So I just received my new Mach II PC the other day, and WOW! What an essential piece to pair with the NOS1. I would recommend anyone serious about computer audio must get the Mach II! It improves the sound on every possible level. "Detail with Musical soul and drive" I can't imagine what the up coming B'ASS might add to the increased "power" it presents,

It is also a wonderfully built and finished product that complements audio gear and doesn't look like some DIY add on or out of place desktop PC.(Makes me feel the need to finish my amps and speakers cosmetically )

Just for some background, my prior audio PC had the same modded motherboard with an external clock, an external PCIe clock and USB 3 PCIe card with an external clock as Mani's LeMonster PC. It was also running a full ATX linear power supply. Peter's Mach II destroys it!

Todd

I'm still in for the BNC in and out model.

Todd

Count me in for BNC as well Peter.

BTW, I love reading your description the difference with the B'ASS. It's always about those things that make live music instantly distinguishable from recorded playback. The fact that the difference is ever diminishing with each of your improvements, gives me hope that one day I really won't be able to tell!

Todd

So I had a thought/question.

Here in the US, we have two 120v hot lines and a neutral. So generally we have all our consumer electronics run off 120v and the feed is inherently unbalanced. In my current situation, there is really no reason why I couldn't run everything at 240v(either selectable input voltage on the equipment primaries or easily modifiable solutions). I would then have 2 hot lines and the ground tied to the neutral, so a balanced circuit.

Wouldn't this be a preferable configuration?

Mani,

I have noticed that I'm squeezing in some extra listening time every evening, and when my wife says she's going to bed early, I sport a sly smile and back to the basement I go!

I am also listening at a higher volume, anywhere from 1.5-4.5db louder and I think it is a direct result of the lower distortion from the RAM-OS setup. Recordings that were once a little grating after a certain volume,  are now not only listenable at higher volume but more "real".

I was listening to "Eric Clapton Unplugged" last night and WOW it was really like I was sitting in the live venue!!

Happy Listening,
Todd

That's awesome Peter!
Quite a comeback considering the drive saga 

So now on to that surprise announcement

I'm looking at this ATX linear power supply:

http://www.hd-plex.com/HDPLEX-Fanless-300W-ATX-Linear-Power-Supply-with-Modular-ATX-Output.html

But don't want to pull the trigger if you've got something related up your sleeve!

Todd

Hey Dave,

I just wanted to let you know, I tried the Regen I in series after the Itona and no comparison the Itona alone is much better in every area.

Having the Itona in line with the Regen may have improved the sound of the Regen slightly, but let's just say you might see another Regen for sale on Computer Audiophile or maybe it will be used in my office system

Todd

Sorry for being off topic. But I was feeling a bit nostalgic and realize how small the collective HighEnd audio community is

Frank thanks for the kind words, they are great guys at Audio Artistry.

 I helped you carry that Plinius beast either from or to your car when we set up or at the end of show tear down!

Also, that was their first year there and the had their Dvorak entry level speaker in that room initially with some Cary tube amps until you came along!

Your the lead engineer and designer, aren't you?

Cheers,
Todd

Hey briefremarks,

I thought I'd chime in even though it's a little of topic with a little insight on the BD Designs vs. Linkwitz Labs. I'm friends with the original principles of Audio Artistry which included Sigried Linkwitz(one of the other two was the best man at my wedding)

 I own the Beethoven Grands which were their pinnacle of open baffle(dipole) design, I now have BD Designs Orphean horns coupled with 3 high sensitivity 15" drivers per channel, my DIY version of the Orleno 2's minus the refinement of Peter and Berts slick Fletcher Munson compensation curve selection and the chip amps.(so read that as not quite as good but in the same family). To me frequency response and tonality is quite similar to the Linkwitz designs, but there is a dramatic difference in information retrieval and dynamics. I can't imagine going back to the Beethovens on a regular basis although I still enjoy them and they throw a huge soundstage.

I never liked the sound of horns, just like Paul(User name Scroobius) but read his posts under the speaker section here. You would never know your listening to BD horns without seeing them!

Ok back to the Itona! Loving it

Todd

Hey Dave,

Everything is so "Right" with the Itona that I really can't imagine putting the Regen in series with it. There really is just no comparison in my system between the two of them. I think less is really more in this case.

I'll tell you what though, I'll put it in this weekend and report back, but I'm quite confident that it will detract from the performance and not add to it. What the hell though, I have both might as well try it and report what it does in my system and let you extrapolate from there.

Todd

Agreed Peter,

Such a great community here and I never want to take it for granted. When we get a consensus from all of us on something it's nice to have that validation we're on the right track!

Todd

So my Itona USB isolator came yesterday and I got a chance to listen to it for about four hours. I didn't want to add any additional variables to the mix so I used XXHE 2.03 and W10 10074.

I first listened to my current setup which has a NeutronStar clock modified Uptone Regen USB re-clocker running off a lithium Ion battery power supply. The sound was as usual: very nice detail, ambiance, deep nicely scaled soundstage and nice black background.

Out came the Regen and in went the Itona with a short generic USB from the PC and the Clarixa 1m to the NOS1a 75b.

So I don't want to sound hyperbolic but, I was literally stunned at the difference! Like a complete removal of blur, smear and distortion. And this was in all important areas; frequency response, timing and dynamics. Every song I played was just so much more detailed and right. What really stood out was the delicacy of quiet passages but the incredible slam and quickness of percussion and piano. And the decay seemed infinite, just so natural. And the natural shimmer to cymbals was better than I've ever heard from my system.

We all have known the feeling of running through our favorites and hearing them as new again, but Wow! this was pretty dramatic.

All I can say, is thank you again Peter for being the Guinea Pig, and I can't wait to get my new ram drive OS disc and short Clarixa USB!! What a great way to bring in the New Year!

 
Todd

Thanks Peter,

Sorry for being a lazy "f" and not adding my signature until just now

Todd

I was wondering what OS everyone with a separate music server is using? And is there one that is recommended over another and for what reasons?

Thanks,
Todd

Understood Peter,

Makes sense to keep all the noisy PC related items together away from the NOS1a.