Remote Desktop Connection works very nicely as well.  I use a netbook and it gives me total control over the music server.  If there is a degradation in SQ using RDC it is very subtle.

Hi Peter, any updates yet on your experimentation with different power supplies for your new StarTech outboard PCI expansion chassis?  i'm living vicariously through you on this ya know.....   

Peter, sounds pretty exciting.  The power supply is a super critical element of a DAC - it has to be extremely fast to respond to the big dynamic range.  It makes sense to me that if you have found a better way of managing this in your DAC it will yield a nice improvement in SQ separate from the other aspects of your design.

Any update on your experimentations with different power supplies for the outboard PCI chassis?

I tried both Win7 32 and 64 bit and didn't notice a difference in SQ.  XXHE works on both.  Personally, I'd go 64 bit if your HW allows it.

Telstar, so you have the Gigabyte mobo in your music server?  Do you know how it compares sonically to the Asus mobo's?  I use the Asus now, but have the Gigabyte on order just on the hope it will further improve my sound quality which is already quite excellent.

Thanks.

Mani,

Only heard the Model 2 once at Goodwins High End in Boston where I used to live (I mean Boston, not the Goodwins store, although I did spend a lot of time there too...).  The Alpha DAC is very, very good.  It has bested every other DAC I've thrown up against it, even my previous mega-expensive reference DAC/pre-amp. 

I agree with you about always remaining objective.  Just because something sounds better than what you had previously doesn't mean its the best in its overall class. 

I'll probably buy a NOS1 DAC as well based on how pleased I've been with the XXHE software.

Mani,

The Pacific Microsonics Model 2 is a nice piece.  I have the Berkeley Alpha DAC (the same guys that founded Pacific Microsonics) and to my ears I'm getting the best sound with Quad Arc and with my Berkeley on the filter 2 setting which is the same filter as the  Model 2.

Thanks.  That's no worry for me given the high efficiency of my speakers.  I think you are right on track with not going higher on the output....SQ should be priority 1, 2, 3, etc.

Regarding your volume control I am eager to try it in the new version.  In the 0.9y4 I find the latency of the volume control a bit of a challenge to deal with...

Thanks.  I presume you just wish to stay silent on the interface we will need to connect to the NOS1....since you cite that everything required will be in the box then perhaps you're just going to use USB....

Does the DAC1 - or will it - have a pre-amp section so it an direct drive the amplifiers?

Sounds great! 

So....when will be able to buy the DAC and what will we need on the PC side to talk to the DAC?   

Thanks Roy.  I didn't know that - i.e. that XXHE converts to WAV before playback commences.

Maybe not Roy, but I see no downside of skinnying down Win7 as much as possible if all one is doing is using it to play audio... 

BTW, have you experimented with FLAC vs WAV on XXHE - is there any SQ difference?

Okay....I successfully implemented the "barebones" Black Viper services configuration, but with RDC in manual.  Works great.  Nice reduction in CPU in services and I/O activity. This guy has similar configs for WinXP and Vista. 

I dunno....I think your post on how the Q sliders work rates pretty high on the most vague post ever as well...

I think you're on to something....because my ears are agreeing with what you're saying....but I guess most of us will have to wait until your NOS DAC1 is available to hear exactly where you're going.

BTW, I told the Berkeley guys how impressed I've been with XXHE and that I now use it over Samplitude as my reference player using their filter 2.....and some of their other customers have said the same thing....they were not surprised I prefered the filter 2 setting as it does the least amount of filtering of all 4 of their settings.