Smyth Realiser

[Kal Rubinson]

The idea for the product is that you have a good surround system but you want to also experience it elsewhere in the house, or in the same room without making noise (e.g. solo night-time viewing). In pro space they allow multiple parties scattered around the world to make the same edit decisions based on one (reference) room.

Exactly. I do not see it as appealing to the exclusively-stereo listener.

 

[Purité Audio]

The premise is that as Amir has said you can recreate the acoustic of your own room, ideally for multi channel but it also works for stereo, you hear 'your' room but you are wearing headphones.
You can measure yourself, the kit comes with everything you need, but for best. results it would probably be best to visit someone with experience and perhaps who have a multi channel set up in a well treated room as the 'realiser' captures everything even a poor acoustic.
It makes headphones worthwhile.
Keith

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

I just read the FAQ and now am even more confused lol!

It says we must calibrate our selfs at home... But I don't have a surround sound system at home! Bizarre. Most audiophile as we know have quite dodgy room response and for the most part have never measured it. So the fact we colour our headphone expirance my calibrating in a most likely poor acoustic environment seems totally bonkers to me.

We all seem to want to take the room away not add it in..

There are too many variables , calibration should be done in a ideal listening environment but that's not practical so you do it at home.

Maybe I don't see your points about calibration because I have a rather good 7.1 system, as do a number of my friends, all well calibrated and EQed for room effects. Parenthetically, it might be interesting some day to compare our systems, though miles apart, by storing and recalling our own calibrations of each system on the Smyth.

Also, it is probable that Smyth dealers would have a quality system and room in which to calibrate the device. They would more or less have to have that in order to demo the product for audition. Keith or Amir, for example, could offer that calibration as part of the sale or for a fee should they become dealers. But, I think the product's strength in many ways is that it is custom measured and calibrated to your ears, to your head transfer function, which requires a real speaker array in a real room. Shortcutting that would take away the main sonic advantage of the product. I do not think there is any way your individual head transfer function could be measured and calibrated without it. I do not see a way to substitute a theoretical ideal response without actual measurements at your ears.

Again, I have not heard the device. But, I have been fascinated by it ever since a number of articles on it in Widescreen Review plus Kal's review. I think you need to be a subscriber to get the WSR articles. Kal's is freely available at the Stereophile site.

I also think the concept might have considerable validity for stereo listening. But, Mch is a bonus, though access to a system/room for quality Mch might be more difficult. Auro 3D would be really tough now because of the rarity of systems out there.

 

[Thomas savage]

Not having heard it I don't know just great it is but assuming it's as good as the reports from the members here who have tried it I can only say it's a real shame a wider audience other that a handful of audiophiles will get the chance to expirance it.

It's a neitch within a neitch within a neitch but as amir points out they are smart and expirenced guys so they must be happy to enjoy zero market share. Maybe they are having fun and don't want to compromise their enjoyment by becoming involved with big capitalist business.

I have tried other headphone effects but they have all been total rubbish and not in the least bit effective at enhancing my musical enjoyment.

I tend to agree with amir, it's aimed at the few that have a sorted multichannel system at home or access to one. The majority of them will probably never even hear about it though.

 

[Purité Audio]

We will offer the measurement service here, we'll use a multi channel system , the room is acoustically treated I expect to get really good results.
Keith

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Note that the headphones can't do what a sub does so that is a big loss for movie experience. I missed that when I tested Smyth system.

Why you need to use it with a tactile subwoofer.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

You need it IF you want to accurately simulated a stable soundstage. Inveterate earphone/headphone/mobile listeners do not seem to care about that, so they don't need it.

That's what I hate about headphone listening but..... this is not a gimmick. It does simulate a superb multichannel listening experience.

Anything's possible.

Yes it can be done with software. That's what HeSuVi does, but it requires using serveral different softwares to get the complete package, and none of those software packages offer head tracking. Also you will still need to purchase binaural microphones to capture the Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF) that your body do to a audio signal after it bounces off and around your anatomy. In short it requires a lot of sweat equity and still won't equal the Smyth system.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

We will offer the measurement service here, we'll use a multi channel system , the room is acoustically treated I expect to get really good results.
Keith

What speaker will you offer. How about D & D 8Cs. That would almost persuade me to buy a Nashville to London ticket with my A16 in tow.

Matter of fact, anyone in the US who has an ultra high quality system and is willing to open their home to me for an afternoon can PM me. I will reimburse, as well as making one for you, if you decide you want to take the plunge.