Bughead Emperor

[Nikhil]

Have been using BHE quite extensively this past week.

Not sure what to say but it definitely does something to the sound.

 

Depending on the filter - singers voices become more full or more recessed.

Sound of instruments also change subtly depending on the filter.

 

I can only assume that it's a very aggressive approach to sound playback in contrast to the minimal computing approach of some of the other players. The sheer range of filters available make this a tweekers dream. Definitely needs plenty of CPU juice in addition to RAM. So far I've been having good results with 16GB of RAM.

 

Would be very interested in sharing filter settings with others who are using BHE.

Currently my settings are,

 

Infinity Blade Snow3x8

sGalaxy

mmx+, Bug1, Kitty4

PCM

[MINORISUKE]

According to Mr. Yokota's personal Facebook, version 5.56 is the final. He wrote that the development of Bug Head had been completed.

JPLAY Forum is the most active for Bug Head discussions.

Another program "AllCoreAnyCures" included in the installer is effective to all the PC applications, not only for Windows but for MacOSX and Linux as well.

[Doak]

Spent quite a bit of time with JRiver, JPlay, Fidelizer, etc...

 

Must say it is SO nice to be away from it.

Opted out of it all with an Auralic Aries.

Listening to a LOT more music and being a lot LESS OC about all this stuff.

Hey if you love it, enjoy.

Just know, there are alternatives.

[Nikhil]

Another program "AllCoreAnyCures" included in the installer is effective to all the PC applications, not only for Windows but for MacOSX and Linux as well.

 

Thanks for the info on ACAC - as it is referred to on the other forums.

I will be trying it out later this evening.

 

What does the Rewrite program do? Is it some kind of pre-processor?

[shpongle]

hi nikhil

what i do:

open rewritedata:rewrite asio-driver+bughead

i use the same simd,like mmx,sse, avx,that i use later in bughead

i run allcoreanycures 2x

 

i open infinity blade_sq in normal mode:

i use blade 35+ avx+, hidden menue: stardust x4

 

load files in Player and hit play

now i have to wait 83 sec.before playback starts!(i5 or i7 will be faster)

but it's worth to wait...

shpongle

[Nikhil]

Thanks shpongle. Appreciate the information.

Have just started BHE with Rewrite Data and ACAP.

 

Should be an interesting listening session this evening.

[Nikhil]

Spent quite a bit of time with JRiver, JPlay, Fidelizer, etc...

 

Must say it is SO nice to be away from it.

Opted out of it all with an Auralic Aries.

Listening to a LOT more music and being a lot LESS OC about all this stuff.

Hey if you love it, enjoy.

Just know, there are alternatives.

 

 

Thanks Doak, but I actually enjoy this.

Will keep the Aries in mind when I do get tired of all this.

 

For now ... I'm enjoying rolling my own transport.

[ted_b]

Johnjc, thanks for linking your startup notes. BHE seems to be a very complex and non-intuitive product, and you guys in these BHE discussions have done an admirable job trying to decypher and translate. I see that your posting style is very informal, without punctuation. No offense, but when you revise your guide going forward, please use punctuation. I am a veteran of writing a few guides myself, and the number one mission is clarity (especially with such an non-intuitive product as BHE). Thx

[edn4x4]

I am waiting for Ted's guide to BHE - I can't believe you haven't delved into it. Once you try it - you will be hooked. I think once you get over the initial learning curve, it is quite basic the things you need to do prior to firing it up.

I used only JRemote/Jriver exclusively for over a year,tried HQ Player, but now I only use BHE via RD on my iPad to my CAPS V4 Pipeline running BHE 5.53/PL/AO and haven't looked back.

Seems like 5.56 is his final BHE release - get it while you can...

[Nikhil]

Updated to BHE 5.56

 

Last night I ran the ACAC script as prescribed - 3 times and then the "Repeat every 34 min" option.

After that I ran ReWrite Data first with Admin rights to ReWrite BHE itself.

Assuming that this is some sort of pre-processing step which optimizes playback.

