Syng Cell Alpha - 7.1 sound with three speakers ?

[eyemgh]

Nothing wrong with that. But the least they could do is enable those presets so everybody can choose. Some of us live in a brick houses and apartments with rigid walls.

That's how I'd prefer it.

 

[eyemgh]

this is not a low volume portable device this approach doesn't make sense.

I can't claim to fully understand their reasoning, but it made sense to the guy who invented Audyssey and teaches psychoacoustics at USC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kyriakakis

 

[tecnogadget]

In 2021 “the era of DSP” putting a non customizable target curve with heavy bass, when you proclame yourself the new kid in the block with the better “hifi sound” is a mayor mistake. Even bigger mistake is to say that “will be customizable in the future”. Seriously? Is it so hard to ship it that way from day one? What did this people expect from reviews like the one uploaded by Linus Tech Tips? That was a PR fiasco...or well maybe a marketing stunt...lets make a fiasco to attract attention ?¿

 

[Zvu]

In 2021 “the era of DSP” putting a non customizable target curve with heavy bass, when you proclame yourself the new kid in the block with the better “hifi sound” is a mayor mistake. Even bigger mistake is to say that “will be customizable in the future”. Seriously? Is it so hard to ship it that way from day one?

For crowd that hangs in here you're right. But average Joe will be thrilled with that amount of bass. And later, when updates start to come, they'll be even more thrilled with what it can do now. If you name presets with some cool names - sky is the limit.

- Change the sound per preset - WOW! Press -Crystal- and it sounds cleaner, do you hear it ? But i can make bass for parties again if i like it, like this ya see. I just press -Force- button.
- Whoaaa. Gotta get me one of those!

 

[eyemgh]

For crowd that hangs in here you're right. But average Joe will be thrilled with that amount of bass. And later, when updates start to come, they'll be even more thrilled with what it can do now. If you name presets with some cool names - sky is the limit.

- Change the sound per preset - WOW! Press -Crystal- and it sounds cleaner, do you hear it ? But i can make bass for parties again if i like it, like this ya see. I just press -Force- button.
- Whoaaa. Gotta get me one of those!

I agree completely. I think many posters on this forum are mistaking Syng’s intent for this product. It isn’t an audiophile, sit in one place, in a dedicated room product. It’s a premium consumer device looking to bridge the gap between that and say Sonos.

If it isn’t perfect out of the gate, I can cut them some slack as long as the fixes are easy and come in a reasonably timely manner. After all, what they’ve accomplished, especially considering COVID, the chip shortage, etc. seems to be pretty cool. All I see that I’d want is tone control, and that’s a maybe.

Unlike most on here, I’ll hold my criticism until I’ve actually heard it. I only ordered one, so the other “TBA” features discussed in the Wired article aren’t germane to me (yet).

I found Devialet sort of tinny and disappointing at the price. Beosound is downright anemic. That’s what they’re designed to replace, not your Warfedale Elysians. It‘s cheaper than both and has the potential to be much more than both. We’ll see.

 

[Zvu]

Conceptually and in my opinion, this is the loudspeaker with most potential to sound neutral, beside Devialet phantom.

It uses:
- point source multiple entry horn (merging of the mid and tweeter solved)
- spherical cabinet (diffraction solved)
- dual opposed woofers for force canceling (cabinet resonances solved)
- closed cabinet (port noise or passive radiator resonance solved)
- dsp powered (linearity, flexibility and consistency solved)
- active (external amplifier and bunch of wires problem solved)

Like someone asked what are the problems with loudspeakers today and solved them one at a time. If they've managed to make it measure flat and sound good, i wouldn't know what to add. Few subs for best low end i guess.

And all this not taking into consideration promises about spatial effects with 3 units and all aditional connectivity and functionality.

So, for me, quite exciting really.

 

[updown]

I can't claim to fully understand their reasoning, but it made sense to the guy who invented Audyssey and teaches psychoacoustics at USC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Kyriakakis

Ooo that's neat. I didn't know he was part of the team. Not that I knew who he was but, I used to own an Audyssey Lower East Side Audio Dock Air (whew what a mouthful), back when they were in the speaker business.

 

[dduck]

My "a few days in and I am not an audiophile please don't hurt me argh" subjective review is up at r/Syng:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Syng/comments/opvxc7

 

[mononoaware]

My "a few days in and I am not an audiophile please don't hurt me argh" subjective review is up at r/Syng:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Syng/comments/opvxc7

“EQ option would be appreciated”.
Typically this is often mentioned by those who are listening to terrible speakers.

Over-priced junk in my opinion.

 

[dduck]

“EQ option would be appreciated”.
Typically this is often mentioned by those who are listening to terrible speakers.

