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cMP - the open source high-end Memory Player

41.183.0.21
Posted on December 30, 2007 at 05:42:01
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
cMP

The open source high-end Memory Player

December 2007

Music delivery is perfected. cMP (cics Memory Player) delivers memory playback (without RAMDisk or other utilities) thereby eliminating disk interference during playback.

In creating cMP, its critical objective was the implementation of fundamental designs that:

  1. Remove disk traffic interference during playback without having the inconvenience of manually loading files into a virtual RAM drive, etc..
  2. Ensure time critical sample delivery to the external DAC. Streaming of samples from precision upsampled (to 24/96) sound buffers to the soundcard must be fast, lean and mean! There's no room for any bottlenecks or overheads here, otherwise we risk increasing jitter and compromise Bit Transparency.
  3. Provide better power supply and remove the need for a ferrite core on the mouse connection.
  4. Provide flexibility to choose any player (Foobar2000, Winamp etc.).
  5. Further minimize the Windows footprint to that more optimal than XP's Embedded SP2 operating system as used in large scale commercial applications. This provides the foundation for the 2nd design goal.
  6. Offer a CD/DVD-ROM drive without impacting sound quality.
  7. Offer proper remote usability as locating that mouse cursor from a distance is cumbersome.
  8. Contain costs but also allow for a complete elegant one box solution.

Such designs in theory should render a stunning sonic experience. Its implementation however was a massive challenge. Did this theory meet the sonic expectations? Yes as evidenced in cMP's bit perfect performance and ultra low jitter.

How does it sound? The most descriptive word that comes to mind is emotional. cMP's sonic purity is truly profound. It grips those musical lines across any genre with remarkable precision. Soundstage improves, there's better layering and even more ambient information. Bass is tighter, with natural vocals & instruments.

FRONT



BACK



More pictures and screenshots are available from the cMP documentation link provided below.

FEEDBACK

Pre-release testing by music lovers located all over the world yielded further insight and perfection of cMP.

  • A music lover based in the US with limited or no computer training:

    This has been a great way to learn about computers in addition to making something very useful for enjoying music.

    Compared to my ###### (read expensive high-end traditional CD transport), even with some tweaking and learning left to do, this sounds much better. Dynamic, yet relaxed (effortless?).

    I started listening last night at 7:00 and had to force myself to go to bed at twelve. Amazing spaciousness. It is truly getting close to GREAT analog and is much better than average analog already. It is simply amazing.

    I found your instructions easy to follow ONCE I understood what I was being told to do. To repeat, I have never done anything like this before, so your instructions were clear without resorting to "hand holding". I think the process was easier than you warned. I kept saying to myself, "that wasn't so bad!"

    After cMP:

    My only audio friends are very analogue-centric. Sometime in January I am going to have them over to audition the cMP. I think they are going to be amazed. Of course, I am confident that JULI@ is going to be the icing on the cake. If this takes the whole thing another step closer I think they will be grateful that one can enjoy listening to CD's as much as LP's. Of course, in many ways your approach does things even LP's cannot do. It is becoming a toss-up, but the best kind; one can enjoy either one equally well!

  • A music lover based in Europe with more than 2000 CDs:

    the quality of sound reproduction is quite amazing. My motivation for building was that I am not wealthy and could never dream of, let alone buy, a high-end CD player. Even this project was considerably more than I could properly afford and I began it with some trepidation. But it's been well worth it.

    After cMP:

    I spent several hours last night testing the latest cMP. I did several A/B runs with cMP on the one hand and Foobar launched via old batch files and reading direct from disk on the other. There is no doubt in my mind that the sound using cMP is a significant improvement even with my modest setup.

    The quality is quite stunning, significantly better than previous. (My partner agrees with this - she's no audio junkie but she is an informed music lover.)

  • A music lover based in Australia:

    I have been wanting to relay to you my own experience with your methods and give you some feedback . So far, I have found your approach produces very good results so I must convey to you my thanks and appreciation. At some point soon I will formalise my thoughts and send them to you or post them. I believe what you have done has become an excellent resource/asset to people interested in PC Audio.


FEATURES

  1. Disk traffic interference during playback is eliminated. Advanced RAM playback is based on available physical RAM (as reported by Task Manager or Process Explorer). This means up to 4GB (XP's limit) can be used allowing for 24/192 RAM playback. Recommendation is to use 1GB RAM (which yields available physical RAM of ~830MB - enough for any CD at 16/44.1). cMP achieves memory playback via the system cache and not through a simulated virtual drive. This approach removes Windows disk I/O overheads (irrespective of whether disk is physical or virtual) hence, it's more optimal.

  2. Extensive Windows & Player (Foobar2000 or other) optimizations yielding much lower jitter and bit perfect delivery. System level optimizations are done at runtime (which cannot be achieved using .bat files and utilities like Process Explorer). cMP is designed to work with 32 CPU cores!

  3. Open architecture. cMP allows for any player to be used: Foobar2000, XXHighEnd, Winamp etc. (player just needs to handle .cue files like foobar2000 otherwise play entire .wav). Any ripper software can be used (as long as it conforms to .cue single file standard like those created by EAC). Additional flexibility is provided, for example use cMP to drive your HTPC playing any movie from any genre (a .cue file for each .iso file is needed).

  4. All .cue files are processed by cMP which means the player focuses only on playing the CD. In Foobar2000, the album list control component is not needed. In techno speak this is called separation of concerns.

  5. Power delivery to the mobo is improved by further reducing interference. The need for a ferrite core is removed.

  6. Full function remote control using a wireless mouse is achieved. Your entire library can be navigated: play any CD, eject it, jump to any track or change volume. This is achieved using just ONE mouse button: the Wheel! Use the mouse as a normal one (left-click) or hold it in your hand (like a remote control) and wheel away using your thumb. Of course other buttons are used for more convenience. There's no need to find that tiny mouse cursor and left click! (You can still do this if needed).

  7. Your entire library that you so diligently ripped is fully compatible with cMP. No proprietary / lock-in stuff here which forces you to re-rip. Just point cMP to your music folders containing .cue and .wav files (or flac or other). cMP supports any content file as long as cue files are defined for them. For flac content files, the known EAC bug of adding an additional .flac suffix to the content file's name must be removed (otherwise your cue's content file directive will not be found).

  8. CD/DVD-ROM drive is implemented without compromising playback quality. For the purist, this can be unplugged without opening computer or rebooting.

Bottom line: cMP is a (one box) highly advanced memory player that's easy to setup and use. cMP's core strength lies in newly developed operating system software components (built in c/c++) that uses XP SP 2 as a foundation. Windows Explorer is done away with while cMP takes over and more. Bit perfect delivery is achieved yielding an ultra high resolution of more than 23.5 bits (a limitation in measuring instruments prevents measuring cMP's perfect resolution). DAC's have yet to achieve this resolution (as a minimum of 141db SNR is needed)! For cMP's bit perfect measurements, see (Bit Perfect Measurement & Analysis ).


GETTING STARTED

Visit cicsMemoryPlayer.com where you'll find detailed easy to follow instructions and much more.

Ensuring clean AC power delivery to equipment is very important. For DAC, pre-amp and amplifiers, use a dedicated AC circuit. For source equipment, use another AC circuit as this is where cMP's main PSU should be powered from. Use another less important AC circuit for powering cMP's 2nd dirty power inlet. Use of quality power cords and line conditioners is recommended.


Special thanks to those that provided such brilliant feedback and suggestions during pre-release testing. cMP's software is at version 1.0b as more feedback is desired. Your input, insights, criticisms, experiences and suggestions all help.

Thank you.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: That's a Vista problem - get Windows 7 instead, posted on May 25, 2010 at 05:20:41
Fubart


 
What an answer! :-(

I have got the same problem with Vista and cmp. Only Desktop available in the folder form.

@Cics: could you please solve this problem because Vista is better for audio than XP and I am not happy to switch back to XP!

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4, posted on May 25, 2010 at 06:25:28
nagual19
Audiophile

Posts: 37
Location: Vienna
Joined: July 4, 2003
 Oh yes, based on the looks and specs the mentionend Velleman PSU is identical to the Peaktech 6080...
(well.. Peaktech does not have a "backlit" LC display.. dunno if this is really true for the Velleman)

IIRC the Velleman is available in America, whereas the Peaktek is avail in Europe (where I reside).

I am really curious about the use of low resistance AWG6 wire like fellow member hfavandepas recommends (used between linear PSU and P24 and P4)

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 25, 2010 at 08:28:35
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 GStew,

My PS Setup

I used a PICO ATX PS to turn on a 12V relay which in turn power up the regulators to the MB. Of course, 5V should be provided to Pin 8 (PWR_OK) and Pin 9 (5V SB) on the MB before powering up.

