new music server

[harley .guy07]

Well I finally got my music server up and running and wow it sounds good. I traded in my PS Audio Digilink 3 for their new NuWave unit and also got a good deal on a desktop pc for use for this purpose. I am still breaking in the NuWave but overall so far it sounds fantastic. I have around 200 gigs of music and still growing and it is very cool to be able to retrieve it without physical media being a part of it. I am just impressed that a USB hookup can sound this good. With asynchronous USB the sound is very good.:5:

[E-Stat]

Well I finally got my music server up and running and wow it sounds good. ...and it is very cool to be able to retrieve it without physical media being a part of it.
Ditto! I really didn't fully appreciate the benefits until I got all the pieces together. It is so nice having a central server feeding three systems - all of which are controllable by iPhone apps!

[harley .guy07]

Yeah it is very cool and I am surprised in today's world that everyone does not have a set up like this because really nothing is lost by feeding your system music in this way. In fact I think my system sounds better now than it did when I just ran disks through the OPPO. Especially the low end which seems that the NuWave has in spades compared to the Digilink 3 plus way more space between instruments and overall realistic feel to the music. What program do you use, I use Foobar 2000 with the WASAPI output feeding my dac.

[Feanor]

Well I finally got my music server up and running and wow it sounds good. I traded in my PS Audio Digilink 3 for their new NuWave unit and also got a good deal on a desktop pc for use for this purpose. I am still breaking in the NuWave but overall so far it sounds fantastic. I have around 200 gigs of music and still growing and it is very cool to be able to retrieve it without physical media being a part of it. I am just impressed that a USB hookup can sound this good. With asynchronous USB the sound is very good.:5:
Server-based audio is here to stay. Personally I never listen to anything else except occasionally to a multi-channel SACD on my HT setup, (as I call it with due respect to Sir T who wouldn't consider anything so humble to be "home theater").

Nowadays I don't even listen to new CDs on my CDP -- everything is ripped to FLAC at once and listened to from computer.

The PS Audio NuWave looks very sweet though I'm very pleased with my Schiit Audio Bifrost. I like the balanced outputs of the NuWave.

http://www.psaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/NuWave-inside-200x200.jpg http://www.psaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/NuWave-Back-200x200.jpg

[E-Stat]

What program do you use, I use Foobar 2000 with the WASAPI output feeding my dac.
With the in-house system, I also use Foobar 2000 sending analog output using the generic onboard DAC with my Dell Studio 8500. The two music systems use Squeezebox Touch streamers with their own interface. The one in the garage uses its own DAC fed via WiFi while the one upstairs feeds an Audio Research DAC7 via CAT6.

I use iPeng to control the Touches and Monkey-Mote to control Foobar.

[harley .guy07]

Sweet! these sound like good setups and I am happy happy to finally get this done. I really don't see the need to play disks except for the occasional visitors cd or sacd or something but all of my stuff will be done through the server. For me the Nuwave is one of the best dac I have heard especially through the USB hookup for which PS Audio basically copied from the Perect Wave mk II if my sources are correct. And they have tested both against each other and have said that the NuWave is like 99% of the perfect wave for people that do not need the included network player that the perfect wave has which did not interest me since i am using a desktop tower.

[Feanor]

With the in-house system, I also use Foobar 2000 sending analog output using the generic onboard DAC with my Dell Studio 8500. The two music systems use Squeezebox Touch streamers with their own interface. The one in the garage uses its own DAC fed via WiFi while the one upstairs feeds an Audio Research DAC7 via CAT6.

I use iPeng to control the Touches and Monkey-Mote to control Foobar.
MonkeyMote looks interesting: I'm going to give it a try in my iPod Touch.

To this point I've been skeptical about iPod amps having sufficient interface to cope with classical music but this could be viable based on screenshots, etc.

[harley .guy07]

Well an update to the music server and the new dac. I am loving it. It seems that ne NuWave have much more low end presence that the Digilink 3 just could not bring out because now my system seems to sound right in my bigger room since I moved into my new house. Also my wife was siting here this evening and said to her the overall sound seems to have more character to it and the individual players in the music have their own part now. That to me is a complement. She is classically trained in music and nows her stuff with certain music. Now to my take, I love the NuWave. it just seems to bring more to the table than the digilink. More emotion. More effortless music which is why I love it. I love a system you can throw any music in and it will bring a smile to your face. I am not saying it is polite in any way because bad recordings are still what they are but good ones bring you joy like I havent had in this system yet and to boot I am using a music server computer to do it. yep yep, happy happy happy

[E-Stat]

To this point I've been skeptical about iPod amps having sufficient interface to cope with classical music but this could be viable based on screenshots, etc.
My only complaint with MM vs iPeng is that it doesn't offer any mix options for random play other than *shaking it* each time. You must choose a playlist.

