2.07 a great christmas surprise

[Nick]

Peter,

It was a very nice Christmas Eve suprise  to see 2.07 posted today.

We have really been enjoying carols playedbwith 2.07 today, very nice sound. Definatly a big step forward from 2.06 here.

Thanks and Happy Christmas.

Nick.

[Arjan]

Yes, the SQ of 2.07 is a pleasant surprise.
Arjan.

[grom64]

Peter!
Thank you for 2.07!
Merry Christmas!
Basil.

[dsm]

Thank you Peter.

What a nice surprise today and the changing of the UAC requirements will make using Tidal so much easier for me.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

David

[boleary]

Yeah, wonderful Christmas surprise. Sound is fantastic and I love how much quicker volume changes happen. Thanks most mysterious sound quality  lab. 

[boleary]

Further note on speed of volume change: ticking "don't do anything with cover art" causes volume to change much faster in unattended; unticking "do nothing with cover art" and using mirror back, volume change takes longer but cover art doesn't seem to change SQ. Hope I'm not imagining this.

[PeterSt]

Hi Brian,

There's just one Do and Don't too much for you or me. Can you check your text for that and repeat in "better fashion" ? Of course it is about the last one only, but since you make a mistake in the first two, I can suspect a mistake in that last one just the same. And I can also tell you that the last sentence seems to bear some inconsistency. This is not a matter of life and death but it is a matter of do or don't (for me) - haha.

Regards,
Peter

[boleary]

No mistakes. Activating cover art (Unticking "Don't Do Anything With Cover Art") causes volume changes to take a bit longer. However, after A-B'ing yesterday, I was mistaken about SQ. Activating cover art just kills the sound here.  So I am back to "Don't Do Anything With Cover Art." However, love the sound of 2.07!

[PeterSt]

OK Brian, thanks. I am ging to try that too ...

[boleary]

Peter after disabling cover art reboot the audio pc and you will then have the volume changing very quickly in unattended. Just switching back and forth regarding cover art, without a reboot, causes volume to be slower with and without cover art, but if you disable cover art, reboot and then play unattended, volume changes take 10 seconds or less.

[PeterSt]

Interesting. But to have it clear for myself, your mentioned "10 seconds or less" is the fast version, right ? How slow would it be in slow-mode (so to speak) on estimate ? (no need to stopwatch)

Thanks a lot,
Peter

[boleary]

I'd say around 20-25 seconds

[AlainGr]

I just had the occasion to install the patch over my XXHE 2.06 (win 10 b. 14393). Wow, it is even clearer and live than the previous version!

These days I am listening to Link Wray, an artist that played guitar with a lot of distortion. There is a lot of vibrations and variations. They are rendered with more depth then I recall with 2.06.

Another level has been reached. Each time I wonder if i is possible to go even further... I probably should stop asking myself each time

Thanks a lot Peter

Alain

[briefremarks]

A quick question on installing the 2.07 upgrade.  I want to do this on both the Stealth Audio PC (running 14393.0 from RAM-OS) and the original XXHE Music PC (running W8 from HD).

- The Stealth PC came with what is identified as 2.06b.  Does the patch work for this version?   
- I am also somewhat ignorant about the proper activation process when installing the patch on a machine not connected to the internet.  Presently neither the Audio PC or the Music PC are connected to the internet.  Do I get a code from a machine connected to the internet, and then use it?  I thought it was necessary to get the activation code from the machine where it will be used.
- Any special procedure required for the XXHE that came already activated with the Stealth PC SSD?

Still catching up on so many fronts. 

Ramesh

[PeterSt]

Hi Ramesh,

The UpgradePatch can just be installed over the 2.06b and in that particular folder (named 2.xx in there). Not (re)activation related whatsoever.

If that W8 machine is not updated to 2.06, you'll need to upgrade to 2.06(b) first by means of the previous UpgradePatches, or install the complete 2.07 in a new folder. That too should not imply reactivation but often people don't follow what I expect they should and the lot gets deactivated (but blame me).
Either way no connection to the Internet is needed because I can arrange things from here for you (or others). Just drop me an email. Best would be, though, when you try yourself the UpgradePatch which is contained in the 2.06 (Relasenotes) because in the end this is the easiest and can not fail (and this too counts for everybody).

Kind regards,
Peter

[briefremarks]

I just upgraded the Stealth Audio PC to XXHE 2.07.  Peter: you have made this so easy now, with the 2.xx folder!  Listened to a few albums, and I can hardly believe the further improvement in SQ.  What a lovely Christmas gift.

