IMO, the new firmware is absolutely worth installing. It essentially makes a great pre/pro even better. Much more informative display (with Video AND Audio Outputs displayed!, non-toggle 7.1, customizable labels for the audio inputs in addition to the previous video inputs, and I suspect, other more hidden changes for the better (improved DPLIIX perhaps?).

Anyhow, I strongly feel it is well worth the effort to DL and install the new firmware, as it represents a significant improvement IMO, in the 990.

I myself think that the most significant imrovement was made in the DSP department. I like the other new usability features too, but it seems that there were some major overhaul of the DPLIIx and other surround modes. I'm wondering why nobody noticed that both DPLII music and movies now sound quite different. It is possible that either some bugs were fixed (my feeling is, although I might be wrong, that there was something terribly wrong with phases when doing DSP processing), or some completely new and improved DSP code form Cirrus was loaded.

Hey guys,

I have had no interest installing the upgrade until reading this as the stated features from the upgrade are not really anything I would benefit from. Can you be more specific on what has changed with the sound? Please describe the differences of pre-ugrade/upgrade if you can.

Thanks!

Can anyone confirm that DPLIIX does have improved sound with the new update? I would guess that subjective impressions of the latter would be by nature not reliable. What do others think?

CI,
I second the noticed changes on DPLII as ASX is refering too. There is a difference between music/movie settings. Music setting sounds good.
The 'little' upgrades are nice touches.

As far as if you played w/ DPLII before update - you should have a pretty good idea of the post upgrade. It was pretty easy to hear.

The upgrade went smooooth. Very cool to take advantage of technology.

The audible enhancements in DPL II perceived by some of our listeners are, in fact, real. The software engineers quietly added improvements in this area. You know the old saying "If I were doing it again I would....."



Well, the software guys did. Enjoy the improvements!

I've been so busy checking out the Stereo Bypass and 7.1 analog I haven't even checked out the surround modes. Scott does this change DP IIx when layered on top of DD too?

Yes, the improvements affect any playback where DPL II is operational.

I will upload the firmware this weekend and see if indeed I can hear a difference in the DD+DPLIIx mode as this is what I normally use for movies. I can clearly hear things with the BA AVP7 that I have never heard before with the 990. I will give the 990 one more chance and see if this remians to hold true or if after the upgrade the 990 will close the gap on movies. Thanks for the info everyone.

Scott, this is IMO, a VERY SIGNIFICANT improvement...most users I would believe use some form of DPLIIx more than any other mode. This adds to the other features of the firmware upgrade which make the 990 one of the best on the market iin direct comparison to any prepro below $3K that I am aware of.

Thank you for including this very important change, to a set of already great features in this new firmware. It is well worth installing by any 990 owner, and as stated before, makes an already superb prepro even better.

Well done indeed!!!!!

my side surrounds definitly sound more lively - more pronounced than before, when using dplIIx

Mental note if 'ever given the chance to play poker with Scott - he plays the cards pretty close to his chest. The early details on the upgrade seem to have counted a lot of things as "other minor software adjustments". Not that the upgrade appears to be a full house, but it's certainly much better than the offsuite 3-8 that it appeared to be in the first hint.

I upgraded the firmware on the 990 tonight. I did hear a noticable difference that did close most of the gap in movie performance of the 990 when compared to the BA AVP7.

However, voices from the center channel are more laid back with the AVP7 (this is a good thing in my opinion). The center with the 990 is much more "in my face" and I have the crossovers of both units set the same (80Hz across the board) and am using DD+DPLIIx on both units and they have been balanced using the RS SPL meter. I also notice the harshness of the "matrixed" center with the 990 on music (Upsample with 990, Pure Direct with upsampling turned on with the AVP7)as well.

When the volume gets loud with the 990, the center image gets too overbearing, but yet is still hard to hear at times throughout action sequences, etc. The AVP7 is always clearly audible and never to harsh.

Any ideas of something I'm overlooking...I am tired tonight.

