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In Reply to: RE: cMP - the open source high-end Memory Player posted by cics on December 30, 2007 at 04:42:01
Edit: I have under estimate the complexity of this project and the difficulties this would present to beginners, In order not to give any false hope to inmates, I have amended this post to such effect. Sorry for the inconvenience caused."After switching to XP Home few months ago, I've started creating my own XP installation, not NLITE though. After some learning process, I have successfully incorporated registry slimming and tweaks into an XP HOME ISO. The ISO offers a big jump in reduction of registry size upon first boot. After implementation of tweaks, I am extremely satisfied with the sound quality produced by the current installation.
During my lone journey, I have invited a couple of experienced inmates to try the installation. After they did they unequivocally agreed to the supreme sound quality offered by the ISO and have parted with their beloved NLITE XP PRO.
Sadly, the current ISO is custom built for exclusive use with Juli@ and possibly LYNX L22 & AES16 series sound cards, there is no NETWORK or USB function either. The Windows does not Plug and Play in a traditional manner because too many functions have been removed. As such, it may not work for non-Juli@ sound card.
Due to complex nature of the current project, it is considered that only those who have good experience in computing can successfully achieve the desired results. As such, I am only inviting interested inmates who have sufficient knowledge in computer to join the trial, preferably Juli@ users. Upon request, I will send him an invitation to join "Dropbox".
Please bear with me that I cannot walk one through or spoon-feed beginners to do such complicated task. This ISO is not for everyone, in particular beginners.
Although I have tried my best to make things clear, the installation was produced during my leisure and is by no means professional. As such, the ISO is offered as is without any guarantee that one will successfully install or implement.
To safeguard my interest while offering the download, I will only make it available for a limited period of time and shut off accounts to access my Share Folder."
Edits: 03/20/12 03/20/12 03/20/12 03/20/12 03/23/12Follow Ups:
Just installed the ISO. For fellow inmates:
* installation has to be started with PS2 mouse and keyboard present!
* Remember to put drivers and programs that you need to install on the harddisk in a seperate partition as you have no USB or network to install things from!
A quick question to Jack: does a wireless PS2 mouse work in your ISO?
I haven't got one and before I buy one I would like to know.
A USB keyboard will also work during installation but lost its function on boot up.
I am not aware of "PS2 wireless mouse", although I know about its USB sibling. I would think that if the device conforms to PS2 specifications, then it should work, but I have not tried.
I mixed the forum and posted incorrectly. May be a good idea to consolidate all posts in the cPlay forum where software is used to be discussed.
I have found that some USB-> PS/2 adapters will allow a USB wireless mouse to operate as a PS/2 mouse. I have about 8-10 adapters here and 3-4 actually worked this way.
I'll see if I can find a little time to check & determine what's different between the ones that work and the ones that don't.
Jack, thanks for this magnificant gift! You've brought us a huge step towards the 'ultimate' minimized WinXP, whatever that will be. And thinks to ALL of the other slimming-Windows pioneers. Ya'll are GREAT!
Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!
Hello inmates,
Sorry for my late turn up and my mistakes made during preparation of the ISO! I tried without success reviving USB when I found that the Intel Chipset driver was not properly installed and that I've put some over-hacked font into the ISO.
Both issues have been fixed. I've uploaded an update version of the ISO, named "JW_HOME_SP1_2 (Jack Wong 2012-03-21).iso", and put two original fonts into a folder named "XP Original Fonts". Please don’t hesitate to download the update version.
I must apologize to Richard (riboge) for give him false hope about the installation, as I didn't make it clear in my post that there will be USB function (I only mentioned that in the Installation Notes). I did start with a Musiland 01US USB converter but gave up as it needed SP 2 to work with. As such, I switched to Juli@ and chopped off all USB, leaving such function available for use only during setup.
Thanks Ted for responding to the questions of Dawnrazor. I would like to add that, USB will be functional only during the installation period and it was my personal choice to remove the function because I want to remove all unnecessary things including devices and registry.
Yes, if one decide to start the installation, be prepared to switch back and forth. How many time? It must have been well over a thousand times for Serge, Rick, Ted and myself, can't remember. I have over 130 successful hive backups, some are accumulative and the unsuccessful rate is much higher! Fortunately, the current installation will ease the efforts. One can slim Default hive entirely in one single step and Software in 3-5 steps to 12kb. When one starts with the system hive and first deleted ControlSet002, the hive will become less than 250KB, a value once some pioneers cannot achieve even after months of work.
