Johan, about the screen changing size: Are you operating the music-PC through another PC using Remote Desktop or such software?

I write this post for 2 reasons:
-First in gratitude to Peter, because the last month have brought me more music hours than the whole previous year.
-Second, because I urge all new comers to try out my settings.

I entered the 1.186-a arena a little late, but now after one month of frequent listening, I am 100% convinced: The 1.186-a sets a new standard for SQ. It bests on all areas; tonally neutral, huge soundstage, pinpoint imagining (depending on the recording), micro-dynamics and details, naturalness and lack of any hardness or edges.

Ok, ok, I know that the above adjectives are the usual hype we have been repeating in here since the morning of time in the XX world. BUT it is the truth, never the less; 1.186-a is a benchmark. Period. Previously, I was a little jealous – or even skeptical – about the ravings from Peter when he described sonic nirvana from old classic rock and 1st press CDs of the 80s. But now I have achieved it too! The last month I and my family have been playing music for breakfast, dinner and evening. Workday and weekend. Jazz, classical, pop, rock. That has never happened before. So, clearly “something” has happened with the SQ.

Maybe it has reached a level of “Higher Fidelity” where the sound is so pure and resolved, that all kinds of music pass through with (next to) no colorations, simulating a live experience? My in-laws have an out-of-tune piano, but when my kids play some random keys, I listen up and enjoy the sound of it. –The “realness” of the instrument, and how the notes decay in the living room. There is a certain kind of magic from live music, even if it is amateur playing. 
With 1.186-a in my Hi-Fi system I get the same feeling; The kind of live experience taking place in my living room.

PRESENT SETTINGS:
XX 1.186-a (it has a few playback irregularities, but who cares when it sounds as good as it does?)
Engine#4 Adaptive Mode, Scheme = Core 1-2, UnAttended, All Services Off,
Q1=6, Q3=1, Q4=1, Q5=1, Q1Factor=1, SFS = 1 (max 120), ClockRes = 0.5ms,
Dev.Buffer = 4096 / / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Not Switch Processors during Playback /  Keep LAN - Persist / No WallPaper / No OSD / No Running Time / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = 43 / Nervous Rate = 1 / Cool when Idle = 1 / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = Optimal / Time Stability = On / Octo Arc Prediction (x8 only) Upsampling

Basically, I copied Peters settings as a starting point, although my PC needs minimum SFS = 1 for faultless playback of hi-rez files.

SOME NOTES:
OS is W8 Pro with W7 GUI.
My PC sounds the best with its own MOB. I tried the Silverstone soundcard, both with/without isolation etc, but it gave a kind of artificially coloration in the treble. (Ground lift on both ends reduced this coloration, but didn’t remove it).
“Minimize OS” is mandatory. Also, Unattended playback sounds better (background is blacker, there is less glare, more ease, etc).  Even enabling the CoverArt functions during playback reduces glare in the treble!

Generally, the most important settings are the Q-values (copied from Peter) and SFS and ClockRes to be set as low as your PC can go.

Finally, I do prefer the NOS1 DAC working on x8 sampling frequency 352,8/384kHz, rather than the x16. It sounds fresher and with better micro dynamics.

Again, big thanks to Peter for the marvel of 1.186-a!

Just re-booted the PC and now it works again.

Thanks for helping, guys!

After switching PC-power off/on, XX will not play. It starts the process, recognizes the file format (f.ex FLAC), but then it halts and shows error message "Set State (Pause) error on pin". 

What to do?

The first couple of albums and singles by Ian Dury and the Blockheads are classic albums. I play them frequently. The band was sooo good.

The pirate boats didn't reach as far as my hometown in northern part of Norway, but I was able to tune in to Radio Lux on AM during holiday trips to Oslo. I taped a show (with Tony Blackburn IIRC) in December 1978 which impressed me a lot, me being an amateur DJ at a local youth disco club. I copied all his clever song introductions and mixes.

Especially impressive was the instant crossover from Hit Me With Your Rythmstick to Foxy/Get Off.

Every time I hear that song by Ian Dury that Radio Lux tape comes to my mind. :-)

I could probably re-tell my whole life through the songs I remember when growing up. Music is such a strong memory catalyst.

I forgot about these buttons since long time ago. Are they I correct position? (See photo from present settings).

Yea, Boleary, I don't know why, but the Silverstone didn't succeed in my set up.

But who cares? The present SQ with 1.186 is phenomenal! I have been in all day playing a wide selection of music: Peter Gabriel, Johnny Cash, Bill Evans, Terje Rypdal, Pink Floyd, Gli Scapoli and several others. And most of them full albums till the very last song. Never had this kind of realism before. I am so happy!

Thanks, nik.d, I just put my screwdriver to work and voila! I am back where I started this morning: MOB USB3 and everything grounded - and - not to forget; The music is sweet as ever!

The qualities which Silverstone REMOVED are back: Slightly dark sound, full bodied, punchy and slightly "resonant" bass and that over-all "ease". Hey, even the soundscape is wider and more interesting.

So, it seems that the success of SS is highly system dependent.
I have high power amplifiers with very high band width, DC-coupled and everything balanced/XLR connected. All components star-connected to the same filtered 220V outlet, fed from a dedicated 40A line. -So, on one hand my electronics are sensitive to ground loops and such nastiness, but on the other hand, I have dealt with and solved those issues to a large degree. Experimenting with ground within a system can be a lottery...   

UPDATE: The Silverstone (ground-lifted both ends) lasted only 5 songs in my system, before I went back to the usual USB3 from the PC MOB.

First impression is that the Silverstone emphasizes the presence/treble, while at the some time (or as a function of), the bass is less prominent.

In short: Floating Silverstone appeals to my brain, my previous setup appeals to my heart. Heart wins.

At the moment listening with MOB USB3 + floating NOS1: Treble more in line now, but I *think* (not sure) if the bass is as solid and dynamic as I remember it with normal (unlifted) ground inside NOS1.

Anyway, gotta listen further of course, before any final verdict.

So far so good:

I installed the Silverstone without bracket.
Added some isolation tape around the USB sockets. See photo.
Silverstone worked with the first song, but after rebooting it lost connection with the NOS1, so I had to search my basement for a spare pc-cable. See photo.

Then I disconnected the earth cable inside the NOS1 and now it seems to work and play as it should.

Thanks for the help, guys!

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And what about the sound quality?
It is faster and cleaner in a positive sense. I can play loader. Bass is very tight and detailed, but less prominent.

But I miss a little "ease" and natural flow. Maybe it can be re-gained with some other settings. This will require further listening. It's a pitty with all those screws on the NOS1 cabinet. A simple ground-lift switch on the DAC chassis would have been convenient.

PS: With the ground-lifted Silverstone setup the NOS1 sometimes disappears as the selected "device" in XX settings.

I just tried it the easy way: Silverstone plugged into the MOB. No change of driver, no additional power cable. Plugged the USB from NOS DAC and it works!

Seems I got away from this DIY project with minimal effort 

One down, one to go: Next step is removing the ground wire inside the NOS.

And what about driver?
-There is a disk packed together with the soundcard.
-Do I first have to take the PC out of "minimized mode" to complete the installation of the Silverstone?

Gentlemen,

Do the Silverstone SST-EC04-P need additional power (4 pin Molex cable) or is it enough only to plug it into the MOB?

 

Great, Thanks!

I'll do it and report back.   

Gentlemen,

My Silverstone SST-EC04-P arrived today. (The same version as Peter.St has).

So what to do?
-Install it as is, or reading through these 18 pages trying to understand the essence of how to isolate it by DIY means?