Who's used the Audiophile Optimizer for Windows 2012 Server or Windows 8?

[highend-pcdoctor]

Folks,

I purchased the Audiophile Optimizer on 12/21/2013 and rebuilt my Windows 8.1 fanless PC to Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard

Followed the user guide from AudioPhil to the letter; including the BIOS setting (I actually tweaked the BIOS to Phil's recommendation while the box was on Windows 8.1 and it made major improvements in SQ)

After reinstalling the O/S to Server 2012 R2, and again following the instructions to the letter for preparation of the computer to install the AudiophileOptimizer 1.22, the immediate result was astounding.

I sat there dumbfounded that recorded music could sound this good.

One setting (enable or disable HPET) was not clear to me, after searching the net for information, it still was not clear, so I decided to select disable. Listened for a few days, then emailed Phil for advice on the setting and to quote Phil, this is his response: "I would suggest you enable HPET in BIOS and also inside the Optimizer. Most people like these settings sound the best"

That change was the "Silver Bullet"; Immediate Audio Nirvana

I texted my friend who has an excellent sounding analog system and told him my new setup will blow his analog out of the water

Folks, don't hesitate, get the Audiophile Optimizer, this is better than adding a dCS Scarlatti in your system.

 

My setup includes:

Fanless Streacom FC5 chassis, Asus P8Z77-M Pro, Intel Core I7 I7-3770t, 16 GB G.SKILL F3-10666CL7D PPA Studio AUDIO GRADE USB 3.0 PCIE CARD

B.M.C. PureDac

Parasound A21 Power Amplifier

Magneplanar 3.6R Speakers

Vandersteen 2Wq subs

 

Hello Folks

 

I am currently working on the beta of version 1.22 of the AudiophileOptimizer. There will be quiet a few changes and news:

 

- Introduction of eXpress and Export mode

 

The eXpress mode will set most settings for you and is the desired route for beginners who don't want to decide and think about to many questions and just want to enjoy and listen good music. Expert mode offers all the known and some new Options.

 

- More network related optimizations

- More filesystem related optimizations

- More registry optimizations

- More CPU related optimizations

- One new Digitial-Filter mode

- Possibility to enable/disable HPET

- Boot-Manager Text changed to "AudiophileEdition 1.2x"

- Several minor changes

- Update of the PDF Guide

- ServiceEnabler 1.41

 

The beta of 1.22 will be sent out to the usual suspects within the next days.

 

Take care,

Phil

[highend-pcdoctor]

Hello Phil and Happy New Year

I take it that this feature is only for the GUI and not the Core mode?

 

Hi

 

What you do is something like putting a program in the "autostart" folder.

 

The registry file replaces the Shell. This means instead of starting the exploer Environment, or the commnd prompt, JRiver get's directly started after you log on.

 

BEst Phil

[highend-pcdoctor]

I was honored and humbled when AudioPhil asked me to be one of the beta tester/evaluator for the beta version 1.3(b20) for the next release of his Audiophile Optimizer.

 

I am really pleased to post these comments/findings after some serious listening to the recordings listed in this review.

 

Equipment used in my evaluation:

Single computer – Streacom FC5-OD Fanless case, Asus P8Z77-M Pro motherboard; Intel i7 3770t CPU; G.Skill low latency RAM (16 GB); Samsung 840-Evo Pro SSD; PPA Studio USB audio card; 200 watt Pico ATX PSU, Teradak dual rail 200 watts linear PSU

 

O/S Windows 2012 R2 (Core mode)

JRiver 20 (ASIO mode)

JPlay 5.2.1 (Xtream engine)

dBPoweramp 15 ripping software

 

Amplifier: Parasound A21

DAC: B.M.C. PureDAC

Speakers: Magneplanar 3.6R

Cables: Electra Glide State of the Union(SoTU) power cables (DAC and Linear PSU); Synergistic Tesla T2 power cables (Amp and power distribution unit), Synergistic XLR Resolution Reference MKII, Synergistic Research Signature 10 Bi-wire speaker cables, B.M.C. Pure USB1 USB cable; Power Outlets CruzeFirst Audio “The Maestro”; (All Synergistic Research MPCs modified by Michael Spallone)

 

One very important note; follow the Audiophile Optimizer installation PDF documentation to the letter, the BIOS setup is really important to get the very best sound that your computer will produce.

Do not deviate from any setting in the installation guide.

 

Audiophile Optimizer (AO) setting: Ultimate mode; Sound Signature: 2 Digital-Filter Mode: D; HPET: Enabled; all settings were selected as recommended in the options. This new version is very granular and will definitely give the best sonic signature you can achieve from your computer audio.

 

Listening report:

Evaluated the most recent version 1.30 (20b)

After listening (selected AO Ultimate setting), here are my findings. In order (IMHO)

1. Improved clarity

2. Better upper midrange (left side of the piano keyboard i.e. bass cleft notes sounded fuller than before)

3. Improved speed and attack

4. Improved dynamic range (soft to swell)

5. Improved layering

6. Improvement in the air around the instruments and singers

 

This is now past analog sound, all I hear is music, and there is not the slightest hint of any digital edge or artifact, pure unadulterated music.

