MQN

[tony]

No sse2 version of 5.14 so not in a position to compare Aleg. My understanding is you have a preference for lots of detail and wonder is that how 5.14 sounds or is there a warm edge to it? Nigel do you think the same about 5.14?

[m.massimo]

Yes, I always change the name of mqnplay for mqnload, but I haven't got chance to try this new stuff yet. I wasn't sure how mqnload handles it.
Thanks

I use mqnload with ks in the same way, changing the mqnplay name as you said, nothing else.

[Aleg]

No sse2 version of 5.14 so not in a position to compare Aleg. My understanding is you have a preference for lots of detail and wonder is that how 5.14 sounds or is there a warm edge to it? Nigel do you think the same about 5.14?

Hi Tony

No, it is not about the details, it is about tonal balance, instrumental separation, vocal placement and natural highs and decays. The musicality of 5.14 is still much better than the KSs.


The KSs have a kind of ease, that makes it pleasant and has potential for trumping 5.14, but in terms of musicality I don't feel it is near.

[nige2000]

No sse2 version of 5.14 so not in a position to compare Aleg. My understanding is you have a preference for lots of detail and wonder is that how 5.14 sounds or is there a warm edge to it? Nigel do you think the same about 5.14?

My testing has been a little half arsed as I haven't done as much cross comparisons as I used to
But certainly 5.14 avx2 I'd have to go back through the thread and pick out a few I liked and retest
I think I remember thinking 5.14 was superceded but I'd need to recheck

Aleg
That's the properties I was calling micro detail
It's certainly the lacking problem in ks atm

[jesuscheung]

Finally got into this new stuff...v7.18 avx2/3.64 control/portaudio v32 avx, excellent, way to go.
V7.22 avx2 doesn't work on my system, but ssse2 is not my favorite compared to v7.18 avx2.
I can almost say that I just left my long term love, 5.14 avx2.

George
Don't do that yet, 5.14 still has a lot more magic and musicality than these KS's.
I've heared all the KS/PA's but the magic is still with 5.14.

you have "heard all the KS/PA's" in one software setting that you believe in.

try toggle things on and off in bios/windows. magic might go away

[tony]

Hi Tony

No, it is not about the details, it is about tonal balance, instrumental separation, vocal placement and natural highs and decays. The musicality of 5.14 is still much better than the KSs.


The KSs have a kind of ease, that makes it pleasant and has potential for trumping 5.14, but in terms of musicality I don't feel it is near.

Hi Aleg, My testing is a bit like Nigel's getting a bit more fragmented and less time going back comparing older versions. The new version especially 7.22 albeit with only an hour or two's listen to me seems to have a lot of the qualities you describe. Let's see how things develop I would need a sanity check at a listening session at some point.

Can you either post or pm some of the stuff you use for testing? Curious to try it.

[Aleg]

you have "heard all the KS/PA's" in one software setting that you believe in.

try toggle things on and off in bios/windows. magic might go away

I'm not interested in making the magic go away

[cvrle59]

Finally got into this new stuff...v7.18 avx2/3.64 control/portaudio v32 avx, excellent, way to go.
V7.22 avx2 doesn't work on my system, but ssse2 is not my favorite compared to v7.18 avx2.
I can almost say that I just left my long term love, 5.14 avx2.

George
Don't do that yet, 5.14 still has a lot more magic and musicality than these KS's.
I've heared all the KS/PA's but the magic is still with 5.14.

Hard to beat it (but not impossible , as we already know), exceptional version!

[jrling]

I am unclear about use of MMCSS with MQn-KS?

Should we be disconnecting the dependency with Windows Audio Service and Disabling MMCSS completely?
Or is Gordon doing that in his code?
Or is MQn itself applying settings in MMCSS in the code?

Any clarity welcomed.

[satshanti]

Compared various sse2 versions with somewhat surprising results:

7.18 > 7.22 > 7.16 > 7.20 sse2

7.22 is detailed but lacks body and coherence
7.20 is too sharp and edgy in my system

And Portaudio:

v31 > v32 > v30 (v32 is detailed but too harsh, v31 is transparent and smooth)

This is all system dependent of course.

Some further remarks: no Portaudio beyond v29 works with 2496 7.10 sse2 on my system.

@Taggart: if you're still following all this, a new MQNload with the option to switch between Portaudio versions would be very useful. :-)