One can use any Windows as the Work OS, but there are benefits installing the Work OS on the same HDD as the cMP Windows and on the same mobo. Firstly, no jumping up and down. Secondly, it’s a must to look into the Device Manager in order to identify devices that are useful for retention and those unnecessary that should be deleted. One must be able to read the cMP hive when he compares the details(long list of number!) in the Device Manager! Do one really want to plug another HDD onto the mobo to do that? One may partition the first partition into 2 viable ones, e.g.1st partition 300 mb for cMP and the second take up the rest of the spaces.
Hi JackWong96, can you please give me a copy of theJW_HOME_SP1_2 (Jack Wong 2012-03-21).iso.
thank you
Hi JackWong96
AFAIK, Jack Wong hasn't participated on this list for many a year and so is unlikely to respond to your request. That's the bad news.
The good news is that I see that my cMP2 'archive' includes a folder called Jack Wong which in turn includes a file called JW_HOME_SP1_2.VCD. As I never used it, I've no idea why I kept a copy but there you go.
Obviously, I can't guarantee it's the file you're after (I couldn't even remember what a .vcd file was . . .) but, if you think it might be of help, PM me and I'll arrange to upload it somewhere. Size about 75MB.
HTH
Dave
Hey Ryelands! Good to see you and Dawnrazor around, if months ago!You still using the cMP setup? I am, though not having had time for much music listening in about a year. That should change soon thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. I'll be forced to stay in town...and at home.
Edits: 03/19/20 03/23/20
Yo Jben. Naw ditched the cmp2 box because of the heat. Long story.Using a DANTE solution now to feed a dac. And Hysolid is the player. Awesome sound.
THis is a dante box that is feeding my dac an AES signal from ethernet:
https://www.audinate.com/products/devices/dante-avio#aes3
Actually before the dac the signal runs into a used Apogee Big Ben reclocker I got at guitar center for $400 which sends AES out to the dac:
https://apogeedigital.com/shop/big-ben-refurbished
Here is the player and they seem to use some cmp2 principles shifting the cataloging away from the computer to an app on a phone or tablet:
https://www.hysolid.com/
I had the cmp2 box in different systems and I can't conclude that this new paradigm is better but I can say that I don't miss the cmp2 box at this point. And I totally enjoy the control and sound with Hysolid. Do note though that hysold IIRC only really works with 32bit hardware. There is a small list on their site. I could be wrong since my 4 dac options all support 32bit.
Also there are some great sounding affordable dante products that could do wonders for some systems and fwiw you can add all kind of ins and outs if you want to. I have another box like this but it also has 2 mic inputs:
https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-REDNET-AM2-Headphone-Power-over-Ethernet/dp/B01DNU8Z14/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=focusrite+am2&qid=1584828911&sr=8-2#customerReviews
Listening today, omg this system sounds amazing! So smooth and detailed yet not sterile at all. Music man music.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Edits: 03/21/20
Happy to see you, D!As I mentioned earlier, I've been away from it all for almost a year. In fact, this is probably only my 2nd post in the asylum this week, after the long hiatus. I do have a few audio projects lined up for as soon as I recover from my trips and stuff.
One of these planned projects is, in fact, Hysolid. When I was still in France several weeks ago, OG42 texted me to inquire about it. LOL, he accused YOU of making him curious about it, if I recall well. I decided to explore it when I got back. I actually downloaded it several days ago.
After reading their website thoroughly, I figured it still needs much more of the Windows 10 subsystems than cMP does of Windows XP's(with a severely reduced code). So, I harbor no illusions. Then again, I was/am not looking for a cMP replacement.
Where I DO have great hopes is actually with Win10 on other folks' PCs. Those who are not able, crazy or deluded enough to gut an entire OS just for improved SQ, the way some of us are.
For example, OG42's audio PC is audio-optimized to some extent under Windows 10 but I silently lamented not being able to bring his PC to cMP's SQ level. Now, however, and partly thanks to your typical explorations and sharing thereof, this may much closely be achieved. He got really good at making solid PC backups...experimenting with new setups should make him happy as a kid...which he is :)
I'll take another look at the other items you mentioned later. Right now I am due to smoke my cheap cigar of the week...before my wife wakes up. Have fun!
