So, I am selling a big ticket item and can potentially turn my preorder into a realiser that I’ll actually get. I wanted to run a few legit concerns I have by y’all because I’m really wondering if I’m just victim to the sunken cost fallacy.
1. Warranty and customer service. The warranty link on their website is down, and I honestly don’t really trust them to honor things. Is this off base? I’ve seen some stories of failed units, but am I just seeing a vocal minority?
2. Ease of use and extended effort. I recognize that there is a steep learning curve. At 52 with a kid, is this going to be too daunting? I’m not going to be flying out to a studio for measurements. So is it still worth it without that? Once things are set up, so you have to constantly adjust?
3. Resale. If I just can’t hack it, how much will I be out with resale?
Appreciate anyone’s thoughts as I navigate this item or just getting a high ticket amp.
I appreciate the points you are making - they were front of mind for me also. Responding to your points above:
1. Warranty - The Smyths had the misfortune of launching a high-end product far below cost (in the kickstarter) and were then hit by a major supplier problem together with Covid. A short read on this thread will give you a sense of some people's understandable frustration. On the other hand, my personal experience of the product (now in constant use for almost 3 years) has been very solid. Only one hardware fault arose (red screen requiring re-soldering) which was promptly recognised and fixed by the Smyths within a couple of weeks. Rapid response to emails and no charge for the fix, even though I had owned the unit for 18 months.
2. Ease of use - I am a 63 year old who has some limited tech and audio background. Learning to use the A16 was a whole new challenge for me, but no more difficult than mastering a new PC back in the day (although the A16 has been far more reliable!). It isn't totally straightforward, and you do have to print and read the manual, as well as look at the YouTube setup videos. But, even with that up-front time investment, you get a huge payback in terms of possible new speakers, overall sound quality and a complete transformation in the headphone experience. I managed to short-cut the initial experience by avoiding PRIR and HPEQ measurements - using Sennheiser 800 headphones allows you to leverage the default Smyth settings. You may find, as I did, that the default BBC room PRIRs are perfectly acceptable as you start to experiment with the A16. So I was effectively listening to music and watching movies within a couple of hours, before moving to more advanced settings. Another option is the pre-measured PRIRs available from John at 3Dsoundshop - you can experience his speaker measurements for Dutch & Dutch, Genelec and Omega speakers and many others - all are excellent, especially the Omega 65 and 96.
3. Resale - I have been considering another A16 for my second home so scan the market regularly. First, there are very few out there for sale at any time, mostly through Head-Fi or other specialist sites. Smyth has a very limited dealer network (one in France and one in the USA, as far as I know). And typical prices seem to be the same or above equivalent hi-fi prices - so 70% or more of new prices, and even more in some cases. So I wouldn't expect the resale value to be a problem, as long as Smyth are in business, and hopefully much longer.
Conclusion - Honestly, this has become my most-used piece of hi-fi and home theatre kit, to the extent that I use it more than all my other 2 systems put together. Living in an apartment with a spouse who doesn't share my taste in music and films - it's a potential marriage saver! By the way, I also recommend the original Sennheiser HD800 as the main pair of headphones for the A16. The tonal flexibility and robustness of the HD800 headphones makes them ideal for the A16, and the bass quality is astonishing. Even a used pair with worn pads can be fully upgraded to new at a reasonable price - Sennheiser has a fantastic spare parts service. You will have a learning curve for sure - but it is well worth the time and effort.
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