 

Used ReWrite Data to ReWrite each album before playback.

 

There is something about this software that draws you into the music. I had Chie Ayado's album "Prayer" cued up in Infinity Blade player this time. I went with the "Normal" default settings that came with the updated BHE 5.56. I will be lieing if I said I wasn't startled by the sheer presence of her voice.

 

Will save everyone the usual audiophile cliches but this is one heck of player. The fact that it is free is just incredible because it will mop the floor with anything but the best out there. If you are looking for great sound - you must try BHE.

[wisnon]

I have seen the promised Land. BE is it! LoL

 

YES, for real.

[YashN]

Thanks for the info on ACAC - as it is referred to on the other forums.

I will be trying it out later this evening.

 

What does the Rewrite program do? Is it some kind of pre-processor?

 

Rewrite data does a copy of whatever file you run it onto.

[Nikhil]

Rewrite data does a copy of whatever file you run it onto.

 

Thanks YashN. I did manage to find a very nice write up on BHE at Grizzlyaudio which is recommended reading for anyone looking to know a little more on the software. In a nutshell, "rewrite de-fragments music files on your computer to reduce jitter issues and improve playback quality, prior to files loading into memory for playback."

 

grizzlyaudio: BugHead Infinity blade SQ - The digital monster sound player

[4est]

Thank you for the link!

Thanks YashN. I did manage to find a very nice write up on BHE at Grizzlyaudio which is recommended reading for anyone looking to know a little more on the software. In a nutshell, "rewrite de-fragments music files on your computer to reduce jitter issues and improve playback quality, prior to files loading into memory for playback."

 

grizzlyaudio: BugHead Infinity blade SQ - The digital monster sound player

[EuroDriver]

The Sound Galleries team has been extensively experimenting with BHE Infinity blade.

 

This comment from Grizzlyaudio is pretty much inline with our experiences so far

 

Personally I believe this compression and "audio trickery" can be heard when compared to traditional players such as playpcmwin, foobar, MQn etc..... as small background effects and details are clearly more enhanced and prevalent.

Whether this is your cup of tee is a personal choice?! at the end of the day you can argue the original mixing engineer intended the sound to be heard differently...... but subjective preferences will always prevail.

 

With a lower electrical noise floor audio PC, the processing becomes more apparent.

 

However a great effort by Yokatasan, for which he get's our respect and congratulations.

 

For sure, he has bought sonic joy and magic to thousands of computer music fans worldwide. How many of us can say that ?

[gldgate]

After listening almost daily to BHIB for about 8 months I agree that Yokatasan seems to be taking a more activist approach to sound tuning than the other players I am familiar with (HQplayer, Jriver, Jplay mini). It's almost a SET tube like presentation compared to Solid State. I can see those who philosophically would be opposed to such an approach. However, from a pure listening standpoint I can't deny that I am more emotionally involved with music with BH than the other players which seem a bit too polite in comparison. The developer also has posted his source code so those techies who are interested should be able to see what he is doing. Finally, the price (free) is right. I would encourage folks to check it out if nothing more than as an interesting alternate player to the usual suspects.

[sbgk]

After listening almost daily to BHIB for about 8 months I agree that Yokatasan seems to be taking a more activist approach to sound tuning than the other players I am familiar with (HQplayer, Jriver, Jplay mini). It's almost a SET tube like presentation compared to Solid State. I can see those who philosophically would be opposed to such an approach. However, from a pure listening standpoint I can't deny that I am more emotionally involved with music with BH than the other players which seem a bit too polite in comparison. The developer also has posted his source code so those techies who are interested should be able to see what he is doing. Finally, the price (free) is right. I would encourage folks to check it out if nothing more than as an interesting alternate player to the usual suspects.

 

the price (free) is not right, you've used it for entertainment daily for 8 months and you think it's not worth anything in exchange ?

[zerung]

the price (free) is not right, you've used it for entertainment daily for 8 months and you think it's not worth anything in exchange ?

