ATTENTION Current Mac mini/A+ users: Boot Mavericks from an SD card, load a RAMdisk, dismount your internal SATA drives, and pour a drink for the musicians walking out of your speakers!

[elcorso]

Don't know about anyone else - I use both, A+ more. I do offline upsampling with the Audio Inventory converter, which sounds better to me than online conversion with A+ or HQP. I asked Miska (HQP) about possibly offering his filters in offline converter form, but he thought it would create a fair amount of additional work for him that he was not eager to undertake.

 

Jud,

 

You are talking about Audiophile Inventory, isn't it?

 

Audiophile Inventory - musical and audiophile software

 

Best,

 

Roch

[Jud]

Jud,

 

You are talking about Audiophile Inventory, isn't it?

 

Audiophile Inventory - musical and audiophile software

 

Best,

 

Roch

 

You're right, forgot the "phile."

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AnotherSpin]

No luck with Yosemite... SD card with fresh installation is restarting initially, but not booting with CAD script enabled. The same routine on the same card was working without an issues with Mavericks.

[AnotherSpin]

Need to clarify. Problem seem to be initiated by CAD script, initially I was to eager to apply it. Yosemite boots from SD card without script enabled.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

check this thread : OSX Optimisation from scratch - Page 2

 

it's not yosemite specific but

Need to clarify. Problem seem to be initiated by CAD script, initially I was to eager to apply it. Yosemite boots from SD card without script enabled.

[alsterfan]

Need to clarify. Problem seem to be initiated by CAD script, initially I was to eager to apply it. Yosemite boots from SD card without script enabled.

 

Me too I was eager to install Yosemite. It boots from my SD card as it should and does so too with the script enabeled. However when answering twice the questions with y(es) (except for WiFi, a function I need for La Rosita Streamer), the Finder could not be started (and the waste bin not be emptied) any longer, and a reset would not be a cure for that. So I reinstalled the OS and with having corrected the answers from n-y-y to n-y-n everything works fine.

Of course using the CAD script in a reduced way got down the services from about 160 to 125 only. This is way more compared with Mavericks (56 at last).

So my hope is, Damian is reading this, finding some spare time to help us along once again - regardless of Yosemite (with only a little optimization) "sounding" even better than Mavericks.

 

Regards, Uwe

[Pol]

Guten abend

You say that Yosemite sounds better than Mavericks, do you have any idea of the reason why?

[alsterfan]

Just a tiny glitch: For using my Music OS I have created a network without the function to connect to the internet. With Yosemite, when I start iTunes, I now get a warning saying something like "iTunes cannot connect to the App Store. Please ask the system administrator".

In the system administration after opening "App Store" I have deactivated everything that you can mark here.

Has anybody any clue as to where I can deactivate this annoying message?

Any help is appreciated.

 

Regards, Uwe

[alsterfan]

Guten abend

You say that Yosemite sounds better than Mavericks, do you have any idea of the reason why?

 

Guten Abend Pol,

this is what I am asking myself for quite a while now. Being a non-developer I really have no ideas of what has been done under the hood compared with Mavericks. Maybe it is Yosemite itself or the new version (12.0.1) of iTunes alone. As I need iTunes for La Rosita plugin I could have used it with Mavericks to give it a listen for comparison. But I missed to do that, so it is no longer possible for me.

In the end I am wondering what people will say using Yosemite and a standalone player. Will the new OS X be the winner too?

 

Regards, Uwe

[Le Concombre Masqué]

there are so many more services in Y that, until an optimization script is available,I can't see how it could be as good as M

[alsterfan]

there are so many more services in Y that, until an optimization script is available,I can't see how it could be as good as M

 

Hi,

my ears are just "telling" me,

and you are right ("...until an optimization script is available...") as I have written above (#506) I am waiting for Damian´s support to improve the sound even more.

 

Regards, Uwe

[AnotherSpin]

there are so many more services in Y that, until an optimization script is available,I can't see how it could be as good as M

 

HQPlayer definitely sounds better with Y. Maybe it is somehow connected with this particular player peculiarities. By some reason its developer, Jussi, is asking NOT to apply any optimisation. I know the logic of those who support optimisation idea (less processes = less interference and resources dislocation), but... Sometimes the results are not quite logical. And our ears are not directed by our logic, or are they...?)

[alsterfan]

...And our ears are not directed by our logic, or are they...?)

 

Hi AnotherSpin,

Yes I agree with what I quoted from you. I remember the time well, when I tried to "optimize" Windows OS by the same way. You could never tell, when you got to the point where slimming down resulted in a degradation of sound. So far I seem not to have reached this point with Yosemite.

