Cara Beta 3.6.7

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-04-15 02:00

I may be jumping to conclusions, but I think it's jumping for joy on the newest DS software update on my KDS. Tonight will be a late one for sure, just in case it's just my mood, the weather, the alignment of the planets, or some other unrepeatable circumstance.

I literally have been playing along (air guitar) with Steven Stills -Stills Alone.

No big deal except I don't play guitar. I'm able to move my hands with his playing. My fingers seem to know what he's doing. This something I've never done before. I've been quite good at following a tune but....what can I say.

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2010-04-15 09:05

Did you try the other previous Cara 6 beta versions as well?
And...is 3.6.7 the most musical firmware ever?

What DS model are you using?

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-04-15 11:50

Hi ML,

Yes I've used all betas since auskerry. Some on ADS only though.

Right now and since mid Bute era on KDS.

The only thing I can think of that could also contribute to this thinking is that my new (march 17, 2010) ATC scm50 sl Active Towers have just broken in at the same time as the update.

To me this better than ever by as much a difference as ADS to KDS/D was.

It still sound s good enough this morning that I'm already late leaving for work.

Bye for now.

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2010-04-15 12:37

SaltyDog wrote: To me this better than ever by as much a difference as ADS to KDS/D was.

Is Cara 3.6.7 THAT much better than what? 3.6.6 or the previous production Cara 3.4.3

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-04-15 16:28

On previous 3.6.x versions I noticed no change from 3.4.3.
3.6.6 to 3.6.7 nice change.

I was still using keltiks, klimax xovers and 4 x klouts when I changed DSs. Burn in of KK, KDS, and ATC speakers and cables which were introduced in a staggered time frame may have influenced some things.

I have not wanted to post too much, as burn ins on one upgrade have probably just completed about the time of next upgrade. Can't argue with cash flow and wife's permission timing.

For whatever reasons and there are more than one possibility, yesterday after the latest cara upgrade, I just want to listen to music more than ever. I've always listened a lot. I do not want to know what to do next now. I'm satisfied. I want to know how to save this version of cara for future use. I would be afraid to update and lose this version.

Have you tried 3.6.7 yet? I would like to know others experience. In my experience with burn in I've usually found that it gets good then worse than finally back to a good I've already heard. This is different.

The better the system the more differences can be heard. But this all just happened yesterday. Speaker position has been unchanged for weeks and I'm sure it's where it needs to be. The ATCs are much easier to be sure of things.

THAT much better is hard to say. Even if I take the time to put the ADS back in the system it probably won't be a fair comparison as to the difference when the KDS was new.

If you go to 3.6.7 and have a different finding (nice to work with someone where it'll be a finding not an opinion) I'll go to the effort of trying the ADS again and report back.

monkeydevil · Post by **monkeydevil** » 2010-04-15 20:58

I have only previously tried cara 6.6. Thought it was worse than 4.3. Less musical, more boring. It even came across as a bit distorted. 6.7 is a lot better again!

Hard to do a proper tune dem though since it takes some time to revert between the different versions. I think it is better than 4.3. I listened to Rokia Traoré, from Mali I believe. She sings in a language I don't know a word of. Suddenly I realised how rhythmical she sings, she really uses her voice in a rhythmical way that I recognize from african percussion.

Cara 6.7 is nice :D

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2010-04-16 14:24

salty..
Best realitycheck is to install 4.3.4 again!

Save the firmware - rightclick on it on Linn web, then "save as".

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-04-16 15:13

Too late I think.

3.6.8 has been released.

Was a really good idea. I'm quite convinced I should stick with what's working so well.

sommerfee · Post by **sommerfee** » 2010-04-16 18:01

I can confirm that Cara 3.6.7 is really marvellous. I never ever had a firmware inside my Sneaky DS which was that tuneful.

SaltyDog wrote:3.6.8 has been released.

AFAIK this is just because of a very tiny bugfix which allows to use Songbird with Cara6. Hopefully nothing has changed tune-wise.

Music Lover · Post by **Music Lover** » 2010-04-16 19:11

I have most firmwares for KDS if needed, just send me a PM with your personal email.

Patrik · Post by **Patrik** » 2010-05-05 18:01

sommerfee wrote:I can confirm that Cara 3.6.7 is really marvellous. I never ever had a firmware inside my Sneaky DS which was that tuneful.

I agree. I went back from Cara6 to 3.6.7 and so far it seems to be a lot more fun than before. The sound is the same though. I have akurate ds.

ThomasOK · Post by **ThomasOK** » 2010-05-05 18:40

Anyone have 3.6.7 for the MDS? It appears I waited too long to grab a copy.

Patrik · Post by **Patrik** » 2010-05-06 17:37

Saltydog also wrote vividly about how fantastic 3.6.7 are on the linn forum. Good read. If I hadn't read his posts I had definitely thought this was a temporary mood thing in my head. Everything sounds musically interesting/fun right now on the ds. If this isn't a random thing with different things just working together for different persons at the same time making 3.6.7 seem best, I think it's peculiar that Linns engineering team can leave 3.6.7 and come up with cara6 as final version, which is so much less entertaining. I have gone from 3.6.7 = good music to cara6= "hmm must move speaker 5 mm" than back again to 3.6.7 = good music.

