XXHighEnd

Ultimate Audio Playback => Your thoughts about the Sound Quality => Topic started by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 06:20:32 pm



Title: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 06:20:32 pm
Peter hi,

I have come across a slightly surprising change with XX2.02 regarding bass. I ll try to describe what has been happening.

W10 and XX v2.02 were installed earlier this week. The sound was significantly different to W8 and XX v1.186ix.
Generally W10 and XX V2.02  gave a big step forwards in midrange clarity and tone with highs more realistically prominent. This reflects in the excellent human voices and cymbals that have been mentioned with W10 XX v2.02. I did not post on sound quality however because bass quality had taken a real step backwards and I could not understand this.

Playing with W8 XX v1.186ix

Bass is really excellent, it’s just like being in a club when dance music is playing.  Drum and base and sound effects mixed in to low frequencies like pitch slides fill and energise the room. The music is driven forwards from its foundation upwards. This bass quality is not boomy however, despite the depth and weight is very well defined tuneful.

With W10 XX v2.02

Bass was immediately dry with the weight and energy missing, it is reasonable down to mid bass frequencies but below this in the region that kicks dance music forwards its not extended and doesn’t have the same weight. There something of a one note quality.

XX Settings for both setups above were identical. I tried some software tweaks and subwoofer settings using XX V2.02 and got a little way forwards but still a very long way from the quality with W8 v1.186ix.

Just to see if I was miss-recalling the bass performance in XX v1.186 I loaded 1.186ix in W10.

The Bass was back and slightly improved on its former levels, really really good. My mother in law is staying with us this week end, I had dance music playing in the hall when I walked into the kitchen she was dancing ! she is in her mid seventies and just doesn’t  do this sort of thing  :scratching:. The effect of W10 is significant with XX 1.186ix.

I love what 2.02 is doing in other areas and keen to move forwardsto use all of the new features but I need to find here for the bass it’s just such a big difference in this area. Something seems to have changed, could this be anything to do with the new filters, are there any settings I might try ?

Thanks and regards,

Nick.



Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 06:39:25 pm
Hi Nick, thank you for this report.

What does your XXHighEnd screen show in the Playlist Area when you press Clear ?

Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Gerard on June 13, 2015, 06:45:03 pm
Am i missing something. How can that work in W10?

Quote
1.186ix in W10.

 :)


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 06:46:34 pm
Nick will tell us soon.
I suppose. :)


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 07:25:15 pm
Ok, not soooo soon that is. :nea:


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 07:48:38 pm
Hi,

I have not had time to keep up with threads recently so I had not spotted that 1.186 would not work with W10 if this had been said that is.

What I did was probably not right but these were the steps.

Starting with W10 with 2.02 in min OS mode. (so on W2.02 min OS settings).

Installed started XX 1.186. Checked software settings were what I normally use (they had gone to unexpected values in some cases).

The main thing seems to be not to stop services in 1.186 settings. I only have the WASAPI services stopped. If I stop the other services W10 gives a critical error soothing like "critical service stopped".

Otherwise there are a couple of errors (dos file name type) come up when music is started but it plays fine. There have been some unexplained stops whilst playing but music sounds as described.

Regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 07:51:30 pm
Hi Nick, thank you for this report.

What does your XXHighEnd screen show in the Playlist Area when you press Clear ?

Peter

Peter hi,

"XXHighEnd W8
model 1.186-a"

is displayed.
That is whilst running in W10.

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 07:54:52 pm
Nick,

Quote
That is whilst running in W10.

I would almost doubt that part ...
But maybe.

Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 07:58:30 pm
Anyway ...

Quote
The main thing seems to be not to stop services in 1.186 settings. I only have the WASAPI services stopped. If I stop the other services W10 gives a critical error soothing like "critical service stopped".

I'd say that this "situation" should be able to be mimicked in 2.02.

Otherwise you can't be activated and nothing is legal much. But the latter ... maybe it can do something for the better.

Btw, no way that my bass is less. Only more.

