• Registered: 2022-05-05
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Use ESS THD compensation to simulate 'tube sound'?

Hi,

Is it possible to use the ESS THD compensation to mimic tube sound? SMSL has a similar feature in some of their ESS based DACs called 'Sound Color".

A related question: if I would like to disable ESS THD compensation completely, what settings should I use?

Bert

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Use ESS THD compensation to simulate 'tube sound'?

THD compensation can not be disabled, one or the other value is always present. Notes on changing the values and max distortion is found in the unit's manual.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2022-05-05
  • Posts: 5

Re: Use ESS THD compensation to simulate 'tube sound'?

The manual states

"Very high values (10.0k) cause around -60 dB distortion (0.1%). It is therefore also possible to
use K2 and K3 separately and intentionally as an effect. This can be quite instructive - when one
notices that no difference between 0.1% and 0.0001% distortion is audible"

But what happens when I set it to negative values?

4 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2022-07-15 00:17:28)

  • KaiS
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Re: Use ESS THD compensation to simulate 'tube sound'?

Collectiony wrote:

But what happens when I set it to negative values?

The same.

The parameter is intended to find the minimum distortions between (+) and (-) values.
Past this minimum, distortions increase in either direction.

There is a difference: the even order harmonics (k2, k4,...) change their phase one way or the other.
This way they could even remove / cancel out (!) a tiny amount of harmonics from the music, but that depends on the very music you listen to.


As constructor of tube amps I can assure you:

• There‘s more about tube amp’s special sound than just distortions.
If it was that simple real tubes would have already died out.

• To make the distortions effect audible you need at least 1-5%, and the “fitting” music.

• People tend to not know that nonlinear distortions (k2, k3, k4, ...), with music signals, do not just generate harmonic content (like when measured with a single frequency), but inextricably non-harmonic “dirt” of the same amount, called “Intermodulation Distortions”.
You don’t get one without the other.

The more complex the music is, the more “dirt” is generated.


The nice thing is, you don’t need to take my word for it, just try and listen by your own.

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