The PICO PS is supplied by a 12V regulator, which is always on when AC is applied, whereas the 12 V relay shares the same regulator.

Pin 16 (PWR_ON)(on ATX 2.x 24Pin) of the MB should be connected to the same pin of the PICO PS. When the power-on button is pressed, Pin 16 (PWR_ON) is pulled down by the MB and the PICO starts up and turns on a 4-points relay. The relay then connects the regulated supplies, i.e. 3.3V, 5V and 12V, to the MB. The 5V PS to Pin 8 (PWR_OK) and Pin 9 (5V SB) is provided by the PICO PS, as they do not affect SQ.

I don't use a PCI sound card and there is no need for a clear -12V, therefore, the -12V is also provide by the PICO PS. You may of course provide regulated PS to the 5V SB and -12V, but one more one relay will be needed.

Alternative Method

If you do not plan to use a PICO PS, the following method has been tested and found working. The same theory applies, i.e. the Pin 16 (PWR_ON) (on ATX 2.x 24Pin PS) should be pulled down to 0V in order to start up a MB.

- 5V supply should be provided to Pin 8 (PWR_OK) and Pin 9 (5V SB) on the MB. The MB is ready.

- either use a multi-points power switch or relay (controlled by 12V or 5V from your PS). Connect the MB 12V, 5V &3.3V PINs to NO of the relay also connect the respective regulated PS to the NC. (except Pin 8 (PWR_OK) and Pin 9 (5V SB) of the MB which should be connected to the PS direct and they should be turned on automatically when AC is applied to the power transformer).

- one set of connecting points of the multi-pointf power switch or relay should be used to connect Pin 16 (PWR_ON) on the MB to the COM (any black wire or 0V). They should stay disconnected as long as the power switch is not turned on.

- When the power switch or relay is turned on, Pin 16 (PWR_ON)is pulled down to 0V, simultaneously, all necessry voltages from the regulators are supplied to the MB. This will turn on the MB. The swtich remains on (connected).

Using Batteries

If you are using linear regulators for your PS, I highly recommend adding batteries to power them as the SQ improvement is significant. For lead acid batteries, simply added two small regulators for charging, one for 12 V (set to 13.6V and add a small resistor to control the charging current, say 0.22 - 0.33 ohm), and one for the 6V battery sets. You will need two sets of 6V batteries, a smaller set for 3.3V, and a larger set for 5V. They can be charged by the same regulator (6.8V, 3-4A). A relay should be used to connected the regulated PS to the MB. The battery should be connected to the moving pin of the the relay, the 12V, 5V and 3.3V wires from the MB should connected to the On_pin (which will be off unless is power is supplied to the relay. The Off-pin should be connected to the chargers so that they will charge the batteries when the computer is off. The relay configure varies slightly for the charging circuit -the batteries connect to the contact switch, NO is connected to the regulators which are connected to the MB, and NC to the chargers.

I have been using battery power supplies whenever practicable, in preamp, poweramp and DAC. I have tried different types of PS circuits, be it regulated or choke filters but nothing come close to batteries in performance. It is worth trying and I recommend to start with battery supplied DAC because the current demand is low.

Hope this help.


 

RE: Some more refinements, posted on May 25, 2010 at 08:32:47
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Thanks. I tried the Musiland driver and Cplay reported min.: 256. With 256 samples and 255 PCI lantency, ASIO4all was preferred. I gave up and am using ASIO4all for now.

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 25, 2010 at 08:38:01
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Are you kidding? "Hope this helps"?

This is GREAT. Will digest and possibly come back with questions.

THANKS FOR SHARING!

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 25, 2010 at 09:25:45
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Correction re Aternative Method

First line: i.e. PWR_OK should read i.e. Power_ON.

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 25, 2010 at 10:37:14
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Correction re: My PS Setup

Line 4: "When the power-on button is pressed, PWR_OK is pulled down.....",
PWR_OK should read PWR_ON.

 

RE: Can you test with Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H?, posted on May 25, 2010 at 11:01:58
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 I did some search. Asrock and Foxcon H55M MBs appeared not suitable for the intended purpose as the voltage settings are insufficient or not low enough. MSI H55M P31 seems to be a good choice with all necessary voltage settings.

According to a MB review MSI H55M E33 performs better then its Gigabyte, Asus counterparts in overclocking. The result is indicative of the PS design and quality of the MBs.

I have asked MSI for the lowest voltage value of CPU VCore, DRAM and GPU.

 

PCI Latency Tool and DRAM Timings, posted on May 26, 2010 at 06:44:17
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Hopefully Musiland can offer lower latencies in future. Be sure to setup ASIO4ALL to use hardware buffers and not have any latencies of its own.

Tried DRAM Timings on Kingston HyperX DDR3-1375 1GB and unfortunmately, RAM did not work. Will be testing Kingston ValueRam DDR3-1333 1GB soon which is cheaper and doesn't "validate" timings.

Try PCI Latency Tool 2.3 (you'll need to reverse Minlogon, and only then can 3.1 be uninstalled after restarting DCOM and Windows Installer services). With 2.3 there's no installation, simply extract software (by running LtcyCfg.exe) to folder and run it. It has less bloat and doesn't suffer from loosing PCI devices (unfortunately its a bit more difficult to identify PCI device as your soundcard will show something like "Multimedia device"). Also, we can safely disable unwanted stuff in BIOS. There's more improvement doing it this way.

Note for settings to take effect in cMP mode, you need to setup a .bat file and run it each time on reboot. I use the "RIP" to apply latencies on startup: 


@echo off
"c:\...\LtcyCfg.exe" /a
exit


See example for doing something similar with Cryptographic Services.

 

RE: PCI Latency Tool and DRAM Timings, posted on May 26, 2010 at 09:27:03
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Thanks! Will try. Can the same .bat file be used to start up LtcyCfg.exe and stop Crypt Srv at the same time?

 

RE: PCI Latency Tool and DRAM Timings, posted on May 26, 2010 at 11:45:52
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Yes. It would look like this:


@echo off
"c:\...\LtcyCfg.exe" /a
sc stop cryptsvc

 

Editing..., posted on May 27, 2010 at 09:59:31
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Jack,

If you select and view a single post, you can edit it. That way you can correct your original post with details AND then delete the add-on's... Just a thought.

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 27, 2010 at 10:14:47
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Jack, thanks for all the great details above.

I'd had great results with a serious Pico-PSU-based Hybrid supply which provided SIGNIFICANT sonic gains for my cMP^2 setup, so I've been very excited about installing a fully linear supply... and frustrated that it hadn't worked consistently!

After reviewing what you shared and going back over the original thread where Gene discussed his linear supply, I've gotten mine working consistently now. What I missed was the need to put 5v on the PWR_OK AFTER pressing the power button... I'd been doing it the other way around, which worked some of the time on the ES2L board, but only occasionally on the S2L board.

Now that I'm using this sequence, I'm getting a very consistent startup:

1st - Apply power to the 12v P4 and the ATX 3.3v, 5v, 12v, and -12v rails AND to the 5vSB (no time delays needed)

2nd - Press power button

3rd - Apply 5v to the ATX PWR_OK

This does not work with the GA-G31M-UD2H board, however. It seems to have a startup sequence where it powers-down the PSU and starts it up again along the way... not sure why. I hope the new boards that you, cics, and others are trying don't do this.

But as the UD2H does not sonically equal the S2L boards in my setup, I have not spent much time debugging it.

I actually have a reverse-battery setup... The 12v P4 and the 3.3v, 5v, and 12v ATX voltages each have their own transformer. But inspired by Gene's setup. I'm using two 9v batteries in series with a 7912 chip to get my -12v and a single 9v battery with a 7805 for my 5vSB & PWR_OK. I've found that once the startup process has intiated, I can turn these off with no problem, hence no need to have a more constant source. Now that I have a consistent startup, I will try it tonight with a single 9v battery and no regulator on the -12v line... this worked for Gene and I suspect it will work ok for me now. I also don't need a constant -12v as my sound card setup has separate power rails.

Of course, this is all on a board on my bench. I've got a few days off around the US Memorial Day holiday, so I'll be able to install it into my cMP setup and listen... this will be the start of PSU Follies Strike Back!'.

Later!

Greg in Mississippi

P.S. I will give batteries a try. I have significant battery-charging infrastructure around as I am a model airplane flier too and most of my powered planes use electric power. I also have some serious Lithium-Polymer packs in various sizes that will be interesting alternatives to the Pb-acid setups... I've heard that different battery types produce different sonic results and have not heard anyone report on these.

