I align with Nick that USB 3.0 cable (A male to A male : hard to find) plus USB 2 adapter (A female to B male that Paul ordered) would make any difference in sound quality compared to USB 2 cable with identical mechanical specification (similar internal conductors, shielding, dielectric , etc). Potentially, cheap USB 2 adapter can be a weak link that can degrade SQ.

To connect to NOS1 via USB 2 B male adapter, pin 5-9 in USB3 connector (http://pinoutsguide.com/Slots/usb_3_0_connector_pinout.shtml) will be floated. Please see attached drawings. However, if we can actually experience better SQ, then it might be that typical stock USB 3 conductors can deliver higher bandwitdh, speed equivalent to those expensive USB 2 cables. It is a cheap try though.

best,
Praphan

Hello Peter,

Sounds like the new release of XXHE is a giant leap towards world premier audio player ever ! If all features are working well, you should consider naming this version as 1.0


I guess this hardware should be PCI or PCIe related and not USB interface since it may affect the SQ.

Looking forward to the official release.

Thanks and regards,
Praphan

I am not quite sure I understand your senstences. You did reinstall XXHE player again following the right instruction. Then, after reinstallation, can you or can you not use Kernel Streaming with Alpha USB? Please clarify.

In fact, to prevent further confusion, the title of this thread should read "Berkerly's Alpha USB interface and KS".

Praphan

Welcome back Lee!

I am pretty certain that there is no one on this forum apart from you who owns Alpha USB interface.

I assume that you have already tried direct connection of USB into mobo slot (not via SOtM tX-USB). Then, seems like this has to do with Alpha USB sound device driver - compatibility issue.  Pretty similar conflict of newer version of Lynx's device driver on XXHE. That's why you have to stay put with 18C. It is commonly known that Berkeley designed their USB interface around Mc's Amarra and Pure Music. I guess they only test their device driver with Window's WASAPI engine.  You may like to ask Berkeley guy for various versions of sound device driver used for the sound card inside their USB box. Then you can play around. I don't think there is anything you can do on XX player fix this compatibility issue. Peter knows better than me.

Good luck!
Praphan

 

We just have the first IKEA in Bangkok. I saw many of these at my last visit.

The lampshades seem to be loosely fitted to the speaker. Should have a better way to eliminate impact from cabinet vibration.

Regards,
Praphan

I like Juan's configuration due to better wall balancing and distance from the speakers. However, Flecko's set up is more esthetically appealing.

No perfect world isn't it.
Praphan

Great Coen.

Happy listening 
Praphan

Coen,

Both.
Please refresh your memory with this post :
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=1356.0
Scroll down to
But we have more cpu's - ehh, cores of them

Regards,
Praphan

Hi Coen,

You might probably know that XXHE is multi-threading sensitive application. Speed per core is not as important as more cores.

Intel disables HT on their chip and labels i5. This way they can apply premium pricing strategy by enabling HT on i7 chip. They are all coming from the same wafer.

So you have desktop i5 in which HT is not available. Please check this out :
http://ark.intel.com/products/series/53248

However, the mobile i5 has dual cores with HT to 4 threads.

I ran 12 threads and it is lightening fast to load FLAC tracks.

Hope this gives you more transparency.
Rgds,
Praphan

Hi Lee,

It is an accepted fact that there are still certain level of RMF and EMF emissions inside the PC case even a passive type like Zalman. We still cannot find any replacement for switching PSU for desktop PC which generates noise.

The point here is to get Lynx card out of the noisy environment using PCI or PCIe extender, depending on your Lynx slot type, which consists of EX 1095 adapter (http://www.integrate-computer.de/Exsys-EX-1095-PCI-Express-Erweiterung-Karte) and EX 1035 expansion board (http://www.exsys.ch/download/catalog/ex_1035.pdf). You will then be able to build a decidated faraday cage to shield Lynx card and feed it with external linear power supply. Connection between the adapter and the expansion board is via typical DVI cable. I think you should be able to find Exsys product in the USA.

Hope the above is clearer.
Praphan

PS. Thanks for your signature update. Most of us here have already migrated from SSD to spining disk due to superior SQ. Some of us run faster HHD solely for OS + XXHE separately from slower HHD storing music files. This is proven to yield better SQ too.

Hi Lee,

I wish I could. But I live in Bangkok Thailand!
Cheers!

Praphan

Hello Lee,

I guess you are the same Lee as Minzyman. If it does not take too much of your time, you may like to elaborate your signature.

I am one of those in this forum who owns both BADA and NOS1 USB. There are a number of tweaks that you can do before investing in Alpha USB interface (USD 1,700). For example, off mobo Lynx interface which requires PCI extender (Exsys EX-1095) so you can feed the Lynx card with linear psu or replacing the stock AES cable bundle with custom cable using Cardas Clear (quite expensive but mark improvement in SQ). You may like to upgrade reclocker using Grimm or Antelope and Legato USB/SPDIF interface ; earflappin has done this successfully.

However, if you really determine to get the Alpha USB, please do so and do us a favor too. Please also purchase NOS1 USB from Peter and run AB test between BADA + Alpha USB and NOS1 USB. This is something that I left out in my post here     http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=1820.msg18560#msg18560  If you like BADA + Alpha USB more than NOS1 USB, you can get a refund from Peter. But I bet that you will end up with those 2 fine DACs.  Please write a review too. I am eager to learn from your experience.

On the "header data" topic, I understand that Peter uses some tagged data in those tracks which create conflict with XXHE 0.9z-5 and later. Peter has solved this already in the upcoming release.

Cheers!
Praphan

Hello Peter,

Greetings from Bangkok! Chinese New Year is approaching in two days. Wishing you and your family a very healthy and prosperous year of the Golden Dragon.

Glad to hear that you solved the RR 176.4 problem already. Is this solely XXHE related ? If so then it is going to be taking effect in the next release. 

Best regards,
Praphan

Hello Juan,

Your signature says you set SFS to 4300.

Is this a typo?

Thanks
Praphan