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In Reply to: RE: no SSE on Alix-1D's AMD-CPU, posted by Douwe01nl on January 12, 2012 at 22:13:33
for what its worth, I have made the switch to VoyageMPD on ALIX. I think the sound is amazing. The Linux learning curve is frustrating and steep. Lots of help out there but you have to search for entry level info that lays it out.
What you said about the Bryston describes Voyage. Very full/detailed/pinpoint but relaxed and 3d. CMP soundstage (with ultra slim registry) deep behind the speakers. Voyage sound stage is wide and goes from in front of speaker to well behind. I think CMP has better air and dark quiet background (using SOX). Then again I have not yet tried SOX on Voyage. It may be the same.
Follow Ups:
This is very interesting news!!
I ordered a Wave/IO board a few weeks ago, and already purchased an Alix.
nLited XP-Home (running on 4 parallel SLA-batteries) and Foobar on Alix gives lower SQ than Atom-cMP2-combination. cPlay is a great player (priority-, core-, buffer-settings).
When the Waveboard arrives i'll try first mpdPup (easier for linux-noobs) and later on Voyage. mpdPup could be interesting for even smaller platforms like RaspberryPi.If you do not use SOX in cmp, how would you describe the difference between Intel-XP and Alix-Voyage?
What kind of PSU do you use on the Alix?
Please keep us informed!!Douwe
Edits: 05/05/12
Douwe
OK, I spent an hour or so in an A/B comparison where the only thing I changed was the CAS -- First VoyageMPD/ALIX, then CMP2/XP Home with slim hives. Both are set to use Best sync Secret Rabbit Code.I must say I'm glad you asked for this compare, because it caused me to sit and really listen to both which was a treat.
I sampled a few cuts - Dianna Krall, Dave Brubeck, Dick Hyman, Patricia Barber, Mdm Butterfly & Yo Yo Ma, all on 44.1. Then a sample of 192kHz sample tracks. All classical.
The two systems are wonderful but quite different.
The CMP/XP HOME has a sweetness that is missing in the ALIX. In some ways there is the sense of more air and low noise floor black background. It is very special and could easily be a winner for many listeners.
The ALIX took a while because I did not want stop listening to each cut. It just has more. Sound stage wider and deeper and fuller. Much more detail and I want to say more sound. It is as if the CMP machine had filtered out a bunch of sound. By comparison as if you are getting the high points but missing the details. Kind of the Coles Notes version.
ALIX is a bit analytical. Not hard or fatiguing. I could listen all day. Quite liquid, but some might find it punishing with detail. As I write this, the ALIX is back in the system. I'm once again hearing my collection for the first time.
I miss the Cplay interface. Simple but so effective. The MPD clients do not like uncompressed WAV files so at this point I just have a long list of files.
A caveat. The CMP system is not fully baked. I am running it on a laptop with a Celeron processor. XP Home/fat32. I found this better than another laptop with dual core and XP Pro. It is nlite minimum with all the file deletions to Steppe 20. Registry slimming not complete. All hives at minimum but system hive still quite fat at 124k. Also on this test machine I have not weeded out all the folders. All CMP optimizations done. And all the dll hacks done. Because I need USB and a WaveIO driver, I can't just put in Jack's ISO and get nirvanna and I ran out of patience with all the work to cut it fully to the bone. WaveIO can really get messed up on a slimmed CMP machine. You will find that you'll need to re-power the WaveIO card just to switch CDs if you go full bore on registry slimming. I am sure this can be sorted out, but not by me. I'm sticking with WaveIO but moving on to Linux which simply has better supported drivers for this card on a slim Linux then the theyscon stuff on a slim windows.
Enjoy the WaveIO .. its worth the long wait. Build it a great power supply and be prepared to smile :)
Edits: 05/05/12
Hi Douwe
I have run the ALIX with 3 different power supplies. First a 19V laptop PS to test it. Worked ok. Then found an old 9v 3A PS from an old SMC access point. This I used for most of my learning time. Last evening I tapped into the linear ps I use for the WaveIO so the same supply is powering both. I figured the ALIX could potentially introduce some unwanted noise into the WaveIO so I tapped into the PS for the Alix well before the end of the filtering chain. I know this may be unconventional but seems to work well. I also cut the +5v line on the USB cable to further isolate the WaveIO from the Alix. My power supply is a 8A 12 toroid (a little overkill) into a 1.5a rectifier. Filter is CLCLC into a 5V reg then LC to WaveIO. I pick up 15V right after the first CLC filter. I figure if there is any noise coming from ALIX it will get filtered out before the WaveIO sees it. I'm really just playing around but this seems to be working really well. WaveIO needs full 500ma to run. It really does well on good power. The sound improves/changes with Cap choices. Currently have rectifier then small Panna FC then big choke/then large Sangamo can/then choke then BG F. There is a BG N right on the pins of WaveIO. I tend to roll different caps until I get the sound I like. This is pretty sweet. i bet it loves batteries.
I think the Alix on the other hand pretty much runs on anything. Slightly better SQ with the linear supply.
I'll do an AB test of CMP2 SRC vs ALIX SRC tonight and post results.
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