I have been cautious about them partly because of the additional infrastructure and care required AND due to some of the comments by people I respect who have tried them and not liked them... but enough have said they are the best to at least give them a try.

Also, I am VERY curious about your battery-powered direct-heated tube amps. Got pix?
Everything matters!

 

Regulated Power Supplies, posted on May 27, 2010 at 11:10:59
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 I have made amendment and some refinements.

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 27, 2010 at 11:37:34
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Congratulations on your success!

I believe the 5v should be applied to the ATX PWR_OK before or simultaneously with the 12v P4 and the ATX 3.3v..... This will send an OK signal to the MB.

Sonically, lithium packs sound best, next is NiCd, HiMh and than Pb-acid. I have compared them carefully and used different types depending on applications. More clarity and focus with lithium. Pb-acid is noisy and needs bypass caps.

The sonical difference is contributed to internal resistance and noise of different types of battery. Lower the better.

I will post some photos of my DHT DAC analoge stage cum preamp later. The two stages have been condensed to one and it was a big step forward.



 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 27, 2010 at 12:28:59
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Jack,

On the S2L board, it hasn't worked consistently for me to apply ATX PWR_OK before pressing the power button. This was also discussed in this thread and sub-thread:

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=65451

But it may be a difference across different boards.


I can play with this a bit, tho. I have the 5vSB & -12v on one switch and the PWR_OK on a second switch, so I can vary the sequencing.

In any case, I am pretty pumped and excited about getting this working consistently. It has been a tease, powering on the test board sometimes, but not every time.

BTW, this is all with no relays or PicoPSU. I when I plug the beast in, it directly energizes the 3.3v, 5v, and 12v rails. The -12v and 5v control voltages are turned on and off by switches.

I'm happy that this is working with such a simple setup.

Also, very happy to hear your comments on the sound of different batteries. I personally wouldn't use NiMH or NiCD unless I had to... too much self-discharge when not being used. I have LiPo packs in various capacities and every cell-count combo from 2-5 cells and all are pretty high-current for their capacity (some packs I have list peak draws of over 100 amps... I use these on larger electric helicopters).

I'll report on sound with this supply after I have a chance to listen a bit. I also have plans to do some listening to various regulators and various power sources for the P24... I am skeptical of the current recommendation to go with a 2nd computer power supply for that, I found a significant improvement in SQ when I went to linear supplies for my 'dirty' connections... 12v screen, 5v USB, and 5v HDD. This surprised me, but even more surprising was that the quality of the caps I used around those regulators also made a difference... so I expect a good linear to be better than an SMPS for the P4 also.

Again, thanks!

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!

 

RE: : RE: *Power Consumption* Core i3-530 32nm + GA-H55M-UD2H, posted on May 27, 2010 at 20:58:22
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Quick update... just as Gene said, using a 9v battery to provide the voltage for the-12v connection allows a good startup... at least with the S2L board.

That simplifies things quite a bit too, removing 1 9v battery and the associated regulator & caps.

So it's ended up as a very simple construct... 4 regulated supplies (3.3v, 5v, 12v, 12v), 2 9v batteries (one used as-is to provide -9v, the other regulated down to 5v), two switches (one SPST, the other DPST, and the associated wiring, connectors, fuse, and heatsink.

Left it on for awhile to allow it to warm up... I was worried a bit about possibly having a heatsink that was too small. Max reg temps a bit high at 130F, but not too bad. I can run with that.

I'll put it in for listening tomorrow... and start a new sub-thread then too! I hope it sounds as good as I'm expecting!

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!

 

cMP and Vista, posted on May 28, 2010 at 00:50:19
Fubart


 
Is there a possibility to get cMP to work with Vista? When I go to the music folder and want to add my folder there is just the Desktop-folder available and I can't go up to the root directory of my HDD or switch to my external HDD. Is there a work-around? With XP I have no problems! (No, I don't want to switch to XP!)

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 28, 2010 at 03:08:39
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 I'm also very interested in getting linear PSU for my system. Could you confirm the following:

1) How did you set and conncect the peaktech 6080 to P4 socket? (diy cable?)
2) Pico PSU is used to feed ATX (P24) socket?
3) What PSU did you use before the upgrade? (I use Antec CP-850 (removed fan, very low noise and ripple)

I am also thinking about getting kurouto shikou no-pci cards, do you have some experiences with them?

http://www.kuroutoshikou.com/products/etc/no-pci+fset.html
http://www.kuroutoshikou.com/products/etc/no-pci-express.html
http://www.kuroutoshikou.com/products/etc/no-pci.html
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

Nope.. lol. i still prefer with untouch latency where it leads the way music should flow., posted on May 28, 2010 at 06:19:13
lga775
Audiophile

Posts: 38
Joined: October 10, 2009

 

RE: cMP and Vista - folder browsing, posted on May 28, 2010 at 09:13:05
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 This is a known issue with Vista using win32 api. I don't have plans to do a work-around in cMP.

Other Vista users move/copy their music folders to the desktop and that way access the library. Another way is to save folder shortcuts to your desktop folder. I would suggest moving to XP with minlogon for better SQ.

 

RE: * NEW * Windows optimisation using Autoruns and gpedit (Group Policy editor), posted on May 28, 2010 at 12:10:11
gdillon
Audiophile

Posts: 47
Joined: December 3, 2000
 Cics,

Just want to make sure that I understand you correctly. You are saying that Autoruns and gpedit require winlogon so for best sound, this tweak should be used instead on mini login- correct?

Thanks

Geoffrey

 

RE: * NEW * Windows optimisation using Autoruns and gpedit (Group Policy editor), posted on May 28, 2010 at 12:48:36
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Ignore these changes.

The point on reversing minlogon is to get Autoruns to work. Thereafter minlogon is re-applied. Problem is with gpedit as its impact to SQ is significant and needs more understanding. For now avoid it altogether.

 

installing cMP2, posted on May 29, 2010 at 02:53:43
play-mate
Audiophile

Posts: 948
Joined: November 21, 2008
 hey daniele,

I wonder what your problem really is .....
when you download cMP your firewall will prompt a spyware -thats normal.
to get cPlay and cMP (when you use both it´s called cMP2 ) to work together on a foreign (italian) operating system you need to change the .pth in the cPlay and cMP folders.
find the folders in "programs" and locate the .pth files; open with "editor" and change the line :
"c:\programe\cicsmemoryplayer\......
-to it´s ITALIAN eqivalent !

that should let the cMP find cPlay when you select an album in cMP. make sure you use cue-sheets !

good luck.
Hysolid // Mytek Brooklyn // Spectron Musician III // Analysis Audio Omega

 

battery powered cMP rig, posted on May 29, 2010 at 03:28:00
play-mate
Audiophile

Posts: 948
Joined: November 21, 2008
 thanks gentlemen for your great contribution on this battery issue. I´m sure there are several of us who would like to try this out on their own.
like me, we might not all be as electronically savy as you guys, but please share your findings in a comprehensive step by step "how to do" manual, so it can be interpreted by most DIY electro-technicians.
I may take the plunge to try it with a little help from a friend of mine, but I still need to have it all explained in a more hands on way !

I´m sure it will find an eager audience and a special section on cics website !

fingers crossed.
Hysolid // Mytek Brooklyn // Spectron Musician III // Analysis Audio Omega

 

RE: battery powered cMP rig, posted on May 29, 2010 at 06:21:32
smicyta
Audiophile

Posts: 125
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Now, that would be nice! I second that - a step by step DIY batteries powered cMP rig.

 

RE: Break-in report: Atom + Juli@ analog is stunning for the price, posted on May 29, 2010 at 08:09:47
erin
Audiophile

Posts: 31
Joined: May 29, 2010
 In replay to your question if anyone else has tried the D510MO.

I tried the D510MO motherboard with some kingston value ram and the OS installed on a CF card. I use a USB to i2s converter to my DAC.
I ran this board for about 5 hours and listened a few times, I found that the sound quality using the USB to i2s converter was very poor. XP was optimised according to the instructions. I was disappointed with the USB sound quality.

My other CMP computer uses the GA-G31M-ES2L motherboard which provides excellent sonic results using the same USB to i2s converter.

Does anyone have an idea why the D510MO sounds so bad when using USB.
I would like to persist with this ITX board, but I dont think there is anywhere for me to go with it. I did turn off Hyperthreading in the bios which made some sonic improvement, but not enough for me to say this board is good when using USB. I'm sure AstroD is correct saying that it sounds good with the Juli@ card, but I dont use that card.

