XXHighEnd Model 0.9z-4-1

[Calibrator]

Hi Peter,

in the release notes for 0.9z-4-1 you wrote:

When playback is started and XXHighEnd quits, notice the message telling you that Services are being stopped. Only when it has gone, use Alt-P for Playback. Not earlier. Also notice that at a first playback session after a reboot this can easily take a minute. A next time it will be seconds to none.

Can you think of any reason why you couldn't append a PLAY function to the code that controls when the message box disappears? It would save the user from having to issue the Alt-P themselves. You could perhaps alter the wording to something like "Services are being shut down, and play will commence when message box disappears. DO NOT attempt manual PLAY before then"

Cheers,

Russ ( still fiddling with parameters ! )   

Now Playing: Herb Ellis - Ellis In Wonderland

[SlickenSmooth]

Now, I'm trying to fine tune it! If only I had a way to make the sharp edges a little bit more round... When I listen to vocals and someone pronounces the SSSSssss it's a little bit shapr to my ears.

Maybe I need to play with the SFS...

But overall the sound is very good now. It seems like MC has the best of SC and Mixed.

[BrianG]

Had another listen last night and was looking to find the max SFS for the different memory configurations and managed 120 with SC.  When I first listened to it I thought "Oh no, too much like z-4-0" but I gave it a little more time and then decided to get the Q1 setting as low as possible, for me this is 8 bits and just by doing this the edges were taken off (Q1 is back in the game).  Let me add I Like the bass now too the way it supports the whole experience is superb 

BUT who cares about all this tweaking when I can't stop my feet tapping, on a few occasions I was having difficulty sitting down as the urge to dance was so great (Any DJ with this player will be a sell-out success overnight!). This was followed by the urge to sing and join in and on two occasions I burst into tears.   

My wife joined me on two occasions (both to bring me a cup of tea  ) and she failed the "can you sit with your feet still" test on both occasions.

XXHighend has moved from the technical to the emotional plane wow, well done Peter I think we have our first candidate for version 1.0 status.   

[Flecko]

I'm curious of how much you have your SFS on?

I use sfs=220 with mixed.

Now, I'm trying to fine tune it! If only I had a way to make the sharp edges a little bit more round...

You could try an attenuator like jkeny suggested.

[PeterSt]

Can you think of any reason why you couldn't append a PLAY function to the code that controls when the message box disappears? It would save the user from having to issue the Alt-P themselves. You could perhaps alter the wording to something like "Services are being shut down, and play will commence when message box disappears.

Hey there Russ,

Well, can you think of a reason that you applied "Do not start at all" ?
Deactivate that, and you'll have what you want (if I understand you correctly). But this *is* different. So, when playback starts automatically there is no time to let things "cool down", *might* that be what one wants (I am not sure myself, or not anymore).
But sure I feel what you mean, and it really won't take long anymore before I myself deactivate this button ... (waiting is ok, but waiting for nothing, no sounds, so coffee ? toilet maybe ? ... that's not it).

Peter

[PeterSt]

BUT who cares about all this tweaking when I can't stop my feet tapping,

I may not be so much used to this myself (or listen too much to other things), but this time I put it in the Release Notes, most probably for a reason. But it is just true I guess ... I never sit in a chair listening, and I'm always wlking around doing things, cooking etc., and I can only finding myself whisteling throughout. I hear false voices, and next it appears my wife is humming. This can even be preceeded by a "oh no, not again those ever playing the same songs jazz players" after which I usually have to shut down and try something else she won't like anyway. I now can play what I like, what about that.
But the ever best test is and remains :

Our 12 year old -usually with headphones behind some game or TV- gets totally wild once the headphones are off. The degree of him getting wild (on the beat of the music) is just a great measure. If he doesn't move at all, something is seriously wrong. And sometimes it is. But not now. Now he needs ADHD medicine ...

[Calibrator]

Well, can you think of a reason that you applied "Do not start at all" ?
Deactivate that, and you'll have what you want (if I understand you correctly).

Bonjour Pierre,

Well, Yes, I could do that, but I was interpreting your notes ...

Assumed is Unattended Playback (this is a prerequisite for all !). Also assumed is "Do not start Playback at all", hence do that lateron with Alt-P. This is not a must, but it will matter (and has not been tested otherwise).

... as being the preferred way to start playback with the new memory management. I shall try going back to previous way of letting things start automatically, and see if I can detect any meaningful differences between the procedures.

Ta

Russ

FYI ... it's hard for me at the moment to comment on improvements with this version. Reason being is that last week the chap who built my speakers visited and we decided to remove the integration of my subs when playing 2 channel, and discontinue the use of the parametric equalizer in the pre-processor. Net result is a completely difference sound reference and I'm slowly learning to come to terms with what I'm now hearing. Suffice to say it all sounds very much improved, and of immediate note is the tight controlled bass registers. More feedback to come as I appreciate the changes made. 

