A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[auricgoldfinger]

26 minutes ago, Bricki said:

Thanks for sharing your impressions?...Is your nuc the nuc7cjyh in the akasa case? 

 

I have the NUC7PJYH with 4 GB memory and Akasa Newton JC fanless case.

[lmitche]

1 hour ago, seeteeyou said:

 

Hi @[email protected],

 

Will your upcoming product be prone to such purported issues?

 

https://dxpw.r.com

 

CTU,

 

I own both Michael's and Alexeys LT3045 based regulators. I like them all. What I own are regulators not power supplies. Are new AC to DC power supplies available from these manufacturers?

 

I haven't tried powering a NUC with an lps based on one of these regulators,  but I suspect that will work well if the current demands of the NUC are well matched.

 

As the UpTone lps1.2 has no active connection to it's energizing supply, its like a battery and cannot act as one leg of a ground loop. That was my only point.

 

If a device like a NUC is powered with a supply using a regulator from Michael or Alexey, it could serve as one leg of a ground loop depending on if that source is galvanically isolated or not.

 

What I wrote was that "You lose galvanic isolation and potentially gain a ground loop with the the Mpaudio solution". That isn't clear. You could lose galvanic isolation and potentially gain a ground  loop based on the isolation properties of the power source feeding these regulators.

 

My apologies for any confusion.

 

Larry

 

[austinpop]

On 11/18/2018 at 10:52 AM, austinpop said:

... made a renewed effort to get LMS and Squeezelite running under AL. The motivation was to get Qobuz on AL, but it would allow me to compare Roon player with squeezelite....

 

I finally got this working. Many thanks to Piero @hifi25nl, who gave me suggestions via email, and @bibo01, who posted the problem on an Italian forum for ideas.

 

In the end, it was needing some options on the squeezelite command line. I poked around the Zenith logs, and found the command line the internal player was using. Duplicating that and - voilá!

 

When I get some listening time, I'll compare to see if the generic squeezelite player with LMS sounds any better/different than Roon.

[Bricki]

6 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

I have the NUC7PJYH with 4 GB memory and Akasa Newton JC fanless case.

OK thanks. I wish I had bought the pentium instead now (higher core count)... I held back because I wasn't sure if the lps1.2 would work with the pentium...good to know it works... And extreme mode is obviously fine in the akasa case with pentium and lps1.2?? 

[auricgoldfinger]

1 minute ago, Bricki said:

OK thanks. I wish I had bought the pentium instead now (higher core count)... I held back because I wasn't sure if the lps1.2 would work with the pentium...good to know it works... And extreme mode is obviously fine in the akasa case with pentium and lps1.2?? 

 

If you have a mouse and keyboard attached (for changing settings, etc.), then the LPS-1.2 doesn't work.  Otherwise, it normally takes me 3-4 attempts to get the NUC to boot and stabilize with the LPS-1.2, but once it gets going, the NUC is very stable.  So far, it has only stopped running if I power it down.

[Bricki]

37 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

If you have a mouse and keyboard attached (for changing settings, etc.), then the LPS-1.2 doesn't work.  Otherwise, it normally takes me 3-4 attempts to get the NUC to boot and stabilize with the LPS-1.2, but once it gets going, the NUC is very stable.  So far, it has only stopped running if I power it down.

OK. Good info, thanks ??

[Johnseye]

I asked Jussi @Miska to add ramroot to his bootable HQPlayer NAA and he quickly put it in his build.

 

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/naa/images/

naa-3552-x64.7z 

I like what I'm hearing.  I've only listened to a couple songs at first listen it's similar if not the same as what I hear with Audiolinux headless running HQPlayer NAA.

[Middy]

Just got an interesting result. 

Still have some usb filters in series out the NUC for fun. Iso regen/ lps1. Ipurifier i silencer intona. 

In this chain it improves some detail dampens others. Filter over load..

For fun i took off my i defender off my pc (ground loop killer) put it first in the chain and fed a battery pack into the side port. 

Kills NUC 5V out

Feeds filtering line/ repackaging intona

This feeds 7v lps1 into iso regen =Qutest 

Everything perked back up. Sound stage wider / sharper

 

Not suggesting run out and start shopping, i got some of these as part off cornans experiment thread to test stuff.

Its lying around.

 

Premise of this is feed filters/ reclocking with non NUC PC 5V ie battery input-

Filter +  reclock- filter  for final Iso regen lps1.

Everthing has opened up with clean 5v feeder chain to the iso regen. 

If you still have old bits give it a go to see if it helps your chain. 

In my case a lot of redundant kit to give the iso the best chance possible. 