Should I try to "run in" the motherboard for longer. How long is enough?
Can anyone else try testing the USB sound quality on this board?

Thanks
Erin

 

RE: installing cMP2, posted on May 29, 2010 at 08:16:41
audiodan@tiscali.it
Audiophile

Posts: 108
Location: Cagliari - Sardinia
Joined: July 7, 2009
 Hi Playmate
thx for response but I'vnt any problems. I ask only if someone tried to install cmp on a 7 os.
I use an english version of seven, so I don't have problems to try cmp shell straight on.
My only perplexity is the waste of time if it cannot works.
Now I live happy with an hadrware assembled following cics instructions, with cplay as player on a very reduced windows seven.
It works wonderful. All my music is upsampled at 24/192.
thx again
Daniele

 

Alternative Motherboards? GA-G41MT-ES2L?, posted on May 29, 2010 at 08:26:15
erin
Audiophile

Posts: 31
Joined: May 29, 2010
 I was wondering if anyone knows if the GA-G41MT-ES2L would be a suitable alternative to the GA-G31M-ES2L?

Both motherboards appear to be identical, except the G41 takes DDR3 RAM and seems to have a newer video chipset.

The GA-G41MT-ES2L is very cheap at the moment whereas the GA-G31M-ES2L is still around but becoming more expensive and difficult to find.

I would like to build a new computer. Should I buy the H55M-UD2H motherboard and an i3 processor. Or just go for the GA-G31M-ES2L or (GA-G41MT-ES2L) and an E7200 processor. Which combination is better? Any advice is welcome.

Thank you,
Erin



 

RE: Break-in report: Atom + Juli@ analog is stunning for the price, posted on May 29, 2010 at 10:56:23
AstroD
Audiophile

Posts: 223
Location: So Cal
Joined: October 13, 2003
 Did you make sure the USB port used for the DAC has its own IRQ? It's cumbersome to find out, but when isolated, it really helps.

 

Alternative H55M Motherboard - Asrock H55M-LE, posted on May 29, 2010 at 11:39:51
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 I'm building a computer for a friend of mine using Core i3 530 + Asrock H55M-LE(I told him to buy this board because I want to try it with CMP^2). The board has one PCI E and two DRAM slot only, so it may be a good board for CMP^2.

I tried tampering with the BIOS setting and it can go down to 900Mhz with low voltage settings. Both CPU Core VID and GPU @ 0.843V, DRAM Volt @1.3V, others settings are similar to Gigabyte H55M-UD2H.

I tried CMP^2 on this computer (not yet fully optimized) with a pair of headphone (on board VIA sound chip was used). The sound quality is delightful. Not bad at all for this cheap MB.

Before handing over the computer to my friend, I will run the Asrock H55M-LE with my battery power supply, SSD HDD and USB DAC to see how it comnpare to my Gigabyte H55M-UD2H. I will report the findings in a couple of days.

 

RE: Alternative Motherboards? GA-G41MT-ES2L?, posted on May 29, 2010 at 11:46:15
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Better go for Core i3 530 + H55M MB because the performace of this combo is unmatched so far. I've compared similar combos and can say I will never go back to 45mn CPU.

 

H55M-UD2H + Core i3-530 (32nm) + Kingston DDR3-1333 1GB ValueRAM is a better choice, posted on May 29, 2010 at 11:51:39
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Jack also mentions the ASROCK mobo which is cheaper. With GB option you can power P4 separately - not sure of ASROCK.

I'm stil testing Kingston ValueRam - early testing shows this option is better than the more expensive HyperX option.

 

I wouldn't recommend Atom for heavy duty upsampling, posted on May 29, 2010 at 12:20:09
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Your point on IRQ is important and will have impact on SQ.

Atom processors + NM10 chipset has large appeal for audio due to low power consumption and display interface is from CPU. But it lacks SSE4.1 and 2MB L2 cache. There are other limitations like "in-order execution" making computationally intensive tasks less efficient. This suggests Atom based solutions are best for non-upsampling. This leaves upsampling to the DAC which is not ideal. Atom processors using 32nm + DDR3 technology may improve this situation.

Core i3 + H55 is superior when upsampling and power consumption comes very close. NM10 uses 2.5 watts vs H55's 3.5 watts. Only downside on Core i3 based solutions is the display interface which is from the chipset.

 

RE: Break-in report: Atom + Juli@ analog is stunning for the price, posted on May 29, 2010 at 18:19:13
erin
Audiophile

Posts: 31
Joined: May 29, 2010
 Hi, I did check the IRQ and I'm fairly sure that they had separate IRQ's but I will have to double check that and get back to you. But It will be a few days as I have to reinstall the OS.

I also did disconnect all other USB devices when listening and did not notice any improvement. Do I still need a separate IRQ even if not using any other devices? I also tried various BIOS settings as well as even turning of PCI devices in the BIOS.

I even tried running the D510MO off my big Seasonic S2 power supply. This did make a just noticeable improvement, but it was still no good.

Of course, I am not disputing anyone else's findings with this board and the Juli@, just reporting my observations with USB.
Thanks.

 

A new type of mobo: Intel Server Mobo, posted on May 30, 2010 at 03:21:36
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Take a look at this Intel S3420GP mobo which supports Core i3-530/540. I like its simplicity and clean design. Its a bit large but there's less clutter like no onboard audio.

Sever boards are designed for high quality long running 7x24 performance. Not sure about BIOS. Intel tested this mobo with XP SP2 Pro.

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 30, 2010 at 04:29:40
Fidelity Castro
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Joined: April 27, 2010
 1) How did you set and conncect the peaktech 6080 to P4 socket? (diy cable?)
2) Pico PSU is used to feed ATX (P24) socket?
3) What PSU did you use before the upgrade? (I use Antec CP-850 (removed fan, very low noise and ripple)

I am also thinking about getting kurouto shikou no-pci cards, do you have some experiences with them?


1) I power the pico psu 150xt with the peaktech, i use this copper "measuring" banana plug cable http://www.reichelt.de/?ACTION=3;ARTICLE=12456;PROVID=2402

and connect through a luster terminal with a p4 extension cable wich is plugged to the pico psu p4 input connector.

2) Yes

3) I used the same Pico PSU with a DELL DA1 power brick connected to pico´s p4 input before, it was slightly better than with a seasonic 430w. wich i tried also. The seasonic is now powering usb and HDD´s. Fans removed of course.

It´s the first time i see the korouto cards, how would you use them, what´s it original purpose ?

 

I think they´re all from the same manufacturer only differently branded..., posted on May 30, 2010 at 04:43:18
Fidelity Castro
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Joined: April 27, 2010
 how would I make it work with the P4 connector?


I would buy a Pico PSU150 and feed both, p4 and p24 with the linear psu though the pico psu. You can use normal 4mm banana plugs or buy a sort of cable like i did, see the other post for details http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/7/75188.html

 

RE: A new type of mobo: Intel Server Mobo, posted on May 30, 2010 at 05:15:23
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 For stability, Intel MBs do not usually provide low voltage setting in BIOS and may not be a good candidate for CMP^2.

With a view to improving current consumption and SQ, I tried and successfully removed the sound and network chips together with some regulators on board my GA-G31M-S2C and an older Intel MB. I found that despite the devices are being turned off in BIOS, the regulators are still running. The chips were removed by using a hot air gun and solder iron. The important thing is that after removal of the chips, the MBs boot up without any problem.

I believe the BIOS setting is crucial and I like the flexiblity and stability of the GA H55M UD2H. Next step, I will try to remove unnecessary chips from this MB.

 

Very interesting..., posted on May 30, 2010 at 09:59:28
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 ...is it possible to take some pics and show us which chips you removed?

 

RE: Alternative H55M Motherboard - GA-H55M-D2H, posted on May 30, 2010 at 10:03:40
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 I've just found this MB. It has two ram slots only, all Oscon Cap, 2 OZ copper but no 1394 or ESATA ports. It is somewhere in between the H55M UD2H and S2H. BIOS is F1, it should be a new board. Have anyone try it. Please kindly report.

On the other hand, I've initially listened to the Asrock H55M-LE combo, powered by batteries + regulated supply, Kingston DDR3 1333 Value ram, same as my current setup with the Gigabyte GA H55M-UD2H.

Honestly, I cannot make a direct conparison between the two boards, because my UD2H borad has been heavily modified soon after purchase. Therefore, I can only rely on my listening impression when the board was unmodified.

The Good

The P4 can be powered separetely.

The Asrock H55M-LE board was very pleasant sounding. Very good bass extension, noticibaly more bass than the UD2H, smooth vocal, highs are well extended too. Overall, the sound is very attractive.

