SQ of 1.186, best ever! (Again)

[Arjan]

Hi,
First happy new year. And yes it is starting Great with 1.186. How on earth is it possible, you did it again Peter.
A really clear relaxing sound I get from my system. That is the first thing we hear it is the freshness of the sq! We like it very much.
Thanks!

[acg]

It does sound nice...I listened for a few hours at Peters settings today.

Peter, what has happened to the "trimpot" you were talking about in the USB Clock thread?  Not ready yet?  Or have I missed something obvious?

Oh, and thanks Peter.  This morning was the first time I have had any time for audio in the last few weeks and I woke up to see 1.186 had been released...absolutely perfect timing!!

Cheers,

Anthony

[PeterSt]

Peter, what has happened to the "trimpot" you were talking about in the USB Clock thread?

Hi Anthony,

Firstly, this was about the "not being able so much" to really trim for the values needed, and that it can only be at extreme ends. This is the Q3,4,5 = 1,1,1 setting for the extreme "best", but not knowing whether it really is the best. So, just can't be more than that, so to speak.
Once you either start dialling Q3, 4 or 5 to more than 1 (never 0) things flip but still trimming is possible but with IMO less effect. Mind you, this is theoretical, and it is a bit up to all of us to find the real merits. Meaning : I didn't play around with this much - only to let it working. So actually I only know of the 1,1,1 setting.

1,1,1 is the most stable setting, implies the highest cpu usage (never worry about that) and meanwhile consumes the least power and which is the most stable, varying between 50W and 50.5W here at all times - at SFS = 0.4,  0.03 is achieveble at my 460MHz.

The 460MHz does not imply the low Wattage (720MHz looks the same).

Got that ?
Ok, that is for the Core 1-2 Scheme. Now read the ToolTips on them and try the others (this too I only tried for the technical merits, not sound wise). Needs Activation, and otherwise everybody has Core 1-2 available only.

Finishes with this all (say next October), then vary with Hyperthreading On/Off.

This all should give you anough trimming possibilities for the whole of 2014 which I meant to say with the title of the version.

More down to the point for starters :
Varying Q3 (4 and 5 to 1,1) should be the most fragile. But remember, as soon as it's off from 1 things flip a lot to begin with, and there's nothing in between the flip between 1 and 2. However, once 2 is for the better, there's trimming all the way from that 2 up to 30. All the most fragile with the notice that possibly you can't find (hear) a difference between even 2 and 30.

Q4 is way more rough. Once that's at 2 (from 1) things will have really changed in an actually too rough fashion. But read the ToolTip on it, because there's more to digest.

Q5 is a bit of the same as Q4 and there too setting it from 1 to 2 things really change (as we already know from the past month and 0.9z-9b(etc.).

All 'n all, the best trimmer would be Q3 (with 4 and 5 to 1,1) because that changes/flips the least once from 1 to 2 (and up).

Knowing what it does, I myself stick to 1,1,1 until someone shouts EUREKA !

Oh, don't forget to vary the Clock Resolution.

Lastly, the lower NOS1 Driver Control Panel buffer size is needed to get the lowest SFS which you can also still change of course (might you run out of ideas). So, my SFS of 0.03 can only work with the 2ms Driver Buffer. This Ultra Low SFS (still official Memory Playback !) makes the sound thin and lean, which can easily be heard. But, when the Ultra Low SFS is dialled to across the limits (thus related now to the Driver Buffer) and gaps are easily heard, and then dial back the SFS (higher) so it starts to sound undistorted, you can start to hear missing samples. I mean, listening to it, this is what you perceive from it; only the high enough SFS suits you (my 0.04 (typo) 0.4 might be too low still).

YMMV and 2014 is still a long way to finish.
Peter

[Nick]

What a nice surprise for new years day 

I read the release notes (took half an hour !) but just to get going started with similar settings to last XX version (sort of medium latency Q1 xQ1 and SFS) just to get going.

First impression WHAT A HUGE CHANGE V1.186 gives !!!!

Without trying any of the new special settings even the sound is fantastic so live sounding. I m really looking forwards now to exploring the new settings.

Peter thank you so much, what an absolutely superb achievement Version 1 is.

Nick.
 

[Scroobius]

Last year (OK yesterday) I was listening and thinking about all the changes to my system during 2013. The improvements during 2013 have been BIG. The sound quality (yesterday that is) was just so good that it was clear to me I had no reason to expect much improvement during 2014.

So then Peter posts his 1.186 Christmas present. All I can say is WOW this really sounds great and added to all the recent changes to my system this is REALLY special.

Peter thanks for all your hard work - I really don't know how you do it but thanks again.

Cheers

Paul

[christoffe]

Hello Peter,

Differences between release 0.9z-8-3a 0.9z-9b and 1.186 (SPL around 70 dB(A) in a distance of 3m away from the speakers)
For the comparison I did not change the settings, except the core appointment (3 -4).
The SQ of 0.9z-8-3a 0.9z-9b is very analog on my system, to say it in simple words,

the position of the recording microphone is appr. 15m (row 15) away from the stage (nice room ambiance around the voices and instruments, the bass has a light thickness).

