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In Reply to: RE: Perspective on Tweaks...Tweaks of the year posted by theob on December 22, 2011 at 08:55:29
A friend of mine uses a dual-boot Atom board (standard cMP^2 config on the second install, minlogon, AWE but no "Slimming") with an Asus Xonar soundcard (as recommended here, big success, no tweaks, internal DAC). He has has good (Spendor) speakers and a Linn pre-amp & amp but limited interest in the technical side of the project.
I sent him a slimmed-down version of shell32.dll this morning along with instructions on how to replace the version on his cMP install and on deleting logonui.exe. Without, for obvious reasons, telling him what to expect, I asked him to report at his leisure if he hears any change. Trust me, if he heard nothing, he would thoroughly enjoy telling me. Here is what he has just sent me:I began rehearsing my words about how difficult it is to come to a conclusion about hi-fi, comparisons etc. As soon as I sat down to listen though - I chose what I thought was a fairly modern recording, Larry Willis [The Big Push] (turns out to be 2005) - all that went out the window.It's not proof of anything, of course, but I do think it is encouraging anecdotal evidence in support of The Mermaid Project, given that they are such simple tweaks to do.
Sounded like a big advance to me - indeed, I don't think I'm exaggerating to say the best hi-fi I've heard. It is difficult to imagine how it can be improved upon anyway. Same with the description - I usually use "clarity" and "detail" - but it seems to me there is only one way to describe it - as though they were in the room, playing. It sounded real.
I tried a lesser quality FLAC recording - Lars Gullin with Chet Baker from 1955-56 - and sure enough that would need a comparison of the two systems to tell. Switching back to ordinary boot, I played Willis again and it is good I think - just did not sound as real. With the new bit, I get a stronger stereo picture too, which is perhaps surprising considering my set-up.
So very pleased indeed. Thank you. A great stride forward.
Dave
Follow Ups:
"I sent him a slimmed-down version of shell32.dll this morning along with instructions on how to replace the version on his cMP install and on deleting logonui.exe."
Can somebody tell me how to find slimmed-down version of shell32.dll and the instructions? I cannot find anywhere to download. Thanks.
Can somebody tell me how to find slimmed-down version of shell32.dll
Here's how I do it.
1. Download "Resource Hacker" - see link - and install it on your desktop box.
2. Delete resources from the file. Take a few moments to get the hang of the program; it quits w/o saving or warning unless you go to File > Save. You cannot edit the files that matter on the cMP^2 box as XP won't allow you access. The easiest thing to do is to copy the target file from \System32 on your desktop to somewhere else, edit it there then copy the "slimmed" file to the cMP^2 OS partition by moving its drive to the desktop box.
3. If you e-mail me, I'll happily send you a known-good, UK English copy but, as always, YMMV.
4. Be warned, this is addictive. On this ward of the Asylum there are cases in serious need of extra treatment.
HTH
Dave
Thanks for the files. I used resource hacker to slim my shell32.dll. Problem is that I need to use "Explore" button in CMP to copy files (e.g. copy music files from USB memory stick to the harddisk). With the slim shell32.dll, the file explorer is not working properly. That make me hesitate to go for the hacked version.
Any suggestion?
With the slim shell32.dll, the file explorer is not working properly.
The version of shell32.dll I sent you works fine with Explorer at this end (though some of the icons look a bit funny). I got some loss of functionality - e.g. batch files that used to work now don't - but the improved sound quality makes that a small price to pay. It is, at least in my setup, a quite extraordinary difference.
FWIW, my suggestion would be to delete a few resources at a time and try the file at intervals to see what resources you need to keep and to find a compromise between "slimmest of the slim" and what is, for you, a viable setup.
That said, there are others here better informed about this process than I am.
HTH
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for your suggestion. I'm making deletion bit by bit. First AVI and bitmap are quite safe. Will work on icons tomorrow.
Barry
I finally deleted icon group by hand and keep around 20 icon groups which looks familiar in file browser to enable copying file which is all I needed. The size is now 3,542KB.
It sounds great to me, vocal is now more natural and organic. I used to have problem playing a 24/192 very complex record. Now I can very comfortably play that record and the instruments never mess up again.
Highly recommended. Thanks Dave.
Hi Barry
Can you share which icon group you kept in the deletion?
Regards
Its all in the link
= Sounded like a big advance to me - indeed, I don't think I'm exaggerating to say the best hi-fi I've heard. It is difficult to imagine how it can be improved upon anyway. Same with the description - I usually use "clarity" and "detail" - but it seems to me there is only one way to describe it - as though they were in the room, playing. It sounded real. =Strange. But I would write the same word for word in describing my impressions from the sound of my system now after all the tweaks.
Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/
My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H, Intel Core i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Liv
Edits: 12/23/11
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