I allmost cried from disapointment when I put on Sinatra/At The Sands the first time. It's one of those all-time greatest recordings, where the microphones happend to be at the right place at the right time. (The CD is great sounding). Similar to Bill Evans Waltz for Debby, Folksinger, Harry Belafonte at Carnegie, and other OLD RECORDINGS with fantastic sound and music.

It's important to remember that a 24/96 is only *slightly* better sounding than 16/44, if the master is identical.*
If the master is an inferior downmix, the hi-rez version is wasted money.
If the master is an improved remix, the hi-rez is great value.

I try to google and search for others opinions before I purchace a hi-rez title. Most titles are discussed in detail by users on Steve Hofman Forum and other places. Unfortunately most user reviews are for the 5.1 version, so you must spend some time being a detective.

My dream was to do my own manual downmix from 5.1 to 2.0. I even purchased the software, but never had time to learn it properly, he-he. If we are lucky somebody elsewhere in the world will do it first and share it with us afterwards... ;-)


*The combination of the ARC Prediction function of XX + the filterless NOS1 DAC actually turns your red book CD into virtual "hi-rez" by repairing the high frequency content of the squarewaves in the music. This is done by Phasures propritarian algorithm, and is an unique feature not seen elsewhere.
-So rather than spending your bucks on hi-rez you should use the NOS1 DAC together with first edition CDs without additional compression! Such CDs can be purchased in the 2nd hand market for peanuts.

Yes, I have the Machine Head DVD-A. Which song do you think is worst with regards to "fluctuations and the almost total disappearance of the hammond organ"?

I have noticed this on some hi-rez albums too. Generally I find the (center) vocal to low in level. The reason is that while they spend many expensive studio re-mix hours creating the 5.1 surround mix, they only spend a minute pushing a button to have the 5.1 version downmixed to 2.0... 

I have bought "most" of the DVD-A and DualDiscs of the well known rock/pop/jazz artists, and this is a defect heard on several titles (but not all). Sometimes you notice it only on a couple of tracks, like the YES/Fragile. However my £100,- Frank Sinatra/At The Sands is destroyed by this sh*tty downmix.

But there are a some positive surprises too: The DualDiscs of Brothers In Arms, where (my own) downmix from 5.1 to 2.0 went very well. (Software: DVD Audio Extractor).
Also, its safe to buy the titles who never was made as 5.1, like Neil Young, The Weavers, Muddy Waters, etc.

The 3 first Sabbath albums have surprisingly good sound. At the time the Black Sabbath guys didnt have a clue about recording technique. They just showed up in the studio and did what they were told. They recorded in a small local studio run by 2 professional engineers who used to work with acoustic instruments. Geezer Butlers bass was way too load, so they unplugged him from his loudspeaker and plugged the bassguitar directly into the (4ch?) mixing console. The first album was recorded on the fly with surprisingly good sound quality. I dont know if the first generation CDs or the later remaster CDs are the best, though.

The NOS1 has been in my system for about 10 weeks now. I haven’t played that much lately. Also I have changed into XX version 0.9z-4-1 with improved setti ngs.

In spite of this other factors have changed, I still sense that the NOS1 is improving (because of further burn-in).

First, the sound is even more detached from the loudspeakers. The music window is even bigger and room filling, with very precise localization of each instrument within it.

Second, it’s more dynamic. Micro and macro dynamics are more “sudden”. Sometimes it makes me jump in the sofa, when listening to records I didn’t listen to for a long time.

Third, bass is becoming slightly more prominent, more authoritative. It also goes deeper, where it is more felt than heard.  (I have 2 pcs linesource bass towers each with 7 pcs 12” woofers working down to 4Hz, active driven by huge DC coupled transistor amps. NOS1 has opened up a new world of bass details in my living room, bringing out so much instrumental bass timbre and details).

XX version 0.9z-4-1: HOME AT LAST

Today I have reached an all-time-high sound quality, after adopting the settings of Peter, as mentioned in above post.

Yesterday I was “quite” happy, but noticed a slightly “forwardness” in the upper midrange, making some (but not all) piano recordings a little bit unpleasant at high playback levels. (I do play louder than most people, which make any tendency of hardness rather annoying). 

Today I changed my setting to:
KS MODE: Special
Device Buffer size: 512
Julia soundcard latency: 512
Processor Core Appointment Scheme = Scheme-2
Player Prio: Low
Thread Prio: Real Time
Clock: 15ms
Services and OSD: Nothing
SFS: 240
Memory Organization: Straight Contiguous
Q1: 3 (128 latency)
Q2-Q5: 0

Music on SATA II HD. XX running on SSD. RAMdisk not in use at the moment.

Playback: PeakExtend + Arc Prediction x8
(Attended/unattended doesn’t make much difference).
Last but not least: NOS1 DAC.

-----------

The improvements are quite astonishing. First of all, the “hardness” heard on Keith Jarrett Trio/Live at Blue Note CD 5, disappeared. It was replaced with the piano’s true “wooden” tone.

Playing track #05 La Valse Bleue, made my jaw drop to the floor when the drum kit materialized in my living room. Extremely deep and tight bass, explosive dynamics and dry, but pure treble. At that very moment my year long vinyl itch got killed!

Next, I put on Patricia Barber/The Cole Porter Mix (CD rip). Another surprise, compared with listening to it a couple of days ago: Now, listening to Patricia Barber has become interesting(!). Her voice is simply more involving. A slight veil has been lifted from her voice, making it more emotional.

Another frequent test album is Brian Bromberg/Wood, an audiophile trio jazz recording from 2001. The opening track 01-The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers has a very demanding treble. The piano is recorded relatively “alive”, but it is still OK (very OK!)  as long as your system doesn’t emphasize the treble. Today there was no hardness at all, only the sound of a true and believable piano.