Dis you already repair that other errorneous situation (installed W7 shell and such) ?

Regards,
Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 08:01:54 pm
Nick,

Quote
That is whilst running in W10.

I would almost doubt that part ...
But maybe.

Peter

Peter hi this is how it looks.

Regards,

Nick



Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 08:06:39 pm
Anyway ...

Quote
The main thing seems to be not to stop services in 1.186 settings. I only have the WASAPI services stopped. If I stop the other services W10 gives a critical error soothing like "critical service stopped".

I'd say that this "situation" should be able to be mimicked in 2.02.

Otherwise you can't be activated and nothing is legal much. But the latter ... maybe it can do something for the better.

Btw, no way that my bass is less. Only more.

Dis you already repair that other errorneous situation (installed W7 shell and such) ?

Regards,
Peter

Peter hi,

At first 1.186 was not activated but I figured that this was because of a windows setting that was not as I normally set it (I think you will know the one). So I changed this to the setting in w8 and 1.186 was activated again (it's running from the place I use it in w8.

Processor appointment x tweeks etc all work ok.

I did not repare the win 7 she'll install attempt.
Regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 08:31:32 pm
Hi Nick,

I am sorry but this is all too messy for me. This includes that you are NOT activated. See your own screenshot.

But say that if you're happy you just are.
A krate of fine whiskey that it can't last one hour ...

Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 08:44:15 pm
Hi Nick,

I am sorry but this is all too messy for me. This includes that you are NOT activated. See your own screenshot.

But say that if you're happy you just are.
A krate of fine whiskey that it can't last one hour ...

Peter

Peter hi,
Your right it does stop.
It's not the intension to run 1.186 in w10  it just happened by mistake trying to understand what happened to the bass. :)


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 08:57:40 pm
Hi Nick,

I am sorry but this is all too messy for me. This includes that you are NOT activated. See your own screenshot.

But say that if you're happy you just are.
A krate of fine whiskey that it can't last one hour ...

Peter

Peter hi,

Yes I see the blue title bar text now.

I had concentrated on getting the processor appointment and Xtweaks going for sound quality comparison. See attached.

As I say the intent is not to use this setup the issue is the change in bass between the two versions really.

Kind regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 13, 2015, 09:22:25 pm
Nick, I understand all that (seriously) and we should be able to utilize it, but with your W7 Shell endeavours ... how can we.

So it is almost like doing it all over (for you) but now without that W7 Shell attempt and see whether it ends up with the same SQ. If it does then there is hope ...

Meanwhile all is still a mess because what did you compare with ? Activated 2.02 in official MinOS etc. etc. etc. ?

So over to you and see (hear) you in a week or so. If this all works out for the better in some official fahsion, then ...
... make it official ? this already does not sound right.

And over here it does already.
Uhm ...

:seeyou:

Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 13, 2015, 09:41:03 pm
Peter hi,

I'm not interested in getting 1.186 working in W10 (unless you think this would give helpful information). I done want to end up on an unsupported software combination.

The key points regards bass are that

With 1.186 in both W8 and W10 bass is the same give or take a small amount quite exceptional.

2.02 bass is not so good in W10 at least, (I will give it a go in W8). I am just hoping that it might be possible in some way to reproduce 1.186 bass performance in 2.02.

If there is anything I can try here with my setup that might help understand this i'm happy to give it a go.

Regards,

Nick.



Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: michaeljeger on June 13, 2015, 10:41:52 pm
Nick

I think this is really a matter of taste. I like the more controlled bass of W10 /2.02 much better with my Abyss Headphones.

Today I decided to fully switch to the Windows Platform (from the Mac) because I like it so much.

The bass as it is with Win10 / 2.02 sounds just perfect.

I am out of my shoes.

Updated my signature.

Michael


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 14, 2015, 08:41:09 am
Nick,

In W10 a couple of additional things are being done. Also, a few things are NOT being done which happen in W8. In your situation, where the OS is recognized as W8, this is now "illegal".

