Hi Ivo, I am able to play 24/96 files, engine 4, 9y-5-06.

I agree Ivo. With engine 3 all music sounds better with AP. Engine 4 is where I find that classical or more complex music is better with all upsampling in XX turned off. Vocals or less complex music, such as Julian Bream and John Williams, Together and Together Again recordings, sound best with AP turned on (engine 4). Will be interested to hear what you find when you start using engine 4.

Hi Ivo. On the Freire recording I uncheck "double" which undoes all upsampling.

Dunno about "there is no such thing as depth". On vocals, especially, there's layers of richness that just weren't there before. It is GOOD, very, very GOOD! (Of course, to these ears on this system.....)

Again, thanks Mani!

Thanks Telstar, I haven't heard that recording. With the Freire recording, which isn't that great, no AP is best.

One thing I noticed last night was the "depth" of the sound stage that kernel streaming has brought. 9y--5-02, engine 3, now sounds flat or horizontal compared to the 3 dimensional sound of kernel streaming. Whats is amazing to me is that the depth isn't about "placement" but rather about a harmonic richness that's lacking in engine 3. (Being new to "great audio" I really don't know how to describe this stuff!)

Forgot to ask: So whats the optimal length for an S/PDIF cable, 75 ohm, rca connectors?

Thanks Mani. I'll definitely check out that thread, though I've settled on a solution. My next question concerns interconnects. Having read this article, http://consumerist.com/2008/03/do-coat-hangers-sound-as-good-monster-cables.html, a while ago, I've never taken them too seriously. However, after hanging around here for the last year or so I think I need to ask: anyone have suggestions on interconnects? How much do they matter?

 Hey Telstar which recording of the Etudes are you listening to? Nelson Freire? Just wondering cause I haven't tried to "tune" in the piano yet.

.......and then, on the horizon , is special mode, whew..... But then, to have such quality and such choices, truly fucking amazing.

Gettin' lost here: For singer songwriter vocalists, Eva Cassidy, Patty Griffin, Jackson Browne, Dylan, James Taylor  etc., its kernel streaming with 2x arc prediction: they have never sounded so good. But for classical, (Bach violin concertos, Ann-Sophie Mutter) turn off arc prediction for the kind of precision and separation between instruments offered by engine 3. For Rock and roll, dunno, don't really listen to it that much, but I'd think no AP would be better.      

Well, BNC sounds great but my dac 's spdif input is rca. It also has a balanced AES/EBU but no way to use it.

Of course I'm interested. Just sent you an email.

Again, thanks Roy. If you are willing, I'll take a guide since I've never done it before, otherwise I can ask Uncle Google. The cheapest I've found the Eichman's thus far is $139 for a set of 4. Know anyone who sells just a pair or is four the minimum amount?

Thanks Roy. I'm sorta handy and could probably handle this task. The Eichmans are expensive and I assume are totally worth the cost.

I'm currently connecting my usb/spdif converter (M-Audio) to my dac with a 12 inch, six dollar spdif cable. In anticipation of getting the Hiface happening, I am wondering if upgrading such a short cable will make much of a difference. Prices of cables are really unbelievable. Is a .5 meter cable that costs $125 really worth it?