The bad

Drum kicks are not up to speed - I have not optimized the DRAM lantency yet and perhaps this is the cause. Will try tomorrow.

Focus, depth and stereo imaging are not as good as the UD2H. It appears to have a higher noise floor, background is not dark enough.

It produced more heat than the UD2H, probably due to higher CPU and GPU Core Voltage, no setting below 0.84375V is allowed

It shut off once for unknown reason. Have to reload BIOS. BIOS is not a strength for Asrock.


NOTE

My impression with this board and the untouched UD2H is that the two board have different tonal balance, the Asrock is mid-low inclined while the Gigabyte has more clarity in all fronts. Although bass extension is as good as the Asrock, the Asrock is a little bit more powerful in bass region whereas the Gigabyte has better control and speed.

I can't say which one is better but I preferred the modified UD2H for now.

Will burn in the Asrock board and relisten.





 

RE: battery powered cMP rig, posted on May 30, 2010 at 11:03:37
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Hi Guys, Will give this a try, but need time to prepare for the neccessary write up. In the meantime, I will try to determine which part of the ATX PS (P4 12V, P24 12V, 5V or 3.3V etc) would be most benificial for battery implementation and start from there.

 

RE: Very interesting..., posted on May 30, 2010 at 13:22:11
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 I support the request. It is very interesting.

Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: Alternative H55M Motherboard - GA-H55M-D2H, posted on May 30, 2010 at 14:35:07
AstroD
Audiophile

Posts: 223
Location: So Cal
Joined: October 13, 2003
 I think you'd have to burn in the new board for a bit to make it a fair comparison.

I just thought of a tweak - mounting the board to the case using rubber washers under the board. The standard screws should be long enough if using thin washers (a few mm). Anyone tried that?

 

RE: battery powered cMP rig, posted on May 30, 2010 at 16:41:21
smicyta
Audiophile

Posts: 125
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Hi Jack

Nice to hear that. Would be waiting patiently for your write up.

TIA

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 31, 2010 at 04:23:19
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 It´s the first time i see the korouto cards, how would you use them, what´s it original purpose ?
--------

The purpose is filtering of power, some kind of motherboard's power filtering support. Objective is rather clear, isn't it? :) Cleaner power - better sound

I don't know if I could order, as far as I know ther're rather hard to get. Probably gonna have to order directly from Japan, if that's possible.

OK, now I'll write sth about my system. It's based on ASUS M4A78T-E and AMD X3 720 Black Edition CPU (with unlocked 4th core, underclocked to 1GHz, undervolted to 0.825V), ram is 2x2GB Goodram pro 2000 (at 800MHz, cl5, 1T, 1.5V - mobo can't get lower). Almost everything disabled in BIOS, lowest voltage and operating clocks available. The cooler is Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme Copper Edition, no fans at all. Intel SSD G2 80GB for OS and 2x 1.5TB Samsung Eco drives for data. For powering 24 pin I use Antec CP-850 (removed fan) - http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story2&reid=142 - very low ripple. For 4pin and drives I use Seasonic M12-430 also fanless - very nice improvement.

How would describe further changes. Is it worth replacing two good quality, fanless switching PSUs with linear PSU + Pico? Is there much to be gained? Power supply is very important for me, especially that I use Cantatis Overture sound card (analog) - simply amazing!!!

Best regards,
Marcin
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

RE: Alternative H55M Motherboard - new champ?, posted on May 31, 2010 at 04:36:06
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 http://www.gigabyte.com/press-center/news-page.aspx?nid=884

New Gigabyte MB - miniATX format, pretty minimalistic, but I don't know if PCI-Express-to-PCI adapters work fine, could anybody clear this up?
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

RE: Very interesting...SOUND & LAN CHIPS REMOVED, posted on May 31, 2010 at 05:03:45
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010









See photos. Haven't got time yet to test the performace and current.

 

Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 07:06:51
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010





















For those who are interested. Please see the photos.

The tube analogue stage (using a direct heat tube) is part of a USB DAC(balanced AD1865) and it also serves as a pre-amp. There is sufficent amplification to drive the poweramp to full outpower.

 

RE: Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 07:57:05
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Dude!

That is seriously hard-core!!!!! I love it!

That battery pack is way-kewl, as is the serious volume control. You don't do anything half-way, do you?

So I think I see a battery-powered B+, AC-powered filaments, battery-bias on the tubes.

I don't see the DAC. Am I missing it or is that another box?

Also, what are the grey boxes next to the tubes and the board on the side of the case just next to the IEC inlet?

Greg in Mississippi


Everything matters!

 

RE: Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 08:47:27
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 The grey boxes are battery holders for the filaments. The semi-transparent ones inside the case are old ones for holding Lithium batteries. They died because I forgot to swtich off the amp a couple of times. Now I'm using three NiHm batteries per tube for the filament. External so that I can replace them when drain. Recharge by regular charger.

The small board next to the IEC socket is the charger for the internal lithium batteries! The longer PCB with big caps and regulators are the charger board for HT and reserve low voltage charger. The pre-amp, when off, will self-charge, very easy to use.

The tubes are self-biased by resistors, they don't need a bypass cap because the loadings are battery biased current sources.

Other photos upcoming.

 

RE: Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 08:56:23
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Please see my DAC.





















 

Battery Drive CMP^Machine, posted on May 31, 2010 at 09:08:56
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 This is the CMP^2 computer.
























 

Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on May 31, 2010 at 09:17:49
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 I wanted to start a separate sub-thread pulling together the info on this upgrade path. I'd like to try and prevent having this info hidden across a number of other sub-threads with seemingly un-related topics.

My goal is to have a single place to go and get the info on building and/or assembly a linear supply for your computer. As we have seen in the past, power supply improvements translate directly into sound quality improvements... whether chosing a 'good' standard computer supply, installing additional filtering on that supply, building a 'hybrid' supply with a linear supplying a PicoPSU, or now fully linear supplies.

There have been some very interesting developments regarding fully linear supplies over the last 6 months. The first I'm aware of was Gene's linear-supplied computer using off-the-shelf linear power supplies. He also demistified the ATX startup sequence, at least for some boards. That thread is here:

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=65198


Then there was Mihalov's truly herculean linear supply described in this thread:

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=72756


Then Jackwong96's battery-powered linear supply that he described here:

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=74498


Inspired by Gene's, I started pulling together the parts to build a linear ATX/P4 supply back in December. I liked his use of a 9v battery to supply the -12v needed for startup, but not needed afterwards if one is not using a Juli@'s analog stage powered from the motherboard.

My first tries were unsuccessful. I initially tried it with a GA-EG45M-UD2H board and never got a successful startup... although I was lucky and never damaged the board.

Not wanting to risk one of my small supply of the 'magic' GA-G31M-S2L boards, I next tried an ES2L version... and varying the sequencing of how I powered up the -12v(-9v), the main supplies, and signaling POWER_OK, I did finally get successful bootups... sometimes.

It was not until Jack posted details of his supply and then I went back and re-read Gene's that I found the startup sequence that works ALMOST all the time for either an S2L or ES2L board:

1st - Apply power to the -12v (-9v) rails AND to the 5vSB (By flipping a switch that connects one 9v battery to the -12v and another 9v battery to a regulator chip for the 5v control voltages... 5vSB is energized at this time)

2nd - Apply power to the 12v P4 and the ATX 3.3v, 5v, 12v (By plugging in the main supply AC)

3rd - Press power button

4th - Apply 5v to the ATX PWR_OK (By flipping a switch that applies 5v to the POWER_OK line)

Note that this is done with just two switches on the power supply, no relays or anything like that.

After the board starts powering-up, I flip the two switches (-12v(-9v)/5vSB and POWER_OK) off to conserve battery life on the 9v's. This does not effect running and so far, I hear no sonic difference with these switches on or off.

Also note that on the S2L and ES2L boards, if going into the Bios for modifications, if you flip the switch that controls the POWER_OK off just before you exit the Bios, then after a second or two, flip it back on, the board will reboot ok. Otherwise, you have to power down the main supplies and do the power up sequence again.

This setup still does not work with the GA-G31M-UD2H board, with it's more sophisticated startup sequence. This may also be true for other more-recent Gigabyte motherboards... I am just guessing here, but I suspect the reason that Jack gets a good startup on these with his battery supply is due to using the PicoPSU to intiate and control the startup. This needs more investigation.

