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Rick Hawes

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  1. Hi - been distracted with other things, including a faulty network/LAN adapter in my AVA RS3 Media Server... whilst that was back with TranquilPC being repaired, took the opportunity to upgrade my HTPC to Windows 7. Just got it all back together, now using Windows Media Cente, via the existing set up: HTPC with Auzentec X-Plosion Sound Card -> Optical Toslink -> Cyrus DACMaster (DAC) -> Audioquest Quartz Hyperlitz audio interconnects -> Cyrus 3i Sterio Amp -> Bi-wire speaker cables: Audiquest Indigo + (HF) & Audioquest Type 6 (LF) -> Monitor Audio 703PMC Sterio Spearkers. (its all 14years old except for the PC 18months old) Anyway - With W7 and Windows Media Centre sound quality is better than previous XP and Media Player. Havent had time yet to do proper A/B comarison between RS3 Server/HTPC and my Cyrus DAD-3Q CD Player, but will do soon. The files on the RS3 Server are WMA Lossless. The Question I have is: Can I get bit perfect audio using Windows 7 and Windows Media Centre.. I happy to change my sound card if needed, but would like to stick with Media Centre if possible - I haven't looked at J River or Foobar really but get the impression the GUI insn't as slick as Media Centre.. willing to be convinced otherwise though.... Also is iTunes another possibility, and easier to get bit perfect playback via the W7 PC..... or if Apple is the best - do I need to get rid of the PC and get an Apple running iTunes and Apple TV or something. Thanks Rick
  2. Update to my previous reply. I've read up a little on the M2 Tech 'Hi-Face - and can se that It has only one sterio digital output. I'd still like advice though on best solution(s) for using the PC to output DTS & DD as well as Digital Sterio Thanks Rick
  3. Thanks for the quick responses and advice - for info heres the breakdown of my PC * EV Black MATX Media Center Case With Brushed Aluminium Front Panel - No PSU * Extra Value 400W MATX PSU - 1x SATA, 20+4pin * Gigabyte GA-E7AUM-DS2H GeForce 9400 Socket 775 onboard VGA DVI HDMI 7.1 channel audio mATX Motherboard * Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Socket 775 (3.0GHz) 1333FSB 6MB L2 Cache Retail Boxed Processor * OCZ 2GB Kit(2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory NVIDIA SLI Ready CL4 Unbuffered 2.1V * Seagate ST3500320AS 500GB Hard Drive SATA II 7200rpm *32MB Cache* - OEM * Keysonic Black Wireless 2.4Ghz HTPC Media Keyboard with Integrated Touch-Pad - USB * Auzentech X-Plosion Cinema 7.1 Sound Card * DVD Drive: LG 6x Int BD/HD-ROM L/S Black Sata Kit *OCZ 2.5" 30GB Solid State SATA SSD HDD Disk Drive A friend who has built quite a few PCs put it together for me about a year ago - however he concentrates on gaming and doesn't have any experience with digital audio. The Xplosion soundcard cost £80 + delivery The Seagate 500GB drive is in the case but not connected (I brought it in case needed for future use). I decided to use XP with this OS and all software being held on the Solid State Drive. I Thought this might result in faster boot up Now that Window 7 is available are there any advantages of upgrading? Based of the advice/responses to my post (thanks again) I have tried the following so far:- 1. I read the Hi Fi Insite article - downloaded Reclock (v1.6 - shown on their site as the latest stable ver) and configured it as per the article. Additionally I had to configure Reclock so that the XPlosion Sound Card was specified as the device to use Kernal Streaming. It worked (I'm not sure if this confirms the soubnd card supports it?) As per the article WMP Volume Contol doesn't work which confirms that kmixer was bebeing bypassed and that kernal streaming was in place. However there was to improvement in audio quality (verified by comapring with the same tracks played from the CDP again) 2. I used the PC and WMP to rip a .wav copy of the same CD album onto the Solid state drive. I was then able to compare with the same album previously ripped as WMAlosslessto the server using its CD drive and the Windows Home Server Consol & AVA ripping software (called AVA Music Disc Copier). I was also able to copare the .WAV copy with the original album played from the CDP. the .wav and .wmalossles versions sound identicle to each other and again the original CD played from the CDP sounded superior. Nb I did this prior to the response by pacwin advising not the use WMP to rip the .wav files. Is CDEX or Exact Audio Copy free? as a foot note I dont know if there is a way of bypassing the mixer and effects in the soundcard 3D Xear software (I couldn't find any) There are a number of settings including Living Room, Stone Floor Room, Stadium etc. I was getting some reverb/echo when Reclock was inplace even on the Living room setting - I had to set it to padded cell in order to remove it. (This wasn't an issue before introduced reclock - maybe this is a sign that Reclock isn't