New Surround Master v2 - Pre-Order Roster Discussion Thread

[allhartfidelity]

The first version was offered originally without the SQ capability. It was added later, but cost extra. The Version 2 offers both systems, and unlike the version 1 that included both, you don't have to turn the unit off before switching modes.

I see, thank you

 

[allhartfidelity]

Thanks guys, looks like mine may have been an older model. Still, quite decent with 2 channel source. Maybe not ideal with all of it i see, but quite nice with my Belle Klipsch.

Ive pulled the trigger and ordered the v2, instead of waiting for the v3.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Thanks guys, looks like mine may have been an older model. Still, quite decent with 2 channel source. Maybe not ideal with all of it i see, but quite nice with my Belle Klipsch.

Ive pulled the trigger and ordered the v2, instead of waiting for the v3.

Good goin', I've been extremely happy with my v2 and will order a v3 also when that's available.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Does that mean mine actually is not designed to decode sq?
View attachment 60103

It does not decode SQ. But your new baby will. Congrats!

 

[allhartfidelity]

Good goin', I've been extremely happy with my v2 and will order a v3 also when that's available.

I may well also. I will dedicate this one to 2 channel materials, andnuse the v2 for quad. May as well sell the Tate now i guess. Saw the comparisons between it and these on the web site there, but am uncertain as if that is the only comparison that needs be made.
You see any reason to keep the Tate ll besides nostalgic?

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I may well also. I will dedicate this one to 2 channel materials, andnuse the v2 for quad. May as well sell the Tate now i guess. Saw the comparisons between it and these on the web site there, but am uncertain as if that is the only comparison that needs be made.
You see any reason to keep the Tate ll besides nostalgic?

I am not a Tate expert for sure, but I have heard conversions and Up-mixes from them and they can also sound very nice depending on the material.
And Chucky (god please him, he'll be biased on the subject, but I won't hold that against him .)

 

[furui_suterioo]

The latest SM runs cooler, has a larger negative rail that gives it better headroom. It is a better unit and frankly Bitch and I think it sounds better (I have not quantified it yet but I do not bullshit). The SM V3 due next year (prob May) adds optical input and the blue eyes have been tamed!

Aside from all of the hardware upgrades, will the V3 maintain same decoding algorithm?

 

[ar surround]

Welcome back; hang tight a little longer, @chucky3042 can answer all your questions. Plus, they’ll be coming out with a version 3 in the near future I hear.

I may well also. I will dedicate this one to 2 channel materials, andnuse the v2 for quad. May as well sell the Tate now i guess. Saw the comparisons between it and these on the web site there, but am uncertain as if that is the only comparison that needs be made.
You see any reason to keep the Tate ll besides nostalgic?

Keep the Tate because it yields results that the SM does not when it comes to upmixing from stereo sources. Sometimes, what comes out of the Tate is bizarre with all sorts of artifacts, and sometimes it’s spectacular. The SMv2, on the other hand, always delivers good to excellent results that are free of artifacts.

In general, I suggest that you keep as many decoders on hand as possible. They produce different results depending on the source material...or to suit your mood at the time.

 

[chucky3042]

I may well also. I will dedicate this one to 2 channel materials, andnuse the v2 for quad. May as well sell the Tate now i guess. Saw the comparisons between it and these on the web site there, but am uncertain as if that is the only comparison that needs be made.
You see any reason to keep the Tate ll besides nostalgic?

I would definitely KEEP IT!!

 

[chucky3042]

Aside from all of the hardware upgrades, will the V3 maintain same decoding algorithm?

Yep, no changes

 

[jaybird100]

WTF? Nobody complains about a see through negligee..........You gotta show your stuff and those colored lights.

Get the Evalutation Encoder module. Lost of pretty little colored lights there!

 

[allhartfidelity]

QQ DISCOUNT CODES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For members of QQ first time buyers $50 off ............................code Chuckyspecial

For QQ members who own a previous version SM ..................code sm2qq19

SPEND, SPEND, SPEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see thats a bit different as outlined at the beginning of the thread.

Use the code: sm2qq19 for $100USD off your order.

Note: Involve will be sending an additional $50 code, via email, for those whom have previously purchased the original Surround Master

The sm2qq19 code did take 100 off my order for being an existing qq member.

Keep the Tate because it yields results that the SM does not when it comes to upmixing from stereo sources. Sometimes, what comes out of the Tate is bizarre with all sorts of artifacts, and sometimes it’s spectacular. The SMv2, on the other hand, always delivers good to excellent results that are free of artifacts.

In general, I suggest that you keep as many decoders on hand as possible. They produce different results depending on the source material...or to suit your mood at the time.

Thank you for the feedback. I havent really had a chance to fool with the Tate, and had no real idea that it worked with 2 channel audio "upmixing". I will have to break into the manual and have a look at that.
As far as artifacts, is that in reference to odd random noises, or improper distribution of sound? In the SM i have, ive detected the presence of sounds that dont stay put. Not all the time, but occasionally while an instrument is playing it will drift and then return to its position. More so on cd than lp it seems. Is this artifacts? Or perhaps a bit of echo/reverb effect?

