hi Bigbillquad

The special offer is good till March 15. Please note that the cost of the QS/SQ version will be $495. We have an ongoing offer to do a FREE update of software as it becomes available (this includes the SQ when available) our send post cost is $18 - you organize getting it to us. HINT- this is cheaper plus you get to use it now!

Regards

chucky
 
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