So for people interested in trying out what they can do to "optimize" Y here are my results so far:

Needing WiFi Finder, and iTunes I could deactivate without doing harm to my system:

 

Apple Spell

autofsd

CallHistoryPluginHelper

CallHistorySyncHelper

CloudKeychainProxy

com.apple.AmbientDisplayAgent

com.apple.Drivcom.apple.audioerHelper

com.apple.BKAgentService

com.apple.dock.extra

com.apple.iCloudHelper

firmwaresyncd

networkd

networkd_privileged

sharingd

SocialPushAgent

softwareupdate_firstrun_tasks

softwareupdated

UserEventAgent

 

I could not do so with:

bird (stopping Finder to work)

com.apple.code signing helper (iTunes cannot start any more)

 

By doing so running services have gone down to 96.

I leave it up to you to find out if an improvement in sound can be heard or not.

 

Regards, Uwe

[alsterfan]

Two services that are standing in between these groups are spin_dump and usernoted.

For me it was not wise to deactivate these services as both of them and each alone slow(s) down the time to start iTunes. iTunes is just not as responsive as it was before.

 

Regards, Uwe

[Le Concombre Masqué]

following the [h=1]Thread: OSX Optimisation from scratch (thank you Paul J !)[/h]

I'm down to 64 processes, some 46, when I went from say 77 to 74, notably killing 2 usb related processes I was very happy. Then I killed 10 more. is it my mood my physiology today, the power supply ? I did not have the greatest listening session thereafter. So, OK, is cutting ubiquitously positive ? Provided I did not kill processes that would trigger backlash, that there's no increase in cpu usage that would show something is wrong, it should be. Maybe I'm just anxious. Or stunned by what I heard. I did not enjoy greatly but sure discovered many things in the high register, including while listening to dsotm ! I most probably have an objectively more transparent system but was not so happy at the time I first listened to it.

 

bottom line : maybe you should reconsider the effect of cutting processes ; as far as I'm concerned I don't think I will reload the processes but rather accept what I hear, maybe not as sweet, maybe paradoxically frustrating for getting closer to live music and reminding me that, while it helps me getting more 3D, I had a terrific room a few years ago

[alsterfan]

...I'm down to 64 processes, some 46, when I went from say 77 to 74, notably killing 2 usb related processes I was very happy. Then I killed 10 more...

 

Hi Le Concombre Masqué,

 

please let me know (a screenshot would do) which services you could kill without doing harm (I need WiFi, bluetooth and iTunes) to get them down to 64.

 

Regards, Uwe

[Le Concombre Masqué]

please have a look at the afore mentioned thread

 

 

there are some more such as pacemaker that here are my saved command lines :

 

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.firmwaresyncd.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.usbmuxd.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.usbd.plist 2>/dev/null

 

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.notificationcenterui.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.systemstatsd.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.sleepservicesd.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.tccd.system.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.softwareupdated.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.afpfs_checkafp.plist 2>/dev/null

sudo launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.softwareupdate_firstrun_tasks.plist 2>/dev/null

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.EscrowSecurityAlert.plist 2>/dev/null

Hi Le Concombre Masqué,

 

please let me know (a screenshot would do) which services you could kill without doing harm (I need WiFi, bluetooth and iTunes) to get them down to 64.

 

Regards, Uwe

[alsterfan]

please have a look at the afore mentioned thread

 

Hi Le Concombre Masqué,

 

Thank you. You can imagine, curious that I am, I have had a look at the other thread. But pj´s proposals refer to Mavericks, and I have noticed that with Yosemite you should not kill all those services mentioned for Mavericks. So I took some cautious steps and have come down to 84 services by now.

 

Regards, Uwe

[Le Concombre Masqué]

you're welcome ! how does it sounds ? regards

Hi Le Concombre Masqué,

 

Thank you. You can imagine, curious that I am, I have had a look at the other thread. But pj´s proposals refer to Mavericks, and I have noticed that with Yosemite you should not kill all those services mentioned for Mavericks. So I took some cautious steps and have come down to 84 services by now.

 

Regards, Uwe

[alsterfan]

you're welcome ! how does it sounds ? regards

 

I can easily discern more details, it is nearer to live music with the musical flow leaving me feel more at ease.

That is why I am keen to know what else I can do concerning services.

Btw: I Icould deactivate pkd

but had to keep away from ctkd, amfid and ctkd causing iTunes not to start any more.

 

Regards, Uwe

[Pol]

here is my contribution to this subject.

 

 

I have a i7 mini with4GB of Ram since 2013. Mavericks and A+ 1.5.xx player.

When guaranty period expired, I started to“optimize” my i7.

At that time I had aTotalDac A1 converter (the first one from 2010) instead of my Current TotaldacD1 valve.

I purchased anExternal PS from Clone Audio. The result was great. Better bass, less harshness…. All that you can expect from a good PS.

3 months ago theTotaldac D1valve arrived at home. This DAC is great, surely one of the best available. But at home sound was poor. Good, but not lively, not exploding with the Music. The source, my MacMini source was not at the level of the DAC. I had to do something. That’s what I did.

