Originally Posted by M Music
The Stereophile comparison of the 808.2 with the Ayre Ayre C-5xe was not with the Ayre's new filter that is now available as a retrofit. That would then make a very interesting comparison with the 808.2 while we wait for Robert H's comparison of the 808.2, Spectral SDR-4000 CD and AlphaDAC.

Those of you who have the Stereophile, the measurements section of the 808.2 review is very relevant to the discussion on apodising filters we were having on the HD621/apodising thread. The first two graphs show the impulse response of a typical linear phase filter, with pre and post-ringing, and the impulse response of the 808.2, with no pre-ringing, but even more post-ringing. The impulse response of the 808.2 looks like the 6th graph in this Ayre white paper, which I've referenced often:

http://www.ayre.com/PDF/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf

In that paper, Ayre goes on to say that they found a filter with quite different impulse response (8th graph in the paper) sounds even better. Basically, it trades off some leakage of ultrasonic noise for less post-ringing. So the comparison of those two players by JA should indeed be interesting.

And the kicker in all of this is that, more and more, these players and DACs are upgradeable to new firmware in the field, as Meridian has always been. So as designers learn more from each other, we're increasingly going to see sonic improvements made as simply as downloading new firmware.

861v?, MBL 116/111/121, McIntosh amps, music server, Oppo/switch-box 980 SACD/DVD