VERSION S-1: SONIC IMPRESSIONS

Dear Peter,
Congratulations once again with a major sonic improvement. With your “runaway train” feature, you have done it again!

Going from M-1 to S-1 UNATTENDED, I hear that the SQ has improved in a major way, but in a new direction. Let me put in perspective: The earlier versions removed “grit” (or let’s just use the plain old description “distortion”) throughout the entire frequency spectre. The hearing is more sensitive in the presence area, so when we improve our digital playback equipment, we tend to identify them as more “dark” sounding, “blacker background”, more focused, more detailed.

This time, with S-1, I still hear the same kind of improvement in the midrange and treble as before, but for the first time in my system, the bass frequencies has taken on an “ethereal” quality. The bass is now so clean and precise, that I could increase the gain of all frequencies below 80Hz with another 1dB on my active XO.

More now than before, I feel that the sonic signature of the CD-medium has vanished and that I am listening to the purity of the recording itself. And I can play same tracks 3-5 dB louder, if I want to. Always a good sign.

Since S-1 has “crossed a threshold” in terms of bass SQ, I advice others to be open to adjust the position of their loudspeakers, unless they can EQ electrically.

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Regarding Q1 setting: I can see that most of you have come up from the cellar. That is values below zero. With version N-1 I preferred 13. With S-1 I think 14 is better. Its slightly more “fluid” than 13, without any obvious sacrifices.

Regarding Polarity setting: still I prefer this unchecked.


Big thump up to Peter.St!
 

Thank you for a very interesting view into an uncovered technical teritory. CD reply through PC has elevated the sonic potentional of the format to a much much higher level. And it's still climbing, as we learn from your XX improvements and improvements in the hardware elsewere. I have today ordered the latest USB input receiver to go with my DDDAC. The new will be asyncron, and it's said to sound better than the old one. Perhaps it's due to the fact that the asyncron feature enables 2-way comunication through the USB interface? (Everything through S/PDIF is 1-way. The input receiver can cry for help, but nobody cares...). Probably this is related to the concerns discussed above by you.

I'll report back about (asyncron) SQ when installed and playing (hopefully) early November.

Further thoughts about the Q1:

After several hours A-B listening, I still prefer 13 (non-inverted) rather than -3IP (inverted polarity).
 
Generally speaking - in the Digital World (as we experience it these days) - some components give us MORE. They process the digital signals more accurately + they dig deeper and reveals new layers of low level information. This is what I experienced when upgrading from Foobar/XP to XX/XP. I got MORE and BETTER reproduction. The same happened when upgrading from XX/XP to XX/VISTA. And, again, when upgrading from K to M-1. (What a fantastic thrill it’s been these last 2 months ).

But going from 13 to -3IP doesn’t give me anything MORE. I am not able to hear any deeper into the recordings. On the positive side -3IP reproduces micro-dynamics with a more “fluid” character without adding any veil or blur. You might say that an instrument’s dynamic shadings are rendered more “naturally” by -3IP. Perhaps it makes the 16bit “chopping” less obvious. (The Red Book format does of course have an unavoidable sonic signature, like vinyl and magnet tape). On the negative side, I hear that -3IP reduces some of the instrumental “liveliness” and “transient speed”, which I enjoy so much with 13. Listening load to good recordings through 13 gives me an adrenalin rush!

Although we audiophiles scream “nirvana” every time we change an interconnect, we are far away from creating LIVE sound in its true meaning. Whatever format or budget, it’s still only a reproduction. However I think the sound signature of 13 is the route to follow for future improvements.

PS: I haven’t had time to test other values than 13. Who knows what’s hidden at 10 or 20?! Perhaps other users can shed some light here?

I downloaded version M-1 on Thursday. Installation was troublefree, including Dualcore setting. Friday morning, house is empty and time for a quick soundcheck before leaving for job. Big mistake. Lost a full working day! Didn't leave my sofa for 8 hours, had to listen through all reference tracks through and through. Another serious gain in sound quality. I agree with others findings here on the forum. Version M-1 removes another veil between the listener and the mastertape. Sound quality improves in all areas. More low level information from all instruments and voices, more recorded "space", instruments floats more freely into the listening room and away from the loudspeakers, tighter and more rythmic bass, better dynamics from top to bottom, etc.

At the moment I stay with value 13 on SQ1, which was my prefered setting also with version K. I have the possibility to do as low as -3 (which I couldn't do in K). -3 is seductive, but I feel 13 is more "dry" and more correct with better definition of microdynamics. -3 is more "fluid" and "natural" sounding in "a certain way", but I miss a little of the "transient action" from 13. Will investigate further, though.

Thanks again, Peter. You have created a wonderful software!

pedal

I entered Vista+Engine3 heaven today. Sound is extremely good. Hasn't had time to experiment with the other settings yet. However with Q1 at zero I get a kind of "glitz" (low level noise/distortion) on long tones (typical low frequenzy organ). But it is not present on transients (shorter tones). Turning up the Q1 decreases this problem, and at value 20 it (seems to)disapear.

I have a directly connected DAC (60 pcs 1543 dac-chips in parallell and absolutely no filters between DACs ouput and preamp) through optical USB. I suspect the Q1 interfers with the buffering of the output signal?

Pls also advice me about the setting of PlayerThread and PrioThread. Do they influence on the sound? (I have a music-only PC, who doesn't run any other program than XXHighEnd).

Thanks in advance.

Just a short notice to newcomers here at the forum, reading this thread for the first time. My above remarks on the performance of XXHighEnd was valid as long as I was running it on XP. After upgrading to Vista, and using Engine3, the SQ is lifted up to another - and much higher - level. Here we really are speaking about "mastertape-like" sound. So don't waste your time in XP!

Today I upgraded my OS from XP til VISTA, and loaded up my playlist with usual test tracks. Playing through Engine3 I am sitting here in my sofa at the very moment completely spellbounded. HOLY SMOKE!! The SQ has elevated to a much higher level: "Grit" has decreased at all frequencies. Bass is now extremely tight and detailed. In fact it made me turn up the basslevel 1dB (active x-over @80Hz). Now I understand Peter's talking about the program removing "standing waves in your listening room" elsewere on this forum (frankly I thought that was a litle gaga... untill now...).
Midrange is also seriously improved, it is so transparent now. Colourations I thought was inherent in my loudspeakers has (practically speaking) vanished too.

Shortly said: Every single SQ factor has improved compared with XP+J+K. Better microdynamics, better macro dynamics, more transparent, (even) less glare/grit. If your system is up to it, you can play most tracks 5-10dB higher without listening fatigue.

Right now I listen to R.Waters/Amused To Death. Rogers bitter lyrics is accompanied by jetplanes, horses, warheroes, Ferrari's and other soundeffects apearing from 360 degrees around my head. It's so emotional, if I don't switch now I'll shead a tear. He-he.

I could not get this kind of sonic upgrade, spending whatever amount on hardware upgrades. Thank you Peter. I hope you sell a million licenses of your wonderful program!

pedal

I can testify to LydMekk's findings regarding SQ with XP+Engine1: Version J has better definition of microdynamics, which makes all instruments and voices sound (more) alive. It makes for a more engaging listening experience, without adding any obvious colorations. Version K is more "rounded" and softer in characther. In fact, with K, I can play some tracks 2-3dB louder without listening fatigue, compared with J. (I play very loud, by the way).

But, yes, yes, yes, I have got the captains message to move from XP to VISTA and run engine3, where I will discover an even higher sound quality!

See you in VISTA heaven within a few days!!

PEDAL