Quick first report as I watch the end of the hockey game in my office and my audiobytes (one of the new application my setup now supports). I focussed on two things tonight: 1. Support for my applications 2. Upscaling and 3. Headphones.
1. APPLICATION OFFICE
Everything that was supposed to work, works (non-HDCP video and everything as stereo). Sound is very good, althought I cannot say if there is an improvement (was not a goal). Strange issue: when my LittleDot Mk V (which I now use a gain for the audiobytes and switch between PC and soundsystem) is off, there is a ground loop in my audiobytes! I will eventually investigate.
1. APPLICATION BACKROOM
Video is not working, but I have not investigated. Possible culprits are a) 50' HDMI cable is not working, b) the secondary output of the d2 is not working or c) the d2 and my old tv don't like each other.
Audio is using the "digital out". It appears that for certain source (blu-ray, HD-DVD, notably), the audio is forbidden (works fine in my office). So I will have to also use a stereo output... Wait a minute! I already have 2 extra cables passed!
2. UPSCALING
My BD-30 is setup so that I have both an source-upscaled HDMI connection and a 480i component. It is not intented for testing, but it is very convenient! Tried with Shrek, LOTR and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. That was a bit of a disapointment, at least at first. If there was a difference, it was superficial and not justifying a big processor like that.
BUT, that thing has a truck-load of parameters to control the upscaler... and each source can be configured differently. What I quickly discovered is that all the features are either disabled or set to minimum by default. I played with a few (I will need to read A LOT to go much further) settings and got noticeable improvements. The fun thing is that the settings are adjusted while the video is playing. That's pretty cool. Once I had an image I was liking better, I went back to compare and AH! the difference was much better. I then went to my media streamer and applied the same parameters (with some differences) and Star Wars, LOTR, Babylon V and even sitcoms started to look more natural.
The video processor does not repair crappy video and transfers (it may actually make them a bit worse by contrast), but it does remove "dancing pixels", edges around objects and makes all movement (camera panning, characters turning their heads) much crisper.
So far, so good. I was expecting more, but I am not done trying to understand each paramter and see if I can get even better. But there is already a welcome improvement.
3. HEADPHONE
Well, on that point, I can use strong statements. For the past 22 days, my HD650 headphones with my LittleDot Mk V were one of the few consolations I had. Well... I don't know what they have put in that processor, but it beat the crap out of my previous setup! Honestly, I was expecting something very good (based on comments on head-fi and some other Anthem product owner). Well, it is sensational.
It started bad. My SqzBOX was playing and the sound was not that good. It was frankly not just disapointing, it was bordering lame. BUT, it was not that good a CD. So I selected another CD that I know very well recorded. EVEN WORSE! Uh uh... Not good. Not good at all... Then I got up, pushed on the headphone plug and it clicked properly into place. I put then back on, POW! What dynamics! Anyway, I could talk a long longer about this, but I have to go back listening now that the Habs have been humuliated 3-0 by the Leafs.
