No sound - XP

[TJF]

Hi,

now I am on it to compare some players first with XP. But the latest version 0.9x-7 seems to be very unstable here. With engine 1 there is no sound. And Uxsms cannot be started... Looking for a Vista service in XP...?

Regards
Thomas

[PeterSt]

Hi Thomas,

The uxsms thing (for XP) is a known bug that got in in one of the latest versions;
That XP won't produce sound I did not know (I'll try myself later today and let you know).

Thanks,
Peter

[TJF]

Hi Peter,

sorry, it was on me. Now it sounds ...

Comparing the last cPlay (44,1 kHz, Asio) with engine1: XXHE sounds very good, but I miss a basic tone/color with XXHE (even Winamp and Foobar have it). Do you have any idea?

In your latest version there is no possibility (in my case) to change the Qs (in 0.9/2 it is possible). I didn't find any manual what this parameters are doing...

Best regards
Thomas

[PeterSt]

Ah Thomas, that's good. Thanks or mentioning it. I was almost up to it.

In XP the Q sliders can't work. Sorry, but this is Engine#3 only, which means Vista (or W2008 or W7).
In the earlier versions with Q2/3/4/5 those sliders were enabled by accident (but did nothing).

You can find a brief outlay on them here : Q Parameter Settings.

but I miss a basic tone/color with XXHE

If you mean tone/color *controls* then I must disappoint you. XXHighend is not about any means of DSP, and instead tries to pass through the bits as 1:1 as possible (up to the DAC-Out).
But did you mean controls ? if not, can you elaborate a bit please ?

Peter

[TJF]

Hi Peter,

shure - I don't mean any controls and I don't expect any "sound" controls - I use it only on a (max.) 1,25GB/s digital fiber optic output (laser). This is no standard, but everything sounds a little bit more perfect than any kind of cable connection ... And every kind of source sounds the same kind of "sound" like with cables - but a bit more perfect and more intensive ...

In my XP-test I can hear that XXHE sounds similar to the effect - i.e. - like a speaker-Q which value is to low. It sounds very exactly, but lower frequencies are "thin". Only (!) with XXHE. Not with any other software player, not with CD or SACD-Players.

Please give me a next advice ... This way with engine1 on XP it is on cPlay (44,1 kHz without upsampling).

Best regards
Thomas

[PeterSt]

Aha Thomas, your "low Q" explains it all ...

(although I must first say that the effect is much less on XP compared to Vista)

If you search in here for "standing waves" you may find what this all is about ...

So ... try to pay attention to whether you are hearing "illegal" bass from other players, or just too thinny sound from XXHighEnd;
One of the things I "claim" is that standing waves won't bother you. You just hear the bass as it is, and not the room mostly creating it. The advantage is that that you can play way loud (infinitly for that matter) *and* you can recide in the room wherever you want (no calibrated sweetspot needed) and keep on perceiving the music in balance. No DSP is involved here, more more accurate playback is.

Try to imagine "think" bass waves incurred by inaccurate playback, oppposed to "thin" bass waves by more accuracy. The effect ? bass waves won't easily meet anymore. The chance is just less because they occupy less space.

The real effect ? perceiving individual vibes from bass strings, while otherwise it is just a low tone.
Try to find a surface that is willing to vibrate with bass waves (a bar would be an idea). While you did not "learn" to hear it yet, you for sure will feel it. The difference ? nothing with standing waves, and vibrations (like from 80Hz or lower) when all is as intended.

When you tweaked your system in advance to how you are used to things, you will have turned the bass output more low (think of XOvers, or even bass knobs). If so indeed, try to put everything back to neutral.

Last resort for me (hehe) : if you are using a DAC with Opamps in the output stage, blame that (and I am the most serious). You may recognize that because of sub low output (under 40Hz) being OK, but the low right above that being not.

If you can't agree with anything of this, please don't hesitate to say so. But also keep in mind : YMMV because of using XP, and while most say even that sounds better than everything, it is really not 100% under my control. Vista/Engine#3 is ...

So again, please let me know after now knowing the above.
Peter