Edits: 03/21/20
FWIW I did the Focusrite usb recs to tune the computer. And of course its dedicated with no anitvirus.
https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207355205-Optimising-your-PC-for-Audio-on-Windows-10
This does make a difference. I replaced a computer and man the same dac etc sounded horrible.. Horrible. Did the steps and viola it was like before. Ironically I went the way I did with internet instead of USB because I thought the impact of the computer would be minimized. Lol I was wrong.
Glad to see you around!!!
All I can tell you is that I have left cMP2 behind me.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Thanks for the pointer. Their recs do sound very appropriate. I will try them when the time comes.
Years ago I struck gold with the cMP + FB2k setup. This only happened after FB2k got a very decent update in those days. (You had already taken your "sabbatical", so I don't think I ever mentioned it to you.) Suddenly, I could get just as good SQ as with cPlay but with the extra abilities of FB2k, including DSD playback. Only the Oppo player while on "pure direct" -- and not always -- can improve a little over cMP/FB2k.
Not that I've heard much of this recently. All this above was with the PLLXO'd bi-amp on the highly modded MMGs until the start of 2019. Their resolution was incredible and long-term listening sessions were always enjoyable (often 10hr+). I did begin to worry about their age. Yours and mine were built before 2000.
That January I found a good pair of used 1.6's and decided to shift them in for long term evaluation and modding. Haltingly, I finished testing the "external" tweaks (they came with Razoring on, BTW). They improved very much but never to the modded MMGs' level.
Soon after, many things got in the way of further tweaking; health, work and stuff. Gotta PLLXO biamp these 1.6s, perhaps even reinforce the frame like I did with the MMGs. They do have the pedigree to exceed the modded MMGs, which can still do a quite bit of relative shock & awe if allowed to...though now they're on "mothballs".
Hey J,
Nice report. Lol they came with razoring. I thought it was just me and you. FWIW my planar headphones are razored and well it works there too.
Interesting about foobar and I get it if you are doing DSD. Hysolid supports all that stuff too up to 384k IIRC. My dac does as well but poor dawnrazor is stuck at 44.1 and in the 1980s. No music he likes is on dsd. Though I think my dac will convert or something. Did I mention it just sounds amazing. Things are just soo clear and smooth. Its like a different recording. Lots of things going on but I think the Big Ben and its clocking is giving that last 10%.
Do you have a big room? The 1.6s may just be too big for the space. FWIW my mmgs are in storage these days.
Do take care of yourself. Health is the most important thing IMHO.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey D, it was not JUST you and me. LOL, you know better than that! In fact, your Razoring tweak was far more adopted than we learn via the forum alone. People come in and read, try, adopt yet never tell.
Anyway, I first heard these 1.6 in a decidedly unfair room. Yet, they STILL performed clearly better than any 1.6 I had ever heard. After listening for a couple of hours, I walked over to them and explored around. Feeling them on the back confirmed what I had only suspected..and I started laughing. They are now in the very same spot the MMGs were, in a 12x25 room.
Hmm, "poor" at 44.1 ain't so if other things are good enough. Not that I need to tell you. However, seeing what you mentioned in the post to Dave, here is an anecdote. Before leaving on a trip, last December I bought a Raspberry Pi4 as a gift for a friend. My thought was to help him build a hi-res audio system just for the fun of it (I wanted to try DietPi with it.). Bummer, when I returned he had re-gifted it.
The point is that it cost me just a few bucks and, if your DAC has drivers available for it (Linux, I think) you may be able to beat even the cMP/WinXP combo. Better yet, I see that this Computer Audio Asylum already has experienced users to guide you at first. I think I even saw Neolith around!
However, if you still prefer cMP, I believe that I saved most of the cMP/cPlay website and its files long ago. If Dave does not have it, which I doubt because I think he once helped me complete something, I'll dig in to find it.
Likewise...and no monkeying around that Covid-19 stuff, you hear. (I believe that Dave lives well away from it, hopefully.)
Hey J,
Very nice to see you and DR sharing!!!!
Keep up the good work, for it is nice to see two gents like yourselves on AA!!!!
Hey Old Guy.
Glad to see you are still kicking! Hopefully you are enjoying life and the system is rocking.
Audio these days can be ridiculously good for little dough. Hope you are partaking.
