Alain is right. Utilizing the Apostle's horses' method improves SQ and saves a lot of set-up hassle. 

Yes, that is next step; Upgrading my NOS1 DAC + purchasing your XX PC, achieving the highest level of hardware setup. Hopefully I'll have the cash disposal for autumn! 

In the meantime I am fiddling around with the XX settings, improving the SQ for free.

-Operating XX by feet, rather than Wi-Fi, is the simplest way to improved SQ. Playing in UnAttended mode, with *all* services switched off (desktop, screen, LAN, etc) and HotKeys in use (mandatory!), really elevate SQ to a higher level. Funny thing is now music becomes so emotional evolving, that I am sitting through the whole albums. Getting on my feet to operate the USB-connected keyboard is needed only when selecting next album. This is the "slow-food" attitude within XX-community 

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This morning I played the 3 first Eagles albums (HD Box set 24/192). Beautiful music, but recordings only average for its age. Particularly Desperado disappointed, failing its audiophile-vinyl-rep, with splashed out cymbals and lack of separation.

So, I put on another similar aged studio recording, Dark Side of The Moon (24/88 SACD-rip), just too see if my system has became too revealing. But, no, DSOTM really floated and filled my 45m2 living room with a huge soundstage and deep, punchy bass.
Next on was WYWH (24/96 BluRay) with even better (cleaner) SQ.

In short, with the set-up described in my signature, I am enjoying my system more than ever! A big  to the creator of The Best Source In The Known Universe!

Thanks Peter.
Due to busy work schedule I am lagging far behind you guys here on the forum. I have some catch up to do. Last week I reconnected my 3rd amplifier + 14x 12-inch subwoofers, going full range active x-over again. And boy, it was glorious to feel the air pulsate in my living room again!

Then I took the XX settings to the extreme; activated HotKeys, switched off absolutely all services/screen and reduced SFS to 0,2. Oh boy, another huge improvement in SQ! Once again my system plays in such a way that I start making up excuses to stay home, listening to favorite music.

Next step is to find an esthetic replacement for the traditional screen and keyboard:
*Yes, I have an old laptop available (I can eventually buy a new one, they are cheap these days, also in the 2nd hand market). Actually, laptop is more user friendly than tablet (better keyboard when searching my music catalogue etc).
*Yes, I used RDC in the past. From the forum it seems there are some problems these days, but maybe that is only due to set-up difficulties (which are solvable)?

*So, final challenge is how to connect laptop to my dedicated XX-music-Tower-PC?
-The PC is not connected to Wi-Fi or Internet. But I have a spare router, which I can use either in Wi-Fi mode or with Cable, to hook up with the Laptop. Which one do you recommend as a XX-remote-single-purpose-connection?

Since there is so much hassle with wireless remote, what about using a cable connecting?

Can a W10 tablet be connected to my music PC (W10) by any cable-solution?

Today I control my music PC with ordinary USB-connected  keyboard and screen. (with MinOs/Unattended/All Services shut down). But a touchpad would be more esthetic, and I didn't have to get up from the sofa every time. (Although it makes me listening more of the albums to the very last song, which is a good thing, btw lol).

I already erased one HD with music (all my Christmas and OST music) while fidling with the installation, so I paid the price of learning... 

But I am doing progress, and will make an attempt. I am curious to try 10074 and do some testing on my own.

In the longer run I plan buying the XX PC with everything pre-installed, together with NOS1 Upgrade, but it will have to wait till 2016 sometime.
(I promised the kids to purchase the home cinema in our basement before Christmas, so my cash flow will be low for some months after that).

OK,

It seems I have jumped on the wrong train (W10 10586.0). However 10586.0 was the only one being available to me last week, and beeing the audiophile I am, instantly I started the tweaking process.

But let's not waste time on the second best: Where can I get hold on the W10 10074?

OK, for the moment it seems W10 users are split in 3 camps:

• Version 10074
• Version 10586.0
• Version 10586.x and others

10074 is the choice of Peter, but is troublesome, not easily available and I haven't heard it.
So I have to settle with the "next best" 10586.0, which I downloaded a couple of weeks ago.

Anyway, I find 10586.0 to be very, very fine sounding. I don't know what I am missing (10074), but it can't be much.

The purpose of this post is to discuss the best settings of 10586.0.
First, Colin deserves a medal for finding Q5=2. It opens up the midrange, without paying any cost, soundwise.

I also tried out his other settings, as described in his signature, but I didn't like them. Although they do "something" in the midrange, I find the bass suffering. In short - the one and only Q1 value for me is 14.

