9u-4 and bass lines from 44/16 material

[LydMekk]

Have you done any changes in decoding the bass lines from 44/16 material wav.files in this version? Does it go as deep in frequency? Can't quite put my finger on it...

[LydMekk]

Also: have set the volume slider at 0 db (not using it). Sounds as the new u-4 version is lower in volume, not much but some.

Have to up my volume a couple of clicks on the preamp to "perceive" the same amount of detail in the music.

Also: seems to play back higher frequenies with more level/energy than before - not good.

[LydMekk]

Peter, what have I told you about drinking and coding at the same time... 

[LydMekk]

Hmmm, actually, this starts to sound like maybe the phase is reversed in XX?

[PeterSt]

I really don't know ... However, if you're indeed playing Attended (like you sig currently tells), anything can have changed. Remember, the SQ can't be retained (or directed / controlled) at playing Attended, and it really must be seen as we're in luck when the SQ comes better from Attended than from UnAttended. I predicted it ... (somewhere, a few days ago).

Hmmm, actually, this starts to sound like maybe the phase is reversed in XX?

No, it isn't. But it is known that the influence of XX (intended or not) may flop the perceived absolute phase, just like Q1 settings do that at certain levels, and which levels may change per new version and which certainly with Attended will be the case.

There may come a time that you hate updates because (SQ) things change again. Stick at the old version of then obviously is the solution. On that matter it would be best to use UnAttended always, and try to improve (by means of settings) on that only. This won't change SQ from version to version, unless it is anounced, might that be because of I know things just have changed, or because of explicit improvement on SQ.

I must honestly say that one week ago I lowered the bass output which I never did before, because in fact since 0.9t it became too much at overall listening for a couple of weeks. The result is less "disturbing" records on one hand, but less easy to judge on the other. I think it is a fact that before 0.9t versions could deal with all the bass there was (thinking in standing wave terms), while now this is not the case anymore. BUT, if you know that I (estimated) lowered by bass with 9 dB at least, you'll understand the headroom in there (logically or technically it couldn't exist that one is as satisfied with two levels, both varying 9dB). Things work differently though, just look at the super direct output and changes in the high frequency region, as emerged per 0.9t. There too one shouldn't change the high frequency output, while you just could to suit yourself better. The point is :

we actually don't know what the original must be ... just think of how XX has changed the SQ over time, and looking at measurement devices for e.g. loudspeaker frequency response measuring AND calibrating, while the test tones used for that do not come from XX.

The whole thing becomes super complex, and maybe only by (we all !!) paying the best attention we can when things change, in the end we can make "the" conclusions.
I've said it 100 times and I say it again : it is virtually impossible that my high frequency output is 16dB higher, which has been applied to eliminate perceived roughness. I reasoned this out in advance and it worked exactly as how I predicted (and wanted), but now don't think my speakers show anything of a flat frequency response.

There is more going on, and one day we will now what that is.

[DP01]

Hmm, does this mean that you have built in an equalizer in XXHighEnd Peter? And if yes, is changes in sound quality between various versions of XXHighEnd (partly) caused by different settings to this equalizer?

If yes to both questions, what do you think about a source direct button for us purists 

[PeterSt]

Answer to both questions : NO !
Now what ?

[DP01]

OK. What made me confused was your use of the term "if you know that I (estimated) lowered by bass with 9 dB at least" earlier in this thread. I did not really understand what you tried to explain here.... Still don't, I guess.

But it seems like there is no use for a source direct button 

[PeterSt]

Well, typo's won't make my english better to read for sure !
"by bass" = "my bass", and what I meant to say is this :

Following the development of XX throughout, one may have noticed that at some stage I measured (IIRC) some 24dB SPL more sub-low (under 20Hz) output on "a" XX version. Please remember, all is bit perfect always (but skip the digital volume from today of course), and as it turned out lateron, this version wasn't quite right. I reasoned out why that version could be better anyway, it made sense to me, and not to forget : all so often, explanations have to be found on why things turn out such and so.

Since 0.9t there is more bass output as well, although in a much higher frequency region than before mentioned example from maybe 8 months ago. Theoretically that is wrong. It "creates" audible standing waves, of which I always have been proud not to have them with XXHighend, no matter officially there can't be a reason for it. Anyway, since 0.9t they are back, and the last thing I would do is tweak my XOvers because it would be, say, wrong. BUT :

My XOvers have been set to a setting I like best anyway, and if you'd see the plot of the frequency response of my speakers, you won't think it can be right for sure. Still all is so on purpose. By itself this is not of the most importance, but for *me* it is important not to tweak like that, while in 8 months time I didn't feel the need as well. Since 0.9t I kind of had to, because after a few weeks time I couldn't get used to it *and* - and this is important- from nobody I heard a perceivement similar to mine. Conclusion : my bass setting must be too "loud" compared to what good playback means (??) incurs for as of today.
And from that point on (turning down the bass by some 9dB!) I'm happy again.

YMMV though, and by this time I can't tell what is and what should be. Just look at this post from the O.P. of the thread here, see our mutual agreement, and just try to "see" that this perceivement IMHO can only come from a not too high bass output (put it higher and things get coloured, fumbling, filling the room to much).

Despite all this, I'm fairly sure that earlier versions had more "headroom" on this, which all is related to, well, just a different representation of the low frequencies. What can you do with that ? I'm afraid nothing more than agreeing if you have the same experience, and hoping for the better at the moment I can again find best of both ways (read : that the highs have changed enormeously is without doubt, but often the bettering of one, goes along with the worstening of the other).