Dj

JCR, Stuttering is often a configuration issue and rarely a hardware issue. Download iTunes for Windows and run that to see if the stuttering is still there. iTunes is pre-configured out of the box so you can't do anything wrong. If iTunes works then you have some configuration issue.

In order to find out what is wrong with the system you have to test and verify each component of your system alone to narrow down to the actual problem. I would suggest to use one of the CAPs own USB3 slot instead of Sotm card USB. With that you can verify if the Sotm card is the issue or the Windows 8 and the drivers have issues. So plug in your DAC straight to the Computer's own USB and listen to music. If that solves the issue then your Sotm Card in not working or not setup properly. But if the CAPs own USB also having issue by playing back, then your Sotm Card is very likely OK. Then I would suggest download iTunes for Windows and try to listen with iTunes. If iTunes works the way it should then your problem is Foobar. I would disassemble the whole thing and put it back one by one again reading the instruction. Sometimes you plug the wrong cable into the wrong slot and don't see the Forrest because of too many tree there. Keep your head cool and so you will solve your problem faster.

Take the SSD and install it in an external drive enclosure and attach it to your Mac via USB or Firewire connection. Do the clone/copy from Internal HDD to external SSD. Shutdown the MAC. Open the back cover and swap the SSD with HDD.

I tried the cloning software "SuperDuper" last week and attached the SSD as external drive to Mac and made an exact copy of the internal HDD to the attached SSD. Then I swapped the SSD with the HDD. I did not need to reload any application because the software made a bit for bit copy of the internal drive. I tried the restore with Time Machine and I had to reload some programs and licenses, since Time Machine doesn't backup and restores everything.

To answer you question straight, Yes at the time I heard my external drives Lacie Minimus USB3 spinning when I was listening to "Black Crow" from Diana Krall very clearly from my sitting spot which is about 2.5 meters away from my speakers. After a few month of use Lacie Minimus became so laud I could hear them all them time specially between the gaps. I picked up the smaller Lacie Rikiki 5400RPM as external drive because they are less noisier but still noisy and a pain. I tried G-Drive 2.5inch and they were as loud as Lacie's 3.5inch drives. I also tried WD 7200RPM 2.5inch external drives and I heard them zooming too. I was just checking SSD for storage. I don't believe the SSD should sound better than HDD but the zooming from HDD is becoming a pita meanwhile. They becoming louder with time. You didn't need to re-post my ugly post to Richard for your question though.

Don't know! Probably you are right, Paul!

I have worked as a software tester and it was my job to find the flaws of the software. I seldom miss things when I get a piece of equipment in my hand. And then you tell me that I am mistaken and finish with: Anyway this is completely off the topic of the thread... That sounds like as if you are right and you have the last word and it was my fault because I missed something. You can have whatever opinion, I don't mind and that was not the issue. I was bothered by being blamed to be mistaken with wrong assumptions. And honestly I didn't want to bring back all the frustration I had with this case about 3 (not 2) years ago. After returning the processor I had to sell half of the useless speakers and 7 channel amp and etc for half price on eBay.

Don't assume things and try to force people that they are wrong. What gives you the right to tell me that the gear had whatever feature and I didn't get it? Do you think you didn't offend me? You think the reviewer made a mistake which is naive and I think he is a dishonest retard. The review was in 2008 where the product was in production for 2 years at least and he couldn't have had a prototype unit. Most of the reviews for highend gear are dishonest. That was my point and is still in the frame of this thread, but fortunately there are reviewers who are honest, like Chris who often politely writes in his reviews that the gear in review didn't work well in his system.

