XXHighEnd

Hi guys,

Sharing my thoughts on the SQ. I am finding that low end has almost disappeared. Tried various settings of SFS from 0.9 to 4 but no difference at all. It's like the low end has going down many a dB. I am really surprised as no one else has experienced it. Vocals, mids, high end have improved in the sense, more clearer, but this could also be a perception due to the sheer lack of the low end.

Best regards,

Arvind

Hi Arvind,


That certainly will be true, I'd say. That is, when the inherent quality is good, or otherwise you'll only perceive more harshness (etc.).
But now what ...

I can try to give a response, but with the notice it is only one. All could be very personal ...

I don't even know any more what my own findings were. But I don't really recall anything of less bass. All I seem to remember is a sentence (written in the forum) "that bass !!".
But maybe not ...

To me it seems, very theoretically, that in that (bass) realm too, things got better. So say that all is better generally, then the bass could be "better" just the same. But now it depends what happens further ...

(Please keep in mind, this is not about the quality of speakers, nor my judgement about them.)

Suppose that the bass output in a certain stage (in time) is "more". And do notice that this most certainly can happen, because it *did* happen in the past. But think a small tad more and not 20dB more (although ... I recall a post in the forum about 20dB more of sub low - many years ago and just because of an XXHighEnd version).
This small tad more can imply that a boundary is crossed of distortion. Think of the easy example (but not a realistic example) of 20Hz being presented to the speaker, but because it can't really cope with that, there is distortion at 40Hz. Now, 20Hz is inaudible for us, but 40Hz sure is very well audible. And, because the 20Hz is now output at 3dB more than before, suddenly the 40Hz becomes audible because the 20Hz crossed the boundary of distortion in the speaker (driver). So first the 20Hz is loud enough to imply the distortion (the 20Hz is still inaudible) and next the distortion itself is there in 40Hz (while before nothing was distorting into 40Hz). So the effect : you suddeny hear a way loud bass where before nothing was heard.

Of course I am extreme with my inaudible 20Hz example, but at all levels where the speaker actually has rolled off, the same applies. Thus, 30Hz, normally rolled off by e.g. 4dB and with that just not distorting at the levels you play, now distorts at the 4dB more and makes 60dB way more loud audible than the 30Hz itself.

Of course this is the story the other way around from what you experience, but hopefully it is clear better now what can happen :
Because the bass output got a bit less (only a bit) all the distortion you had from it previously, now has gone. And now you feel you are in lack of bass.

I know, this could be the largest BS ever. But I am trying to find an explanation for why I don't have the same experience as you do. And, this would be logical because my speaker can cope easily with the 20Hz (at 89dBSPL). So if my bass output would rise 4dB I would only notice it when I play louder than 85dB (because the limit of audible distortion (89) was crossed.
Anyway, it must be clear that this example too is exaggerated because first I must play something with 20Hz in it. However, it is exagerated because when my limit is at 20Hz it certainly goes all the way OK for e.g. 28Hz (which easily is in music) while for your speaker you may wonder (with my telling that each not actively DSP'd speaker(-driver) starts to roll of at 100Hz or so.

Summarized :
It is very well known that an OS can show more or less bass (like W7 showing the most bass of them all). However, this is not in crazy amounts. But, because a tad too much can make a speaker distort easily in the lower regions, and can very easily show as 20dB more bass (20Hz without distortion vs with, is "infinitely more" (because 20Hz itself is inaudible)).

Most probably this is a very weak explanation, but it looks like it is one anyway;
If anyone has another possible explanation, or the same experience, please don't hold back.

Arvind, if you have crazy ideas yourself, you too, don't hesitate.

One last remark :
To my own findings, especially the bass is very fragile for the lower SFS settings. But this is more about the colouring of the bass than the level of it (at least that is what I think). So for W10 the SFS can not be too low and I myself keep it to 0.15 (this is not in my sig).

Best regards,
Peter

Hi Peter,

I was quite surprised at the distinct drop in the low end. On further investigation I did find that the DC offset of the DAC was significantly different from the std readings. Correcting this has improved the low end to a great extent. I would go to the extent of saying that the bass now is true. Prior to W10074 the bass was a little bloated hence I perceived a significant difference.

Best regards,

Arvind

Aha ... OK !
Thanks for the feedback.

Peter