Smyth Research A16: Modern counterpart of quadraphonic headphones?

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What you're describing is the principle behind binaural recordings. They are astonishing in their realism and are created using a stationary dummy head with a microphone in each ear. So they are technically stereo recordings, but create a 3 dimensional soundstage played back over stereo headphones. There are lots of free binaural sound files on the internet for anyone to sample.

And there are a number of new albums in DSD binaural. Well worth a listen.
https://www.nativedsd.com/homepage/binaural_dsd_music
 
I registered an interest ages ago, and I've just had an email from Smyth Research asking if I want an A16 at US$3995/£3200, I am so so tempted, but :eek: its a lot of dosh, but it would be great and extend surround listening time into the night ...…………… do I? don't I? :unsure:
 
I registered an interest ages ago, and I've just had an email from Smyth Research asking if I want an A16 at US$3995/£3200, I am so so tempted, but :eek: its a lot of dosh, but it would be great and extend surround listening time into the night ...…………… do I? don't I? :unsure:

For headphone listening, the Smyth Research technology is the best I have heard. But even the Smyth Research technology over headphones, as impressive as it is, still doesn't match a full Surround Sound with loudspeakers setup.
 
:eek: I've ordered a Smyth Research A16, with the VAT added it is an awful lot of money, more than I have ever spent on any bit of my audio equipment! But, I haven't touched any the redundancy money I got almost 3 years ago, and I got work a week after being made redundant, and with one thing and another I thought you're only here once, and it will be well used ...............… especially late at night after a few 🍻 in the pub.
 
:eek: I've ordered a Smyth Research A16, with the VAT added it is an awful lot of money, more than I have ever spent on any bit of my audio equipment! But, I haven't touched any the redundancy money I got almost 3 years ago, and I got work a week after being made redundant, and with one thing and another I thought you're only here once, and it will be well used ...............… especially late at night after a few 🍻 in the pub.
Yes I had an email from James saying they are starting to ship them this week.
I too pondered but I just couldn't justify that cost...almost bit though. $4000..cough, wheeze, cough.
 
I went for the rack mount to fit in with the rest of my kit
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and it should be fun when linked to my SM2.
 
:eek: I've ordered a Smyth Research A16, with the VAT added it is an awful lot of money, more than I have ever spent on any bit of my audio equipment! But, I haven't touched any the redundancy money I got almost 3 years ago, and I got work a week after being made redundant, and with one thing and another I thought you're only here once, and it will be well used ...............… especially late at night after a few 🍻 in the pub.
Duncan, I'll be most interested to hear your opinion of these once you've played some surround music through them. Just try to avoid 'rationalisation' when evaluating them! :)
Daniel
 
Finally! It took forever to get the processing sorted out and get Dolby certification, but I'll bet it will be worth the wait. If commercially successful, one of these is in my future. I can hardly wait for the reviews.

If the unit is as good as the original A8, the wait will be well worth it.
I'm looking forward to receiving my A16!
 
Ah I see why
https://smyth-research.com/product/a16-headstand/
Wasn't there a discount for early funders?
I was Kickstarter backer #174 which, hopefully, means that mine will be here sometime around Christmas(or possibly before!...yeah, I know!).

I don't mean to upset anybody but I paid $892. I should have bought two! If my son had one of these things he'd never turn off the Xbox One once he got home from work!

BTW, @bmoura is right in saying that it isn't totally equivalent to an in-room surround speaker system experience. The major difference is, you can't feel the bass(think of the Maxell "blown away" guy). People sell add ons to try to duplicate that part of the experience but they all in their own way still fall short.
 
BTW, @bmoura is right in saying that it isn't totally equivalent to an in-room surround speaker system experience. The major difference is, you can't feel the bass(think of the Maxell "blown away" guy). People sell add ons to try to duplicate that part of the experience but they all in their own way still fall short.
So, calibrate the A16 without the sub in the system and listen to it with the sub.
 
So, calibrate the A16 without the sub in the system and listen to it with the sub.
That may work if you live alone or if you're otherwise not concerned with driving your loved ones crazy. My wife would especially be ticked if I had a subwoofer booming while she was trying to sleep. Just think of the people driving by your home with the subwoofers going in the trunks of their cars(well, maybe not quite that bad...).

I'm hopeful that we'll see the A16 show up someday when turning to "Music In The Round" in Stereophile.
 
That may work if you live alone or if you're otherwise not concerned with driving your loved ones crazy. My wife would especially be ticked if I had a subwoofer booming while she was trying to sleep.
Sorry but it may be a solution for some and I do know a few who do this. As for me, don't use headphones at all.
Just think of the people driving by your home with the subwoofers going in the trunks of their cars(well, maybe not quite that bad...).
Not too many these days but I appreciate the analogy.
 
I agree that using a sub with it, or even a tactile transducer like a Buttkicker, is a reasonable solution, but partially defeats the purpose of it. My interest in this device is as a replacement for a speaker system, not to supplement one. The main advantages of headphone listening are elimination of acoustic crosstalk and the need for a suitable listening environment. Issues like sound transmission (both into and out of the listening environment), speaker size and position, room construction, acoustic treatments and listener position all disappear. Plus, if you use a portable music source like a laptop or music player, the whole rig can be picked up and moved into another room, or even outside to the back porch at a whim. This would be enormously valuable as a headphone lover who will likely be living in apartments the rest of my life.
 
Every technology has its up and down sides. I you don't ever use headphones then it's a total nonstarter. However, if you open to using them under at least some circumstances(e.g., taking them on vacation to a cabin in the woods), then the A16 could be for you. I won't argue with anyone choosing to use it with a sub in their own domestic situation. Further, I could envision myself using a sub on a rare occasion(imagine listening to the "1812 Overture" or "When The Levee Breaks" when no one else is around to disturb). I totally get the concept of moving from room to room, etc., however, there are some caveats based on psychoacoustics. You're less likely to be able to have the A16 fool your brain if it perceives a disconnect with the physical room that you are in. Imagine having a PRIR made in a 20 x 20 foot room with 10 foot ceilings and then using it to listen in a room that's 8 x 8 feet with 6 foot ceilings. Even further, imagine using that same PRIR on your poolside patio with the great outdoors extending seemingly infinitely upward and outward. Close your eyes and you're back in that room. Open your eyes and you might think that you're now in a world that makes no physical sense..
 
Every technology has its up and down sides. I you don't ever use headphones then it's a total nonstarter. However, if you open to using them under at least some circumstances(e.g., taking them on vacation to a cabin in the woods), then the A16 could be for you.
I've used and reviewed the predecessor A8 which I found to be quite impressive (with Stax phones), so I am familiar with what Smyth offers. However, I use phones only on airplane flights and, you are right, employing a sub would annoy others in that situation.
 
Duncan, I'll be most interested to hear your opinion of these once you've played some surround music through them. Just try to avoid 'rationalisation' when evaluating them! :)
Daniel
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.
 
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