supported fully by the soundcard?) Also to improve sound quality I had to set the equlaliser with lower frequencies below normal and higher frequencies above normal (still wasn't a patch on CDP quality though - this equaliser frig gives same results with and without reclock in the loop) I'm going to try some of the other suggestions is the replys to my post. However as I've tried the above - Is it still worth trying other media players such as Foobar and JRMC, and also comparing .wav files ripped with CDEX or Exact Audio Copy ? The other ongoing problem is that the electrical coax SPDIF ouput works fine when playing film soundracks into the AV processor, but crackles badly when used as a digital sterio 44.1khz input to the DAC. This is why I use the optical output from the PC soundcard into the optical input to the DAC. Nb I have proven that the electrical/coax SPDIF input the the DAC works with other equipment by using the coax ouput of a DVD player in to the coax/electrical SPDIF input to the DAC - this works with no crackle). I had a replacement identicle soundcard from the supplier but the problem still exists. As Foobar & JRMC use kernel streaming and not kmixer - have I already done enough to prove kmixer isn't the problem. Having said that I guess I could have two problems with a dodgy sound card (hardware or software?) masking kmixer as a secondary issue? Or is it time to revove the soundcard and get a new one BTW - as a secondary requirement (to playing good quality sterio) is to use the PC to play films. The Soundcard literature states that its the worlds first DTS connect certified PCI soundcard. My Cyrus AVMaster will process DTS and DD but will not process DTS HD or Dolby True HD. I've proven that the AVMaster processes standard DTS and DD using my Pioneer LX52 Bluray player and DD from SkyHD (as an aside the TV is Pioneer LX6090). However I can't get anything better that Prologic II out of the PC (. If I get rid of the souncard can I get seperate Digital Sterio and Digital DD & DTS from seperate SPDIF electrical and optical outputs of the M2Tech Hiface (without having to re-configure when switching from one to the other - or would I ned two soundcards or something different to the M2Tech Hiface or other cards mentioned in replies Nb I deally I'd have a card with two electrical SPDIF outs and two optical SPDIF outs so as I can choose between optical and electrical inputs to both my DAC and AVMaster processor. If this isn't possible however I could maybe live with two SPDIF outs both electrical, both optical or one of each (although I understand that electrical is better - not need to convert from electrical to optical and back again) Any feedback greatfully received Many Thanks Rick
  4. Im new to Computer Audiophile and starting to realise that replacing my CD player with a PC & server with same / or improved audio sound quality isn't as straight forward as I thought:- Existing set up: Cyrus DAD3Q CD Player via Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio Amp (additional info - not really relevant to this problem: The 3i amp has a seperate Cyrus PSX-R power supply. The sterio speakers are Monitor Audio 703PMCs bi-wired from the amp via Audioquest Indigo + (HF) and Audioquest Type 6 (LF) Speaker Cables. Replacement Set Up:- Tranquil PC RS3 media server via Sky Router Ethernet connections (in and out both 1.5m) to the HTPC with Auzen X-Plosion sound card with SPDIF optical Toslink (1.5m) connection to Cyrus DACMaster DAC with (again) Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio amp (this time the Aux input instead of the CD input). The server uses Windows Home Media Server, and I'm using Windows XP and Windows Media Player on the PC. WMAlossles used for music stored on the server The Problem: Playing CDs from existing set up sounds sweeter, higher quality than playing music from the PC/server - which sounds grainier - lower quality - also with vocal less forward - much more subdued/thinner. The PC Sound card SPDIF ouput is configured as 2 channel sterio 44.1kHz (although no difference when changed to 48kHz which is within the locking range of the Cyrus DAC) Equalisation is set flat accros the frequency range. Investigations So Far: 1. PC soundcard config and Windows Media Player - varied volumn on Windows Media Player itself and seperately on the PC Souncard (using the inferent Xear software) in case I was overdriving the Cyrus DAC input in some way - result no improvement - tried various Sondcard Equaliser changes across the freq range - result minor improvement - but audio sound quality still not a patch on that from the CD Player. 2. Tried to establish if the Server/music tracks stored on it are the problem: I have two original copies of the same CD and played one from the CD player whilst simultaneaously playing the other one from the PC DVD drive (using Windows Media Player) and switched inputs (CD i/p and Aux i/p) back and forward on the amp. The audio quality from the CD Player was superior to that from the PC DVD drive. (ie the same result as when I compared music played via the PC (WMAlossles files from the server) with the original CD of the same album from the Cyrus CD Player). I believe this rules out any Server/WMAlossless issues? 