In any case, I've attached a few pictures of my supply. I'll give more details as I get it debugged... I'm currently testing it in my system and finding some significant sound quality gains, BUT I'm having issues with it overheating and a regulator shutting down... either the 5v or the ATX 12v (which was very close to the 5v on the heatsink). I've just restructured it a bit with the existing heatsink to try and keep the chips a bit cooler. If this doesn't work I can move the ATX 12v and 3.3v to their own heatsinks while sticking with the same physical package, which is designed to fit inside of my Zalman case. I have several other avenues to pursue before relenting and using a larger heatsink on the ATX 5v and P4 12v lines, the current-hogs. But when I do that, I'll likely need to move it outside of the Zalman, something I'm trying to avoid doing for now.

In any case, I'll continue adding info on my supply and pull some of the details of the other's into this thread as time goes on.

And if you have questions on these or want to share your experiences with fully linear computer supplies, please feel free to post here!

Greg in Mississippi






Everything matters!

 

RE: Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 09:23:58
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Jack,

Thanks for sharing. Like I said, you are REALLY HARD CORE!

I just started a thread for info on Linear Computer Supplies and hope that you'll be willing to post any other info on yours there... or if you'd like, I can excerpt what you said in other threads and copy your pictures over there.

I'd love it if you'd start a thread on motherboard modifications, again so we can keep all the information in easy-to-find single sub-threads.

And I guess we should start a thread on custom DACs. I'm running an AK4399-based DAC built onto a Juli@ digital card... and have built up a ESS9018-based Buffalo DAC from Twisted Pair Audio onto a Juli@ for another inmate.

Glad you're showing us what you're up to... very interesting stuff!

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 31, 2010 at 10:20:10
Fidelity Castro
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Joined: April 27, 2010
 How would describe further changes. Is it worth replacing two good quality, fanless switching PSUs with linear PSU + Pico? Is there much to be gained? Power supply is very important for me, especially that I use Cantatis Overture sound card (analog) - simply amazing!!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dunno the power consuption of your rig and if the little linear psu could handle a boot up if you power both with it, p4 and p24. The good is that as long you stick with the recommended hardware for cMP² you can be sure that it will work. But in your case trying out it´s worth it anyway i would say.

I just googled your soundcard, never heard of it before. Have you compared it to an edecent xternal dac or perhaps with juli@ analog board ?

In the past i had a onkyo se 200 soundcard wich was claimed to be one of the best non pro soundcards and it was fully loaded with capacitators and stuff, just looked like from another planet. It wasn´t bad, better than the xfi stuff i was used to back then.

Then i compared it with a used 100$ yamaha av receiver and the soundcard was outperformed clearly by the avr´s dac.

From my standpoint the manufacturers of those "audiophile" soundcards ( especially asus ) would do better in producing dedicated audio mainboards and / or linear atx psu´s etc.

 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 31, 2010 at 10:45:05
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Cantatis Overture is in other league. My friend says is close to Altmann Attraction DAC. It's definately the best sound card if you consider analog outs. I think that it could compete with ten times more expensive external DAC-s. Oh, and of course I don't have to worry about S/PDIF converter, cable etc I could focus on improving power supply of PC and other elements of my system.
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

RE: Tube Analogue Stage (DAC) Cum Pre-amp for CMP^2, posted on May 31, 2010 at 11:09:33
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Thanks! If you find it useful, please feel free to share any information I posted.

I fully support your move which will benifit the DIY community. I will post useful info on your thread.

I just saw your thread and problem. The following may help:

1. Use a CRC filter to absorb unnecessary voltage. The first cap smaller than the second one, a resistor in between. This will reduce surge current, smooth ripples and reduce dissipation of the regulators. For 5V regulator @ 2.4A, using a LM317K (needs min. 3V to work), say a DC supply of 12V (after rectification), a 1.5 ohm 10W resistor will absorb 3.6V of voltage and 8.6W of heat. The LM317K will see a 8.4V supply and dissipate about 8.2W.

Other methods

2.Increase the size of your heat sink or use separate heat sinks for different regs. Smaller one for the 12V andf 3.3V.

3. Use low dropout reg. as they can work with a min. of 1V potential difference.

4. Use optimal AC voltage for the reg. to reduce heat.


 

RE: Stunning performance with Peaktech ( velleman ) Linear PSU powering p24 & p4 + other PS improvements, posted on May 31, 2010 at 13:09:52
Fidelity Castro
Audiophile

Posts: 46
Joined: April 27, 2010
 I just googled the altman dac ( wich i didn´t knew ) and found out that the creator lives just 10min away from here..lmao

I was looking for a decent 192khz capable external dac anyway wich doesnt fiddles to much with the signal and couldn´t find one. Very curious that the solution could be so near :D

I possibly test his device @ home if he lents it to me ;)

thx for tip

Btw, have you proofed if you could power your soundcard by a linear supply like some members here power their juli@ cards ?

If you want just Pm me, it´s just a pain conversating in this mammut thread ;)

 

RE: Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on May 31, 2010 at 14:59:33
gene_
Audiophile

Posts: 39
Location: South London
Joined: November 22, 2009
 Hi Greg,
One more solution for - 12V , I use Wall Plug Adapter PSU ,even not bothered
swiched off any more .
Regards, Gene.

 

RE: Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on May 31, 2010 at 15:21:03
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 In this thread:

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=75244

Jack Wong wrote:

"I just saw your thread and problem. The following may help:

1. Use a CRC filter to absorb unnecessary voltage. The first cap smaller than the second one, a resistor in between. This will reduce surge current, smooth ripples and reduce dissipation of the regulators. For 5V regulator @ 2.4A, using a LM317K (needs min. 3V to work), say a DC supply of 12V (after rectification), a 1.5 ohm 10W resistor will absorb 3.6V of voltage and 8.6W of heat. The LM317K will see a 8.4V supply and dissipate about 8.2W.

Other methods

2.Increase the size of your heat sink or use separate heat sinks for
different regs. Smaller one for the 12V andf 3.3V.

3. Use low dropout reg. as they can work with a min. of 1V potential difference.

4. Use optimal AC voltage for the reg. to reduce heat."


My response...

On the over-temp condition of my supply... First, I'm using LT1083 fixed-voltage regulators, which are fairly low dropout voltage devices at about 1.5v. In the past I'd heard that more voltage is sonically preferable, but I didn't go hog-wild on this... The 12v regulator is dropping a bit more than 6v, the 5v a bit more than 4v. But one option I'm considering is transformers that give a lower raw supply voltage.

Still, that's a fairly costly solution (about $100 for another pair of transformers), so my next try will be changing the regulator chips from the fixed-output versions of the LT1083's to the variable ones. I used these in the raw supply for my PicoPSU-based hybrid supply and they run heatsink temps of over 140F in that setup with no issue... The fixed-output ones are going into protection at about 130F, so this may solve the issue by itself. Also, I'll change the insulators from Silpad-types to mica which has a lower thermal resistance.

If that doesn't do it, next is to move the low-current regs (3.3v and ATX 12v) to their own heatsinks.

And it that doesn't do it, I've been slowly working on a new case layout that will give me more room for heatsinks. If I think I can finish that soon, then I'll go that direction. If not, I'll look at getting lower-voltage transformers to reduce the voltage drop.

The CRC filter is a good thought and one I hadn't considered... But it would be hard to implement in my current packaging and still be able to use it in the Zalman case.

Thanks!

Greg in Mississippi

Everything matters!

 

RE: Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on May 31, 2010 at 15:41:33
Dawnrazor
Audiophile

Posts: 12587
Location: N. California
Joined: April 9, 2004
 Hey Greg,

I third playmates request in one of those threads for a document or a post that has a "how to" step by step guide like the cmp2 project itself....buy this, do this, dont do this, step 37.....

Sorry, but those posts might mean alot to you as to how to proceed, but for inmates like me it is a bit daunting to figure out what to DO to get linear psus in a cmp2 box. Having looked for some I cant quite figure out which one(s) to buy. THere were some listed that were great if you lived in Europe, but I couldnt find any equivalents here that I was 100% about.

THough thank you for pulling all the info into one place. At least I know where to go to be confounded :)

Cut to razor sounding violins

 

cMP shell on windows seven: it works !, posted on May 31, 2010 at 16:28:52
audiodan@tiscali.it
Audiophile

Posts: 108
Location: Cagliari - Sardinia
Joined: July 7, 2009
 Hi
at the end I've tried to install cMP on windows 7 ultimate: it works very well, no problems at all whit a clearly improved sq.
The only problem is that my transport is now possessed by the evil! :-))
Great job cics!!!
Thx a lot
Daniele

 

Quote: "devices are being turned off in BIOS, the regulators are still running". Could this explain 5V load?, posted on May 31, 2010 at 23:29:14
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 You measured 2.34A on 5V which is surprisingly high. Would be keen to see new load after these changes?

