Hello, after reading all the previous posts and documentation about DCS filters I have a few questions to see if I understood the them properly.
PCM Filters:
F1 to F4 are linear filters for all sample rates
F5 is a minimum phase filter if sample rate is 44.1k
F6 is a minimum phase filter if sample rate is 384k
Questions on PCM the Filters:
Which are considered “Slow” filters?
Did i properly categorize the linear and minimum phase filters above?
DSD Filters:
F1-F3 progressively reduce bandwidth
F4 shouldn’t really be used
F5 is new to the Bartok platform
Question on DSD the Filters:
Old DCS documentation state that if your system sounds harsh we should try DSD filters F2 and F3. Is this effect because of the reduction of bandwidth?
Regarding DSD Filter 5, does this filter also reduce the bandwidth even further compared to DSD F3?
Although knowing what the type of filters do is interesting, this knowledge will not necessarily help your choice.
All the filters offered “work” sensibly technically given the data rate being received. That is why certain filters are applicable to specific data rates. However which are preferred by you will be dependant upon the program content, system and your individual hearing.
The subjective effect of each filter is often subtle and my take time to be appreciated( either way). My advice is to try the choices over some time. You will eventually settle on your preferred settings.Bartok will remember these ( i.e. whatever you last chose).
Above all remember that the purpose of Bartok is your entertainment and not a scientific experiment.
I definitely second Pete’s post; knowing which filter does what is only incidental to which filter you might actually prefer sonically with different source material.
That said, your characterisation of the PCM filters is slightly off. Stereophile’s Bartok Review Measurement does a fairly thorough job of explaining the PCM filters. Unfortunately, there’s no equivalent for the DSD filters though.