I was noticing Peter's signature line, and see that the clock res is set to 1ms, and not the earlier suggested 15ms.  I also noticed the DAC device buffer at 4ms, not 16ms.  Is this a revision based on the Phisolatar and B'ASS setup that you have Peter, or generally applicable for those using the Stealth PC.

Wishing everyone a wonderful new year!

Ramesh

[PeterSt]

Ramesh,

My settings spring (and can only spring) from my current gear, which is including the B'ASS and stuff. I must add : sadly. But please notice that this is already so (including the B'ASS I mean) for 18 months which is longer than the Stealth exists.

Putting real value to my settings is thus difficult at this moment with the notice that different incarnations of B'ASS already imply differences (last quite huge one was only yesterday !).

Soon all will be settled.

Best regards,
Peter

[juanpmar]

It may be because I´ve been away from home a few days without listening music or because the new 2.07 sounds really better, the fact is that this new version is a great gift for 2017. Thanks Peter!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Juan

[Robert]

Hi Happy New Year,
                          Well I have downloaded 2.07 upgrade patch and after several restarts its going ok so far. Still some 24/96/192 albums skipping in some tracks when I load the whole album. If I load single tracks it doesn't skip.

For the RAM-OS Disk and booting from RAM, the Timer settings could not be applied previously. Now they can. In order to let this work, apply this (you 'll need to do this one time only, but for each OS you boot from RAM) :

This is working for me, but I have a question.

Do I have to reset "Refresh and Apply buttons in Timer settings" everytime I play a new album in Ram OS? I notice when an album is cleared after listening the settings show they are not set?

Otherwise 2.07 sounds great and a definite improvement. I have left Intona in the circuit for now.

Robert

[briefremarks]

Robert,

There is a note in the 2.07 upgrade that indicates that for 2.07 SQ improvements it is necessary to go back to Base OS, then min OS, and then min RAM OS.  Wondering if everyone is doing this right away after installing the upgrade because I did not, and only later realized that it was needed.

Just in case anyone else like me missed it when reading the upgrade notes.

Ramesh

[Robert]

Ramesh, yes I did that to reset the Timer/Timing settings after install and it worked perfectly. I'm just not sure about resetting Refresh in Xxhighend while playing albums or songs when listening. Or when resetting at install this is all that's required.

Robert

[PeterSt]

Robert,

Nothing needs to be re-applied. And if you look at the current state, always do Refresh and nothing else.

More clear now ?

Regards,
Peter

[Robert]

Thanks for the Refresh button activation point.

I have reversed my Bios CPU core setting back to Auto but disabled Turbo to see if that makes a difference to skipping issue(24/96/192). Perhaps my computer is running light on cores and power. Anyway it seems to be working for hires files.

I compared the latest HQ player(Trial) and wtfplay(Linux) with XXhighend and boy was the difference massive. Noticeable immediately. No competition for 2.07.

The best sound I have ever had from my computer this latest XXhighend 2.07!!!

Robert

[Stanray]

Last week I installed XXHighend 2.07 and a few days later started using the RAM-OS disk with Windows 10 14393 so I’m not really shure what’s responsible most for the huge improvement in sound quality (I guess the RAM-OS is the most dominant factor).

I’m not going to try to describe the different aspects of the sound improvement, only that the past week I listened longer and with more pleasure than ever before.

Concerning the BIOS settings, there was a time when we changed these to improve SQ. With the current setup-RAM-OS/W14393/2.07-is there any need to change those settings or maybe just not change them (as Robert implies above)? Are there any crucial BIOS settings now?

Anyway, thanks again Peter 

Stanley

[Robert]

Unless you have the new Stealth, Bios settings are totally in your hands especially regarding individual hardware. I've been using the old XXHE computer Bios settings but my computer only has 4 cores, 8 threads.

In the light of changing Bios settings I hope I've solved a problem. As a result of the sound being so good I can't not listen to 2.07. I played the latest St Germain - St Germain 24/44, wow detail and bass not heard before. In fact probably need to rework my subs now.

Robert

[PeterSt]

Hi guys, thank you for the responses.

Stanley, the BIOS settings in the Stealth are for the majority the same as layed out for the "XXHighEnd PC". The Stealth has many more settings, but they remained untouched (were not explored or were regarded wackey by me for the processor we use (this was confirmed by ASRock).

Regards,
Peter

[manisandher]

I totally agree with all the positive comments regarding the SQ of 2.07. To my ears it sounds 'cleaner' and 'clearer' than 2.06a. With 2.07, it's almost as if I've reduced the SFS to very low level (I haven't), BUT the sound remains nice and full (as opposed to too thin or anaemic, as low SFS tends to produce).

I hope this makes sense.

Mani.