 

RE: cMP shell on windows seven: it works !, posted on June 1, 2010 at 02:35:19
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Sure it works, but not with that good effect as it gives on XP :)
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

Devices still draw current when being turned off in BIOS, posted on June 1, 2010 at 06:41:43
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 I'm going to build a CMP machine for another friend so I bought him a H55M-S2H for my experiment. I removed everything around the sound and network Chip, including regulators and transistors. See photo.



Current Consumption decreased by about 0.1A after such removal. Capacitor leakage current should also be taken into account. The 5V is now drawing 2.25A @96K. Sound quality slightly improved.

I can go on to remove the Jmicron IDE controller but I'd better stop here as this MB belong to my friend.


 

RE: Devices still draw current when being turned off in BIOS, posted on June 1, 2010 at 07:29:16
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 can you please point out where the chips are removed? hard to see.

 

RE: Devices still draw current when being turned off in BIOS, posted on June 1, 2010 at 07:55:52
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010



Photo.

 

RE: Devices still draw current when being turned off in BIOS, posted on June 1, 2010 at 08:35:48
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 thank you

 

RE: Devices still draw current when being turned off in BIOS, posted on June 1, 2010 at 09:50:00
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 The optical output and an OP amp were removed.

The CPU fan and System fan PS was cut off.








 

pinging cics: If i plays 88.2khz on asio wat PCI latency should i set? and ASIO latency?, posted on June 1, 2010 at 17:18:11
lga775
Audiophile

Posts: 38
Joined: October 10, 2009

 

RE: Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on June 1, 2010 at 18:48:24
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 Jack,

Not 100% sure what the issue was and not 100% sure I've solved it, but it's running longer now than it has before.

I suspect the fixed-voltage LT1083's were having momentary cutouts. Not sure why... they were well within their temp and current ranges. If it keeps working ok, I won't spend the time to try and determine the ultimate reason... just not worth spending the time when I have a lot of other things I need to / want to do.

I went back and looked at the datasheets for both the fixed and variable 1083's and realized I'd made a units mistake... they list max temps in the 150-200C range, I was reading temps of 130F! Big difference here... none of the chips should have had issues with this. It's hot... hotter than I like, but not over-temp hot.

In any case, I changed out the 5v ATX and 12v P4 regs from the fixed to the variable last night... it went longer before it cut out, so I thought I might have a bad chip in at the 12v ATX position, which was my last fixed one. So I replaced it with the 12v LT1083 that had been in as the 12v P4 chip and again it went longer... long enough that I thought it was fixed, but after putting the cover back on, it cut out again. So I took off the cover, did what I was trying to avoid and drilled ventilation holes above the heatsink, and tried it again. When that didn't fix it, I replaced that chip with another LT1083CP and for the last couple of hours, it's been good.

Preliminary sonic diffs with the fully linear supply... Significant improvement over the linear-hybrid supply (modified PicoPSU)... not as large as the difference between a modified Antec with additional filtering and the linear-hybrid, but VERY nice and worthwhile. Greater silence between sounds, more definition across the board, instrument and vocal textures are more audible, greater coherence between fundimentals and overtones. Stage width is surprisingly wider, didn't expect that. Curious how breakin will affect it... with some Black Gates & Jensen caps, it will be at least a couple of weeks before it finally settles in.

One interesting thing to note is that the motherboard is now stable with an even slightly lower voltage... I'm down to .72500 now with no sign of glitchiness at 192 oversampling, was at .73750 before with some glitchiness. This might be slight differences in voltage levels... need to measure exactly what my PicoPSU was putting out and what this one does. But I suspect it is having lower noise on the supply. Also, my Q&D check of listening for the level of interference on a battery-powered FM radio held near the computer shows it being much quieter than before.

Drawbacks are the time it took to debug it and get it working right... and the more-involved startup process. But I generally leave my cMP on full-time except when working on it or when thunderstorms are predicted, so that won't be a big issue.

While not quite as hard-core as your fully battery-powered setup, it is still pretty trick, with fully separate highly-over-spec'd supplies for each voltage. I want to play around with with different regulators along with powering the P4 from my dirty AC line (easy to do, just use my old supply for the P4).

I've been thinking about how to do a how-to guide... will post more about that in the next few days. Many thoughts here... there's not an easy way to do this and make it totally universal.

And I'll post more pix soon... my wife has the camera while she's off visiting her mom (in Hawaii!) and my cell-phone camera pix are just not that good.

Again, thanks for all your help.

Greg in Mississippi


Everything matters!

 

Bold Move : DVI to HDMI Convertor Removed, posted on June 2, 2010 at 06:45:28
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
Two more chips, the DVI to HDMI Convertor chips for the DVI and HMDI output, were removed from the MB, with much hardship.



Not sure about any reduction in current consumption, that's not the point. The importance lies with the good improvement in SQ brought about by the risky but worthwhile surgical operation. As you can image, two noisy video chips were severed.


The last thing left, I belive, are a regulator and the Jmicron368 IDE controller. See pix below.



 

Morning update..., posted on June 2, 2010 at 07:07:35
GStew
Audiophile

Posts: 633
Location: NE Mississippi
Joined: September 21, 2001
 It ran ok all night, so changing out all the fixed-voltage LT1083's to the variable ones seems to have fixed the issue.


Everything matters!

 

RE: Linear Power Supplies for ATX & P4, posted on June 2, 2010 at 07:14:19
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Greg, You are welcome. Great to hear you've fixed the problem.


 

Win7 power plan settings and CMP priority, posted on June 4, 2010 at 23:46:08
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 What is the best power plan setting in Vista/Win7? I think that set to performance is edgy, sharp.

Secondly, what your experience with different priority settings for CMP. What gives the best results in Win7?

Greets,
Marcin
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

Feedback on DDR3 DRAM timings, posted on June 5, 2010 at 02:10:38
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 I prefer Kingston ValueRAM to HyperX (both @1GB) and ValueRAM allows for more aggressive timings.

After some testing including suggested 5-1-1-2-... I still prefer Tcl = 5 and Tcmd = 1 (with all else remaining on Auto). Problem with other timings is CPU-Z does not confirm it and shows CL5 base timings (instead of 5-1-1-2). On 5-1-1-2 sound is more strident and fatiguing.

 

Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 5, 2010 at 07:51:26
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Please refer to the link at the bottom of this page for the background.

The following were removed from an experimental GA H55M-D2H MB:

2 x DVI to HDMI Video Convertors
1 x Network chip
1 x Sound chip
2 x MOSFET for CPU and system fans (two legs were cut off, not removed)
1 x Optical ouput
1 X OP amp and cap for optical ouput and
a couple of regulators and a number of transisitors together with all resistors and caps around these chips.





Current consumption on the 5V regulator measured 1.73A in CMP and 1.8A @96K. Removal of the above chips resulted in a decrease in current consumption of 0.5-0.6A.



Most important of all, removal of the two video chips brought about significant improvement in SQ, which sound somewhat like changing from ATX PS to Regulated PS. This is probably due to removal of two noisy video chips.

The experiment confirmed that although some chips remained unuse or are turned off in BIOS, they still draw current and can significantly impact on SQ.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to remove these chips. A butane gas soldering iron (with hot air blow) or a hot air gun can be used for the desoldering job. Please note that the back of the video chips and network chip are soldered to the ground plane of the MB and their removal are much more difficult.

The above modification is meant for some die-hard DIYER like me, and is not recommended for normal users. For fun and information only.

 

My trouble, posted on June 5, 2010 at 09:43:01
sato


 
When CMP starts,it says
"ERROR:Unable to get Access priviledges". So,cMp can't play music.
What can I do?
(My setting is Win7 HomeP.32bits, EAC->Recursive cue creator->cMP.)

 

Not sure cMP works for me, what do u suggest?, posted on June 5, 2010 at 09:43:24
Triodeuser
Audiophile

Posts: 1535
Location: South Carolina
Joined: April 29, 2003
 First - I output to a Digital crossover at 96k, cannot go higher

next - I almost _never_ listen to CD's and the bulk of my collection is .m4a (apple lossless) with no cue sheets, and on a hard drive


I always generate playlists and drag and drop individual songs, and play from the hard drive.

The thought of converting and creating cue sheets for several thousand CD's brings thoughts knowing I will never go there.

Since converting/upsampling is not an option for me - and I cannot readily use my large collection of digital files - is there some feasible workaround, or might you guys suggest what you think would improve my Digital crossover (using AES/EBU)feed?

Using a Lynx Two B sound card, Intel Quad core (I7, IIRC), Win7 and foobar currently - using a BSS FDS366T output DACS.

