Hi, @jussi_laako the 5.11 desktop release seems to have some pretty significant updates. Thank you. Can you help me with a couple of questions on the scope that aren’t clear from the release notes:
(1) For the avoidance of doubt, does the “reworked EC-ul/light/super” change only apply to ASDM7EC-ul, ASDM7EC-light & ASDM7EC-super (and 5th order equivalents)? Or does it apply to any modulator that has EC in its name like the ASDM7EC-super 512+fs etc?
(2) What form does the “AHM modulator tuning” take? Can I expect this to have any impact of processing load?
Yes, also to the 512+fs variants. So anything that has “EC-ul”, “EC-light” or “EC-super” in it’s name. And now “EC-fast” joined the group, which I consider “best of all worlds”.
It is some adjustments on the math. I don’t expect any big load differences (I didn’t even compare), but there are no major changes in number of calculations. But there seem to be reported load changes even when I don’t even touch the relevant piece of code. A bit of black magic probably having to do with how things happen to hold up in CPU caches in particular case and hardware.
I use ASDM7EC-super for SDM256 playback on Holo Cyan 2.
You state that the new “Fast” is superior to all the other “ul”, “light” but also “super”, is that right?
What are the big differences with previous versions for this evolution to be considered important?
Thank you for all these advances and the constant development of HQP.
I don’t think “superior” is correct word. Same way I wouldn’t say poly-sinc-gauss-long is superior to poly-sinc-gauss-xla. While I think poly-sinc-gauss-long is similarly “best of all worlds”. Something I consider suitably in the middle of opposite extremes.
They are all good in their own ways.
I had been thinking about how to get certain improvements working for at least a year or two. Then at one point I had “aha!” moment when it came clear in my mind. Still getting the implementation actually working properly in practice took a month of intensive work.
At the moment my personal settings are poly-sinc-gauss-long/poly-sinc-gauss-hires-lp and ASDM7EC-fast. I may also adjust the default modulator in future release according to this.
Quick observation, after update, I hear audible differences in 5.11 for ASDM7EC-super
It seems like the tilt is towards more bass and less highs. Definitely an improvement there (more balanced)
Soundstage is not quite as pinpoint detailed - a worthwhile trade off
I am puzzled why modulators are making such audible differences - as it isn’t subtle.
If differences are audible between various modulators and versions of the same modulator - can someone explain why?
How does one square this with the original intention of Sony to use DSD as an archival format - how could that ever be contemplated if different modulators change the audible result?
Is there an EQ aspect to modulation other than just the usual volume level drop necessary to ensure better stability? Is it a result of the way the feedback loop operates or the noise shaper?
No EQ or such, so the frequency response and all is the same. But there are more complex aspects with modulators. Similarly modulators from different DAC chip vendors sound different. For comparison, on AK4191, also AKM is now offering four different modulators, but these don’t even have names, just numbered from 1 to 4. Differences are more similar to how different analog components can sound different.
