|
286
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Your questions about the PC -> DAC route / Re: New NOS1 dedicated PC. I am quite terrified. Help if you can!!
|
on: May 22, 2015, 02:19:48 pm
|
Hi Rakesh, I suppose you wish to go with a Windows Server OS since there is no mention of support for Windows 8 OS with the Asrock server motherboard ? I have to say that for a terrified person aiming at the perfect PC to build, you seem quite adventurous in looking for a super powered PC.  If I was unsure of what to get, I would on the contrary look for something that resembles more what is used by Peter, but this is just an humble suggestion. The word "server" as it is used here has not much to do with a real server that is intended for quite different matters. A real server does not need to be silent as it is normally put in a server room where there is air conditioning, in a noisy fan environment, big time redundancy (hard drives in RAID configuration) and multi-"everything" (multi-task, multi-user), with 2 power supplies per server et al... It is built like a tank, weights like a tank and it draws a lot of power. All is oriented towards power, speed, economy of time between failures, etc... Not really aimed at music at all... We have to remember that a music PC is only the PC where the processing will occur and in order to accomplish this, one needs the right balance between speed, enough ram and silence (physically and electronically). To achieve this, a nice start would be from what Peter recommends. I am sure you would be very happy with a build that is almost identical with what Peter has achieved. The CPU is very powerful, the amount of ram should not exceed a level where it would bring more noise (since each memory stick demands power and works with "spikes of power") and less internal components than more. As it will advance, I am sure a lot of us will be happy to bring suggestions, but the music PC needs to have good balance (silence, speed and not too much power). As you will notice, I am not talking about a "server". The server in our context is a very simple thing: the hard drive containing the music is connected to another PC (the "server") and that another PC is connected through LAN with the music PC where XXHighEnd resides. I am not a good example of what should be done. I live with my mistakes and still have a long way to go. If you hope to be helped, you will have to orient your goals toward something that is more in line with what we have and know, as opposed to "quite different"... I will leave it there for the moment. The lack of response from many of us has probably a lot to do with the direction you have taken... The format of the box is not really important, but what you will put inside is... The amount of hard drives is not important either, unless you have music in the Terabytes department, but even so, a 5400RPM would be a lot more silent and powerful enough for the task than a SAS 15k RPM or a RAID array (for example)... I will continue to monitor this thread as it will evolve, but Peter, Juan, many others and I are certainly willing to help, as long as they understand and can help in assisting you Hope this does not come as a "showstopper" comment Regards, Alain |
|
|
|
|
289
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Cables (Community induced) / Re: Clairixa USB
|
on: April 27, 2015, 01:17:03 am
|
When I sent in my NOS1 for the "a" upgrade, it was only gone 1 week. Shipped halfway around the world (California to Netherlands), upgraded, fully tested, shipped back to California, and back in my hands within a week. I'm still blown away by this... Now it's currently packed as I prepare to move.  I understand the feeling... But I suppose you will unpack it at the speed of light when you will be in your new surroundings Regards, Alain |
|
|
|
|
292
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Phasure NOS1 DAC / Re: New NOS1 = ?