Listening to planar headphones these days that are razored and yes, connected with thin thin magwire...some things never change.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Sure happy to read you are enjoying your system, and good to see your posts on AA!!! You and J. are two very knowledgeable and sharing GENTS.
About 5 years ago, I switched to a computer based headphone system, albeit, a very modest one. Simply put, if not for J., I would not be listening and enjoying this system now.
Keep up the good work, and please continue to share your experiences...
And yes, skinny wire rocks!!!......Stay safe...
Back at it fellas
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Rock on with the cans!!!!!!
FYI, just ordered the BBE 282iR...ETA..4/15---4/20......
STAY SAFE!!!!!!!
Awesome dude. Hope it works for you! Sadly I had to trade in my audiophile card for that thing.
Occasionally I test the BBE and ALWAYS conclude it needs to stay in the mix. Even adjusting the volume does not make it sound as good as when the BBE is active.
Its definitely more than an eq IME.
Do let me know how it works out!
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
I never had an audiophile card, just a music lover card....
Back in the mid '80s, I owned 2 DBX devices...a 3BX and the Boom Box...
Will let you know how the Max works out....
Wow. Me too. Headphones rock. Hated them for years but now i dont know if speakers will be a big part of my audiophilia.
What are you running?
Cut to razor sounding violins
Wow. Me too. Headphones rock. Hated them for years but now i dont know if speakers will be a big part of my audiophilia.
What are you running?
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Running a very modest system, as I said...Without J., I would not be enjoying this system!!!
I added a cheap Furman PL-8C and changed out a usb cable of late.
See link (I hope)...
Hey There is a close out of the Schitt wyred usb decrapafier. Its $45. And the have 3, or rather 2 after I place my order for my 2nd one.
Bet it would help.
https://darko.audio/2015/09/schiit-wyrd-usb-decrapifier-review/
Cut to razor sounding violins
Hey DR,
Tried to post yesterday AM but AA was down for me.
I do have a de-crapafier of sorts. The Ifi-I3.0 silencer but I did want to purchase the Schiit model for my younger son. I waited to long, and they sold out.
I do own an after market headphone cable that I purchased almost 5 years ago that is stranded and so, I did think about diy'in a solid core headphone cable but I thought it would be a no-no given all the movement of the cable. Now you have me think'in bout mess'in with 26 gauge magnet wire!!!..LOL
Thanks for the suggestions...Appreciate it...Stay safe!!!
Cool man cool. That ifi stuff looks good! Keep checking out the Schiit site. They run out and they sometimes come back. They are b stock so not always a stream of inventory.
I have had the homebrew headphone cables for months with no issues. Though I am just at my desk with no walking around. The key IMHO is to use something to jacket the cables like techflex and then clamp really good and for good measure put some glue on the outside of the techflex before clamping.
Also I cheat. No Y junctions on my cables. Amp has 2 outputs and I doctored the cables to just tap into the left or right output depending on which is left and right. So one end plugs into the right cup and goes to the 1st out on the amp. 2nd one goes to left and plugs into the 2nd out.
That said you could do a single connection to the amp by either getting a cable boot, but IMHO a better way would be to do 2 separate runs and just attach it all at the amp end. So 2 cables coming into the 1/8" connector or even better if your amp uses a 1/4" connection (more room).
Also, its heresy but a big shout out to the BBE sonic Maximizer. It works and man I won't live without it. Its like the band is playing on a stage with the lights dimmed. Then you put in the BBE and viola its like the house lights come on. Well worth the dough. So nice to be able to adjust the sound and improve it while doing so.
I have the XLR version but here is the Rca version
Cut to razor sounding violins
Yo don't for get cables:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/homebrew-balanced-cables.903677/
Cut to razor sounding violins
Modest? Thats like the best value product in every category. You would have to spend a ton more to get better I imagine.
Bet it rocks!
Cut to razor sounding violins
D, I wouldn't like you any less if you stayed just on cans. :) That said, and more so if you had kept the A21s, it seems to me that you get even more creative when speakers challenge you. And then you share this. Of course, the Razoring for headphones continues the tradition.
But yes, cans truly can! Who knows when but I may have to get there eventually...and your tweaks may come in handy.