 

I know what you are saying sbgk, I agree too. However I dont think Gldgate quite means that?

 

What is rather interesting and fateful is that the expensive audiophile software company we all know and use, will now provide their version of the BHE, perhaps never extend even a semblance of gratitude or monetary recompense to BHE.

[ted_b]

 

What is rather interesting and fateful is that the expensive audiophile software company we all know and use, will now provide their version of the BHE, perhaps never extend even a semblance of gratitude or monetary recompense to BHE.

 

Huh?

[wisnon]

Huh?

 

I think he means the Blue "J's". LoL

 

No idea where that info comes from.

[ted_b]

I think he means the Blue "J's". LoL

 

No idea where that info comes from.

 

What are blue J's (and I had no idea we all know and use them)?

 

Norman, so you tried BHE and like it? I have a small issue in that my Windows music room environment has two pcs; one has a Mellanox PCie fiber card, the other has a JCAT USB board (NAA machine) so I currently can't figure out how BHE would play in that scenario. The machine with the good JCAT card is measly and BHE would eat it for breakfast. My i7 machine (HQP client) has no great USB capability other than mobo USB (although I still have the unopened SOtM TX-usbHubEX external USB hub which I haven't tried cuz I'm too far behind and told SOtM I'd return it so someone else could review it).

[Foggie]

It's interesting in how this is such a moving target. There are a lot of great "methods" one can use on a CA platform to get great results, regardless if its WIN or OS X.

 

It seems that between the latest A+ and HQ player, they are pretty much the top shelf at this point for the specific functionality they offer - "generally" speaking and not to take away from many of the great alternatives available.

 

BH isn't new per se, but has really created a lot of attention as of late and adds yet another app for sonic nirvana (well at least for the Win crowd). Gotta wonder if the leapfrogging will continue or settle down a bit.

[wisnon]

What are blue J's (and I had no idea we all know and use them)?

 

Norman, so you tried BHE and like it? I have a small issue in that my Windows music room environment has two pcs; one has a Mellanox PCie fiber card, the other has a JCAT USB board (NAA machine) so I currently can't figure out how BHE would play in that scenario. The machine with the good JCAT card is measly and BHE would eat it for breakfast. My i7 machine (HQP client) has no great USB capability other than mobo USB (although I still have the unopened SOtM TX-usbHubEX external USB hub which I haven't tried cuz I'm too far behind and told SOtM I'd return it so someone else could review it).

 

I had a demo, so didnt have to do anything. It was at the Lampi demo room when I was in warsaw last weekend for the AV Show (see my vignettes being published at PT Audiophile site).

 

Lampi demo room setup was with Taras 100wpc SS Integrated amp, SE GG Dac, Lampi DSD Komputer (CAPs style server) running Win12 in AO Core Mode. Lampi high efficiency DIY (half) open baffle speakers with proprietary X-over, RAAL tweeters and Tesla 15" Bass drivers. JRiver upsampling of PCM to DSD256 feeding BHE at that rate.

 

In the commercial Komputer setup, it will take 3 clicks to enable this playback routine, I am told.

 

Also, Lukasz says that the same great performance results from either computer file PCM (which I heard) or RBCD disk spinning on a player connected to the Komputer.

[gldgate]

the price (free) is not right, you've used it for entertainment daily for 8 months and you think it's not worth anything in exchange ?

 

Many of us on the Jplay forum have sent the developer Amazon gift certificates in appreciation. If you must know I sent Yokatasan the equivalent of $100 in Japanese Yen. The fact is the developer has decided for whatever reason not to monetize his player up to this point. Now that he has clamed his player "finished" from a development standpoint he may decide to license it. If he does, I will gladly purchase.

 

We've actually gone off point. What I was trying to state (perhaps poorly) was individuals can try out Bug Head without any up front investment. If they like what they hear they can of course send Yokatasan a gift at their discretion.

[Nikhil]

Bughead v 6.03 released along with "All core any cures 4.7" and "Rewrite data 1.57"

 

Bug head

 

Running it as is and initial impressions are good.