Yes, very analogue. Also, base seems less pronounced, but, like the mids and the highs, much more refined sounding.

Geeze, how did you get so frickin smart? Of course "Max for this system" works fine.

Anyway, this is a very significant tweek in my system. If there is anything that may not be "good", or at least it takes some getting used to,  it is simple vocals accompanied by just a piano or guitar. Rather than the intimate sound of the artist "being in the room," it now sounds like I'm transported to the concert hall with great seats just far enough back from the stage that the amplification is perfectly balanced. However, this sound is so refined and/or delicate that I just want to keep listening.

On the other hand rock bands and orchestras sound like never before, no question that its a nice step up in SQ.

Received this yesterday. Never in my life have I heard anything like it: an amazing blend of classical, rock and jazz, and it is recorded so well! Thanks.

Is there any way to manually set the clock resolution to 7.8125, cause it's not an option in the clock resolution settings and one has to click away the message Stefan posted above before music will play.

Peter, with my ASUS mb the setting is found in the BIOS by entering the Advanced Mode then clicking on the Advanced Tab at the top of the screen. Then select the PCH Configuration in the drop down menu.

Gave it a try and the difference is substantial and, I think, crazy good. Just about everything I listened too I increased volume one "click", generally 22.5 from 24. First impression is that it 's similar to increasing SFS in that its easier on the ears, but rather than the sound being muffled, as happens with larger SFS's, it became more refined with the timer disabled. Being more refined (less distortion I didn't know I was hearing before????), it is easier on the ears at louder volume. Everything else seemed to get bigger too: sound stage, separation of instruments and voices. At first it was such a big difference that it did sound a bit crazy. After a few hours though it just sounded incredibly good.

Maybe I'll hear it differently tomorrow.....hope not! 

Hey Juan, I don't know what "PbD" means? Am really interested in your and others impressions regarding SQ with RAMDISC. Any further thoughts?

Brian

When PA was first released I remember posting something about the SFS issue may finally be solved. It's because of your observation that anything above 2 just doesn't sound "right"; it sounds a bit veiled or smeared. Also, Paul, what you said about the level of detail in your first post in this thread is exactly what I have here, and its crazy good. The other night I was listening to one of the quieter tracks on Bonnie Raitt's new CD--its just her voice and a piano Twice I distinctly heard a soft creaking sound that at first I thought was a loose speaker wire. Turns out it's the shifting of her body weight on the piano bench! But what's really amazing about my sound is the sense that its entirely natural and musical sounding. Its not harsh or edgey.

Truly Nobel Prize worthy!

This has been the same for me....and  probably too many times, I've listened and compared even SFS values from 2 to 10. With most music I usually end up at 2.

Carsten, on my system minimized mode is indicated when the "loudspeaker icon" in the lower right hand taskbar has a red "X" over it. When there is no "X" I'm in full OS mode.

Thank Nick for this one too. 

Any SFS setting higher than 10 here causes the music to sound muffled. I usually just leave it at 2, though once in a while I set it a bit higher. Here the music sounds so frickin' natural and not hard edged at these low settings. Am pretty sure that unplugging all other drives is part of the reason. For example, everytime I forget to unpluug the optical drive after ripping, it always sound hard edged at a low SFS setting.

Hey Mani where is your Windows volume? Turn it up if you are not in minimized mode.

In  my system voices are too flat with a SFS of 60. They are more harmonic or dimensional with a SFS of 2: previous harshness with a really low SFS has been replaced by this more complex, "realistic"  sound. This has been the case for me since the initial release of 9Z7. Then again maybe I've become addicted to a kind of distortion, but I sure do like it. 

My bad. Yes I have sometimes two small ticks, and sometimes the last sample or samples briefly repeat, when I stop or change tracks. They are not loud or dangerous soundin. Setting the SFS to 60 and I get the same results as you as well.