My first Windows 8 experience

[BertD]

That means that I can use the Windows Volume Slider to adjust the volume...is that a good thing?

I already removed that Windows Slider... 

EDIT: Can be done by right-clicking the Windoes Volume Control (that little speaker icon) and go to options and turn off the audio devices related to the DAC there).

Bert

[PeterSt]

A general remark :

Nothing, really *nothing* is worse than faked detail; I have said it many times before : it is the most easy to dial-in by many means. But for your understanding : tweaking cross-overs the wrong way is one of these means, and it should tell you how things can be wrong, while initially it is perceived as better, just because of hearing more detail. But this is not true because all what happens is that the balance of the lot is shifted towards a wrong direction.

With too much detail things get profound like moving fingers over wound strings, spitting and other mouth noises, and in general we can say that the instrument falls apart; its initiating voice (like a string vibrating) gets detached from its body and although you'd still hear both, it doesn't fit anymore. So, this is not about the balance of the whole picture or stage, but the elements making music not being right anymore.
Remember what I talked about in one of the first posts : my wife not seeing the players anymore visualizing that by means of wanting to have the stage curtains open (while this was NOT about dull or blanketed sound at all !) and me at the same time not being able to see the stage anymore, but how the guitar grip was hold and played. Nice, really interesting, good for some change, but you loose the picture of the whole, while it *is* about the whole.
That in the mean time it is totally annoying (which is an unconscious thing) is the first indication that something has to be wrong.

Never EVER fall into that pitfall of being happy with too much detail. Don't ask me what experience it takes to know when too much detail is there, which of course also depends a lot on what your chain can unveal. But one clear measure exists : when suddenly half or more of your albums don't sound right anymore and you blame the recording. DON'T.

Peter


PS: About Bert's mentioned weight (which is the opposite of too detailed) : One of the albums I played yesterday was from Al Stewart. I know (just *know*) that all his creations lack weight. The guitar sounds too light though detailed. Well, what I heard yesterday was the best I ever heard from him. All in proper balance. This is how I find this W8 setting better than any W7 attempt. That it needs Normal OS and all the tweaking for the better not to be active is, well, embarrassing. So that is how I meant *that*.

[juanpmar]

When I listened XX with W8 for the first time I was amazed with the sound as I said in a post. I defined it as with a bass with weight (and detail), smooth, clear, delineated, even holographic and palpable sound.

My settings then were Normal OS due that I had no Activation code, the other settings I had, and have now, that I don´t have yet my new Activation code are the ones that I had in W7, but in this case:

- the Playback drive is in a USB 3.0 pendrive.

- Phasure Buffer Size: 8ms.

- Stop all Services, although I can see that stopping only the Deskstop services makes a little sweeter sound but less palpable. However I have to experience it with more time and careful listening.

- Q1=14, xQ1=1

- And the most important one: SFS: 2.0 I tested higher settings and there is no possible comparison with 2.0. SFS 2.0 is the way to go at least in my system as it was also with W7.

As I said with these settings the sound is the best one I ever heard: Palpable, realistic, holographic, reach, excellent soundstage and with the instruments and voices firmly placed in their positions. No strange or weird stereo image.

I´m going to play this way for a while before I ask for another Activation code to be sure that all is working fine.

Juan

[BertD]

- Stop all Services...

Isn't this basically the same as playing MiniOS?

Bert

[christoffe]

Following this thread the result will be:

In other words,
we will have two XXH versions in the future, one for W7 and one for W8.

see Peter's sig.

Joachim

[PeterSt]

- Stop all Services...

Isn't this basically the same as playing MiniOS?

No way ...

[christoffe]

Had to go back to W7  due to the “small ball like soundstage” in the center (mono effect) and missing 3D room image. 
Now the soundstage and the resinous sound of the violin are back. (my listing SPL is well below 80dBA)

The abnormal SQ differences between W8 and W7 could be PC (built in 2010) related.
Under W8 with the "W7 Shell" installed, the boot manager was not working and an access to the BIOS was not possible anymore (on my PC).

Joachim

[CoenP]

Joachim,

Did you check the windows 8 mixer (volumesliders)?

Regards, Coen

[manisandher]

Ahhhh, it makes me want to give up on computer audio altogether. I'm half serious too.

But the guys who like W8 in Normal OS are right - the sound is way more relaxed and listenable than in Min OS.

I also just compared W7 (with my old settings, which I was quite happy with) to W8 and I prefer W8 in Normal OS. The latter seems at least as detailed as W7, but more natural and less annoying.

So is the conclusion that stripping an OS down to a bare minimum is detrimental to SQ (because noise is not as well randomized)?



Mani.

[christoffe]

Joachim,

Did you check the windows 8 mixer (volumesliders)?

Regards, Coen

Hi Coen,

no, it's too late now.

Joachim

[christoffe]

Ahhhh, it makes me want to give up on computer audio altogether. I'm half serious too.

But the guys who like W8 in Normal OS are right - the sound is way more relaxed and listenable than in Min OS.

I also just compared W7 (with my old settings, which I was quite happy with) to W8 and I prefer W8 in Normal OS. The latter seems at least as detailed as W7, but more natural and less annoying.

So is the conclusion that stripping an OS down to a bare minimum is detrimental to SQ (because noise is not as well randomized)?



Mani.

Hi Mani,

the conclusion with the experience of all participants of this thread is, Peter has to program/modify an OS destined for XXH only to get a consisted basis for future (next 10 years)upgrades.

Joachim

P.S. I will not give up Computer Audio since W7 is supported until 2020, but I have to buy a new Audio PC soonest.

[PeterSt]

I finally got my special "tweak" running again under Minimized OS so I could compare;
I tried Normal OS with Remaining Services stopped and without real listening and again sitting in front of the right speaker I as not sure whether I heard "some" of the strangeness back. However, with the same settings in Minimized for sure they are. This most weird image just in the middle between the speakers while sitting in front of the right one.
The stupid thing is that this sounds so interesting with again that "wow" effect. Okay, talked about that sufficiently enough by now.

Will see tonight how Normal OS sounds with Remaining Services shut off and compare with those remained on.

Peter

[manisandher]

Can be done by right-clicking the Windoes Volume Control (that little speaker icon) and go to options and turn off the audio devices related to the DAC there).

Bert, I don't understand what you mean. In Normal OS, the vol slider continues to work no matter what (see below). Exactly what did you do to deactivate it?

Mani.

[manisandher]

Now this is just too much. I have start-up sound switched off (see below). I have the volume control set to 100% because I want to control the volume in XX.

AND I GET THE BLOODY START-UP SOUND!!!!!!!!

Let me tell you, it's not nice coming through 114dB/W speakers!

Bloody W8!

Mani.

[AlainGr]

I hate it too when these things happen... I am always afraid of burning something...

I think it comes with the Explorer7 to W8... Not heard when in Minimize OS, but heard in Normal OS mode. I had the surprise too, but my volume was low when it occurred...

Alain