|
on: April 05, 2015, 08:31:14 pm
|
Am I wrong or there is still hope for the NOS1a? Luckily, yes, there is still hope. And the proof has already been there : when I ran - and run into something that can apply to the NOS1(a) I'll just let you have it. So remember (but I already said it today), the isolation comes from this other development; it is only that I suddenly could see how to apply it to the NOS1 (with a ~2 days hassle but alas). And what I also said is that this is not much of a commercial act, because what would have been better (commercially) than offer a new DAC, now with isolation. But I am not like that ... No no worries as the NOS1a will not be discontinued; last week I just ordered another 150 of those PCB's which go new on top of the DAC board (of the NOS1) and 300 of the small PCBs which go to the sides of the DAC board and gain stage (the other small new one in the left leg I already ordered with 500 at first). When something comes up for an upgrade it will just be offered as usual. It is only that at this moment I don't see anything yet. But that just needs time. Or "you" so to speak. And remember again, where came the "B75" upgrade come from ? "you" - by means of Joachim. No worries ! Best regards, Peter I have placed an order for the NOS1, an order for which I have not paid yet, and so it is with some hesitation that I bring myself to share my opinion on this subject. This issue is one which is likely to cause controversy, confusion and some degree of frustration, understandably from current and potential owners of the NOS1a. Whilst ultimately I agree that it would have been nice to have an upgrade path open to NOS1a owners to the latest and greatest invention of Peter’s prodigious and talented mind, I think that commercially there is no need for Peter to do so. Peter runs a business, one where there are an endless number of competitors at all price points. Most electronic goods have in-built obsolescence and even those which were touted as being upgradeable turned out to be anything but over time. Peter has provided a service where owners have from the very first day been able to enjoy a huge amount of incremental improvements over the course of many years. This is quite unique and shows evidence of an ethos which is very much a cooperative venture where the overriding objective is not the single-headed pursuit of profits but developing a cooperative spirit where customers are treated as stakeholders. Clearly the greatest enemy of the NOS1a is itself. It seems to be so good that its owners are presumably more than happy to see it upgraded incrementally over time. It is also a victim of its own success. If it is so good that owners are not looking to buy the next unit up, it makes Peter’s business less secure financially and that is not good for anyone if we want to enjoy the fruits of his talents. Businesses have no obligation to provide an upgrade path (although it would be nice if they did) or an obligation to provide incremental improvements to current products (although owners appreciate it when they do). Peter, quite uniquely, does both and I think this noble approach must actually cost him money. So it should come as no surprise that Phasure brings out products which ultimately provides the company with financial rewards more commensurate with the quality of the product and service it provides to all its customers. Two more points. All of the above is in many ways a nonsensical debate about an issue which should not even arise. The owner who has bought the NOS1a has by all accounts one of the finest dacs available anywhere. I sort of doubt that it is the weakest link in an audio chain. Should owners not worry about their system as a whole and improve other areas which require improvements? Or take their family out on a nice holiday if they have the funds? Or donate to a village without food, clean water or teachers in Africa. The long and short of it is that we are lucky to be able to afford what we can in this hobby so we should learn to be content with what we have. Many of us will not own the latest Ferrari or Lamborghini but that does not make the (by comparison affordable) BMW or Porsche any lesser and less enjoyable driving machines. And finally (you will be relieved to hear) my last point. ALL progress is good and eventually technological advances trickle down to a more affordable price point. The success of Peter’s new dac may well mean that the technology behind it comes in a cheaper product over time. I know, I know, that was supposed to be the last point. It just occurred to me that it should still be possible over time to offer his new dac circuitry in a standalone unit without the additional DSP and amplifier modules which might make it affordable enough to those who must have the absolutely latest dac. Just a thought... Best regards Rakesh Hi Rakesh, +1 for your response. When I read that a new product was coming and as I am putting money aside for the upgrade of my NOS1 to the NOS1a + Blaxius, I was staring at the screen with... Well, some desillusion. Like Juan, I have been wondering if I could afford yet another dac, maybe better, but still it would require another effort for me to have the funds. A voice inside tells me that I should wait for the product that will emerge from what Peter has worked on, with his legendary creativity and his aim for "the Best". My intention has never been to aim for the best, but for once this aspect of things has been alive through a big amount of trust in Peter and up to now I don't have any complaint about what my NOS1 delivers. Progress will always... Progress, so for the moment I have decided to wait and I am happy I did up to now. It is not a matter of dismay for me, just a matter of wisdom. I do not need an amplifier, nor electronic X-overs, nor DSP, nor any other analog component. The dac may be the exception for me, but as Juan mentionned, the PC is still the place where the most problems are located. Peter, I know this may sound like I did not understand correctly the extent of this, but I sure hope that this upcoming dac could be sold as a standalone, not integrated with anything else. I sure hope this will be taken in consideration ?