If you have old lipo packs intona ifi or what ever you spend your hard cash on.

 

Something to play with until Austinpop gets his NUC. 

All covered before but new to me in this configuration. I know little...just trying things..

Dave

 

Ie

 

https://ifi-audio.com/ 

Phone battery pack

https://www.audiostream.com/content/intona-technology-usb-20-high-speed-isolator

 

+  the ubiquitous  

https://uptoneaudio.com/products/iso-regen

 

 

 

 

 

 

[greenleo]

45 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

I have the NUC7PJYH with 4 GB memory and Akasa Newton JC fanless case.

Where do you get the JC?  Please provide links if possible.

[austinpop]

14 minutes ago, Johnseye said:

I asked Jussi @Miska to add ramroot to his bootable HQPlayer NAA and he quickly put it in his build.

 

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/naa/images/

naa-3552-x64.7z 

I like what I'm hearing.  I've only listened to a couple songs at first listen it's similar if not the same as what I hear with Audiolinux headless running HQPlayer NAA.

 

This is great new data, that helps figure out what the key mechanisms are. Clearly ramroot helps, no matter the distro.

 

Piero was going to add some more info here on what other special sauce is in AL. Best I can tell, it's the rtirq and rtapp services to tune IRQ and application priorities. These work in conjunction with modes like BFQ and Extreme. Other than that, there's also prepackaging of drivers for a bunch of DACs, audio services, etc.

 

But yeah, there's no magic here. Priority tuning etc. is after all what Audiophile Optimizer, Process Lasso, and Fidelizer do on WIndoze.

[auricgoldfinger]

28 minutes ago, greenleo said:

Where do you get the JC?  Please provide links if possible.

 

You'd have to ask @lmitche since he built the NUC for me.

[lmitche]

7 minutes ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

You'd have to ask @lmitche since he built the NUC for me.

I buy them wherever I can find them, which in the US is nowhere at the moment. There are some available for order from European suppliers on Amazon.

[greenleo]

My NUC is coming and I have an LPS-1.2 and I need a DC cable between them.

 

Anybody may advise me the dimension of the DC plugs needed for the  LPS and the NUC7CJYH?

[rickca]

2 hours ago, auricgoldfinger said:

 

If you have a mouse and keyboard attached (for changing settings, etc.), then the LPS-1.2 doesn't work.  Otherwise, it normally takes me 3-4 attempts to get the NUC to boot and stabilize with the LPS-1.2, but once it gets going, the NUC is very stable.  So far, it has only stopped running if I power it down.

Why does it take 3-4 attempts?  Is the 1.1A from the LPS-1.2 just barely enough juice?

[Bricki]

25 minutes ago, greenleo said:

My NUC is coming and I have an LPS-1.2 and I need a DC cable between them.

 

Anybody may advise me the dimension of the DC plugs needed for the  LPS and the NUC7CJYH?

I think it's a 2.1mm on the lps1.2 output and 2.5mm on the nuc input 

[Bricki]

@lmitche

Larry 

 

Have you noticed a difference in sq between the NUC7CJYH and the NUC7PJYH? If so, how big is the difference? 

Thanks ?

Brendan 

[auricgoldfinger]

8 minutes ago, rickca said:

Why does it take 3-4 attempts?  Is the 1.1A from the LPS-1.2 just barely enough juice?

 

I assume that's the reason. 

[lmitche]

54 minutes ago, Bricki said:

@lmitche

Larry 

 

Have you noticed a difference in sq between the NUC7CJYH and the NUC7PJYH? If so, how big is the difference? 

Thanks ?

Brendan 

The quad core sounds a bit more resolving in the mids to me. I enjoyed listening to this machine and felt sad to see it go!

[Superdad]

56 minutes ago, rickca said:

Why does it take 3-4 attempts?  Is the 1.1A from the LPS-1.2 just barely enough juice?

 

Well I have the LarryNUC ()--with 8GB of RAM I think--and for mine it does not take multiple attempts to boot with UltraCap LPS-1.2.  In fact, I am able to boot with a wired Apple USB keyboard and an HDMI monitor attached--though I did disconnect them before starting playback.  Larry set mine up to come up as an NAA (no Roon for me yet).

 

I have not yet put my ammeter in-line to check actual current draw, but I've gotten pretty good at judging that by LPS-1.2 case temp (after hours in a give state.   At idle I think this NUC is drawing less than 0.5A because the LPS-1.2 case stays at the cool-to-very-mildly-warm temp indicative of its low-charge-current-mode (less than 0.5A load).  I was running a playlist on repeat (again as a NUC) last night and this morning the LPS-1.2 case temp has me guessing 0.75-0.8A playing as NAA.

