Because of complexity and sheer unlimited combinations to test, it is expected that bug fixes for this version will follow. I few more features are planned as well.
Well, here is is ... the impossible SQ of today ... as was anounced here. (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=266.0)
If you did not read it, please also see the Prepare for Christmas (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=222.0) topic, where I was seeking for lacking highs in (digital) playback. Well, cover your tweeters ! :)
The new means of achieving the new are of good sound was done by means of eliminating the "Controlling Section" (in fact, XXHighEnd) just at all.
Engine#3 only ...
So here are the new features :
- Unattented Playback
Comprises of more than just that;
First of all tick the checkbox "Play Unattended" in the Settings Area.
Load a Tracks in the Playlist Area as usual, and click Play ...
The XXHighEnd screen will disappear, and you will be in the blind now. But hey, just close your eyes ...
You can restart XXHighEnd though, and it will show the track which is currently playing.
Just click Off to let all continue as it was.
Click Stop if you want to stop Playback.
Or load other tracks (you might want to click Clear first) and just click Play.
You will notice that FLAC and MP3 and tracks with diacritical marks will take a long(er) time to preload. Unavoideable.
Cue files will work too, although currently right after dragging the big WAV onto the Playlist Area ans clicking Play there will be an error. Just click that away.
Generally : After clicking Play a red cross may appear in the Playlist Area followed by an error. Here too : just click it away.
- A PlayerPriority "Low" has been added.
- At Unattended Playback the set PlayerPriority is now applied to your whole system (you can set it to Low), except for XXEngine3, which receives the ThreadPriority as usual (you can set that to RealTime).
The Priorities are reset to Normal when playing is stopped by means of XXHighEnd. So note : this will not happen when Playback is just finished !
Also note that indeed all are set back to Normal. So might any process have had another priority when things are changed by XXHighEnd ... only a reboot will set things back to the default settings.
Critical system processes will never be touched though !
Edit : Also see But the new Priority Scheme changes SQ just as well ... (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=276.0)
- When Stop is clicked, the current contents of the Playlist Area is saved to the !CurrentlyPlaying Playlist (no matter sound was actually playing or not).
At a next startup of XXHighend that Playlist will be loaded automatically. Just click Clear of you don't want that.
Note : Clicking a track and click Play for Unattended Playback will *not* start at that track. Such playback will always start at the top (will change in a next version).
- 3 new Processor Core Appointment Schemes were added, while Scheme-1 acts the same as with the before versions.
The explanation on how Scheme-2, -3 and -4 act differently is kind of useless, but they do, and they attempt to help people with glitches of any kind as impeeded by lack of processor power. Just try if it helps !
Note that it may influence SQ just as well ... this wasn't tried yet.
For a 4 core processor system, the schemes are applied differently than for a 2 core system, all in order to spread capacity at best, while maintaining the necessary "power" (hum) for XX.
Edit : As found so far, Scheme-3 sounds significantly better than Scheme-1.
Edit : Scheme-3 is mentioned two times in the combobox concerned; Choosing the second Scheme-3, actually selects Scheme-4.
Important (I think) : The first hour you might think "huh !, this is nothing for me !!". It might even take you a day to get used to the different sound. It will not be what you are used to whatsoever !
But ... try to appreciate all the cymbals and hi-hats flying around. I think you can't do without them after a while.
Then try to imagine that this all might just as well be normal ...
Oh, remember, again no DSP and just bit perfect payback.
Have fun !
... and please let know what you think of the sound.
Edit : See : How to play Unattended with 0.9s-1 (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=279.0)
And : My own settings for 0.9s (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=278.0)
Peter