Now, after some optimization I will describe below, I consider I have a really high end source. Able to feed my Totaldac D1 valve.

 

I finally did 5different optimizations, but the n°1,n°3 & n°5 are a league beyond:

1- External PS: aclone Audio supply replaced the Appleone. It’s a real must do. Prior to do anything, it’s mandatory to change for areal power supply. Bass responsiveness,density, tones, power, less harshness. You start to be hooked.

2- A SSD replaced the hard disk. It’s good, but not as good as mod n°3. Just faster and a reduction of harshness. But in the end for audio only, to use only SSD has a not so good value for money.

3- Remove all disks from mother board and boot from SD card. One of my favorite. If you try this mod. Impossible to come back.you will forget your SSD in a second. In comparison, with the external PS & the boot from SD card, you do not lift a veil, you remove curtains.

4- Open Terminal and remove all the unnecessary scripts. (time machine, spotlight, softupdates…. Turn off wifi…). This optimization using CAD scripts is a bonus, a good bonus.

5- Use the MMK fan kit from UptoneAudio. It’s another Curtain killer. Easy to install. 100% reversible. A big thanks to Superdad. Really great mod.

 

WhenI bought my mini as dedicated audio source, my friends were laughting at me. A Mac? for Audio? you should go for a Cubox, a Sotm, a Linn DS, a Naim…. Any of these “fashion” streamers but not for a Mac.

Today,they are drooling, envying my system.

One negative point now:

When music starts playing, after few seconds, notes catch your attention, it hooks you. you stop what you are doing and listen the the Music. Music, with bigM.

 

Pol

[Freann]

Having done the above, I can add three thinks to Pols list:

 

 

1. Headless with monitor emulation

2. LAN filter

3. “External Wifi”

 

 

1. This but on a standard Display port-to-vga adapter:

The 30 Second Dummy Plug

 

 

2. The LAN filter is an Acoustic Revive RLI-1. In my opinion an absolute must. In my setup a much bigger difference than a new USB cable (NordOst Blue Heaven –> Wireworld Platinum Starlight)

 

 

3. The “external wifi” is an older Airport Extreme powered by my JS-2 power supply and configured to be an extension to the existing wifi network. I still use the LAN filter between the mini and the AE.

 

 

With these three tricks my mini has no galvanic connection to anything except the JS-2. Music is stored on a HD connected to the regular Airport Extreme. With HQPLayer my setup now sounds like a million bucks. Unbelievable.

[Superdad]

Francois-Paul and Fredrik:

So glad that you are both enjoying my Linear Fan Controller Kit and LPS (well, Freann has both anyway).

 

I wanted to expand on something that Fredrik said about his Mac being galvanically isolated from the rest of his system (funny, galvanic isolation seems to be a hot topic this week--see some other threads).

 

One unique feature of our JS-2 supply that I often forget to mention is that the "ground" of its DC outputs are totally isolated from the chassis and AC ground.

 

For safety the chassis is grounded via the mains AC cord ground pin, but the PCBs and voltage regulators are insulated/isolated from the chassis. (Finding thermal pads that both isolate and perform well enough in mating the regs to the heatsinks was a BIG headache at the beginning; and I still have to hand cut and punch this expensive material for each TO-220 device).

 

I have never been a fan of allowing any of the grunge which travels on the household ground lines to enter my audio system, so I "float' all my personal gear (typically by disconnecting the ground wire in my power cord plugs)--but not what I sell. I also don't like each components' chassis grounds to "see" each other (e.g. even if your power strip does not have a ground connection to the wall, each grounded 3-prong component will be connected to the others on the same power strip unless you take measures). That is where typical "ground loops" and hum comes from since the chassis are also connected to one another via interconnect cables.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to point out this hidden feature of the JS-2. Put your continuity checker/meter between the chassis of the JS-2 or mains wall ground and the shell of the DC cable coming out of it and you will not hear a beep. Try that with any other LPS and you will.

 

Freann: Thanks also for reminding me of the Acoustic Revive RLI-1. My playback is very dependent on the Ethernet cable direct between my two i7 Mac minis, so I am curious to try a LAN isolator.

 

Regards,

--Alec C.

[Freann]

The Acoustic Revive RLI-1 has one drawback: it’s only 100Mbit. The gain in SQ makes up the for loss of speed.

[Pol]

For the wifi, I use the thunderbolt to Ethernet connector and a netgear 2500 router.

The Rj45 slot is for the NAS.

I'm almost happy with the Vodka LAN cable. I have had for some weeks the Rj45 from Totaldac. 1kg sausage and 2 meters. Was finally not convenient despite sound quality evidence. I kept the audioquest. Your RLI-1 looks attractive. I'm going to investigate it.

Limitation to 100Mhz in the end should be an advantage for EMI.

 

Bis Bald

Pol