New 8.0 firmware

[AllenB]

And a third here. I think the DSP code used in 8.0 is a step back from 7.1.3, which is a bit strange because I thought the whole purpose of 7.1.3 was to try out the new code in advance of the 8.0, but then use exactly the same DSP code if it was well received. The 8.0 code seems slightly more harsh and slightly more hollow, like just a little of the music has been sucked out.

Is it not possible that the beta 7.1.3 is in fact a later development than 8.0?  Curious numbering, but maybe Devialet didn't want to release an "8.0 beta" prior to the actual 8.0 release.  Unlikely perhaps, but not impossible.  What makes me think this is possible is the very close release date of the beta version with respect the the finalised 8.0.

Quite possibly, the 7.1.3 beta seems very odd in as to why it was released. Was it only about a change in the DSP code. There was no information or release notes as far as I can remember, no clue, no inkling why. Very strange. I do get the feeling that 8.0 was a major launch for Munich, releasing a beta beforehand would have tempered the fanfare for the show.

Coming from top-end Naim, I know changes in DSP can have a subtle, yet profound effect on what one hears, and I know Naim will go through up to nearly a hundred variations of DSP code sampling for one machine (NDS) before it is employed. Very time consuming. I really do not know what Dev have put into 8.0, because it certainly is not the DSP code from 7.1.3, nor even 7.1.1, well at least not to these ears. I would even question whether they have really truly listened to it in comparison with the preceding versions.

I hope it wasn't just 'thrown' in there, as to me, the DSP code is the most important thing in any firmware release, it can fundamentally change the SQ, sometimes for the worse as we seem to have with 8.0. Nice to have new bells 'n' whistles but not at the expense of sound quality.