My new music PC

[rikhav]

Rudedawg might be able to help with cpu underclocking. I am not a windows guy so can't direct you precisely. You can google for windows overclocking tools and they might allow underclocking as well.

Hi Sid and Mowgli


It can be done through motherboard bios setup. Generally it's provided for overclocking which rud3dawg can explain you well

With the same bios settings you can under clock cpu and also lower the RAM clock speeds

I also am with Mowgli here that an under clocked I5 will have no issues processing flacs or any music file for that matter

 

[sidvee]

Thanks Rikhav, will check with rud3dawg. Btw I just finished a 2 hour listening session. I am convinced now entirely that this pc beats my sony vaio laptop based transport. I feel that soundstage in particular is larger, both in height and width, and music sounds more refined and resolved. Bass is also more extended. I just regret at not having done this before.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[rikhav]

Thanks Rikhav, will check with rud3dawg. Btw I just finished a 2 hour listening session. I am convinced now entirely that this pc beats my sony vaio laptop based transport. I feel that soundstage in particular is larger, both in height and width, and music sounds more refined and resolved. Bass is also more extended. I just regret at not having done this before.
Cheers,
Sid

Would you attribute this jump in SQ to the hardware alone or to the music playing software, os and the hardware working in tandem?

 

[sidvee]

Would you attribute this jump in SQ to the hardware alone or to the music playing software, os and the hardware working in tandem?

Well, in my old setup with the Sony Vaio I was using the same OS and jriver 18 (had 17 first and upgraded to 18) running output in Wasapi event style. I am doing exactly the same here, so I am pretty sure it is hardware alone. See this whole pc thing is new to me and all the forums I visited (computer audiophile, audiogon etc.) have so many configurations - C.A.P.S, mac mini, pc etc. so many softwares jriver, amarra etc. IMO it is quite difficult to arrive at the best solution. One has to go through each option (if one has the patience and resources) or one has to stick to one direction and commit to it. My commited direction is clear to me now (I have had a ipod/wadia 170i transport for over 7 years now, so I did not want to go the mac way, however another esteemed audiophile in hyderabad has totally commited to the mac/firewire setup which sounds excellent as well and I briefly mulled going this way). Windows based PC, jriver software, external usb spdif converter (I exchanged some info. with a good dealer friend of mine in US and he recommended this course for pc based audio, which I started by experimenting with the laptop first). Since I am now convinced this is the way - I will concentrate further - want to get another usb/spdif converter in my system the Berkeley audio design alpha (which btw according to one senior computer audiophile user can be compared/bettered a multi ten thousand $ dcs disc transport) to compare against the m2tech evo trio, and also push my new music pc to the boundaries of the best music playback. I am excited nowhyeah:. I would also like to add that there is a lot of misinformation out there as to what sounds good/bad/no difference/waste of money etc. I would advice any potential adapter/user of pc based audio to try out things for themselves before ruling anything out, and let you ears make the ultimate decision. I know I did and I am really satisfied now.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[rikhav]

Indeed you are on the right path as far as Windows pic based audio is concerned

Apart from the converter also look into the under clocking as suggested by Mowgli and also buffering of files in playlist either on sad or on Ram by creating virtual ram drive

I feel the virtual ram drive is the way to go as it will be cheaper then installing sad, will be any day faster then any sad

For a typical two hour listening session I guess another 8 gab ram should be more then enough, even hi res files

 

[sidvee]

Indeed you are on the right path as far as Windows pic based audio is concerned

Apart from the converter also look into the under clocking as suggested by Mowgli and also buffering of files in playlist either on sad or on Ram by creating virtual ram drive

I feel the virtual ram drive is the way to go as it will be cheaper then installing sad, will be any day faster then any sad

For a typical two hour listening session I guess another 8 gab ram should be more then enough, even hi res files

Thanks Rikhav, I will defer all technical improvements to Rud3dawg as I have limited knowledge other than the user perspective. However I am making suggestions/working with him on stuff I know makes a difference to audio components - for instance external PSU or even better external Linear PSU.:licklips: Lets see where I end up.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[mowgli80]

I feel the virtual ram drive is the way to go as it will be cheaper then installing sad, will be any day faster then any sad

It might be easier to tweak your OS i.e Window to read the entire file into ram in one go instead of creating a ramdisk etc.. Google for "windows readahead" and see if it is doable.

 

[rikhav]

It might be easier to tweak your OS i.e Window to read the entire file into ram in one go instead of creating a ramdisk etc.. Google for "windows readahead" and see if it is doable.

Hi Mowgli

I intend sidvee to manually copy all the tracks he wants to listen in a session on the ram drive. That way he won't have to get up again and again and access the pc to load the file. Moreover I think it would be easier for Sid this way

Just my opinion. Even I have never tried the virtual ram drive

 

[sidvee]

Memory Playback

Guys - see this quote on jriver mc17 review from positive feedback:

"Another really neat feature available in JRiver is memory playback, wherein
the player basically creates a ram-disc type situation with your computer by sampling, then buffering the files you've chosen for playback such that they're not playing directly from your hard drive or other storage device, they're playing from the memory that's been allocated specifically for them. This kind of arrangement is possible through other players, but not without jumping through a number of hoops; with JRiver, it's all fully automated and really sweet! In practice, what this basically does is it allows your music files to play back unhindered by any background processes that might be going on in your computer; in other words, you can have a computer that hasn't been stripped of all its functionality in order to get really good music playback, and with zero glitches! Whereas, with Foobar, I'd finessed and finagled all my computer settings to get essentially uninterrupted playback, there'd still be the occasional hiccupthat just doesn't happen with JRiver Media Center."

