What is the difference between the two in roll off curves and how might that sound different?
XTR all the way, gives me a wider stage and aggressive sound. Love it, makes me sit down, listen and on edge. Very Exciting sound
I really am liking closed-form, ADSM5, DSD256 into my Hugo2. The bass line has become so much more detailed with smooth trebles. Listening fatigue is gone.
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Most important thing is that you are enjoying it of course.
But just so you have the information, do you know Mojo/Hugo2/Qutest/TT2 (i.e. all other than Dave) decimate DSD ( convert to PCM, āinternallyā).
So you are up-sampling PCM to SDM before Hugo2, then it is decimated back to PCM, and then PCM-upsampled internallyā¦
Some discussion by Rob on Hugo2 (the same applies to all his DACs other than Daveās DSD+ mode):
Just for info.
How does the closed form filter sound up-sampled to PCM705/768?
Thanks @dabassgoesboomboom but I am aware of this. Converting to DSD gives me better āmusicalā results than just sending it to PCM. Is it the same Rob Watts filter that is applied to the pure PCM input as to the decimated DSD input? Maybe that is the difference.
I feel an Mscaler is probably in my future and I was just trying to get an idea of what a million (or close) tap filter may do to the input signal and came to enjoy the DSD conversion better.
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Iāve recently acquired some Focal headphones (previously using MrSpeakers planar magnetics cans for my desk setup).
With planars Iāve always preferred linear phase filters, xtr-2s and ext2.
These Focal cans are so incredibly dynamic and Iām really liking poly-sinc-short-mp. My i7-7700 can pull off this filter at DSD512 in non-2s.
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Iāve been using closed-form-M,none,PCM,352.8khz to my HugoTT for awhile now. I can listen to this much longer than direct.
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Which ones? Elear, Clear, Elex, Utopiaā¦?
I bought the Elear for my old man (dad)ā¦ We demoāed the entire lineup and they all shared the same sense of dynamics (subjectively, to my ears) that Iād not heard with headphones before.
Frequency response is (subjectively, to my ears) very different to what Iāve been used to and enjoying with planar magnetic cans. But Iām a sucker for great speaker dynamics and the Focal lineup really got my attention. The only other dynamic driver cans Iāve owned before were Sennn HD800Sā¦
Iām pretty keen on getting the Utopiaās nowā¦ (for me).
Anynody using the new HQP Embedded āECā modulators with SDM (DSD) upsampling?
Sounding really great but man is the EC variant of ASDM7 significantly more CPU hungryā¦
I feel a lot of HQP owners may be upgrading their serversā¦
I canāt see this option @dabassgoesboomboom, where abouts can I change it?
I have an eye on this thread. I set up HQ Player last month, but have since been running in speakers and have added some acoustic panels. I decided not to play with it too much until everything else has settled down, I also want to measure the room again ready for convolution (probably using www.homeaudiofidelity.com instead of my own REW efforts).
My lastest settings
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Hi Ross, as mentioned above, this has just come to HQP Embedded version.
It will come next to HQP Desktop 4 (I donāt know the timeline but itās coming).
Some very nice (and big) changes there.
Using HQP to manage your convolution too?
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Yes, using HQP to manage convolution. I have one I have done using magnusās guide on the forums. However I am not sure I have done a great job!!
I am also just waiting on a replacement panel before installing (one was damaged in shipping) the others. I have zero patience, I just want it done now!
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That makes sense now!
I havenāt heard any of the Focal headphones but all the reviews mention how good they are with dynamics. Iām a bit of a basshead so Iāve been eyeing the Elearās which seem to match my tonal preference based on the descriptions Iāve seen.
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My system updates are now done, more or less, and I am into tweaking with the software. As I said above I have added some new speakers, some PMC Twenty5 22 and they have been fantastic.
My current Core is on Win 10 NUC (NUC7I7BNH, itās a dual core i7) with HQ Player running concurrently. The signal path is NUC/NAS-switch-ethernet-switch-Allo USBridge-Mytek Liberty DAC. I am also using filters from Home Audio Fidelity which are loaded into the Matrix Pipeline (as an aside I still canāt decide whether I like with or without cross-talk!).
Anyway, my current settings are to output SDM (DSD) with Poly-sinc-xtr-mp-2s, DSD 256+fs before upscaling to 44.1kx256. I have a few queries as I begin to play with settingsā¦
- NS/Dither - I currently use DSD7 256+fs, this seems like an appropriate setting given my current upscaling to DSD. Should I consider any others?
- Output mode - Should I upscale to DSD or PCM? I have listened to both and I am still to make up my mind. I have been trying to find out what the DAC does when it receives a signal, I am sure I found a website which says, for some reason I canāt remember, that DSD will suit it more??
- Filters - I mostly listen to electronic and rock, so aiming at minimum phase filters, I think. I originally used poly-sinc-mp, and then saw poly-sinc-xtr-mp although I see it is pretty processor intensive, so I have plumped for Poly-sinc-xtr-mp-2s. Any thoughts on this? Should I just try all of them??
Anyone have any other hints or tips? Thanks all!
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Give ASDM7 a try and report back.
Does your NUC fan blow hard with up-sampling to DSD256? Iām guessing with using the USBridge, the NUC is in a different room?
Jussi has shown in the past that ESS DAC chip based DACs measure objectively better when fed DSD, so DSD is worth a shot. But ultimately trust your ears.
The 2s filters is a good way to go with your NUC up-sampling to DSD256.
Give poly-sinc-ext2 a try also and let us know.
Can you also share what files Home Audio Fidelity emailed you? The number of files and file types?
And did he advise you to use Pipeline Matrix over Convolution or was that your decision?
Nothing behind my question - just curious if that was his recommendation (does he use HQP?).
Cheers
I prefer DSD7 256+ fs to ASDM7 in my system. I find it preserves more attack whereas ASDM7 feels more rounded. Ext2 has been my filter of choice for a while now.
Thanks @dabassgoesboomboom and @andybob for the replies!
No, not really. The NUC is squirrelled away in an upstairs cupboard and the USBridge is in the kit rack in the lounge. I do keep an eye on temps, its hit 90c maximum in last 24 hours but that is fairly rare from the monitoring I have done, but currently sat at 40c as not playing anything right now. Its generally somewhere in between.
This is useful to know, thanks!
Thierry, of Home Audio Fidelity emailed me eight mono 176.4kHz .wav files, four wav with and then four without cross talk reduction applied(so LL, LR, RL and RR). So you only use 4 at any one time. I have them loaded on my NAS and I then point to the correct files following Thierrys instructions.
Yes, I am completely in Thieryās hands! So convolution off, pipeline matrix enabled. I have switched on the log in settings to check stuff is working as it should. Jussi gave me some pointers on how to do that yesterday.
I will give this a go then! Thanks.
Thierry has been really helpful and patient. I tried a test track and enjoyed the whole experience. Even if people are vaguely interested its worth considering. I tried REW first but wanted a professional touch rather than my own effortsā¦
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I am not an expert in this area so take this with a bag of saltā¦ but for that CPU, it may not be good (for long term health) to have itās temp consistently above 80 deg C.
If you are sometimes hitting 90 deg C, itās worth checking if you are often above 80 deg C (even low 80ās).
More for a long term life thing, if that is a concern.
Maybe something to keep an eye on?
Maybe even email Intel tech support or join their official forum and ask?