Finally I pulled out an old CD favorite from 1989: Blue Nile – Hats. The opening track #01-Over The Hillside is very well recorded. But with the previous settings the treble was slightly colored, reminding my about “early digital”. After changing to present settings however, the treble became pure again. Listening to this track after so many years was totally FUN. I played it 4 times in a row! At the very end of the track there is a cymbal playing, and now I can better hear its genuine “copper” sound. [It even made me google the metal alloy of typical cymbals. The XX/NOS1 can do that to you!]

---------  

The “problem” with choosing the settings of XX is that most users have different PCs. So maybe there are no universal settings for everybody? Also those without NOS1 or modified Julia soundcard, might need other settings for latency(?)
Nevertheless I urge you to try the above mentioned settings. Or make them your starting point for experiments.

BTW: I have a new PC with a fast quad core processor. All software running on a fast SSD. Music on SATA II HD.


EDIT/Postscript: Woke up this morning and still could "feel" (remember) yesterday's sonic impact of the drum solo on La Valse Bleue! (During my 30years of Hi-Fi madness, perhaps 10 listening experiences from my own/others systems have made lasting impressing. Fex. I still remember, my first listen to a friends highend system at age 15, as it was yesterday).

Well, I don't know if it's anything wrong with my SSD...

I run my XX on a SSD.
All music on a separate SATA II 2TB HD.

...And the sound quality is ABSOLUTELY stunning! Featuring the 0.9z-4-1 with the new settings from Peter today, it is just perfect, perfect, perfect. Treble is 100% integrated with midrange and bass. It's extremely 3D, detailed, dynamic and natural. My vinyl itch dying today. Period.

At the moment I dont feel like changing anything. My SSD stays in the game! Never change a winning team 

(I will follow up on my new killer settings in the other thread).

Over all, I am very happy with 0.9z-4-1.

On a majority of albums it sounds "just perfect". Extremely 3D, detailed and coherent from bass to treble. [Also a factor of the NOS1 of course!]

But on some albums* I note a slight "forwardness" in the upper midrange. Maybe it's because I play them very loud. Or maybe I can tweak it away with some other settings? (See my signature). Or maybe it is the recording itself...

-At the moment I dont use RAM-disk for practical reasons - too much hasle. XX is running on a SS disk.

*EXAMPLE: Keith Jarrett At The Blue Note/The Complete Recordings CD (The 2 Sunday CDs).

+1

Hi Mani,

Which of your components are fed from the PP2000?

The recent acquisition of the NOS1 DAC has turned me into a lazy fat cat. I am sorry to say that for the time being I fail to meet this site’s spirit of sharing. I have become an egoist, only concerned about digging deep into my music collection for my own pleasure.

My sincere apologies,
Yours truly Pedal

Thank you Mani, and compliments with a superb system.
I think the Quad stats always has been concidered as the Royality by UK enthusiasts. And the latest topmodel is said to be the very best version, especially in the bass. But of ocurse, a full-range ELS will never give you quite the same bass kick as cone speakers. I guess your Quads superb transparency and impulse handling really let the NOS1 shine.

All the best!

PS: My previous spdif driven DAC was sold and shipped before the NOS1 arrived. And the NOS1 itself doesnt accept spdif, as you know. (Suddenly spdif became old fashioned to those lucky enough to get the NOS1!  ). So my listening experiment with your cabel has been delayed. But I will do some cable evaluations when I get the chance, and report back afterwards!

Hi Mani!

What is your current system?
Still using the Pass Labs and the new Quads?

I thought so, too. "Better let the computer geeks try out first, then I can follow afterwards" 

WARNING:

This one should be easy and effective, BUT don't use it on grounded powercords. Because the ground connection works as a leave/escape for high frequency distortion. The "optimum" should be to open the powercord, and let only the + and - pass through a coil. The ground wire (shield) should be untouched.

In fact, a wise man told me once, if you wanna use silver in your cables, you should apply it not in the signal conductors but in the ground/shielding. Because the ground/loop noise is very high in frequency and needs a "perfect" conductor to get rid of.

Something else, related to the topic “Hi-Fi Bass vs Natural Bass”:

I have used the same amplifier brand for more than 20 years; Dynamic Precision, -huge and very powerful transistor amplifiers made in Norway. The 2 guys behind it came from Tandberg.

These amplifiers lock your bass woofers in an iron grip. Making them go, subjectively, lower in frequency and with very tight and controlled bass. (Combined with lesser loudspeakers, they might even sound too controlled – but that is not the fault of the amplifiers of course!).

Anyway, some years ago I tried out a Krell amplifier in my system. It didn’t sound as tight in the bottom octave, but it had more “boogie factor” in the mid bass. I asked Dynamic Precision about this, and they said that they could create the same “Krell bass” simply by designing the circuits in a special way, reducing the damping factor in a limited part of the bass range. -Actually making the amplifier (slightly) worse in a narrow frequency range, to give longer and “fatter” tones in this particular frequency area. That, they said, was the whole "Krell-secret" (in combination with being otherwise well build/very powerful too, of course).

OK, I said, why don’t you do it? It will sell more amplifiers on demo. The answer I got was “no way are we going to compromise the performance”. If you want Krell-bass, buy Krell. If you want to hear what’s on the recording, buy ours”.

Of course I can hear it. This purring character is heard occasionally from the bass on every song throughout Timekeepers.

BTW: The "purring" has a somewhat oscillating nature, A sound slightly "out of control" from the bass itself. It's nice to hear it. It adds to the notes being played. I doubt it is coincidental. The bass player must have done "something" the create it.

It reminds me about the purring bass (guitar!) on another favourite: Shirley Horn Here Is to Life, last track #11 Summer/Estate. Beautiful late evening listening. One of my favourite albums!