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

[dminches]

Phil, what are the advantages/disadvantages of going to a jriver shell versus a minimal core/dos shell?

[PewterTA]

So are the drivers etc. loaded by default on installation workable or are we to install win7 64 or win8 64 drivers? Or is it a trial and error thing?

 

Definitely with 2012, you want those drivers if available first otherwise, you want to look for Win8 64 bit drivers and then fall back to Win7 64 if needed. That's the best order to look for drivers in, if the drivers aren't already available natively within Win2012.

 

For my pieced together system my problem was the network, I tried 4 different cards and finally found a CHEAP ($9) PCI card with realtek (I believe it is) chipset fixed the problems with my skipping/clicking/popping. I was even able to move all my buffer settings back down to minimal which is where I like it so that it streams it and buffers virtually nothing.

[drez]

Phil, what are the advantages/disadvantages of going to a jriver shell versus a minimal core/dos shell?

 

I am wondering same thing - I don't run the JRiver shell which means the file browsing in JRiver doesn't work but I am hesitant to enable the JRiver shell as I don't really need it.

[AudioPhil]

Phil, what are the advantages/disadvantages of going to a jriver shell versus a minimal core/dos shell?

 

Well... It's certainly better (if you are in GUI mode) to replace the shell with the media player of choice instead of using your desktop environment. but it's definitely not comparable with true core mode.

[WuNgUn]

Im really curious as to what is happening in the background as far as the audio preferences setting...

You say its all bit-perfect....but is there an option to choose from that does not do any signal processing at all...?

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

There is no signal processing at all. At least not touched or influenced by me or the AudiophileOptimizer.

I only treat the operating system, no additional processing available or needed for what i do

 

Phil

[thm655321]

Well... It's certainly better (if you are in GUI mode) to replace the shell with the media player of choice instead of using your desktop environment. but it's definitely not comparable with true core mode.

 

Phil are you saying that in core mode by making JRiver the shell the sound is not as good as if you ran the normal shell and started JRiver? Or is "true core mode" not running JRiver at all?

 

I'm confused as why it would be better to run JRiver from cmd as opposed to making it the shell.

 

Thanks.

[AudioPhil]

Phil are you saying that in core mode by making JRiver the shell the sound is not as good as if you ran the normal shell and started JRiver? Or is "true core mode" not running JRiver at all?

 

I'm confused as why it would be better to run JRiver from cmd as opposed to making it the shell.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi

 

No. I think it's best to have the actual media player as shell. if possible. but we are not taking about huge differences here.

 

JRiver runs fine in core mode, please watch the videos on my Homepage to have a better idea: Highend-AudioPC | Videos

 

Best,

Phil

[WuNgUn]

Hi

 

There is no signal processing at all. At least not touched or influenced by me or the AudiophileOptimizer.

I only treat the operating system, no additional processing available or needed for what i do

 

Phil

 

As PewterTA alluded to a few posts back...messing with "filter settings" in AO, which obviously alters the sound...AO doesnt't "touch or influence" it.

Can you please explain what happens with these different filter settings...?

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

No, not in detail. (a magician won't tell you he's tricks, wouldn't he? ). These are several settings of the operating system who directly change what you hear in the end. But they don't change the signal in terms of being bit-perfect, it's still exactly the same data that get's processed.

[JakovH]

Definitely with 2012, you want those drivers if available first otherwise, you want to look for Win8 64 bit drivers and then fall back to Win7 64 if needed. That's the best order to look for drivers in, if the drivers aren't already available natively within Win2012.

 

For my pieced together system my problem was the network, I tried 4 different cards and finally found a CHEAP ($9) PCI card with realtek (I believe it is) chipset fixed the problems with my skipping/clicking/popping. I was even able to move all my buffer settings back down to minimal which is where I like it so that it streams it and buffers virtually nothing.

 

What network chipset in everyones opinion , has been the most troublesome. I won't have room for a pci nic. I have read workarounds on the net but without the appropriate advice, this could be quite frustrating.

 

Or if it's easier, what network chipset has run without modded drivers from scratch?

[Hammer]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out if the Optimizer will help my setup which is a Server 2012 R2 machine running LMS 7.8 serving a Squeezebox touch into an Auralic vega.

 

i notice that even though the server is on all the time, it take about 5 minute after the music starts (I use ipeng to control the Touch) before the drop outs stop when running the vega clock in exact mode.

 

since the server does other things, I can't strip it down to Core, but I can run another instance with just Core in an hyper-v VM on that same machine.

 

Can i do that and run the optimizer? Will I be able to run The Logitech media server in Core mode?

 

thanks, Hammer.

[mjm6]

Phil, (or others that know),

 

I'm running a CAPSv2 right now as a single machine. I have WSD2012 installed in GUI mode and am just about to instll AO. However, I realized that I like to manage certain parts of my music library through JRiver from my music machine. It's the only machine in the house that has JRiver (all the rest are Macs).