2. I tred to establish if the DAC and/or optical interconnect is the problem. I removed the optical cable from the PC soundcard SPDIF o/p and plugged it into the SPDIF output. I then have two paths from the CD Player into the sterio amp. a. CD Player - Audio Interconnects - CD Input to Amp b. CD Player - optical Interconnect - DAC - Audio Interconnects - Aux Input to Amp. By switching between CD and Aux inputs on the amp front panel whilst playing the CD I noticed NO change (not even a glitch) in sound quality - both identicle. Nb the dedicated DAC is 18bit (8x oversample) wheras the DAC in the CD Player is 16bit - so in theory path b (above) should be a little better - but I couldn't hear any difference at all (and nor could my 24 year old son - so I've ruled out my potentally worn out ears too!) I believe this eliminates any issues with the DAC or optical interconnect? The Request: Could anyone advise what could be causing the lower sound quality from PC/Server and what I could change to get the same sound quality as from the CD Player. Many Thanks Rick
  5. Im new to Computer Audiophile and starting to realise that replacing my CD player with a PC & server with same / or improved audio sound quality isn't as straight forward as I thought:- Existing set up: Cyrus DAD3Q CD Player via Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio Amp (additional info - not really relevant to this problem: The 3i amp has a seperate Cyrus PSX-R power supply. The sterio speakers are Monitor Audio 703PMCs bi-wired from the amp via Audioquest Indigo + (HF) and Audioquest Type 6 (LF) Speaker Cables. Replacement Set Up:- Tranquil PC RS3 media server via Sky Router Ethernet connections (in and out both 1.5m) to the HTPC with Auzen X-Plosion sound card with SPDIF optical Toslink (1.5m) connection to Cyrus DACMaster DAC with (again) Audioquest Quarts x3 hyperlitz analog inteconnecting into Cyrus 3i Sterio amp (this time the Aux input instead of the CD input). The server uses Windows Home Media Server, and I'm using Windows XP and Windows Media Player on the PC. WMAlossles used for music stored on the server The Problem: Playing CDs from existing set up sounds sweeter, higher quality than playing music from the PC/server - which sounds grainier - lower quality - also with vocal less forward - much more subdued/thinner. The PC Sound card SPDIF ouput is configured as 2 channel sterio 44.1kHz (although no difference when changed to 48kHz which is within the locking range of the Cyrus DAC) Equalisation is set flat accros the frequency range. Investigations So Far: 1. PC soundcard config and Windows Media Player - varied volumn on Windows Media Player itself and seperately on the PC Souncard (using the inferent Xear software) in case I was overdriving the Cyrus DAC input in some way - result no improvement - tried various Sondcard Equaliser changes across the freq range - result minor improvement - but audio sound quality still not a patch on that from the CD Player. 2. Tried to establish if the Server/music tracks stored on it are the problem: I have two original copies of the same CD and played one from the CD player whilst simultaneaously playing the other one from the PC DVD drive (using Windows Media Player) and switched inputs (CD i/p and Aux i/p) back and forward on the amp. The audio quality from the CD Player was superior to that from the PC DVD drive. (ie the same result as when I compared music played via the PC (WMAlossles files from the server) with the original CD of the same album from the Cyrus CD Player). I believe this rules out any Server/WMAlossless issues? 2. I tred to establish if the DAC and/or optical interconnect is the problem. I removed the optical cable from the PC soundcard SPDIF o/p and plugged it into the SPDIF output. I then have two paths from the CD Player into the sterio amp. a. CD Player - Audio Interconnects - CD Input to Amp b. CD Player - optical Interconnect - DAC - Audio Interconnects - Aux Input to Amp. By switching between CD and Aux inputs on the amp front panel whilst playing the CD I noticed NO change (not even a glitch) in sound quality - both identicle. Nb the dedicated DAC is 18bit (8x oversample) wheras the DAC in the CD Player is 16bit - so in theory path b (above) should be a little better - but I couldn't hear any difference at all (and nor could my 24 year old son - so I've ruled out my potentally worn out ears too!) I believe this eliminates any issues with the DAC or optical interconnect? The Request: Could anyone advise what could be causing the lower sound quality from PC/Server and what I could change to get the same sound quality as from the CD Player. Many Thanks Rick
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