This is the weirdest tune dem experience I have had so far.

Per A · Post by **Per A** » 2010-05-06 20:36

Is it better than 3.4.3?

Patrik · Post by **Patrik** » 2010-05-07 07:43

Per A wrote:Is it better than 3.4.3?

Cara4, cara6 and 3.6.7 (and some more 3.6.?) are versions I have recently tried.

Linnofil · Post by **Linnofil** » 2010-05-08 13:15

I'm now running my ADS/D with Cara 3.6.7 and I'm really happy with it! :D Much better then Cara 6 and better then Cara 4. Thanks to Patrik for sending it to me! IMHO this is the best SW to date and I reccomend it to all our readers!

I can't believe how some people at the Linn Forum can't hear differences between SW. :?: :?: :?: Going from Cara 6 to Cara 4 is a clear improvement! No wonder I'm not there so often. (Just like Fredrik noted in another subject.)

Cara 4 is clearly better than Cara 6 and Cara 3.6.7 is much better than both.

Edited again! :oops:

Post by **lejonklou** » 2010-05-08 14:25

Did you mix up some numbers there, Linnofil?

Funny how some prefer Cara 6 while others think Cara 4 is less impressive but better. I haven't done a proper evaluation myself yet, thought I'd save some time by letting you people sort things out first.

Linnofil · Post by **Linnofil** » 2010-05-08 14:52

lejonklou wrote:Did you mix up some numbers there, Linnofil?

Well, I tried not to. :) But I see now that my post was not entirely clear. :oops: I will edit it! What I meant to say was that Cara 4 is clearly better than Cara 6 and that Cara 3.6.7 is much better than both.

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-05-08 15:51

Ah-hem. Do you mean 3.6.7.

The 3.x.x means it part of the 3rd island or family. That would be Cara.
2.X.XX would be from the Bute era.

Linnofil · Post by **Linnofil** » 2010-05-08 16:09

Sorry about the confusion guys. :oops: :oops: :oops: I've fixed it this time, I hope! Sometimes I'm ahead of my time, but this time I went a bit to far! Thanks for correcting me. Must be the joy of more musical SW in my DS that screwed my head up! ;)

Per A · Post by **Per A** » 2010-05-09 14:18

So we have either Cara 4 or Cara 6 and then those three more version numbers?

After upgrading yesterday my konfig says Cara 6 (3.6.9). Are the three numbers seprated by dots the only real version numbers? I don't understand this family talk but then I am not into programming anything.

Or is Cara 4 also running its own version series numbers?

And is "3.6.7" not availble from Linn's site anymore?

Forgive me for being confused.

Anyway I will try Cara 4 again to hear for myself.

Now I have reinstalled Cara 4 (3.4.3)...

Much better :D
Kasey Chambers comes across like she didn't before. Thanks guys.

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-05-09 14:46

Per A,

The versions being beta versions are not all readily available. Some forum members have saved some of them and they can be sent to you via email.

The numbering system is that the first number is for the family. 3 is for Cara versions. 2 was for Bute. 1 was Auskerry which is pretty much historic.(I don't know of anyone still using this.)

The second number is the version. Example 3.6.9 the 6 means it is Cara 6 version.

The third number is the one that changes as Linn are working towards an official release. In other words there were 8 beta versions of Cara 6 prior to the official release version 3.6.9.

Not all beta versions have been available to testers IIRC.

The beta versions may not be kept available by Linn. Some members have wisely downloaded and saved copies for their future use.

I have Klimax DS versions 3.1.25, 3.4.2, and 3.6.7 and would be glad to email them to anyone in need. Just PM me with your email address.

Each DS (Klimax, Akurate, Majik etc.) has it's own version of each firmware.

Hope this helps more than confusing.

Per A · Post by **Per A** » 2010-05-09 15:06

Salty dog thanks I edited my post before I saw yours,

and thanks for reminding me to get the Procul Harum album your signature is identical to. It great.

sommerfee · Post by **sommerfee** » 2010-05-10 07:19

SaltyDog wrote:In other words there were 8 beta versions of Cara 6 prior to the official release version 3.6.9.

There were three "development" versions and five "beta" versions of Cara 6. (sorry for being schoolmasterly)

Not all beta versions have been available to testers IIRC.

... but to Control Point developers (like me), so we get a chance to adapt our software as soon as possible. But IMHO the development versions are not of interest for end users, neither regarding stability nor tune-wise. (Anyone willing to try Cara 3.1.1? I still have it :mrgreen: (at least for Sneaky and Klimax))

Axel

SaltyDog · Post by **SaltyDog** » 2010-05-10 12:23

I'd be willing to listen to 3.1.1 again.

I'd suggest 3.1.25 (available on Linn's info or I have Klimax version) as a worthwhile listen.

I guess the development ones are the ones I never saw released. I used to get all my updates through konfig. Konfig has no option for development releases. (Probably a god thing for me.)