New ESS and H8S for Unidisk 1.1 and 2.1

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2009-02-16 10:43

monkeydevil wrote:Eagerly awaitng your view of the sound/musicality of the new firmware compared to 221 and 227. 8)

+1

Komri · Post by **Komri** » 2009-02-16 10:59

Music Lover wrote:
monkeydevil wrote:Eagerly awaitng your view of the sound/musicality of the new firmware compared to 221 and 227. 8)
+1

+1

ThomasOK · Post by **ThomasOK** » 2009-02-17 18:16

Komri wrote:
Music Lover wrote:
monkeydevil wrote:Eagerly awaitng your view of the sound/musicality of the new firmware compared to 221 and 227. 8)
+1
+1

With everyone waiting on Fredrik and Fredrik waiting on someone else it may be a while before we hear which is better. :) Since we don't have a working UniDisk in the store right now I'm afraid I can't be of any help. :(

Post by **lejonklou** » 2009-02-17 19:34

I'll do it. Just haven't had the time yet.

Give me a few more days!

Post by **lejonklou** » 2009-02-20 18:44

Ok, I just tried the new ESS. Quite surprised by the result!

Dry, constrained and almost a bit strangled sound. Appears to be a bit lower in volume (probably isn't, didn't measure). Bass notes constantly seem to be on the verge of going out of tune - peculiar and not very pleasant. Timing worse, nothing gels.

Back to ESS 221 music is once again flowing and making sense. So much better!

It's possible that ESS 231 needs the updated Laser Mech firmware as well to perform optimally, but right now I feel like I probably got better things to do...

peru · Post by **peru** » 2010-11-01 22:12

How does the latest sw perform on an Akurate CD?
H8 S1150223
ESS 511880231
Firmware 03.04.02.00

compared to older versions?

Currently I have follwing versions installed:
H8 S1150222
ESS 511880229
Firmware 03.04.00.00

Would the player perform better an with older or newer version?
And above all, must the system be re-tuned again after a sw change? I suspect that the whole system must be retuned after a sw upgrade which make the comparison a bit harder. It also makes me hesitate to make the upgrade because I think it is very hard to actuallly find the optimal placement of speakers. Besides, if you prefer the sound of the LP12, you don't want to mess with the speaker setup because of the CD. Implies this that the preferred software version actually is based on how the system is installed from the beginning? and on how similar they are to the source used when the speakers position was decided?

Post by **lejonklou** » 2010-11-02 00:02

Welcome to the forum, peru!

I have many times compared later ESS firmware version of the Unidisk 1.1 with the one I think is best: 221. In several cases, the system has been carefully tuned with either an LP12, a DS or a different version of ESS. Still I find 221 to be better. This indicates that a retune of the system is not essential. But if your only source is the ACD, you might be able to tune the system slightly with a new ESS. My guess is that the speakers will be moved very little, if anything at all.

From what I understand, the ESS for ACD is a stripped down version of the Unidisk 1.1/2.1 version. Therefore you can't use the Unidisk firmware, you have to find the ACD versions. My guess is that ESS 221 and H8S 218 is the best sounding versions for the ACD (as they are for the Unidisk), but I am not 100% sure. Maybe someone else can confirm?

Post by **lejonklou** » 2010-11-02 00:04

I should also add to my old comment above (from 2009-02-20) that even with the latest Mech (03.04.02.00) installed, I found ESS 221 to be better sounding than 231 on the Unidisk 1.1.

peru · Post by **peru** » 2010-11-02 08:46

The ACD I have, was shipped with the ESS229 version and I believe this version is the first ESS version for ACD. Therefore, for ACD, the question is, ESS229 or ESS231, which one do a ACD owner choose?
Do the H8S and firmware have any impact on the sound? Should they always be applied?

Post by **lejonklou** » 2010-11-02 09:29

Ahh right, the ACD came that late. Well, then I can't help you with the ESS.

It's recommended that you treat ESS and H8S as a pair that goes together. I haven't gone against this advice, so I don't know what happens, but quite a few people have reported no sound difference from H8S updates (in contrast to ESS).

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-03 23:32

Hi guys
Anyone could help me with Unidisk 1.1 firmware , I was looking for version ESS 221 as it apparently has most musical approach.

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-04 14:04

Hi
Now I have version 221 , thank you Paolo , I need someone to guide me through whole process .Any help would be very appreciated

Post by **lejonklou** » 2013-05-04 23:46

Hi Slav and welcome here!

Did you get a pdf with instructions or only a file? It was a while since I did this, but I remember that one should burn the file on to a blank CD, which is then inserted into the Unidisk.

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-04 23:58

Hi
Thanks for all help and warm welcome .
I have exe file only , no acrobate .
Do you remember what happens after inserting cd , do I need to power player down as I read somewhere else or do any other things ?
Regs
Slav

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-05 08:37

Yeah , not so clever anymore (I must be ageing )file I got is self-extracting and contains pdf.
Couple questions ,
point 10. shall I switch of at the back of the player or send to standby from remote ?
point 13. power cycle the unit ? should I just press play button on remote ?

Post by **lejonklou** » 2013-05-05 10:27

When powering down, use the rear switch.

Power cycling means switching off (with the rear switch) and then back on.

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-05 10:35

Hi
point 13 says :
"Power cycle the unit , the open drawer will close"
point 14 :
"Press SETUP and go to PREFERENCE/DEFAULTS and press RESET.

If I power it down at the back I won't have access to Menu .
Would you mind if I e-mail pdf to you , so you can have a look ?
Regards
Slav

Post by **lejonklou** » 2013-05-05 14:20

Slav wrote:Hi
point 13 says :
"Power cycle the unit , the open drawer will close"
point 14 :
"Press SETUP and go to PREFERENCE/DEFAULTS and press RESET.

If I power it down at the back I won't have access to Menu .

As I wrote: Power cycle = switch off and then back ON. When it starts, you have access to the menu. Right?

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-05 17:05

Doe's it matter if upgrade is burned on CD/R ?
I used DVD/R and after loading message I have CHECKSUM READING ERROR

Post by **lejonklou** » 2013-05-05 17:54

I don't know. I have never tried a DVD-R, only CD-R.

Checksum error probably indicates the disc you made is faulty.

ThomasOK · Post by **ThomasOK** » 2013-05-05 21:06

Although they state it should be on a CD/R, if it loaded as per the instructions (with the correct "loading..." messages showing on the display) then it should be OK to have used the DVD/R.

While it has been a long time since I have done one of these I seem to remember that it normally displays CHECKSUM READING ERROR on the screen when you power back up after doing the update. I think this is because you haven't completed the last step of resetting the defaults. Once you reset the defaults the UniDisk will now know the new software should be there and the CHECKSUM READING ERROR should no longer show up when powering up the unit.

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-05 22:07

Hi
After inserting disc I never get to last message :"Flash- Power down"
Player starts loading and reading flash then I have Checksum reading error.

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2013-05-05 22:09

Hi Slav, got your PM.
I have all instructions upgrading ESS, H8 and Mech.
And some different SW versions as well.
Send another PM with your mail and exactly what you want and I send it.

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-05 22:14

Hi Music Lover
PM sent , thank you
Slav

Slav · Post by **Slav** » 2013-05-06 09:45

Thanks for all help I received from you Guys
I bought CD/R's and everything went smoothly , now I'm going to spend some time listening.
Seems Unidisk has some issues reading FW from DVD and I tried to burn them in every possible way, no trouble at all with CD's
Regards
Slav