[manisandher]

OK, I'm sitting writing with my laptop and 0.9z-4-1 playing in the background on my main system. I've literally just heard one track, but I listened to the same track with 0.9z-4-0 just beforehand. I'm using the parameters in Peter's signature for 0.9z-4-0 (i.e. Special, etc), and the identical parameters with 0.9z-4-1, but with SFS=500 and Mixed. All services are off, except LAN, which I need as I use a NAS (which I still like, even though some here don't)... and of course, no RAMDisk.

The difference here is night and day, with 0.9z-4-1 being very much superior. (Of course, 0.9z-4-0 would certainly sound better with RAMDisk, but I can't be bothered to reinstall RAMDisk, and in any case, I doubt it would come close to 0.9z-4-1.) I agree with most of the comments that have already been written in this thread relating to SQ. I will post again with my thoughts on what I would like more/less of. But right now, I'm finding it difficult to identify anything that I would change.

Best Sounding XHE ever!!!!!!!!!

First impression: Best ever!

This is the best I have ever heard.........

I cannot believe how different it sounds. It sounds like the sweetest analogue sound.

I love my first impressions.

I totally concur.

Mani.

[PeterSt]

Haha, nice post. But my sig has not been adjusted by any means ! it's just old (from 4-0 somewhere).


But what's next ? all go to laptops ?

[PeterSt]

If we're quoting some superlatives anyway, this one jumped at me from someone who rather sends emails than posting in here (there are many more, but I really like this one especially) :

I just had to send you another email - I have z4-1 running. WOW is all I can say I have run out of words because I used them all up on previous versions (he he). But all previous versions are irrelevant z4-1 is just stunning - just as you said it would be. I can say no more.

I thought this level of performance beyond my system - maybe only achievable with a top vinyl deck.

I am now completely sure that you will not able to improve XX any further - you have achieved your goal - just as I thought that with previous releases

[Gerard]

you will not able to improve XX any further

Indeed unthinkable that you could. 

Are you going to explain what you did so different? Or is that going to be a secret. Which i will understand.

 

[PeterSt]

Totally secret. In any case it was no accident, and it had to be a REALLY working thing, because remember, I had RAMDisk theories ... and I want my theories to proove right. Just me ...

What should be the next step ?
Adjusting the software for little problems without adjusting SQ eh ? hmm ...

[manisandher]

... all go to laptops ?

I just wanted to clarify that I'm posting on my laptop, and certainly not playing XX on my laptop!

[Remainder of post deleted]

Mani.

[manisandher]

Well, after a short spell with Mixed, I'm back to Straight Contiguous. Mixed is very easy on the ear but there is a loss of 'focus' (a bit like using RAMDisk). Straight Contiguous brings this focus back and the bass becomes more tuneful - but as before, I end up just wanting more of this beautiful bass (with Mixed, I have no desire for extra bass).

SFS=500 in both cases.

Mani.

PS. I haven't tried MC... should I?

[boleary]

this is one of the things I didn't mention - although I implied something with changing the (digital) volume being faster even at the higher SFS settings - possibilities seem endless now. Or said differently : how to destroy this.
And again IOW ... HEADROOM.
Well, for something.

I never said it much in here, but one of the virtues of vinyl seems to be the headroom before things start sounding wrong. To me (as a personal observation without asking wives etc. etc.), it seems that this headroom now is there. It just feels like that.

Reading the above made me think of this:

Split file size and volume
« on: August 23, 2010, 01:32:53 pm » Quote Modify Remove 

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Ever since Marcin posted the reducing the split file size to the minimum produced very good sound for him, I've been experimenting with it as well. With vocals, Leonard Cohen, Dylan, Patty Griffin, Eva, Dianna,  etc., the "correct" setting changes for each singer depending on the volume level. Take a singer and turn the volume to a moderate level. Here, on my system, setting the split file size to 12 does sound very good, but, turn the volume up to very loud and everything sounds way too detailed and etched, like a too sharpened digital photo. Keeping the sound very loud, turn the split file size up to between 80 and 200 (depending on the vocalist) and it sounds very pleasing again, though it looses some detail it sounds very realistic.

Its interesting that reducing the size at loud volumes initially sounds "best" but it soon becomes fatiguing. In a way, the split file size acts like a master tone control: reducing it makes all ranges, low, mid and high,  sharper and more revealing, thus for moderate volume it sounds "best"; increasing it, at very high volumes, rounds all ranges off and makes them feel more pleasing. Give it a try........and let me know if I've lost my mind......

Now I'm not entirely sure of everything Peter means by "Headroom" but I think volume must have something to do with it. Back in the early days of 9z-2, I was pretty sure that most of the differences in SFS's I used for different recordings was due to the recording, so I advocated that the SFS "knob" be put on the face of the GUI so it could be quickly changed. It just didn't seem possible that it could be a set it and forget it setting.......boy was I wrong.

The amazing thing about 9z-4-1 is that using large SFS's the sweet spot of my volume control has  been significantly broadened, as a result I don't have to change the SFS depending on the recording; rather it is only with an adjustment of volume that I account for the differences in recordings. It seems that this has been made possible because all frequencies seem to have become more stable, present and smooth(??). Before, with 9z-2, as SFS was increased the music would flatten (unless you turned it up really loud!)

From my not at all technical perspective this is really a great achievment in XX, making using the program much simpler.