With reference back to my pre-Christmas post #140. The 16GB micro SD card that I had ordered arrived last week, together with a micro to standard SD card adaptor that would allow me to burn the image via my PC's SD card slot.
I downloaded the latest V0.4.5.1 firmware, burnt it to the micro SD card using Balena Etcher. Much faffing around to swap the SD cards in the sMS-200Ultra, and no success, the sMS would not even boot up. You could turn the power light on, but the unit would then shut itself down. Clearly burning an image to my PC's SD card slot was not working for some reason. More faffing around, I eventually got imageUSB to work, but this would not recognise the PC's SD card slot, further faffing, I found an old USB to SD card adaptor and burnt the image using imageUSB. Put the SD card into the sMS-200Ultra, and success! The sMS-200Ultra booted up, it was recognised by Eunhasu, which showed the device was now on V0.4.5.1, so all good. Or so it seemed. I tried selecting HQPlayer NAA and this would not switch to "active", I just got the blue circle going around and around indefinitely. Puzzled, I then selected shairport mode as something to try, this did the same thing. Ummm. After yet more faffing, I discovered that you needed to click the config cog for both HQPlayer NAA and shairport, and reload the app. This was curious as I have never needed to do this, not even when I first had the sMS and used Eunhasu. So all a bit frustrating, but I got there in the end.
Now some good news, via HQPlayer NAA, the sMS-200Ultra appears to be 100% stable, so far it has worked perfectly. I only had time for a quick listen yesterday with V0.4.5.1, the initial impression was very positive, definitely sounding good, but I did have a slight niggle that maybe the highest treble was somehow a bit more metallic.
This morning I spent a couple of hours comparing, first running V0.4.5.1, then back to my old SC card with V.0.4.4, then returning to V0.4.5.1. I have found a definite improvement with V0.4.5.1. Overall, I would say V0.4.5.1 is more engaging and enjoyable to listen to. Of particular note were things like female vocals, in one case moving from a slightly sibilant sound to something far more natural sounding. (actually moving from slightly sibilant to ethereal sounding in one case, can ethereal be described as more natural? It is certainly better to listen to) Also notable was the presentation of the bass, better definition, more dynamic. Not more bass as such, but more bass impact. With extended listening and A/B comparison, the initial observation regarding the treble holds up. This could be system dependent, but some tracks that sounded fine with V.0.4.4 sounded just a fraction bright with V0.4.5.1. As an experiment, I used the Devialet remote to adjust treble whilst listening. Give the dial a big twist up and down, I cannot see the Devialet's display from the listening position, so in effect this blind test. I tried this with a couple of tracks on V.0.4.4 and ended up very close to 0 dB, with V0.4.5.1 my treble preference seemed to be nearer -1 or -2 dB. Most curious. For now I am sticking with V0.4.5.1. I tried some listening with the treble set to -2 dB and everything sounds great, this does upset my purist tendencies a little, but I can live with that when things are sounding so good. One thing occurs to me, last year I tried my old microRendu powered with the sPS-500 versus the LPS-1, I preferred the LPS-1 and when using the sPS-500 with the mR the system suffered from a very similar issue to the slightly metallic treble I am experiencing now. So I think I will revisit this one when my "end November 2018" batch Paul Hynes SR-4's arrive. (If they ever arrive)
As I final point, my downloaded imageUSB version of V04.5.1 definately sufferes from the blinking light issue.
I downloaded the latest V0.4.5.1 firmware, burnt it to the micro SD card using Balena Etcher. Much faffing around to swap the SD cards in the sMS-200Ultra, and no success, the sMS would not even boot up. You could turn the power light on, but the unit would then shut itself down. Clearly burning an image to my PC's SD card slot was not working for some reason. More faffing around, I eventually got imageUSB to work, but this would not recognise the PC's SD card slot, further faffing, I found an old USB to SD card adaptor and burnt the image using imageUSB. Put the SD card into the sMS-200Ultra, and success! The sMS-200Ultra booted up, it was recognised by Eunhasu, which showed the device was now on V0.4.5.1, so all good. Or so it seemed. I tried selecting HQPlayer NAA and this would not switch to "active", I just got the blue circle going around and around indefinitely. Puzzled, I then selected shairport mode as something to try, this did the same thing. Ummm. After yet more faffing, I discovered that you needed to click the config cog for both HQPlayer NAA and shairport, and reload the app. This was curious as I have never needed to do this, not even when I first had the sMS and used Eunhasu. So all a bit frustrating, but I got there in the end.
Now some good news, via HQPlayer NAA, the sMS-200Ultra appears to be 100% stable, so far it has worked perfectly. I only had time for a quick listen yesterday with V0.4.5.1, the initial impression was very positive, definitely sounding good, but I did have a slight niggle that maybe the highest treble was somehow a bit more metallic.
This morning I spent a couple of hours comparing, first running V0.4.5.1, then back to my old SC card with V.0.4.4, then returning to V0.4.5.1. I have found a definite improvement with V0.4.5.1. Overall, I would say V0.4.5.1 is more engaging and enjoyable to listen to. Of particular note were things like female vocals, in one case moving from a slightly sibilant sound to something far more natural sounding. (actually moving from slightly sibilant to ethereal sounding in one case, can ethereal be described as more natural? It is certainly better to listen to) Also notable was the presentation of the bass, better definition, more dynamic. Not more bass as such, but more bass impact. With extended listening and A/B comparison, the initial observation regarding the treble holds up. This could be system dependent, but some tracks that sounded fine with V.0.4.4 sounded just a fraction bright with V0.4.5.1. As an experiment, I used the Devialet remote to adjust treble whilst listening. Give the dial a big twist up and down, I cannot see the Devialet's display from the listening position, so in effect this blind test. I tried this with a couple of tracks on V.0.4.4 and ended up very close to 0 dB, with V0.4.5.1 my treble preference seemed to be nearer -1 or -2 dB. Most curious. For now I am sticking with V0.4.5.1. I tried some listening with the treble set to -2 dB and everything sounds great, this does upset my purist tendencies a little, but I can live with that when things are sounding so good. One thing occurs to me, last year I tried my old microRendu powered with the sPS-500 versus the LPS-1, I preferred the LPS-1 and when using the sPS-500 with the mR the system suffered from a very similar issue to the slightly metallic treble I am experiencing now. So I think I will revisit this one when my "end November 2018" batch Paul Hynes SR-4's arrive. (If they ever arrive)
As I final point, my downloaded imageUSB version of V04.5.1 definately sufferes from the blinking light issue.
1000 Pro - KEF Blade - iFi Zen Stream - Mutec REF10 - MC3+USB - Pro-Ject Signature 12