The recording microphone with the release 1.186 moved appr. 10m further to the stage (to row 5). (more details and increased resolution, voices are with a nice articulation, more focus, amazing drums, the bass got a superb tightness, 50% decrease of room ambience=less analog)
After listening for a couple of hours (adjusting the brain) the 1.186 - SQ is very relaxing and superior to the previous release.

A nice surprise for the beginning of 2014.

Joachim

[listening]

My first impressions:

It needs time to change the listening habit. There is a really big difference.

The soundstage is centered (it has been a bit out of alignment to the left side with my system).

The SQ is more analog than ever.

It seems that really fast equipment following the DAC is necessary to get the full impression!

I'm playing with 4 cores@450MHz - but it seems that there is headroom left.

Below the line: You did it again, Peter 

Georg

[phantomax]

Best ever, no doubt!

The previous version with Q5=1 was fantastic but this one is EVEN better. And bear in mind that my PC is a standar one and way obsolete. The rest of my system is quite modest so I can hardly imagine how this version may sound in a decent equipment with a dedicated PC and a NOS1.

Thanks Peter for your efforts and pursuit of excellence.

Maxi

[manisandher]

Oooooh, I likey, likey a lot.

This XX version sounds incredible even on my currently modest system. The clarity and focus of the sound is incredible. And this is achieved with the sound remaining smooth and relaxing on the ear. A true step up in performance. Peter, I think your description of 'severe' in the release notes is spot on. Really, well done.

For all of you who have not gotten around to installing 1.186... do it now!

I'll be playing around with core appointment schemes later on. I don't use hyperthreading and will be interested in hearing the differences (if any) that the new core appointments make.

More later...

Mani.

Edit: PS. All I need now are a world-class pair of active horns The wait is really going to test my patience.

[manisandher]

I'll be playing around with core appointment schemes later on. I don't use hyperthreading and will be interested in hearing the differences (if any) that the new core appointments make.

I found it quite difficult to hear obvious differences, but here's what I think.

1. Schemes 1-2 and 1-3 sound similar.

2. Schemes 3-4 and 3-5 sound similar.

3. No Appointment sounds slightly different to schemes 1-2/1-3! With non-hyperthreading, this was unexpected. (Maybe this is just me being fooled.)

I prefer schemes 3-4/3-5 over 1-2/1-3. The latter two schemes sound slightly 'thicker' with a slightly more bloated low-end. But I have to say these differences are pretty small through my current system.

In any event, with my 6-core, non-hyperthreaded CPU, I'm going to stick with Scheme 3-5 for now.

Mani.

[PeterSt]

3. No Appointment sounds slightly different to schemes 1-2/1-3! With non-hyperthreading, this was unexpected. (Maybe this is just me being fooled.)

No Appointment is totally equal to 1-2.
If all is right of course.

Peter

[AlainGr]

It took me some time before I could really do some tests. I played with Q3 mostly, leaving most of the rest like Peter has them.

I sense more speed, more "tone" to the cymbals and a sense of presence, "Analog" like I never heard before. Each time a new version is available, it is a surprise, so I will say that I am not surprised to be surprised

I will familiarize myself with the new settings, but what I hear now is more than I would have imagined.

I have lots of adjectives to describe Peter's work, but he knows we know

Thanks for a great "tour de force" again Peter. I have never listened so much to the same albums and felt inclined to discover what I thought I knew well !

Regards,

Alain

[toddn]

So one of my New Years resolutions is to finally start contributing to this community that has given me so much!(With a little encouragement from Paul to not worry about occasionally sticking my foot in my mouth )

Peter, you have really outdone yourself with this new release. Not only is the resolution much greater but the proper scale of the performers and their instruments is dead on and so perfectly grounded in whatever venue the recording was made. So much greater texture and true sense of the width and depth of the soundstage with the better delineation of the vocals or instruments initial tone and the accompanying reverb and decay of the venue. And never have I heard recorded music portrayed with such accurate percussive attack! Blazingly fast and real!

I also must mention what a great job you've done with fixing so many of the little bugs, etc. that just lend itself to a more enjoyable listening session.
It truly is a very Happy New Year! Thank You!

[PeterSt]

Quick message in between :

It is great to hear everybody's contribution to this topic - obviously. But now I am flathered by Todd's just because it is the most rare and therefore valuable to me.

Noe more lyrics,
Peter

[BertD]

I sense more speed, more "tone" to the cymbals and a sense of presence, "Analog" like I never heard before.

I could not agree more (!) the best ever! No more music scattered in little pieces jumping from all over the place.

SFS 0.4 is for me the limit, going lower and things start to break up again loosing the transparency and freedom of sound. I am not going to touch any settings, it feels like having my tube amplifier back again but then without their faults! 

Nice one Peter!

Bert