LOl. The A21s I still have and until I moved to Florida (yes but man I am at the exact oppostite part of the state as Jben), was running my headphones off of the A21s. The heat became an issue and I had to get a headphone amp.
It was cmp2 box into the A21s then a resistor network to the cans. Was awesome till it was too hot. One advantage of a planar can is they can usually take 5 watts...
Went with battery headphone amps for a bit then finally bought the Hafler Ha-75. Its got a "focus" feature which basically overcomes the main issue I have with headphones which is lack of center image. This mimics monitors and you can adjust the center image. All the vst plug ins I tried sucked but this is the real deal.
The awesome planar is now $218 and reacts well to mods:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/m1060c-open-soundstage-mod.918483/
Cut to razor sounding violins
Florida, huh, you came to join our Gator crowd? Perhaps there will be a time when we can get together for dinner at your local Denny's. :) Before this C19 virus thing came along, my wife and I were planning to visit friends in TN. The drive over to them would likely take us close enough to where you are.
Ahhh! The beautifully sound colors of the 12AX7 tube, mostly via my Dyanacos of their time, hold a very dear place in my eardrums. I can still salivate as I remember passages of music they played for me. I hope you retained these tubes in the Hafler.
Now, if you really preferred the A21's sound but not its heat, here is a wild thought. It is probably not really advisable but...
The A21's bias could conceivably be tuned down just enough to only deliver class-A into 4-5 watts. If I recall well, they now do about 11 watts into 8 ohms. The downturn in heat production would likely be very significant judging by my own experiments with my Parasounds.
Then again, like you, I never even got to "good enough" SQ from VST filters on cPlay, if you would need them with the A21. Like I said, it is a bit wild; just like us ladies here like it. LOL
Hey Jben,
Thats a great idea in regards to the bias. Sadly I ended up with the hafler after the A21 because of the heat. And now I am sold on the focus feature and the tubes, and truth be told the vox control which adds a bass boost.
I have just kept the stock tube and don't plan to mess about. The Hafler has some preouts which perhaps will let me get the focus and vox and use the A21, but I don't find myself missing the A21 soundwise. True my system was very differnt back then and I hadn't modded the headphones I don't think but maybe one day it will be an interesting test.
But man I have to tell you things are sounding the best they every have. Sooooo smooth but yet detailed.
You sir are fancy. Waffle house man.
Cut to razor sounding violins
LOL, that was merely to try and impress you. Waffle House guy myself, too. Steak & eggs + hash brown all mixed up then the waffles...all of which stress the meds to the hilt.
Hey JBen,
That was a cool story about the 1.6s.. Glad people are doing it. It makes such a difference.
I thought about linux. Its a non starter IMHO. 1st off I have gone the pro audio route and ALSA is last on their list. 2nd I could use usb (do you even need drivers for LInux with usb?) but not a big fan of that and well I couldn't use my reclocker....it would be a money trap I think in terms of needing a better reclocker....
And things sound really really good and I have some things I can do on the PC end yet.
Cut to razor sounding violins
Years ago I struck gold with the cMP + FB2k setup
Yes, I'm still using cMP2 though in a server/endpoint setup with lots of 'slimming' on both boxes. The slimming makes for a very marked difference.
About ten years ago(!), I made up a cMP2 system for a friend that, at his request, used F2K instead of cPlay. It sounded good. What version of F2K are you using?
Dave
Nice to see your are still around, Dave.
The current FB2k version is 1.3.16, though 1.5+ is available. I don't upgrade unless there is a promising SQ improvement. And I never try so without first making a full backup, in case I don't like what I hear.
Curious, what do you mean by server/endpoint in this context? And what player?
While I prefer to run the slimmed down PC in isolation from the network (self-contained except for USB DAC), I can re-enable networking to the other machines...with a minor SQ penalty. I can switch from FB2k to JRiver (not latest versions though, they're XP unfriendly) but I very rarely do so.
I have moved to a networked system and one day may try cmp again, though all my builds are with no networking and Cics site is down.
Do you have any info on how to do it with networking? Is there an easy way to just add networking or is it a no go?
Also can any of the cmp2 magic be done on windows 10. Pretty sure my dac needs windows 10 or 7 at the earliest.
Glad you are well man. Sorry to be a DOWNrazor but there is something to be said for more plug and play and cover art...
Cut to razor sounding violins
Thank you Dave, can you some how upload for me a copy please.
thank you
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