It's really nice when we're outside on the patio or by the pool.

[Feanor]

My only complaint with MM vs iPeng is that it doesn't offer any mix options for random play other than *shaking it* each time. You must choose a playlist.

It's really nice when we're outside on the patio or by the pool.
I have MonkeyMote up and running but am finding it pretty rudimentary. I generally make up playlists on the fly -- I don't generally retain play lists for 2nd or multiple uses. I used Foobar's Album List panel with various sequences, e.g. Composer/Genre, Genre/Album, etc. to find what I want to here. MonkeyMote has limited to zero capability along those lines from what I see.

Also, MM required I install Bonjour, the Apple mobile device software, since I didn't have iTunes on that computer -- I hate all Apple software on principle.

[harley .guy07]

well I installed a new program to run along side of Foobar to help with sound quality. It is called fidelizer, and it has taken my sound to the next level after installing and running. If you haven't heard of it it was programmed by an audiophile who uses a windows music server and what it does is take your windows system down to its barest level and puts all of the programs responsible for audio reproduction in high priority over all else. I really thought it would be snake oil since it was a free program but after installing and running it I listened to the Eagles 24/192 files that I have and wow!!! it is awesome. So much more resolution and detail. And the imaging, soundstaging are awesome. I have never heard instrument placement in my system of this level. I have heard many systems way more expensive than mine that can't hold a candle to what I am hearing now. I am totally sold on this program and the fact that it is free is astonishing.

[Feanor]

well I installed a new program to run along side of Foobar to help with sound quality. It is called fidelizer, and it has taken my sound to the next level after installing and running. If you haven't heard of it it was programmed by an audiophile who uses a windows music server and what it does is take your windows system down to its barest level and puts all of the programs responsible for audio reproduction in high priority over all else. I really thought it would be snake oil since it was a free program but after installing and running it I listened to the Eagles 24/192 files that I have and wow!!! it is awesome. So much more resolution and detail. And the imaging, soundstaging are awesome. I have never heard instrument placement in my system of this level. I have heard many systems way more expensive than mine that can't hold a candle to what I am hearing now. I am totally sold on this program and the fact that it is free is astonishing.
Fidelizer is a good recommendation, thanks. I've used it.

It works as you say by closing down Windows services not necessary on a dedicated music computer. In my case I think I got fewer drop-outs, "burps", and other glitches in playback but I couldn't really hear any sound differences apart from that sort of thing -- of course, mileage may vary.

[harley .guy07]

The biggest thing it did in my system was make instrument placement on the soundstage much more apparent. It was like I was taking down a sheet that I had in front of my speakers before and now I could hear every little nuance that the separate performers had and where they were more directly. I really notice it with complex works like orchestra where there are many instruments. Now there is no question where each of the many are and how deep they are in the image. Quite remarkable for a free piece of software or at least for my system. You are correct mileage may vary but in my system I don't think I will listen without it.

[Feanor]

I downloaded the latest version of Fidelizer, v.3 (HERE (http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer/)) and have been using it with great results -- thanks again, Harley.

Fidelizer 3 has, so far, completely removed a slight drop-out problem I was having; typically I would experience several momentary drop-outs near the beginning of a listening session and rare instantaneous "glitches" or "burps" thereafter. These seem to be entirely gone.

Something I might not have understood with the early Fidelizer version I had been using, is that Fidelizer changes affect only to the current computer session; if you reboot you must run Fidelizer again which you should do before you start your music player program. People should bear in mind that Fidelizer is best used only when you don't expect to use the computer for much besides music playing during the current computer session, or on a dedicated music machine.

I've been using the "Audiophile" optimization level, (see pic).

Apart from the minor drop-outs and glitches, I can's say that I've identified other, basic sonic improvements. Harley says he has and it's entirely possible that one could depending on the myriad factors there are in computer playback.

Obsessive people might want to check out the "Fidelizer" thread over at computeraudiophile.com, HERE (http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/fidelizer-13350/).

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