Tracks listened to that totally blew me away:

Eric Clapton - Unplugged CD – “Layla” and “Old Love” Guitar strings sounded better in this Optimizer release, more body and slam

Willie Nelson – Always on my Mind CD – “Do Right Woman Do Right Man” Very revealing, excellent soundstaging

Gillian Welsh – Time (The Revelator) – “Revelator” Acoustic guitar sound is to die for

Casandra Wilson – Another Country – “O Sole Mio”, unbelievable sound, sucks you into the performance

Three Blind Mice Volume 1 – “Aqua Marine”, this audiophile recording shines like never before

Jacintha – Here's to Ben; A Vocal Tribute to Ben Webster – “Danny Boy”. The deep breaths she takes before the words is so revealing that I had goose bumps

Jacques Loussier Trio - The Bach Book; 40th Anniversary Album -"Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major" Drum solo had the ultimate speed and attack.

Those tracks were astounding, the PRaT is perfect IMHO, never heard them played like that before…ever!!

Liszt Piano Sonata in B Minor by Alan Gampel) <b>Alan Gampel:</b> Chopin & Liszt Piano Sonatas-Mapleshade

The Piano is bigger and definitely fuller than before, really close to the Grand Piano sound now, through my Magneplanar 3.6R.

 

As a footnote, I must add that the new version that I tested is significantly easier for folks who may struggle in core, read the changelog.txt. There is a wealth of information that will tell you about some really nice shortcut commands (just type ao from any prompt to launch audiophile_core.exe shell, st will launch the service_tool.exe shell). Plus there are explanations of what the options you are choosing when you are stepping through the optimizer menu.

[highend-pcdoctor]

Al,

Thanks for the positive comments.

The Audio-PC has three internal SSD drives one 120 GB for O/S and JRiver, JPlay, dBpoweramp, and A/O

Other two drives in a RAID 0 configuration where the music is stored (RAID 0 for best performance)

Cheers!

[highend-pcdoctor]

Audiophile Optimizer 2.0 beta 20 release.

 

After upgrading from AO 2.0 beta 18 to the latest beta available, and at the time of writing it is beta 20, I will say without any reservation that the new Audiophile Optimizer from Phil’s HighEnd-AudioPC (Highend-AudioPC | High-End Computer Audio) will move computer audio sound quality to a new high -- a bar that will be very hard, if not impossible to beat by any other tweaked or optimized computer audio software out today.

 

I did extensive listening to all different genres of music, and no matter which type of music I played through my Phil’s Audiophile Optimized Audio PC, the sound quality was improved far beyond what I was listening to 36 hours before.

 

The improvement that stood out foremost in my system was the following.

· Bass depth and articulation far better than previous versions

· Soundstage width, depth, and focus was a clear improvement.

· Cymbals had a clearer “sheen” that reminded you of how it sounded when sitting in the audience in close proximity to a great drummer like Jeff Hamilton playing.

· Live performance recordings were very involving, drawing you into the audience/crowd and feeling the energy around you.

· Piano keys hitting the strings had the weight and texture that had you paying attention to the entire range of the piano notes being played.

 

 

Folks, you will do your ears and system inestimable pleasure by getting the Audiophile Optimizer 2.0 as soon as it is released to the general public. I sincerely doubt you will be disappointed; rather, you'll be astounded at how great computer audio can sound.

 

The following albums were played during my review:

 

 

Andrew Lloyd Webber – Phantom of the Opera

Jessica Williams – Live at Yoshi Vol 1

The Fairfield Four – Standing in the Safety Zone

Eva Cassidy – Live at Blues Alley

Chris Botti – Live in Boston

Eric Clapton – Unplugged

Jennifer Warnes –Famous Blue Raincoat

Jacques Loussier – Plays Bach

Liz Wright – Salt

Patricia Barber – Café Blue

Sade – Lovers Live

Ramsey Lewis – Dance of the Soul

Michael Murray – An Organ Blaster (Telarc)

Bob Marley – Exodus (Mobile Fidelity)

[highend-pcdoctor]

Music Server:

Streacom ST-FC5WS-Evo chassis, ASUS H87M-E, modified with PPA Studio MoBo Clock Upgrade, Intel Core I7 I7-4770t, 16 GB G.SKILL F3-10666CL7D, PPA Studio Audio Grade USB V4, Audiophile Optimizer 2.x, JPlay, Fidelizer 7.x, ProcessLasso 8.x, BHE 7.x, Windows Server 2012 R2

Digital to Analog Converter

B.M.C. PureDac MKII

Digital to Digital Converter

Wyres4Sound RUR

[highend-pcdoctor]

Review of Audiophile Optimizer 2.0 RTM (final).