I have made a firmware upgrade for your car. It does two things : Allow for a 1000 rpm more in general and it uncovers the always hidden 7th gear. You need methanol for the revs and a new key for the extra gear.
What you do is put in the methanol but don't use the key. Your complaint : it runs slightly slower then the promised now 230mhp but the noise is unbearable (10Krpm now instead of 9K).

The solution is clear : use that key.
The solution is not to go to the dealer and ask him what could be the matter with that noise.

I hope the example makes it sufficiently clear as I think we both know that such "sequences" may not be so easy to follow at all times.

When you have put in the proper key we can talk again, if you want. Prior to that all is moot as how I think. :yes:

Regards,
Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Arjan on June 14, 2015, 09:36:35 am
Hi Nick,

About the bass performance, overhere we prefer the new 202. It seems to go lower and is less punchy. In other words more in balance with the overall sound. Before the bass could be a bit to much.
Last night for the first time my son listened to 202 and his first reaction was, what a good bass.

Regards, Arjan


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 14, 2015, 10:12:25 am
Peter,

This post topic was intended to be is about the step back in bass performance (here at least) from official w8 1.186 to w10 2.02 configurations. This point seems to be getting lost in an unintended conversation on 1.186 in w10. I just get this is not valid.

If I were to started a new thread on 1.186 in w10 it would be a short,  single post to park the subject away from this thread  :) I'm not bothered 1.186 in w10, I don't intent to use anything other than your intended configs.

I intended this thread tiopic to highlight only the change in bass moving from 1.186 (w8) to use of 2.02. Despite the supper performance of 2.02 in other respects, this change in bass performance is so significant right now I cannot see a way to move to 2.02.

I won't go on now, if I come up with any setting that help I will post otherwise I'll wait, fingers crossed, that something else comes up that can help here.

Kind regards,

Nick.



Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 14, 2015, 10:18:20 am
Nick, I softly tried to tell you that you may have problems with "sequences". My methanol and key example apparently does not help.

Install W10 properly and try again. Period.

I hope this helps ...
Peter


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 14, 2015, 10:30:11 am
Hi Nick,

About the bass performance, overhere we prefer the new 202. It seems to go lower and is less punchy. In other words more in balance with the overall sound. Before the bass could be a bit to much.
Last night for the first time my son listened to 202 and his first reaction was, what a good bass.

Regards, Arjan

Arjan hi,

That is interesting, I agree bass could be a little much with 1.186. The problem here is that with instruments like piano or chello or guitar the fundamental notes are just no longer there and the sound the body of the instruments makes cannot be heard now. Of course dance music suffers more  :(.

Interesting you and Michael do not seem to missing lower bass in the same way. :dntknw:

Kind regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 14, 2015, 10:32:37 am
Nick, I softly tried to tell you that you may have problems with "sequences". My methanol and key example apparently does not help.

Install W10 properly and try again. Period.

I hope this helps ...
Peter

Thanks Peter, point taken   :) I will do the reinstall, fingers crossed

Kind regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: toddn on June 14, 2015, 12:52:16 pm
Nick,
do you ever check your p-mail here? I've been trying to reach you.
Todd
Sorry to have interjected here


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: Nick on June 15, 2015, 10:57:19 pm
Nick, I softly tried to tell you that you may have problems with "sequences". My methanol and key example apparently does not help.

Install W10 properly and try again. Period.

I hope this helps ...
Peter

Thanks Peter, point taken   :) I will do the reinstall, fingers crossed

Kind regards,

Nick.

Peter hi,

A result !

With the OS reinstalled and without the Windows 7 explorer utility installed Bass performance is restored. There are some differences but these are I think just better controled Bass then with 1.186.

The Subwoofers are up a couple clicks and sound quality is quite epic ! Im loving XX2.02 and W10 now.

Thank you for helping to sort this out.

Kind regards,

Nick.


Title: Re: W10 XX2.02 / XX1.186 Bass
Post by: PeterSt on June 16, 2015, 08:00:52 am
Glad to be of help, Nick. I hope I didn't come across too forceful. But :pleasantry:

Peter