Smyth Research A16: Modern counterpart of quadraphonic headphones?

[MCDave]

Smyth Research is notoriously bad in the communication department, but there's a very active discussion thread on Head-Fi.org

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/smyth-research-realiser-a16.807459/

 

[esimms86]

See post#55(above) wherein DuncanS discusses his early experience with his own A16 in his possession.

The Kickstarter A16 page’s Comments section thus far shows that Kickstarter backers #105 and 107 have received pre-shipping confirmation emails from Smyth Research. I am backer #174 and, based on the number of units shipped to date, I hope/expect to receive my own A16 by the end of January.

 

[DuncanS]

I had an email stating that there was a bug in the code and to upgrade the firmware Sept/Oct - I still have signal level issues with my amp inputs, its not high enough to drive.

 

[DuncanS]

I had an email stating that there was a bug in the code and to upgrade the firmware Sept/Oct - I still have signal level issues with my amp inputs, its not high enough to drive.

So calibrating out my ears is an issue

 

[beerking]

I had an email stating that there was a bug in the code and to upgrade the firmware Sept/Oct - I still have signal level issues with my amp inputs, its not high enough to drive.

For all that dosh Duncan, it doesn't seem like its reaching its potential.

 

[DuncanS]

For all that dosh Duncan, it doesn't seem like its reaching its potential.

Not yet! I suspect my amp is part of the issue as it won't pass my NUCs HDMI signals. The A16 works ok as just a headphone system, but I would like to calibrate it for my ears so I need to output via the amp/speakers to do that.

 

[esimms86]

Not yet! I suspect my amp is part of the issue as it won't pass my NUCs HDMI signals. The A16 works ok as just a headphone system, but I would like to calibrate it for my ears so I need to output via the amp/speakers to do that.

The latest firmware downloadable from the Smyth website is 1.75, however, units shipped in the last couple of weeks have firmware 1.76. Everyone knows that the Smyths are very poor when it comes to communicating with their buyers, however, they show positive signs of backing up their hardware with firmware upgrades.

 

[esimms86]

I should be moving soon into my next phase of surround sound listening as I have received notice from Smyth Research that my unit will be shipping out imminently! Looking back now, my November 2019 shipping prediction was pretty much on the mark. I am Kickstarter backer #174.

I know that the learning curve for this device will be steep and I also already anticipate some disappointment as Smyth has, thus far, not supplied the CanJam-produced, etc. PRIRs that they have on file for many Kickstarter backers such as myself(mine was done with a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 setup, albeit in a hotel suite). Still, my hopes remain high for this unique piece of kit. I also look forward to the day when my wife and I travel to the left coast to visit her cousins in Cali; my plan is to meet up with Darin Fong and have him make me some PRIRs of one or two high end stereo systems that he can tweak into becoming high end quad PRIRs.

FWIW, Smyth is now on firmware version 1.81.

 

[MCDave]

Aside from the lack of available PRIRs, is the unit fully functional yet? All features working reliably?

 

[karlkastner]

I don't know why you people keep waiting for the impossible!

Quadraphonic or surround headphones can NEVER work, because they're stuck on your head. With headphones, the sound ALWAYS comes from inside your head, no matter what. All you can discern is L-R, but all front-back information is lost, because you can't rotate your head in relation to the sound source, and that's the only way we can differentiate front and back sounds!

Daniel

I have some vintage Toshiba quad headphones and can easily discern front to back sounds.

 

[esimms86]

Aside from the lack of available PRIRs, is the unit fully functional yet? All features working reliably?

The short answer is no. The low points are no DTS or Auro 3D certification and no HDMI 2.1(it will require a replacement board to go from 2.0 to 2.1). Smyth, however, has always been very responsive with bug fixes in the form of firmware updates.

 

[MCDave]

The short answer is no. The low points are no DTS or Auro 3D certification and no HDMI 2.1(it will require a replacement board to go from 2.0 to 2.1). Smyth, however, has always been very responsive with bug fixes in the form of firmware updates.

Ah, so no DTS bitstream, including DTS-HD Master Audio yet. But I assume it works fine if you feed it multichannel PCM from your source.

