XXHighEnd

XX has become a labyrinth with it's infinite possibilities of settings.
Peter says "try for your self and choose what you like the best". Or "read the forum and learn from the others".

But testing on your own is extremely time consuming. My occasional home-alone-hour doesn't even last through the Q1-dial attempts.

Reading other's advices is sometimes very rewarding, but can also be confusing, due to the variety of their equipment: Different PC, different motherboard, different soundcard, different DAC, different playback system and of course different listening preferences. Add the usual degree of placebo and uncertainness, and in the end I get completely confused.  :wacko:

So, in order to regain my sanity, I have re-set the Q-settings to something very simple;
Q1 = 14 (my very own and trusty setting since the beginning of time)
Q2 = 0
Q3 = 0
Q4 = 0
Q5 = 0
Q1 factor = 1

And you know what? It sound very, very good:
Over all sound is tight and dynamic for all frequencies, but still resolved and open, and without any edge or colorations to speak about.
Fiddling with the remaining Q-settings might add some "smoothness" and "spaciousness", but might as well be heard as a over-smoothness and dulling.

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Just to cross-check my finding: Can somebody duplicate the Q1-5 = 14/0/0/0/0 (factor1), and tell me what you hear?


PS: Remaining settings per my signature, including lowest possible Clock=0,5ms and SFS=4Mb (needs 4Mb for unattended playback of Hirez files)

I moved myself out of the game because as very well known my XXHighEnd's settings won't change a thing.:tomatoes:

As for others ? I don't know; if I look at myself then I'm as far as "oh well, it might bring a change but I don't need a change".
But possibly people tried, found it to be for the worse and next don't tell about that. When for the better they would have ...

?

Peter

Hi Pedal,
you are not using the latest  XXH Release, therefore a test is .... .

:oops:

So aha Joachim, you are right.
Ok Pedal, now you know why no answer here ...

Peter

PS:

Which also explains how "someone" can come to the idea that 0,0,0 (Q3,4,5) is better than 1,1,1. But for the version you use all is different ...

OT: Peter, what do you mean by this ? Is it a hardware thing or software based ?

Alain

Yeah yeah, you help with the scattering. Good idea this time.

Hardware.


PS: Not so good for Pedal's topic. But he too wouldn't care.
:coocoo:

Oops, seems I am 5 months behind schedule, still using the previous version LOL  :blush1:

But the good news is that today I upgraded it all, including Hotkeys and other quirky settings necessary for Unattended playback with my RDT controlled set up.  :veryhappy:

Oh Boy am I happy I did!
The SQ is clearly better now. Moving on to my new settings (see signature) I hear improvements "everywhere": Near-perfect balance between bass-mid-treble. Bass is deep and tight, with less "boom". Midrange is very open and organic, while treble is just "there" very well integrated.

Siri's Svale Band Blackbird is a great jazz recording. An instant classic in Norway upon release in 1990, which got worldwide fame after appearing on Stereophile R2D4 later on.

Frankly, I have tired a little bit of this album lately, but tonight it' like first love again. The recording is slightly dark tonally, and the double basses can sound boomy in many a system when played loud. But with my present settings all tracks sounds superb. Very detailed and open upper mids/treble, but still full bodied bass.

UPDATE:
Steely Dan 2AN/Janie Runaway in 24/96: Another stunner! The bass is so tight, deep and juicy.
Rickie Lee Jones/Pirates/We Belong Together: Same here - The famously (digitally) recorded kick drum is tighter AND more punchy than ever.

Summary: I think the resent XX version + W8 is clearly the best version so far. Especially because of the clean and tight bass. 

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Only beauty mark with these settings is a single short drop-out a few seconds into each track.

Aren't you too old to remember that ?
Or is it me myself who is. Now I forgot ...

haha