Greetings fellow Meridan fans. Now that the Firmware dust have settled and our impressions of the new firmwares start to "firm up" I take the oppurtunity to discuss the DSPC firmware of today and generations (7 years) back.

I had this nagging feeling that I could not wrestle Trifield to the quality I had before even though I set the exact same parameters (width 1.0, Depth +1). I didn't think more of it for a while just continued to enjoy movies and music but not music to the same level as before. To me the sound before was more delicate in the midrange, more magic if you will.

So I took the time to actually upload the older c00044.mfu for the DSPC. Why this version you ask, the reason is that Trifield was never broken here. For my experiment I wanted to atleast keep that which we have fought for, for 3 years.

I run everything via HDMI sources and that means my HD621 is doing all the upsampling work with apodizing, I guess it would be the same if I had an upsampling 808.x or 800 or G series M DVD player.

Now everything else is upgraded to the latest and greatest firmware. What I experienced next could be described as an epiphany. You know when you hear the 808.x for the first time directly into a DSP8000 pair of speakers and you ask yourself, how come it sounds so incredibly good?! Well it is an awesome CD/Network player and superb speakers but also there is no processing in between, just a straight transparent runway of music signal from source to speakers.

Going through the DSPC collection of firmware provided an interesting perspective. The c00044.mfu has a scale and a soundstage space that doesn't end. When someone talks directly into the mic you hear just that with every ambience around that performer/artist. When someone sneaks up in a movie the micro details and queues are just there very very small and then BAM you are startled. The bass is furious and deep and clear. Highs are pronounced and not smoothed over you hear what is there with no blanket. I would say this version is the most 'Direct' DSPC version released to this date.

As you go on through the years the highs are more smooth, the bass is there but not abysslike. The surroundspeakers are not suspended like the original 861v4 DSPC firmware (c00044.mfu).

Have any of the M veterans done these observations as well? I take it smoothed highs can appeal to a broad market but is the cost in lost ambience and microdetails worth it?

DSP8000SE, DSP7200SEHC, DSP5200SE sides, DSP7200SE rears, 861v8, 210, Sim2 Ultranero 4, Stewart Cinecurve 2.35:1, XEIT CM-5E Anamorphic lens, Dune HD Duo Cinema 8K and Wireworld Platinum 48G HDMI -> UHD722 -> Shunyata Omega Ethernet. Shunyata/Furutech power-cables/filters. SR Master Fuse@861v8. Uptone Etherregen with 10MHz OCXO clock.