Hi VJ,

The speakers are 86 dB sensitivity, which are quite low. So they would need considerable power to drive them.

I use the CAT JL 3 monos, 150w, driving my 89dB speakers & I am never short of power. SQ is fantastic as expected from a well designed tube amp.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi VJ,

I am really intrigued to find out which speakers are you referring to which require 300W of power to drive them. Its rather unusual to require so much power for home use speakers at least.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Since a week I am having the problem of Time Stability & Time Performance Index not being activated. Previously when I clicked on refresh, Time Stability became Stable & TPI was optimum when I clicked on change.

No change from my end elsewhere. Rebooting does not help.

Any thoughts on this?

Best regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

That's what all of us are waiting for...the best DSD DAC NOS1.

Best regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

I wonder what Andreas Koch had to say about the future format in digital audio, during the California Audio Show, but I can guess it must be pointing to the direction of DSD.

I believe in the coming time quite a bit of music files, in native DSD, would be available from the net. For those who would like to digitise their vinyl's in DSD there would be a lot of high level ADC hitting the market in a years time.

I can't say if the SQ is better in DSD vs PCM as I don't have the software or hardware for comparison, but I do think that it would an option one would like to possess.

I would be looking fwd to the day when you have successfully integrated DSD in XXHE & NOS1.

Best regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

I have reduced my cpu frequency to 2 Ghz through the BIOS. Is this correct way of doing it or should I set it to the default setting the manufacturer had supplied it with?

I did notice a slight improvement in SQ with the lower frequency as compared to the default(3.33 Ghz, I think).

In my case XTweaks are on as per my sig.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Over the weekend I created a main folder called mp3 & sub folders according to genre & in the sub folder are mp3 music files from various artists, albums.

When I try to load the mp3 files (say about 500+ tracks in a sub folder) to the playlist, from a sub folder, the playlist does not show the track list, it remains blank. If I click play these mp3 files get loaded in the "Temporary Data" folder in XXHE(IMDisk 1GB) & the IMDisk has inadequate space, so there is no playback.

In another sub folder which has fewer tracks (say 100), this problem does not exist. The playlist shows the list of tracks & playback is normal.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Took me an hour & half to install the upgraded oscillators. It went of smoothly thanks to the detailed instructions sent by you.

To all the guys who are still with the older oscillators my advice is go ahead with the upgrade. The SQ is significantly improved. There is a lovely warmth to the SQ & the musical quality is excellent.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi guys,

Thank you everyone for making me see the light in the tunnel. I must say that the comraderie in this forum is amazing.

Without any serious changes in the settings, other than changing clock resolution to 0.5ms (thanks Boleary) the SQ magic is back.

I really don't know how, maybe the new OS takes time to settle. I had adjusted the time alignment ever since I changed to W8, so that wasn't new either.

It's still a mystery but in the end its turned out well. I hope it continues this way.

Thanks again everybody.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Ever since I have switched over to W 8, I have been very disappointed with the musical qualities of the sound. Even with IMDisk, the musical qualities are missing & the music is no more involving.

I am so confused & depressed & I have no clue how to move fwd. Just yesterday eve I was listening to Neil Diamond & instead of hearing his deep throaty voice I could hear a thinner nasal voice, as if he was singing an octave higher.

I could reverse the process & go back to W 7 but I am holding back as yet. Any clue what might be causing this?

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Since default filing system is NTFS, I just left it that way. Probably does not matter.

xQ1 is 10 in my case too. Rest is same as my sig.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Guys,

Started XXHE & Playback drive on IMDisk. There is improvement in the musical qualities of the sound, however its still not as good as 0.9z-7-5.

Q1 setting of 14 sounds better than 30 with IMDisk.

Peter, a question on the filing system of the IMDisk drives, is NTFS ok?

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Guys,

I moved on from W 7 to W 8 on saturday & then spent the weekend extensively listening to music. Without any shadow of doubt the SQ with  W 8 is far superior to W 7. Its clearer, bass is more true, differentiation between instruments is far better.

However I had a disturbing feeling which I want to share with you guys. Ear fatigue is more with this version as compared to the earlier ones. The music in its totality sounded marginally less musical. I just hope that in our quest for clearer sound (less distortion) we dont lose out on this important aspect.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

If its possible for you to e mail the procedure to replace the oscillators, I could show the same to an engineer to make sure he is confident of doing this job.

Regards,

Arvind

Hi Peter,

Is it possible to buy the components for the upgrade from you & do it ourselves? The cost of shipping to & fro is Euro 320, besides the customs hassles.

Regards,

Arvind