AudioPhil has moved the bar to a higher than high with this upgrade from 1.40 to 2.0.

Although this is the RTM (released to manufacturing) (final) version before going GA (general availability), from all the evaluations I have done with the 2.0 beta releases, I think this last one is at its peak performance,.

These are my findings, for the AO 2.0 over the AO 1.4 version.

 

-- More micro and overall details.

-- Bigger and more expansive soundstage, but in the correct perspective. Unlike a soundstage that is so big that it is unreal, this one is definitely with the right proportions.

-- Very airy, with nice imaging: the performers and instruments are spacious but all come together in a cohesive arrangement.

-- Whether live, studio, big band, orchestral, or jazz ensemble -- all are handled with precision when I listened with AO 2.0

 

The A capella recording of The Fairfield Four (CD: "Standing in the Safety Zone") will wrap you with a 3D effect when you listen to track 2, “My God Called me this Morning”.

 

-- I also found that this new release has a deeper, more solid and articulate bass than the other versions that I have used; not that the other versions were puny, but this new version just had me notice that there is more “slam” in a very nice way.

-- Top air extensions are retained and well dispersed just like the AO you are accustomed to.

-- Mids are great. Listening to the Mapleshade recording of Alan Gampel playing the Chopin and Liszt Sonatas, was astounding: you could feel the impact of the keys hitting the strings, and the reverberation from the Fazioli piano made me feel like I was present at the recording.

 

I could go on and on because I just kept listening to all different genres and was utterly enthralled with what AO 2.0 was doing for me.

 

Please do your music server and yourself a big favor and order Audiophile Optimizer 2.0. You are in for a beautiful listening experience.

 

Software used for the evaluation:

Audiophile Optimizer 2.0 RTM (final) Windows 2012 R2 in Core mode

HYSOILD 2.0 player with JPlay 6.2 ASIO

Fidelizer 7.3

Process lasso 8.9.10

[highend-pcdoctor]

Nice review mayo ask what digital settings in AO do you use ?

for me it's 1/A ? Also what psu for the caps please

 

I am using 2/D for my AO filters

LPSU is TeraDak 200 watt dual rail for the CAPS (12v/5v) been powered on continuously for about 3 years now, never had an issue with it, delivered over 14 TeraDak 200 watts LPSU to clients over the years; no issues so far.

LPSU for Wyres4Sound RUD is TeraDak 9v LPSU.

[highend-pcdoctor]

Did a clean installation of Windows 2016 Standard Core by removing Windows 2012 R2 during the installation process. (NO UPGRADE)

With the combination of Audiophile Optimizer 2.20 beta 2b JPlay/HySolid/ProcessLasso, I must say this completely beats my previous installation of the same setup on Windows 2012 R2

Better imaging/ soundstage, more detailed information, much better bass.

Using the posts on the forum to get the JPlay/HySolid did not work for me.

I will post a detailed step-by-step instructions to get the JPlay/HySolid combination working in Windows 2016 Core in a few days.

Stay tuned!!

[highend-pcdoctor]

Hello romaz,

You can download 2.20 beta 4 from the https://www.highend-audiopc.com/download

I have been using it for a while on my Windows Server 2016 core Audio-PC without any issues.

My player of choice is HySolid which sounds great. I have posted installation instructions on CA and JPlay forums to install HySolid if your setup is Windows 2016 core. If you are using JPlay you need to follow the instructions, if you don't use JPlay then it is a straight forward installation. I use Q-Dir in core to save me a lot of CLI typing.

So, Phil keeps producing better, and better SQ with each of his releases, his software is a must have for any computer audio, whether you are an audiophile or not.

Version 2.20 b4 has a deeper, wider soundstage, more definition and details in the voices, instruments, and definitely improvement in the layering over the other iterations of the 2.20 beta releases. It just keeps on getting better.

I am chomping at the bit, waiting and hoping that he will get Roon and Tidal working in Windows Server 2016 core.

Best,

Leon

[highend-pcdoctor]

On 4/20/2017 at 4:55 PM, Johnseye said:

 

Put me in coach!

Hey Johnseye, when you install AO 2.20 beta5 you will be flying First Class. 

[highend-pcdoctor]

Phil's AudiophileOptimizer is definitely the needed application to make a PC an audiophile transport, the other applications Fidelizer, ProcessLasso, ParkControl, will enhance the now transformed audiophile transport.

Think of it as a well engineered transport like a dCS with great shielding, cables etc, to me that is the concept of the add-ons (Fidelizer, ProcessLasso, ParkControl) it enhanced an already well built transport that is optimized by AudiophileOptimizer.

[highend-pcdoctor]

HySolid for free or Roon if you want to spend the $119.00 per annum, both are great sounding, but I would give Roon the edge for SQ,  more open and spacious to my ears; and definitely for library management, I have not found anything that can match Roon for management to date.

HySolid installation guide is posted in this AO forum.