Regards, Alain EDIT: (I corrected my comments - Thanks Matt) |
|
|
|
|
294
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Phasure NOS1 DAC / Re: New NOS1 = ?
|
on: April 04, 2015, 02:07:53 pm
|
|
I agree with Juan... At this point we do not have sufficient data to really understand, apart from a multichannel dac and maybe electronic crossovers (?), with the needed power amplifier(s)...
At this point I am clueless... But a schema of the placement of the components would help maybe...
Alain
|
|
|
|
|
295
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Cables (Community induced) / Re: Clairixa USB
|
on: April 03, 2015, 02:08:51 pm
|
|
For the moment I have removed the Clairixa from my system and put back the Clearlink Plus USB cable that I had previously... The reason is that I find the Clairixa a little too accurate, up to the point that I find the sound "bright". If there is one thing that Clairixa brings, it would be that it may point to some flaws in my system and I need to address this.
I will of course try it again in a comparison with the Clearlink but I will also have to take care of other aspects of my installation...
There comes a point where details are so important that the least flaw will be very revealing and one needs to redo his homeworks...
Alain
|
|
|
|
|
297
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: I must of have been hallucinating
|
on: April 03, 2015, 01:11:39 pm
|
|
When I was young and spending a lot of time in reading some general informations about high fidelity, I remember that "the source" was always of the upmost importance. If I recall correctly, they were often suggesting that for a starting budget, at least half of it should be spent on the source. Then with time, one would progressively upgrade the rest of the audio chain until reaching the loudspeakers.
Now I read the almost exact contrary, because it is said that the speakers are the components that change the sound the most.
But if from the start the signal is not properly treated, it seems to me that a better speaker will just let the listerner hear all the flaws from uphill...
The problem is that the "source" is a computer. A computer was not really designed with "hi-fi" in mind. It can be so noisy as compared to any other audio component that most of what we try is to "silent" it, by attempting to remove it, even if most of the time we try to "tame" it (you can put any other title to this, like "filter" or else). By "it" I mean "noise".
But if, from the start, the computer is silent and I am obviously not talking about the sound of a fan, it seems that eliminating the obvious from the start would help a lot.
Eliminating all switching power supplies from everywhere, isolating different parts of the computer (maybe a "modular" PC without a big motherboard and a ton of DC to DC components), better quality components, better clocks, better this and that... Would help ?
I do not understand all of the money interest aspects of it, but I certainly wish that the cooperation that has taken place here will still prevail over other aspects of things. Of course, I am not into any of this, but I sure would appreciate that any new discovery, may it be empirical or science based, can be of interest for all of us no ?
I am not trying to criticize anyone here, but I know that in some situations, it is important to sometime change our angle of vision to bave a better perception of the "whole".
Peter has offered us so many wonderful things and I will never be able to express all my gratitude for what I hear today. I still have a lot to do here to attain a certain level of SQ, but I also am open to new discoveries and... Well yes, as long as it is affordable and durable.
For now, my final thought is that a computer does not have the same lifespan when compared to a "hi-fi" component. That says a lot about the quality of the components inside a computer. The day a computer will have at least half of the lifespan of any audiophile component, I will be ready to invest a more important amount of money in this "source".
In the meantime, we also have to take in account the distribution, upgrade and repair network...
Regards,
Alain
|
|
|
|
|
298
|
Ultimate Audio Playback / Chatter and forum related stuff / Re: Is audiophile sound, natural sound?
|
on: April 03, 2015, 12:48:23 pm
|
|
I have thought about this, but in my list of priorities, it is not my first criteria.
1. I have always chosen my music first because I need to feel "engaged" by it, no matter the quality.
2. I then hope that the available music is not over compressed and clipping, but this plague is all around, even with hi-res files (that I have mostly stopped buying, unless it is an album that I never had).
3. Natural sound... I don't really attend to live shows, but I suppose that all the "out of music" sounds we can hear sometimes is as if we put our ears 15cm from an instrument or our head in a piano... Not sure that a live show really reflects this...
I probably would need to add more details that I still need to apply here before I can go further in my quest for high fidelity, but I find there are so many obstacles in this quest...
Alain
|
|
|
|
|
Show Posts