 

RE: Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 5, 2010 at 10:02:25
Mihaylov
Audiophile

Posts: 355
Location: Moscow
Joined: March 11, 2010
 Great, Jack! Keep on trucking!
Serge.
http://cmp2-mihaylov.narod.ru/

My cMP2: Windows XP SP2 Ru, GA-H55M-UD2H, i3-530, Corsair CM3X160C9DHX 1GB, system drive - Transcend IDE FLASH MODULE TS2GDOM40V-S FAT32, ESI Juli@, full linear PSU, NAS - WD My Book Live

 

RE: Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 5, 2010 at 16:11:51
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 That is outstanding Jack!! Way to go!!!!!

I am just wondering if there are any similar opportunities on the GA-31M-S2 family of mobo's.

Also this really confirms in spades cics theory of minimizing/eliminating power draw on the mobo.

 

Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 00:16:03
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Firstly well done on this finding. Reducing load on 5V line will yield most SQ improvement. I would guess cutting 12V fan supplies would yield subtle improvements at best. But those nasty video chips run on 5V...

The wild idea is to disable those chips (and other unused stuff) by finding the 5V pins on P24 connector. I started with switching from P24 to P20 removing 4 pins. This leaves us with fewer 5V, 12V & 3.3V lines to mobo. Is there merit in trying to selectively disable remaining 5V pins (5 including standby on P20)? Also, we could do the same on 3.3V pins (3 on P20) and the sole remaining 12V pin.

 

RE: Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 03:55:17
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 You unplugged the 4 pin connector on the end of the p24 connection so you in effect have only a p20 connection on your mobo from your main pc power supply. Do I understand correctly? If that is correct that is a very elegant way of disabling more stuff on the mobo (less current/less emi/less power draw).

Also do I understand correctly that you tried this, had no problems booting up, and got a resultant sq improvement? If so that is an easy one to implement.

One further thought rather than pulling pins on the mobo p24 connector how about covering un-needed pins with a plastic sleeve or electrical tape to eliminate?

 

RE: Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 05:00:50
Ryelands
Audiophile

Posts: 1867
Location: Scotland
Joined: January 9, 2009
 If that is correct, that is a very elegant way of disabling more stuff on the mobo

Ah, but it's not correct, at least for every mobo I've looked at.

The various leads for each voltage are joined together on the board. It follows that the only effect of disconnecting some of (say) the 12-volt lines is to increase the load on the others.

The aim of going from P20 to P24 as the ATX standard was to increase the overall power capacity: you can still use a PSU with a P20 plug to power a P24 socketed mobo without disabling this or that. I wouldn't generally recommend it but IME it's possible.

As "proof", our neighbour is happily running her computer on a six-year-old P20 PSU I've lent her while I sort out a warranty claim on her P24 OCZ unit. Apart from the noisy fan, last I heard, it's fine.

HTH

Dave

 

RE: Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 05:32:02
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Ryelands is right. All leads of the same voltage are internally connected inside the MB, same for the ATX PS. Pin 1,2,12,13 for 3,3V, Pin 4,6,21,22,23 for 5V and Pin 10,11 for 12V. The multiple pins or wires are designed to share large current. Hence, the wild idea won't work. Connecting or disconneting the last 4 Pins in P24 will not make any difference to current consumption at all.

 

RE: Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 05:52:59
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 ok Jack and Dave thanks. I guess I won't try it then.

 

RE: Congratulations on this important step! A wild idea..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 06:39:09
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Sadly, I think you both right. Only exception would be pin 9 (5V standby) which would have separate traces. I know some (most?) mobos use this for USB ports and perhaps in other areas. Would be interesting to try.

Anyway of having a custom H55 mini-ITX mobo built? Depending on cost, there may be enough sponsors to get this going.

 

Transcode m4a to FLAC with xrecode II..., posted on June 6, 2010 at 07:26:15
gjwAudio
Audiophile

Posts: 160
Location: Toronto
Joined: March 11, 2006
 Hi Triodeuser

You can transcode your m4a collection to WAV or (better yet) FLAC files using the excellent (and free) xrecode II utility. Tagging will be preserved if going to FLAC.

See http://www.xrecode.com/ for details and download.

You'll retain the lossless quality of your music files, but be able to hear their full glory by playing them via cMP^2.

Hope this helps...
Grant
That's not a Toy... IT'S A TOOL !!

 

RE: Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 6, 2010 at 07:39:42
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 A further report : the IDE controller, a regulator and 2 caps were removed from the MB. I was very cautious in taking such action because the BIOS chips are next to them. After checking they have no connection to the BIOS chips, I took them off one by one, firstly the IDE chip, then the caps and lastly the regulator.

This time I remove the IDE chip without using any soldering tool. I used a cutter to cut off the small pins around the chip. It was not soldered to the ground plane and the job was easy. The regulator was removed using two soldering irons.



The computer is working fine after such removal.




The IDE chip needs two power sources, one directly from the 3.3V and the other from the regulator which is also powered by the same 3.3V, the two caps are for the input and output of the regulator.

I measure the 3.3V current which is 556ma. I don't know whether the reduction is solely due the above removal or as a result of all removals because I didn't measured the 3.3V current during my last attempt.


Take a closer look at what can be removed from the H55M D2H MB.







 

RE: Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 6, 2010 at 08:19:28
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 Since the GA-31M-S2 family of mobos do not appear to have any DVI or HDMI output there is no video convertor on the MB. The VGA is powered internally by the Intel GMA 3100 inside the North Bridge. The sound and network chips can be removed but the SQ improvement is slight.

 

RE: Breakthrough in SQ and 5V Current Consumption(1.8A) - H55MD2H, posted on June 6, 2010 at 08:22:58
theob
Audiophile

Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan
Joined: November 4, 2000
 Thank you again Jack.

 

A Work Around!, posted on June 6, 2010 at 10:10:36
jackwong96
Audiophile

Posts: 219
Joined: April 20, 2010
 A Work Around to desoldering is to cut off the power supply lines next to the chips. I can check out where the voltage is supplied to the chips. A magnifier will be required for such work as the traces cannot be seen by naked eyes.

 

RE: A Work Around!, posted on June 6, 2010 at 12:44:57
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 Another option would be to load graphics driver to see if there's an option to disable multiple outputs. It seems mobo outputs to all interfaces as default.

 

PCIE =) 4 x PCI Expansion Box - anyone tried?, posted on June 7, 2010 at 03:04:47
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 I try to isolate my sound card as much as possible from PC's noisy environment and came up with an idea to buy sth like this for my Cantatis Overture sound card:

- http://www.virtuavia.eu/shop/pci-express-to-pci-expansion-box-p29809.html

OR even better

- http://www.virtuavia.eu/shop/pcie-4-x-pci-expansion-atx-kit.html with Pico/linear PSU combo

What do you think about it?
Greets,
Marcin




JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

RE: PCIE =) 4 x PCI Expansion Box - anyone tried?, posted on June 7, 2010 at 08:26:55
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 I got a response from VirtuaVia. They say that the PCI-E to PCI expansion case isn´t powered anyhow by the pci
extension cable or motherboard's pci slot.

Would that mean that I can skip underclockin/undervolting if I had one of those adapters?
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

cMP optimization settings for Kernel Streaming, posted on June 7, 2010 at 09:18:20
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Are these still recommended settings for KS player on a single core CPU?

"2. Realtime: use with non-ASIO players"


JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

RE: cMP optimization settings for Kernel Streaming, posted on June 7, 2010 at 11:15:07
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 With single core & single thread, there's no difference in which option is used. Thread affinities are only effective with 2 or more cores or threads (i.e. hyper threading).

I would recommend using just 2 cores or 2 threads and no more. Best is a single core with hyper threading enabled. In this case, you should test which option is best - KS could work better with "Realtime".

 

RE: cMP optimization settings for Kernel Streaming, posted on June 7, 2010 at 13:43:50
marcin_gps@go2.pl
Manufacturer

Posts: 37
Joined: February 19, 2010
 Thanks for a reply cics, I appreciate it. My system based on AMD CPU, so HT is not available here, but I get the best results with a single active core.


Cheers,
Marcin
JPLAY & JCAT Founder

 

Need you to test current draw when display monitor is off. Also 2 more devices to disable!, posted on June 8, 2010 at 06:19:27
cics
Audiophile

Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006
 I want to avoid loading Intel's graphics driver and am wondering if those video chips power down when the display is off. Can you test for this?

Under Device Manager, make sure "show hidden devices" is checked. You can disable these 2 under "Non-Plug and Play Drivers":

  1. 1394... - this is the firewire device and should be disabled when not using it.
  2. gdrv


Disabling 1394 device yielded improvements:-)

 

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