 

[ar surround]

Thank you for the feedback. I havent really had a chance to fool with the Tate, and had no real idea that it worked with 2 channel audio "upmixing". I will have to break into the manual and have a look at that.
As far as artifacts, is that in reference to odd random noises, or improper distribution of sound? In the SM i have, ive detected the presence of sounds that dont stay put. Not all the time, but occasionally while an instrument is playing it will drift and then return to its position. More so on cd than lp it seems. Is this artifacts? Or perhaps a bit of echo/reverb effect?

I have not noticed any “drifting“ per se with the SM, but like all decoders, the unit is at the mercy of phase anomalies in the source material. For example, on rare occasions the phantom center will manifest itself off center. To solve that issue, I switch the decoder to 5.1. Doing so results in a more stable center image.

Artifacts can be a whole host of things such as guitar in the left rear suddenly switching to left front center. (I.e. Carry On with the Tate) With Logic7, on certain material, only one front speaker will be playing and then all 7 speakers will play as the passage gets more complicated. This issue is mainly prevalent with recordings from the early ‘60s (The Beatles Rool Over Beethoven for example).

Another problem is loss of ambience. As the decoder tries to direct sounds into certain speakers, the ambience in the original recording gets suppressed at times. I have noticed this with Tate and other upmixes but not with Logic7 or SM.

The flip side of that coin is overblown ambience. Logic7 with certain material produces an ambient mess...I consider those artifacts as well. I‘ve never had that problem with the SM.

But as I said earlier, I’ve heard Tate and other upmixes that are absolutely spectacular.

 

[armyjazzer]

Any chance of ever getting HDMI? Old receivers are dying off and few options for analog on new ones.

 

[Soundfield]

We're doomed - the utterance of the forbidden word will bring down the wrath of Chucky upon us all!!

 

[J. PUPSTER]

We're doomed - the utterance of the forbidden word will bring down the wrath of Chucky upon us all!!

Hell fire for sure

 

[allhartfidelity]

Any chance of ever getting HDMI? Old receivers are dying off and few options for analog on new ones.

Old receivers are dying off? Oh no! I best stock up!

My processor for surround has hdmi, but i still use the analog. I haven't caught up with the times maybe, but have been under the impression the alalog was better for the types of content or formats i played.
So will be curious to hear others thoughts on that. Though, perhaps i will have a read further back un the thread too and see if it was discussed.
Seems though if it gets too close to new tech, it would be counter intuitive. My Lexicon does a great job with 2 channel material as it stands
But this way (analog and the SM) just kinda "feels" more period correct for what im trying to maintain. I'll stick to the Lexicon for movies and THX but for me at least, this SM device and analog is as advanced as i want my Quad to ever get. At least..i think so..

 

[allhartfidelity]

I have not noticed any “drifting“ per se with the SM, but like all decoders, the unit is at the mercy of phase anomalies in the source material. For example, on rare occasions the phantom center will manifest itself off center. To solve that issue, I switch the decoder to 5.1. Doing so results in a more stable center image.

Artifacts can be a whole host of things such as guitar in the left rear suddenly switching to left front center. (I.e. Carry On with the Tate) With Logic7, on certain material, only one front speaker will be playing and then all 7 speakers will play as the passage gets more complicated. This issue is mainly prevalent with recordings from the early ‘60s (The Beatles Rool Over Beethoven for example).

Another problem is loss of ambience. As the decoder tries to direct sounds into certain speakers, the ambience in the original recording gets suppressed at times. I have noticed this with Tate and other upmixes but not with Logic7 or SM.

The flip side of that coin is overblown ambience. Logic7 with certain material produces an ambient mess...I consider those artifacts as well. I‘ve never had that problem with the SM.

But as I said earlier, I’ve heard Tate and other upmixes that are absolutely spectacular.

Thank you for the terminology clarification. AKA drifting, and phase anomalies. Thats exactly what ive heard, is a little of both i think.
I had wondered if it was my source, and figure if i play the same portion of track a few times if its source, it will stay? If the SM is doing it, then it may differ on occasion?
The discs i play are generally high res of one sort or another. Blue swirl, or Telarc, ect. The lp is same, but ive only played a couple. I dont run a preamp for my digital sources, but do habe one for the vinyl.
Thank you much for the input.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Old receivers are dying off? Oh no! I best stock up!
View attachment 60159
My processor for surround has hdmi, but i still use the analog. I haven't caught up with the times maybe, but have been under the impression the alalog was better for the types of content or formats i played.
So will be curious to hear others thoughts on that. Though, perhaps i will have a read further back un the thread too and see if it was discussed.
Seems though if it gets too close to new tech, it would be counter intuitive. My Lexicon does a great job with 2 channel material as it stands
But this way (analog and the SM) just kinda "feels" more period correct for what im trying to maintain. I'll stick to the Lexicon for movies and THX but for me at least, this SM device and analog is as advanced as i want my Quad to ever get. At least..i think so..

Love that, but I do see a major Sansui hole in your collection

 

[allhartfidelity]

Love that, but I do see a major Sansui hole in your collection

Lol hole? Im MY collection?