Over-priced junk in my opinion.

Well, my opinion on that is that we don't have to speculate - we just have to wait for Joe and others to bring in the numbers.

 

[eyemgh]

“EQ option would be appreciated”.
Typically this is often mentioned by those who are listening to terrible speakers.

Over-priced junk in my opinion.

Please share YOUR personal listening experience.

 

[mononoaware]

Just in my past experience, speakers (of any kind) which are colored/voiced and terribly sounding almost instantly have you thinking of some kind of solution.
(Speaker position/room treatment/equalisation etc)

And typically equalisation is the first thing you think of, since it is the easiest to perform without taking getting up from your seat.

 

[dduck]

Just in my past experience, speakers (of any kind) which are colored/voiced and terribly sounding almost instantly have you thinking of some kind of solution.
(Speaker position/room treatment/equalisation etc)

And typically equalisation is the first thing you think of, since it is the easiest to perform without taking getting up from your seat.

I hear you.

I guess what I am trying to say in the review (which is not pitched at people in this forum) is that I listen to lots of stuff that happens to be crappy recordings, but I tend to do it on pretty good equipment. And the crappy recordings are always a crapshoot. I don't have the experience or patience to separate the effect of crappy recordings from a coloration of the equipment, and I admit to that freely.

All I can say is that the stuff I did listen to that is generally considered good masters all sounded fine to me.

 

[mononoaware]

Please share YOUR personal listening experience.

I don’t think my subjective listening experience will be of any value (especially because of the speaker’s design).

I am just assuming that reddit user is a “average consumer” and if they think it sounds off then most likely the frequency response has some issues.

Since it is a 360 degree speaker I think every customer and spesker position will have a different result.
But my general advice is to invest in what already works with existing remedies for potential problems, which is typical speaker design.

 

[dduck]

I don’t think my subjective listening experience will be of any value (especially because of the speaker’s design).

I am just assuming that reddit user is a “average consumer” and if they think it sounds off then most likely the frequency response has some issues.

Since it is a 360 degree speaker I think every customer and spesker position will have a different result.
But my general advice is to invest in what already works with existing remedies for potential problems, which is typical speaker design.

It it wasn't clear, I am "that reddit user" But I am very much trying to write for "the generic reddit user", which is not what people here are at all.

That being said, and as I have freely admitted, I am by no means an audiophile, and don't aim to be.

 

[mononoaware]

listen to lots of stuff that happens to be crappy recordings,

I posted a few “mainstream” recordings I listen to myself.
Share your Guilty Pleasure Modern/Pop Song in your archive

 

[dduck]

Oh, Joe's review is in!

 

[mononoaware]

It it wasn't clear, I am "that reddit user" But I am very much trying to write for "the generic reddit user", which is not what people here are at all.

That being said, and as I have freely admitted, I am by no means an audiophile, and don't aim to be.

I apologise, referring to you that way was bad manners (especially in a face to face social context).
Even in an online virtual forum I should have referred to you properly by user name.

 

[eyemgh]

I don’t think my subjective listening experience will be of any value (especially because of the speaker’s design).

I am just assuming that reddit user is a “average consumer” and if they think it sounds off then most likely the frequency response has some issues.

Since it is a 360 degree speaker I think every customer and spesker position will have a different result.
But my general advice is to invest in what already works with existing remedies for potential problems, which is typical speaker design.

I think it's an apples and oranges discussion. Get an ELAC and you get Andrew Jones' desired frequency profile, and that's it. You like it, you like the speaker. You don't, you don't. The Cell has the Syng acoustic engineers' signature, likely Kyriakakis', but it's a self powered, DSP driven device. The sound is determined to a degree by software already and the preferences they chose. That doesn't necessarily reflect on the speaker performance per se. IF they unlock/provide tone control, it can be anything anyone wants it to be within the confines of it's absolute +/- 3db capability.

 

[dduck]

I apologise, referring to you that way was bad manners (especially in a face to face social context).
Even in an online virtual forum I should have referred to you properly by user name.

Oh no need to apologize! I was just not properly clear that the review I linked was my review. Should just have posted the text directly really, and there's no good reason why I didn't. It just opened the door to needless confusion, and I am sorry about that.

And for what it's worth, I am very much not an audiophile but I am most definitely not an anti-audiophile either. I listen to very much average guy my age music. I respect what audiophiles try to do and like, it's just not really an option for me. Mostly for practical reasons (living arrangement compromises).

You are on the money in your description. I am providing a very average guy perspective on them. Nothing wrong in saying so, especially not when it's acknowledged all over the piece (or so I hope).