With Q1=14 I get exceptional tight, deep and tuneful bass. Here, the 10586.0 is the best I've heard. With Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On [24/192 DVDA] Suddenly the percussion is in the lead on all tracks. Same with Paul McCartney's bass on The White Album, and many others I have played during the weekend.

Now, If I just can identify the very last optimal settings somewhere, then 10586.0 will be a sonic heaven!

What is the idea here, making the earth switchable?

Finally I got my PC up and running again with OS W10Pro 10586.0 and XX 2.03a playing (for the time being) in NormalOS + Unattended.

I find the Sound Quality very good. The system is like a magnifying glass. Very resolved and open. Quick, dynamic and uncoloured. Treble is pure, bass is deep, tight and tuneful.

Ok, when I read some of the misgivings from others here, I agree that the midrange could have been slightly more organic, and the soundstage could have been even more "embracing". Being very critical, I might say my present setup is not that seducive. BUT what I hear is not much lacking. It is quite close to nirvana.

I can certainly live happily with W10Pro 10586.0 as it sounds today, knowing that I still have to complete the setting tweaks. Also I feel there is so much "right" in W10, that I'm confident Peter will manage to sort out the remaining artifacts.

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UPDATE: Q5 = 2 is a step in right direction. Midrange becomes more "liquid". Right now having a great listening session with The White Album (24bit USB stick version), hearing details I never heard before. Playing Blackbird is like being inside a birds cage. Remarkable bass playing by Paul on the other tracks.

I am extremely happy with the Clairixa. It really has become a necessity in my PC-setup!

Next up was the Silverstone soundcard. Previous attempts, used together with free-be USB cable, left me cold. It was too bright and colored in the treble.

The Silverstone remained in my PC, plugged in, but not in use for 1,5 years. Yesterday I started doing some A/B testing between it and the USB3 port on my Motherboard. To my surprise, it now sounded slightly LESS bright than the generic one. Maybe my previous attempts were faulty, or maybe the Clairixa does "something" beneficiary for the whole (electric) circuit? I don't know. After 2 days listening, I tend to favor the Silverstone slightly. It is a tad more "analog" sounding than the USB3 on my motherboard.

BTW, I think I have done the setup correctly: Silverstone is isolated from the PC-chassis with tape, and the USB receiver is un-earthed inside the NOS1 DAC.

This is great news, Peter!

What would be the price for your XXHighEnd PC, including this Multi-RAM pre-installed?

(The Silverstone I already own).

The sound improvement over my standard USB-cable was immediate right out of the box. I unpacked and hooked it up between my PC and NOS1 DAC, and switched on the amps. The effect is not subtle. No need to switch back and forth, to double check the difference. In fact, my old standard (free) USB cable is now enjoying its early retirement in a drawer.

The treble is cleaner, as if some harshness is removed. The midrange is more open and detailed. The bass is tidier and more tuneful. There is more control in the deep bottom octave, adding a degree of “subwoofer-effect” to my (temporarily) 2-way system. The overall change is a slightly darker and more full-bodied sound. Because of the cleaner sound I can play louder (+5dB). I hear no negative effects, everything improves in my revealing system.

I don’t know what kind of techs & specs Peter is hiding under its cotton skin, but it reminds me of lowering of jitter. Years ago I spend some hundreds of hours listening to CD-drives and SPDIF cables, and each improvement in lowering of jitter, sounded similar to what the Clairixa does in my system.

You could dub Clairixa“Cleenexa”, because it really cleans up the sound. The improvement is on par with changing hardware, like upgrading op-amps or amps with better power supply. My 3meter version costed, including hipping, €305 + VAT, which I find great value. Highly recommended!


PS: So far I am using it with my standard MB. Next will be to try out the Silverstone soundcard. Previous trial was not successful (too bright/coloured treble) BUT I will give it another chance. Teaming up with Clairixa might create some synergy?

Dear,

Give Ciska a hug from me. She is doing us all a favour!

-The shortest distance between A and B is a straight line, and it seems she will reduce your time spend on "cut and try" research     

Thanks for the help and welcome. It's good to be back!

I see that you guys have been busy the last year with DAC-updates, various cables and power supplies. So I have some catch-up to do. 

Great!
I hereby confirm the cable order. The formalities we take by email.

I will for 100% sure update my NOS1 DAC, but not right now. After dusting off and firing up the Hi-Fi (after a 15 months hiatus - can you imagine THAT???) my wife got so happy that she invited lots of friends to our house for dinner & concert on the 7th November. So have to keep the DAC in service till after that, at least.

Besides, I prefer to do one change at the time, and I really want to investigate deeply into this Silverstone soundcard issue once and for all.