I think using the Filter name base on AKM specification can be more consistent. I will explain parameter base on my listening experience, hope that it can help.
The problem that the digital filter change some sound signature in time/frequency domain, as the result you can still hear this sound content but it is slightly different.
The Sound type and Remark from the AKM, IMO that does not give much useful information.
If you don't clarify the sound of them, just choose one and your brain will take adapt to the sound signature. But choose 1 that best suite for you might be the hard part because no filter is perfect. Even some filter that bad at performance like the sharp short delay sharp roll-off have better performance at low pass filter as the cutting slope is fast.
- First the Edge, which indicate how fast the filter alter the impulse response of the content. The Super Slow Roll-off provide utral-sharp edge which make the transient nearly immediately.
- When the Edge is sharp
- It benefit the percussion such as drum, cymbal, guitar(metal wrire). When the response is fast, you will hear how fast the strike and impact/momentum of its (force/momentum) of ( string plug, or piano hammer striking) at both macro and micro level. Micro dynamic level is more important (IMO), it can resolve the dynamic, strike, texture of even the quite drum on the orchestra.
- For string family like violin, fast impulse response give the impression of clearer leading edge, note start/stop and bow impact changes.
- When the edge is round, the impulse response is slow.
- It give the impression of softer attach on percussion. You can increase volume to increase SPL but never reach the feeling of impact.
- For string like violin or vocal: you can still hear the content but it will be blur and lack of pull in/out dynamic.
- Secondly, Impulse: from the visual image of IR you can get some information.
- Post/pre echo/ringing. Theoretically, no ringing ensure the perfection reproduction of sound. Superslow row off have this characteristic, however, it might be too sharp.
- both post/pre ringing cause the sound to be bluring and add distortion. It make the sound less clean on sound object border and start/stop of note.
- Ringing can make the sound more pleasant, when the system is too hard - interm of sound signature.
- For comparison with image, ringing will make the sound image bluring, loss sharpness.
- It is very werid ont the description on Short Delay Sharp Roll-off and Sharp Roll-off. They claim that the two enhance the bass, make it powerfull. But IMO, the two filter have inferior bass performance in quality aspect such as attach, impact, texture. I can understand their complain, when ringing the sound will linger and might give more SPL sustain which can make the impression off um um um.
I'm happy with 2 Slow Roll-off and Super Slow roll-off.
- Super Slow Roll Off give the best micro transient, tiny/quite instrumental will have its impact. But it give me the impression of timber of instrumental is note organic.
- Slow Roll Off have middle value in Edge but it have symmetric in impulse response. It give the best organic, natural timber of instrumental.
- Short delay Sharp Roll Off as I remember is the default filter. It make sound thick and narrow sound stage and blurring the micro detail in the ambience.
Thanks for the super detailed post! IEMs and cables also affect the filter choices too, but yes the filter choices you selected are definitely really great! For analytical/highly resolving cables with elevated punch and impact, I find those two filters (Super Slow and Linear Phase Slow) work well and IMHO the "Low Dispersion" aka Apodizing filter is in-between these two filters through listening thus work extremely well too. I just avoid sharp roll offs unless your IEM cables do not emphasize excessive ringing on the note edges
Thanks for the reply.
