DS firmware - what is the lastest on the most musical one?

[Spannko]

I'm still looking for KlimaxDs_4.34.1484.zip if anybody has a copy.

[Spannko]

Many thanks to kampak for sending me a copy of Davaar 34.

I've loaded it up and much prefer it to Davaar 35.

Davaar 35 has a very nice sound, but everything sounds out of tune and out of time to me. So much so that it takes a while to recognise familiar tunes, and even then, I've been double checking the metadata! In all honesty, if my system were to sound like this all the time, I'd sell it!

Davaar 34 has great rhythm and tune. I'm happy again!

[The FlatEarther]

Hi Spanko, any chance of a copy please?
Thanks.

[Spannko]

No problem. PM your email address.

[Spannko]

It's worth mentioning again that Davaar 34 was removed from the Linn download page because some people found their DS's unbootable after loading it.

[The FlatEarther]

Many thanks Spanko. File received. Top man.
Cheers
Flat

[The FlatEarther]

Ok I hate to say this, as I cannot see how a Davar can effect the music and when I spoke to Linn this morning they agreed.

But........ Based on this thread I decided to roll back to 33 last night then leave the KDS till today. I did this as since being on 35 I've had a niggly feeling that all was not quite right. Well stone the crows! 33 is definitely more melodic and strangely has a sweeter timbre so bonus ball. More tuneful and natural. Go figure as I can't!

[The FlatEarther]

Just rolled back and forth between D33 and D35, 33 is definitely better. The music flows and times so much better. I agree Spanko 35 sounds odd.

[tokenbrit]

Interesting. I might have to try 32 & 33 vs 19, which is the version currently installed on my KRDS/1. There's nothing in the new firmware that I need, functionally, but I don't mind trying them as long as I can go back to 19...

[David Neel]

If you like 19, as I did, you may well prefer 22.1006. It was an official release, so available at: http://products.linn.co.uk/VersionInfo/ ... /Releases/

Usual disclaimers, and I'm using an ADS/1.

[tokenbrit]

Thanks 'David' but I checked and there is no Davaar 22 for Klimax DS. That release was for Akurate DS; Akurate & Klimax DSM only.

[David Neel]

Sorry, didn't realise that some releases are only for part of the range. Not that it helps you any, but last night before I posted I did re-compare 14.549, 19.789 (I missed out on .787) and 22.1006. They came out as 2nd, 3rd, 1st in that order. Interesting because a year ago I rated them 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Perhaps my recent cable-dressing/rack changes have had that effect, or perhaps the differences are small enough that it's difficult to compare with five or so minutes between different firmwares?

[tokenbrit]

Sorry, didn't realise that some releases are only for part of the range. Not that it helps you any, but last night before I posted I did re-compare 14.549, 19.789 (I missed out on .787) and 22.1006. They came out as 2nd, 3rd, 1st in that order. Interesting because a year ago I rated them 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Perhaps my recent cable-dressing/rack changes have had that effect, or perhaps the differences are small enough that it's difficult to compare with five or so minutes between different firmwares?

No problem Anthony - I appreciated the recommendation, and was disappointed that I couldn't try it given your findings... I installed 33 last night & will give that a whirl - I have 19, 32, & 33 downloaded to be able to compare.

[The FlatEarther]

Toke, I look forward to your report on 33.

[tokenbrit]

I only had a brief listen of 33 last night, just to check all was OK after update from 19 - sounded promising... Will give it some time over the weekend to familiarise myself with 33 musically, then compare and report a little later.

I am also intrigued by 32 since stefan said that was better than 33 on his ADSM/1...

Has anyone else here compared 32 & 33, particularly on a K(R)DS, preferably with a pre-amp / without digital volume control?

[kct]

I only had a brief listen of 33 last night, just to check all was OK after update from 19 - sounded promising... Will give it some time over the weekend to familiarise myself with 33 musically, then compare and report a little later.

I am also intrigued by 32 since stefan said that was better than 33 on his ADSM/1...

Has anyone else here compared 32 & 33, particularly on a K(R)DS, preferably with a pre-amp / without digital volume control?

I have krds0 with kk dual board but not dynamik. Liked 32 a lot but not 33 as the musicality was lost but perhaps more detail which I found fatiguing. Presently on 35 which seems best of both worlds

[stefan]

I only had a brief listen of 33 last night, just to check all was OK after update from 19 - sounded promising... Will give it some time over the weekend to familiarise myself with 33 musically, then compare and report a little later.

I am also intrigued by 32 since stefan said that was better than 33 on his ADSM/1...

Has anyone else here compared 32 & 33, particularly on a K(R)DS, preferably with a pre-amp / without digital volume control?

I have krds0 with kk dual board but not dynamik. Liked 32 a lot but not 33 as the musicality was lost but perhaps more detail which I found fatiguing. Presently on 35 which seems best of both worlds

Exactly my words. I'm still on 35 ie I like it better than 32. But 33 was brief, should give it another go.

Firmware getting more and more complex. Tidal, Qobuz, airplay, space... certainly speaks for 4.1.10 which lacks everything except songcast. But for us with the current spec DS/DSM this is not an option, you'll have to do with later releases (are there any pre-space/pre-Tidal here really?). This is of course no argument for not upgrading, no doubt a DS/2 with 35 is significantly better than a DS/1 with 4.1.10.

I would think Linn could make the best possible FW and that would be the one wthout any features, just functionality for playing from a NAS and only support for FLAC. Additional features could be available as plugins. I know, it won't happen.

[lejonklou]

no doubt a DS/2 with 35 is significantly better than a DS/1 with 4.1.10

Are you sure? I'd like to hear just that comparison but have not yet had the opportunity.