HDMI 2.1 shouldn't be an issue unless one wants to pass high bitrate 4k video through it. For me it would just be audio.

 

[esimms86]

Ah, so no DTS bitstream, including DTS-HD Master Audio yet. But I assume it works fine if you feed it multichannel PCM from your source.

HDMI 2.1 shouldn't be an issue unless one wants to pass high bitrate 4k video through it. For me it would just be audio.

You’re correct. Also, I don’t have a 4K TV.

 

[esimms86]

Smyth Research also has yet to post the files needed to take asynchronous measurements.

 

[esimms86]

So it's been 4 weeks now since I first took receipt of my A16. Not surprisingly, it did not do a convincing job of providing an "out of your head" experience right out of the box. After making an HPEQ with my HE1000 v2 headphones I went ahead and tried a little over a dozen PRIRs that I downloaded from a google drive link posted on HeadFi.org. An enjoyable listening experience but nothing near what I experienced at CanJamNY2017, A couple of days ago I finally got around to making my own quad PRIR using my home music system. All I can say is WOW! I really was able to localize sounds in space coming from all 4 directions. The A16 is the real deal! I listened to DTS CD via multichannel PCM bitstream via J River Media Center which also allowed me to happily access multichannel DSD converted by the software to PCM. I have J River sending center channel information to the front L and R speakers and I plan at some future date to make a 5.1 PRIR. For now, I've put aside Abbey Road in Atmos pending the (hopefully eventual) receipt of my CanJam 7.1.4 PRIR(and no, I'm not holding my breath). I otherwise have a small handful of Auro 3D recordings(Bernie Dresel from Monster Music label plus a few others from the 2L label) that are waiting for Auro 3D certification but that's not a big deal to me at this time(and BTW, I also have the Bernie Dresel recording ripped to 5.1). I can't begin to tell you just how sublime it is to be able to rock the virtual house in surround and stereo at any time, night or day, without disturbing anybody else in the house. The 3 1/2 year Kickstarter backer wait proved to be very much worth it in the end.

 

[DoctorO]

Makes me excited for my A16, estimated for fourth quarter this year. More time for bugs to be worked out and PRIRs to be posted!

 

[MCDave]

...A couple of days ago I finally got around to making my own quad PRIR using my home music system. All I can say is WOW! I really was able to localize sounds in space coming from all 4 directions.

How come there was no WOW! with the PRIRs you downloaded? Were they just not done well?

 

[esimms86]

How come there was no WOW! with the PRIRs you downloaded? Were they just not done well?

The downloaded PRIRs are not specific to my anatomy or to a room that I was actually in, sitting in the sweet spot, at the time that the measurements were taken. PRIRs are highly specific to an individual whereas trying to fit into someone else’s PRIR is a little bit like taking an organ donation from a random individual. It’s not impossible but I wouldn’t want to bet on it working. On the other hand, those PRIRs were probably highly successful for their specifically targeted individuals.

 

[gorman]

The short answer is no. The low points are no DTS or Auro 3D certification and no HDMI 2.1(it will require a replacement board to go from 2.0 to 2.1). Smyth, however, has always been very responsive with bug fixes in the form of firmware updates.

And why does the product page state this?

Audio decoding:
Dolby Atmos
Auro-3D
DTS-X
All legacy Dolby and DTS formats

 

[esimms86]

And why does the product page state this?

Audio decoding:
Dolby Atmos
Auro-3D
DTS-X
All legacy Dolby and DTS formats

They’re posting disinformation based on what they hope and plan to provide, not what they can actually deliver as of this point in time. They can decode Dolby Digital, including Dolby Atmos, and they can bitstream PCM up to 24 96(the A16 also plays 24 192 content which it first down samples to 24 96). They have yet to receive certification for Auro 3D or DTS-X.

An unscrupulous product listing to be sure. They are still just around 55% or so of the way to shipping all the Kickstarter backer units, after which they have preorders to ship. They are also experiencing cash flow issues, which is why you can jump the line and get a unit in days if you’re willing to pay the full retail price. Just the facts, my friend.