Quote:
Originally Posted by shamu144 
Some observations...
While the DSP1 allows for different filter settings, they all belong to the same linear phase family, with different stopband attenuation settings. You might want to investigate other types of digital filters like minimum phase filters, which can only be done in software, prior to sending the datas to the Ref 7.1. I use Fidelia for this. The first filter is said to have the most impact on sound. I certainly agree.
I do upsample all material to 24/96 through Fidelia, using a specific filter setting (minimum phase apodising filter), because this setting sounds best to my ears. So my experience is likely to be very different from someone using a CD transport or relying only on the digital filters settings of the DSP1.
As such, I found the NOS setting to sound really really good (remember this applies only for a 24/96 apodised file and with my specific settings). Great sense of presence, flow and interaction of instruments. Soundstage is quite narrow though. 4 times oversampling in the DSP1 with a stopband attenuation of -50dB enhance the soundstage depth and width without any obvious downside (probably my favorite at this point). 2 times oversampling and -90dB brought relatively similar results (soundstage slightly narower than 4 times OS and -50dB) while 4 times oversampling and -90dB do harden the sound too much for my taste. 8 times oversampling and -130dB is almost unbearable for me. Technically very impressive, with largest soundstage by far, but all the life of instruments and voices is sucked out resulting in a dry and edgy sound.
As I said, it is relatively easy to tune the Ref 7.1 sound to one's preferences.
Some observations...
While the DSP1 allows for different filter settings, they all belong to the same linear phase family, with different stopband attenuation settings. You might want to investigate other types of digital filters like minimum phase filters, which can only be done in software, prior to sending the datas to the Ref 7.1. I use Fidelia for this. The first filter is said to have the most impact on sound. I certainly agree.
I do upsample all material to 24/96 through Fidelia, using a specific filter setting (minimum phase apodising filter), because this setting sounds best to my ears. So my experience is likely to be very different from someone using a CD transport or relying only on the digital filters settings of the DSP1.
As such, I found the NOS setting to sound really really good (remember this applies only for a 24/96 apodised file and with my specific settings). Great sense of presence, flow and interaction of instruments. Soundstage is quite narrow though. 4 times oversampling in the DSP1 with a stopband attenuation of -50dB enhance the soundstage depth and width without any obvious downside (probably my favorite at this point). 2 times oversampling and -90dB brought relatively similar results (soundstage slightly narower than 4 times OS and -50dB) while 4 times oversampling and -90dB do harden the sound too much for my taste. 8 times oversampling and -130dB is almost unbearable for me. Technically very impressive, with largest soundstage by far, but all the life of instruments and voices is sucked out resulting in a dry and edgy sound.
As I said, it is relatively easy to tune the Ref 7.1 sound to one's preferences.
Okay, thanks!
Others who have tried the different settings in the Ref 7.1 are very welcome to add their findings.