Eloise, I didn't started the off topic but you and you won't have the last word on this! Here it goes. the reviewer says: ".....The highs of the trumpets were definitely not harsh, and the tinny splash of the cymbals was represented nicely, even with the SSP-600’s laid-back nature. Expanding this two-channel recording to each of the 6.1-channels using Dolby Pro Logic IIx was a delight, with great tonal balance, even when comparing the phantom to hard center vocals. No detail was lost when moving to the full assortment of channels, which can become a problem when using less capable electronics. The expansion into the surrounds added another level of dimensionality to the album that cannot be attained with the standard two-channel playback. I found the SSP-600 also did well in delivering the album with its DTS Neo:6 mode, although the vocal spread across the front stage gained a slightly reverberant sound that was distracting. Of all the available processing modes, my preference was “music mode natural,” which provided a more well-defined front soundstage than even the Pro Logic IIx mode, while still providing the extension into the surrounds to expand the stage." I sent the unit for repair and here is what the manager of customer service at Classe wrote: "At this moment, I have set up in my office a player and an SSP-600 with the same version software as you have (you are absolutely correct, this is the latest version that was released). I have also found that I cannot see Dolby Pro Logic IIx. I have triple checked all the settings. After finally discussing all the issue with the engineer, it is now clear that the SSP-600 does not have Dolby Pro Logic IIx. I have read the review you have suggested and I did see the reviewer mentioning Dolby Pro Logic IIx. We think he just unfortunately did a typo error." Assuming the reviewer made a typo is stupid and ignorant, because SSP-600 has only 6 channel in DTS Neo:6 mode and the reviewer could not made a typo because he clearly compared the DTS Neo:6 in his review and I have bold it in red. This review showed me how corrupt the reviews are. I am sure you will ask why you didn't use DTS:Neo:6 channel? DTS needs large storage space to shine and on DVDs sounds like compressed mp3. It didn't sound as good as Dolby xxx mode. You are not smarter than anyone here. It is just your British ignorance thinks someone who is not as articulate as you in your mother tongue is not as smart as you are and you have to have right everywhere. But you are wrong! Don't be a smart ASS! Here is the manual from Classe and there is no mention from Dolby Logic Pro IIx: http://www.bwgroupsupport.com/downloads/specsheets/classe/Classe_SSP600_InfoSheet.pdf This is the review and still on Classe website: http://www.classeaudio.com/reviews/reviews-pdfs/SSP600-CA3200-WidescreenReview-Apr06.pdf

Eloise, I am going to find the review and post it later. However, I thought you are claiming to speak English. I did not say: "Classe paid a reviewer to claim that their product had features it didn't" I said: "it was so clear that Classe paid the reviewer for his exaggeration" The whole review sounded like exaggeration. The reviewer was speaking how nice Dolby Digital sounded in 6th channel but according to Classe user manual the processor was capable of Dolby Digital 5 channel. There was no sixth channel. I had bought 7 speakers and cables and setup everything for 7 channel HT.

Gabriel, Your comparison of Apogee Duet with your Xonar Essence STX card in not fair. Your sound card is $200 and Apogee Duet is $600 but Apogee offers a bit more than your card. It has an A/D section for musicians, Balanced output and analog volume control, build in a nice cover and with extra free software. You only compared probably $200 worth of Apogee (DAC+Amp) with your Xonar sound card. There is a flaw in your comparison in the first place and based on that comparison you can't make any conclusion on higher end price DACs. OK, I agree with you that most of the reviews are exaggerations. I bought 2 years ago a HT processor from Classe. Based on the same review which Classe has still on its website I build the HT environment. The reviewer praised the Classe twice for features that Classe processor didn't have it. If the reviewer would have made the mistake once that would have been a mistake but praising twice the same non exiting feature was a lie and it was so clear that Classe paid the reviewer for his exaggeration. My complaints was acknowledged by the dealer but Classe was even rude to me. I returned the processor and will NEVER look at their product. However, I am not agreeing with your statement: "The Apogee sounded a bit better than the Mac, but the difference was not worth the money." I have heard both Apogee Duet and ONE. I chose the One because I didn't need the extra features on Duet. I used Apogee One for 3 years in a row with my Mac. The difference between listening to music on my MacBook Pro with its internal $5 sound card and Apogee One attached to MacBook Pro was like eating taste-less hospital food in the Western world or eating authentic Thai food in northern Thailand.

It is a new product on the market. Read Ted's review here: iFi iUSB Power Supply : HPSoundings

In the first combo all I would do is, like I said earlier, try a Belkin Gold or Audioquest Forest cable and see if you hear any improvement. I would get an iUSBPower for about $200 and put it between the PC and Peachtree. The USB coming out of the PC is a mess and full of noise. So instead of paying a few hundreds $ for a fancy USB cable I would rather clean up the current flowing in the cable. Since Peachtree has an async USB implementation I would stay away from toslink, whatever you where thinking of? Stick with the USB! In the second combo using Ethernet out of PC is a very good idea. Now from Apple TV to Moon DAC (Simaudio?) you only have toslink as an option. I would keep the distance between Apple TV and the DAC as short as possible. I would use a 2 feet long Glas toslink cable, if I want to spend $50 for a cable.

It is tough to answer the Question 1 because we have a thread of 300 pages about USB cable differences. Some hear differences and others no differences. I would suggest to get a Belkin gold USB cable for $8 or so and compare it with the generic USB cable you have. If the Belkin sounds a lot better, then demo a higher price model (Audioquest Forest for $30) and compare it to the Belkin. USB cables run data with power and ground altogether. Now if the insulation and shielding of the cable is cheap you might have issues. Often the connections on the USB cables are the bigger problem. As for Question 2. Toslink is a very jittery connection. USB straight from a PC is a very dirty connection. Where is the Toslink come from? No PC has a Toslink connection. Can you be a bit more specific regarding your gear?

bluemark81, I may remember how I did the conversion from WAV to AIFF. I will check it tonight when I get home and reply to your thread.