[stefan]

no doubt a DS/2 with 35 is significantly better than a DS/1 with 4.1.10

Are you sure? I'd like to hear just that comparison but have not yet had the opportunity.

There certainly are differences between FW versions but I heard nothing in the magnitude of the differences from /0 to /1 or (at least as big) from /1 to /2. But right, I haven't made that comparison. KDS/2 owners might add their view on this.

[tokenbrit]

As promised, here are my thoughts after comparing Davaar 19, 33, & 35. 32 omitted for now in the interest of sanity & domestic harmony*

Start point was 19 (all firmware used was release versions; no beta builds)
Friday & Saturday we just lived with 33 - no sit-down comparison with 19, just leave it on & see if we enjoy it more or less... definitely more! Saturday I put on a few albums that we hadn't played in a while and got on with stuff around the house. Both of us were drawn to the music - it found us whether we were listening for it, or not.

Sunday: back to 19, then 35, 33, 19, 35, and 33 again - this time with a little more critical listening. First casualty: 19 - forget it. Now to the more serious comparison: 33 & 35. Before I reveal the result, I should reveal the method: '* Mrs tokenbrit' has a reliable pair of ears but hates any form of comparing changes to the hifi - detests it, doesn't like to be drawn on an opinion, A or B, and would prefer to take no part in it... Confession time: I took advantage, so to speak ;) Mrs toke was sat relaxed on the couch, in ideal location, distracted by planning a trip to Nashville... This was just after I had rolled the DS back to 19 so I put on a select few tracks that we had played on Saturday, listened myself, and watched for reactions - call it 'wifedem'© :)

Wifedem results:
19 - little acknowledgement
35 - bit of singing along, and obvious following of the music
33 - similar to 35, maybe with a little more enthusiasm (hard to tell ;)
19 - nothing
35 and 33 again - consistent with the first pass, with a fraction more engagement with 33 (possibly - refuses to be drawn when questioned directly :)

Personal 'tunedem' between 33 & 35, with a caveat**. 35 easier to follow separate elements of the music, but more work for me to bring them together as a tune; 33 not quite as straightforward to listen to elements individually as it's more together & coherent as a tune. Personally, I found 33 more musically engaging; 35 I found a little 'etched' - 33 felt more analogue; 35 a little digital.

** Now for the caveat, result, & a suggestion: firstly, I cannot say that my system is perfectly set-up. However, it sounded fine to me/us this morning when listening to the Pekin, so I think it's close... and, on evidence of yesterday's playlist & today's tunedem & 'wifedem', in my room, with my set-up, to my ears and, best as I could determine, to Mrs toke's ears too, based on what we were listening to & how we were listening, we preferred 33 over 19 definitely, and over 35 more marginally.

What I would suggest, and with acknowledgement to stefan's comments on firmware & digital complexities, is that it would be best to get your system set-up as best as possible with an analogue source. Only then should you try to optimise your digital source(s). Other than obvious duffs, the differences between versions of Davaar may favour certain system or set-up variations, as much as personal preferences. This is *before* you play with digital 'fixes' such as Space. Get everything right in the analogue domain before trying to come to a decision over which version of Davaar is 'best' - if you have multiple sources, your system needs to sound best with all of them. Unless you have a DS as your only source, Space Optimisation isn't going to correct your set-up for your LP12, or your tuner, so get it right with analogue before comparing firmware versions and, if you use digital correction such as Space, compare versions of Davaar with Space Optimisation turned off. Apply digital correction as you wish, but get it as right as possible in the analogue domain first, and keep the 'correction', whether in distinct firmware version characteristics or other digital adjustments, to a minimum.

I will stop there with sanity questionably intact.

[The FlatEarther]

Toke great post. I love the non committal wife dem! LOL

Also excellent advice about comparing to analogue as a reference. Especially for those of us with LP12's.

Thanks
Steve

[tokenbrit]

I swapped Silvers between Sagatuns & Tundras a few days ago, and had some 'quiet time' at home this morning so decided to try comparing 32 & 33. I did this, in part, to gain some critical listening with the shorty Silvers in place, but also to give 32 a chance as I hadn't been able to include this version in last weeks 'wifedem' of 19, 33, & 35.

No cable changes were made during this comparison - the system stayed the same except for versions of Davaar on the KRDS. No 'wifedem' yet - will see if I can get impressions from Mrs toke as I leave the system playing with a similar playlist as last weekend...

My initial view is that 32 is better than 33 - it's easier to follow each musician within the song, but doesn't keep them separate or lose the tune & meaning of the song like 35 seemed to.

Actually, Mrs toke just got home & immediately started singing along with 32 - a good sign! More later...

[tokenbrit]

Not much "more" to add - a week of living with 32, and that's the version with which *we* are staying! It's undeniably musical & enjoyable in my system, with files served up from the NAS as well as making Internet radio sound undoubtedly 'catchy'. Mrs toke hasn't objected to surreptitious tweaking of the system volume upwards.. she's sensitive to 'loud', but 32 is just tuneful. 35 was a little disjointed, and 33 could be a bit muddled; 19 was boring; 32 is thoroughly engaging in my set-up here.

(: 32 makes my air guitar sound like it's being played by a much more accomplished musician :)

[David Neel]

(: 32 makes my air guitar sound like it's being played by a much more accomplished musician :)

With a recommendation like that I'll have to try it again!

[tokenbrit]

For me 32 was the easiest to appreciate how the guitarist was playing while following the other musicians, all while understanding and enjoying the music as a whole. Curious whether it works as well for your guitar as it did for mine... ;)