 

If I go to core mode, will I be able to easily get back into the machine from time to time to manage the library?

 

If not, I should probably only go to minimal mode I presume.

 

I may have missed it in the PDF, but I don't think I say anything in there that discussed this.

 

Since JRiver is available on MAc now, I could probably purchase an upgrade for that and install on my other machine (where the ripping occurs).

 

Thanks,

 

 

---Michael

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

Unfortunately it would be a bad idea to run a music system in a virtualized environment

[coxhaus]

Ok guys I joined the AudioPhil optimizer group today using Server 2012. It did great things for my sound in min GUI mode. It is the best I have heard from my computer. I seem to have a problem in core mode. I chose A off the menu to change to core mode after testing GUI mode. I lost kernel streaming as an option for JRiver 19. I only have the ASIO mode. I have manually run JRiver in core mode without the optimizer and it has worked any ideas?

I have an AMR 777 DAC with the drivers loaded.

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

Switching to core mode removes all audio functionality of windows server 2012. So after you switched to core mode, you should run the AudiophileOptimizer at least once (full run). This will also re enable Kernel-Streaming, one of the most important features of the Optimizer.

 

Best,

Phil

[Hammer]

Hi

 

Unfortunately it would be a bad idea to run a music system in a virtualized environment

 

Thanks. In that case, I can add a dedicated unit just for this. But before I buy the hardware, can you tell me if the Optimizer is meant for my type of setup? Eg., Logitech Media Server to Squeezebox touch to external DAC?

 

hammer.

[deanorthk]

This look really promising, but I don't want to lose everything I've setup up with XBMC on my windows PCHC... I watch Br, MKV with my setup of MPC HC (external player because I use scripts to enhance the picture).

And using xbmc constellation on ipad to control music, through usb -> W4S DSD dac.

I fully understand the use of this optimization, but as many, I'd like to get best of both world, running xbmc on windows server plus the audio optimization:)

[PewterTA]

Not quite as convenient, but Dual Booting works as well (XBMC and AO). That way there's no compromise but waiting for the PC to reboot.

[deanorthk]

Aye, thanks, but as you said, not as convenient, my wife will bite me if we lose the ergonomic side:)

Going to buy a thin itx pc to serve as the audio transport and install Jplay on both side, I guess this will work.

[Mogos]

Ok so I am listening music in core mode. It is difficult to rate the level of improvment. In my case there is no WOW effect. But I need to check some other firter and digital singanture configurations. Another story is that I do have very well audio optimised W7 system.

Thinking about switching to core mode I did have few concerns about the functionality of my setup after the transformation.

But everything works as I expected. I am using RAM drive as a source. There is no problem and the RAM drive works the same way as in GUI mode. To operate smoothly with RAM drive it is necessary to load files before playing them. Loading a whole album takes approximatly the same time as inserting a CD to the player (eSATA external drive connection). The easyest way is to use a file commander with drag and drop. So I had set up as a shell a file commander from witch I am loading the files to RAM drive and starting JRiver. I wasn't sure if I will be able easly to switch between the two applications. But it is possible with Alt-Tab. Great!

I do have one important/big request to audioPhil. Is it possible to have in optimiser an option to leave the HDD switching off functionality. Having loaded few albums to RAM drive (6,6 gb) I don't need and would like not to have all the time spinning HDD. In my case switching of HDD will be good for few reasons (noise,power,live elongation).

[AudioPhil]

Hi

 

Even a very well optimized Windows 7 system normal has not the slightest chance against an optimized server 2012 system, by far. you being in core and do not get a wow effect, i get the feeling something was not done right or is not working good (your drivers may be an issue, etc.) Did you follow the guide, did you make the BIOS changes, etc? What hardware do you have, what DAC, what DAC/DDC driver do you use? What player do you use? what is you setup topology?

 

Regarding the HD spinning:

 

powercfg.exe -change -disk-timeout-dc 5

powercfg.exe -change -disk-timeout-ac 5

 

this will spinn em down after 5 minutes of inactivity.

[sstefanov]

Hi Phil

I just entered the AudioOptimizer's club. I definitely got WOW effect even with my AudioPC's motherboard: Motherboards - AT5IONT-I and an old Lenovo G550 laptop as ControlPC.

 

Greetings from Bulgaria

[AudioPhil]

Hi Phil

I just entered the AudioOptimizer's club. I definitely got WOW effect even with my AudioPC's motherboard: Motherboards - AT5IONT-I and an old Lenovo G550 laptop as ControlPC.

 

Greetings from Bulgaria

 

Hi

 

That's how it's supposed to be ENJOY IT

 

Phil

[odyssey]

Can the drivers for the Lynx AES-16 be loaded when running with the Windows Server operating system?

 

For non-native USB DAC's is the Lynx still a good option or would a USB-->SPDIF adapter be a better choice when using the Windows Server operating system + Audiophile Optimizer?