Doug917, have you considered the possibility that the difference in center channel presence is related to calibration? After all, the 990 and AVP7 use the exact same boards, DACs, DSP engine, and analog sections.

I know it sounds weird, but the units are both calibrated so that each channel will be at 70dB at -10 on the volume. I was listening to movies and music at -15 on both units.

I have changed no other settings on either unit. The only difference would be that the upsampling would be on all the time with the AVP7, but that usually seems to add more "life" to things, not dull it down.

Oddly, I did not notice this when I first set up the 990 (before I even had the BA). It was after listening solely to the AVP7 for several weeks, then going back to the 990 the other night that I noticed the AVP7 was much smoother with voices.

The only thing I can think of is that the sub could play a part when in DD+PLIIx as I believe the sub level may be the only channel that would stray from being equal to all other channel levels on both units even though it was measured and set at the same level. The sub does seem a little stronger on the AVP7. This would not explain the difference in 2-channel modes though as the sub does not even come into play (FL/FR set to large, sub set to LFE only).

I will play around this weekend, but so far it looks like the AVP7 is still staying and the 990 will be out of the system.

Doug917, try setting the distance to the center channel one foot this or that way. Because the processing routines are probably somehow different on the two units, the distances are measured in feet (rough), and the fact that the DPLII in the 990 was so screwed up with the original firmware (meaning it can still be screwed up), there is no guarantee that the minor phase differences are not taking place. Setting the center channel one feet either way does change the sound quite a bit. If you still suspect the sub, you can disable it in both units and see how different they sound in such configurations.
I myself do not think that the 990 is harsh anymore, but I don't have anything to compare with, at least in DPLII. I am contemplating going to another local shop (going back to the first one would seem awkward) and asking for another Arcam AVP700 loaner so I can compare it with the "new" 990. I have compared two channel stereo with the Azur 640 CD player (Wolfson DACs, analog bypass) and there is not much difference between it and 990 now. In fact I even prefer the 990 as it has slightly better mid-bass extension while the Azur is a little bit too cold. But this difference is very minor. As to harshness, the high frequencies and details are almost identical on the 990 and the Azur, and neither of them seem harsh.

I just got done doing my update. No issues installing it either.

Definite inprovement on the DPLII settings. Only downside is a personal issue. I have some how misplaced my calibration mic, and my SPL meter is up at a job site about 40 miles away right now. Full calibration will have to wait until after Tuesday. I set it back to where I had it all before, but that was done without my meter as well, and just using the setup mic.

So far it is great though. I only wish that the update had included one more small thing. The ability to turn off the surround speakers in the setup menu. I use my 990/7500 setup in a 2.1 channel setup with my Monitor Audio GS60s being bi-amped on the 7500 and my rel Q401e.

I may just go buy a new SPL meter today and go to town. Nothing else to do this weekend since my drummer screwed up and booked a bunch of shows for us not thinking that it was a holiday weekend.


Thanks Outlaw.
J

Asx,

I originally upgraded from a Yammy 2500 to the 990 and thought it was less bright than the 2500 (not surprising as many calim the Yamahas are rather bright). I never thought of the 990 as being bright, but after listening to the AVP7 for a few weeks and then going back, there was a noticable difference. My wife was even yelling at me to turn the 990 down cause it was too loud, yet I could achieve higher SPLs with no yelling with the AVP7, cause it was not as forward as the 990.

I will try to play around tomorrow with the distance of the center and fronts (as they would have to be responsible for this to occur in 2-channel modes). Right now the L/C/R are set at 10 feet on both units. I'm off to check out X3 and eat some pizza.

I have been doing some listening and comparing CD stereo and CD DPLIIx. My impression is that in stereo, CD's sound a little sharper with slightly better dynamic range. When I switch the same material to DPLIIx it doesn't sound quite as sharp. I do like the way the music seems to extend out towards the listener. I have several DD music dvd's and though I have not been able to do an a/b comparison it seems to me that music recorded as DD on a DVD is a little sharper than a CD which is then processed through DPLIIx. What are other folks impression of the two modes?