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In Reply to: RE: Received my K-03 Settings Info posted by Dr.Phil on January 02, 2014 at 19:11:47
I use the PCM-to-DSD filter setting on my K-05. I'm not sure what this does or how it works, but it's my preferred setting. Brings a very welcome warmth and fullness to RBCD--perhaps not the last word in accuracy, but very satisfying to these ears. If this setting is available on the K-03, you should experiment with it and see what you think. YMMV, of course.
Follow Ups:
I got the K-03 Feb. last year and I am still experimenting with the "upsampler" and the digital filter combinations. For CD/SACD disc playback I use the DSD conversion/"upsampling" for CD, and for SACD it is DSD passthrough. For all the other inputs I picked the 4FS x4 upsampling. The digital filter is set to S_DLY1 for all sources. The USB is set to HS_2 - "high speed" asyn. mode.
I have a Micromega CD DUO CD transport connect to the K-03 via a COAX cable. For the optical input I have the Oppo 83SE (I can get up to 24bits 96kHz for DVD-A, etc). And I have a MacBook Pro hooked up to the K-03.
I left the K-03 on and let it burn in for a while so I haven't really trying these filters and upsamplers too hard. Bear in mind of my settings above, I have recently noticed that when playing a RBCD through the CD transport instead of on the K-03, the music is livelier. It sounds like the PCM to DSD conversion has caused this. Something I haven't tried includes to have every input streams convert to DSD, or shutting down all upsampling and digital filter.
The less conversation the better. Try it ORG with Sdly-1 I even like it with both filters off. But ORG is like many believe upsampling does not sound as good, 2X I can live with thus far.
PJB
From owners who wrote me. DSD of CD sounds warm and dark. I tried the ones below and they sound great, great weight, transparent with natural detail. This is not your dad's Esoteric sound that I remember so well.
I think 4 x and s-dly 2 are the best very analog sounding… after all the balanced circuitry is burned in it’s going to really kick butt. IMHO stick with 2 or 4 times and either s-dly 1 or 2 . I know quite a few people with the k03 and k-01 and separates these are the only setting that they have found to there liking.
PJB
We I have to come to a conclusion after listening to many CD's and well recorded ones that I do not like the up sampling I like much better ORG. You lose detail and dynamics, almost like a film around the music, much like PS Audio and others believe that native sounds best then up sampling, I know I did not like it much in the Cary 306 I owned years ago.I do like s-dly 1 though, but I have to say the filter off sounds good also on some discs. I believe this is the setting preferred by the designers of the unit neither filter on. Though the imaging becomes very detailed and sharp sound, with tight bass when no filters are engaged. The sound stage is smaller and tighter though, but not bright.
I would agree with this reviewers statement: Much has been discussed about the plethora of settings available for CD reproduction. Time can be saved by using no upsampling (ORG) eschewing 2X, 4X or DSD. All of the upsampling settings pervert much of the K-01's magic. Soundstage shrinks, impact is ameliorated and fine detail is obscured. As for filters, my recommendation is S_DYL1. Some might prefer F1R1, but on a high resolution, state of the art system, the former filter sounds more natural. I think for most discs this is a very fair statement. I heard the same thing.
This CD player is just wonderful though, so natural, with details and sounds so clear and I would guess a noise level so low that small sounds just stand out in their own space.
I am using Quad ESL 63's and they have a very transparent sound and they really bring to the front and quickly what each filter change does to the presentation.
The nice thing though is having them you really have the ability to have a sound that works best for your ear, kind of like owning 3-4 different CD players that you own and pick the one that works best in your system.
Even with no filters used (off) this is still one fine and musical piece of equipment, I can see why so many enjoy this unit. For now I am going to sit back and just enjoy it.
I am glad I read all my manuals, be cause my preamp XLR pin is + hot, and McIntosh amp is negative-Cold which is the European/Japan XLR pin setup. Why they do this is beyond me. Even reviewers don't catch this and thus you will have a reviewer say the unit sounded overly warm, veiled and so forth, well yeah if you don't get the polarity proper. If I had not caught I been basing my view on system that was out of proper phase.
This is a great musical and refined sounding player of music. Forget the convenience of down loads, hear your CD collection with a unit like this and you will enjoy listening to CD's, no matter how the mags try to tell you different, CD's can sound very, very good, and I'm talking even CD's 15 years old. This player bring out stuff you never thought your CD's had on them and it does it by staying so natural sounding. This is not like Esoteric of the past.
PJB
Edits: 01/04/14
I also used electrostatic speakers: Innersound EROS (my QuadESL63 USA Monitors are in storage).
As I have mentioned, RBCD sound great and "lively" on COAX input with S_DYL1 and 4X upsampling compare to the slightly uninvolving performance with S_DYL1 and DSD on K-03 drive. I will have to try ORG & S_DYL1 on both later. Thanks for the suggestion.
I don't like the two FIR filters. Not my cup of tea.
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