So how different is what you are suggesting. I am already using this with the recommended setting.

Cheers,
Sid

 

[rikhav]

Hi Sid

Yeah, the software is doing the same thing I wanted you to do

With the software it's automated where as I was suggesting you to manualy copy the music files to your Pc RAM

:thumbsup:

 

[Staxxx]

This buffering was what I was referring to also in an earlier post on this thread. My PC-based system also uses this on an SSD but with a tweaked version of Foobar. I have not played my physical CDs in over a year now.
It would also be beneficial to work on some sort of jitter reduction as well, I believe. Has anyone used the Weiss product for this? See here (INT model used with JRiver):
Weiss :: HYDRA
6moons audio reviews: Weiss INT 202

 

[ranjeetrain]

I feel the virtual ram drive is the way to go

It might be easier to tweak your OS i.e Window to read the entire file into ram in one go instead of creating a ramdisk etc.. Google for "windows readahead" and see if it is doable.

I intend sidvee to manually copy all the tracks he wants to listen in a session on the ram drive

Yeah, the software is doing the same thing I wanted you to do

I use the same methods on my tiny-winy laptops/netbooks and trust me it beats many multi-thousand dollar transports. And I am saying this after having done some one-on-one comparisons.

Personally, when I say music PC, I strictly mean "music pc". It does nothing other than playing music. And I tweak it to the extent where it starts to choke. But the results are fantastic.

I have used all the methods: OS tweak, software automation, virtual ramdrive. After these tweaks my few hundred bucks laptop becomes as good as a multi-thousand dollar transport.

 

[anm]

do u have an antivirus on your machines?

 

[sidvee]

do u have an antivirus on your machines?

No antivirus. Just OS and Jriver 18 and a free software to monitor internal temps.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[sidvee]

This past week I had a very sought after opportunity (Thanks to an esteemed Hyderabad audiophile) to compare my M2tech Evo usb to spdif converter with his highly regarded Berkley Audio Designs Alpha converter. The BADA is at a slightly higher price than the 3 chassis M2tech. My verdict, the BADA is a great unit, nice warmth, excellent resolution and totally non-fatiguing (IMO this is perhaps due to superb jitter reduction). It was quite hard to tell the difference between the 2 however, but I felt the BADA was a tad smoother and threw a wider soundstage (my subjective opinion, could be a placebo effect). Secondly the BADA is much more user friendly where one does not have to change the clock settings for 44.1 and 96/192, which really irritates me with the m2tech. Devices such as this is where IMO computer audio really steps it up to the next level.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[manniraj]

I use the same methods on my tiny-winy laptops/netbooks and trust me it beats many multi-thousand dollar transports. And I am saying this after having done some one-on-one comparisons.

Personally, when I say music PC, I strictly mean "music pc". It does nothing other than playing music. And I tweak it to the extent where it starts to choke. But the results are fantastic.

I have used all the methods: OS tweak, software automation, virtual ramdrive. After these tweaks my few hundred bucks laptop becomes as good as a multi-thousand dollar transport.

@Ranjeet

It would be helpful for me if you can let me know some more details about the tweaks that you have done in your music only laptop. I have a fanless pc which is dedicated to audio purpose and would like to try out this things. I just googled on the virtual RAM disk option and all but would like to know the way that you have done. Also looking at various online info regarding the virtual RAM disk, this is going to be only a temporary affair till the system is in session and the settings/programs/tweaks done on the virtual RAM disk are wiped out unless untill you save it. Here are the details of the site where I read these details.

Thanks

 

[tanaka]

If we still need to connect an external DAC to the PC, then the vaio and the custom PC should both sound equally good???

 

[tanaka]

If we still need to connect an external DAC to the PC, then the vaio and the custom PC should both sound equally good???

 

[reignofchaos]

This past week I had a very sought after opportunity (Thanks to an esteemed Hyderabad audiophile) to compare my M2tech Evo usb to spdif converter with his highly regarded Berkley Audio Designs Alpha converter. The BADA is at a slightly higher price than the 3 chassis M2tech. My verdict, the BADA is a great unit, nice warmth, excellent resolution and totally non-fatiguing (IMO this is perhaps due to superb jitter reduction). It was quite hard to tell the difference between the 2 however, but I felt the BADA was a tad smoother and threw a wider soundstage (my subjective opinion, could be a placebo effect). Secondly the BADA is much more user friendly where one does not have to change the clock settings for 44.1 and 96/192, which really irritates me with the m2tech. Devices such as this is where IMO computer audio really steps it up to the next level.
Cheers,
Sid

The BADA Alpha DAC and USB SPDIF converter are two items on my shortlist for my next source upgrade. Apparently there is brilliant synergy between the two and for a studio dac, it actually sounds very very fluid without any harshness. Only trouble is getting one to audition in India. If I get this, it basically has to be purchased blind. It is nice to know that you had an excellent experience with the converter.

Cheers!

 

[sidvee]

a studio dac, it actually sounds very very fluid without any harshness. Only trouble is getting one to audition in India. If I get this, it basically has to be purchased blind. It is nice to know that you had an excellent experience with the converter.

Cheers!

Thanks ROC - I did try the studio DAC route with extensive audition of the Prism Orpheus, and while the Prism is an excellent unit, The Ayon Skylla II IMO is in a different league. It makes music would be my only comment. However having never heard a Berkley, I cannot comment, though I had considered it before the Skylla, but dropped it because of the same reason you stated. BTW I heard that Berkley introduced a higher end/specd. DAC at $14k price point. Seems like DACs are going up to the stratosphere in pricing nowadays:sad:.
Cheers,
Sid