 

When I have a chance I'll measure start-up load and load in other modes.  Having trouble booting with a keyboard or other devices is likely just an indication that the machine draws 0.8~0.9 during boot and that whatever extra loads are attached--thumb drive, keyboard, etc. are enough to go over a typical LPS-1.2's 1.14~1.18A trip threshold.

 

Oh, and we can not forget that whatever load the attached USB DAC or cleaner presents gets added continuously.  In my case it is an ISO REGEN, which adds 20mA (0.02A) 5VBUS load.  BTW, ISO REGEN is fantastic with this NUC.  Anyone here with an AL/NUC who has not tried it in a while or who does not have an ISO REGEN is welcome to contact me for a loan.  I admit that I power mine with its own LPS-1.2 and use the wonderful JSSG360 Gotham cables that I got from Larry (those are really something!).

[austinpop]

4 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

Well I have the LarryNUC ()--with 8GB of RAM I think--and for mine it does not take multiple attempts to boot with UltraCap LPS-1.2.  In fact, I am able to boot with a wired Apple USB keyboard and an HDMI monitor attached--though I did disconnect them before starting playback.  Larry set mine up to come up as an NAA (no Roon for me yet).

 

I have not yet put my ammeter in-line to check actual current draw, but I've gotten pretty good at judging that by LPS-1.2 case temp (after hours in a give state.   At idle I think this NUC is drawing less than 0.5A because the LPS-1.2 case stays at the cool-to-very-mildly-warm temp indicative of its low-charge-current-mode (less than 0.5A load).  I was running a playlist on repeat (again as a NUC) last night and this morning the LPS-1.2 case temp has me guessing 0.75-0.8A playing as NAA.

 

When I have a chance I'll measure start-up load and load in other modes.  Having trouble booting with a keyboard or other devices is likely just an indication that the machine draws 0.8~0.9 during boot and that whatever extra loads are attached--thumb drive, keyboard, etc. are enough to go over a typical LPS-1.2's 1.14~1.18A trip threshold.

 

Oh, and we can not forget that whatever load the attached USB DAC or cleaner presents gets added continuously.  In my case it is an ISO REGEN, which adds 20mA (0.02A) 5VBUS load.  BTW, ISO REGEN is fantastic with this NUC.  Anyone here with an AL/NUC who has not tried it in a while or who does not have an ISO REGEN is welcome to contact me for a loan.  I admit that I power mine with its own LPS-1.2 and use the wonderful JSSG360 Gotham cables that I got from Larry (those are really something!).

 

So Alex, how does it sound? 

 

Compared to what it replaced?

[Superdad]

@lmitche So is my NUC (I think same as what is being spoken of) just a quad-core Pentium?  

If cores are the thing--even just for use as NAA or Roon endpoint--then I makes me wonder about the potential of Apple's new 2018 8-core mini.  I think someone here has booted AudioLinux on a Mac (I know Linux on a Mac is not difficult).  Rather pricey though.  And until we get one and sit down to figure out space and Apple's new mobo power connector, our Mac mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK) will not work with the 2018 minis. 

[Superdad]

16 minutes ago, austinpop said:

So Alex, how does it sound?

 

It sounds fantastic! 

 

Quote

Compared to what it replaced?

 

I have been so busy with work (partially thanks to you for making JS-2 sales skyrocket this fall ) that I just stuck the NUC into my system after several weeks of not listening at all.  I put it in on Sunday just to see if it would work right, because Larry was going to be available to assist and during a weekday would be impossible.  But the thing just worked right away and I have been grooving so much and getting used to it, that I have not unplugged it to put my old microRendu (V1.3) back in to compare (and I should warm that piece up to be fair).

So far the only comparing I have done is between the NUC powered by JS-2 versus UltraCap LPS-1.2.  And I was doing that on the first night before I was even used to the SQ in general.  So nothing definitive to state about that yet either.

 

I will say--and I told this to Larry the very first night--that this NUC makes much obvious things like HQ Player SRC filters and dither options.  And now I absolutely can not stand HQP PCM>DSD conversion.  For reference, folks should know I have a heavily modified Singxer SU-1 feeding I2S to a Holo Spring Level 3.  And for these sorts of tests I use really good acoustic recordings done in a real space, e.g. Louis Armstrong’s St. James Infirmary (from Satchmo Plays King Oliver), so lots of coronet dynamics, clarinet weaving, tall vocal and throat, piano, subtle cymbals.  Excellent for this sort of work. 

 

 

[lmitche]

21 minutes ago, Superdad said:

@lmitche So is my NUC (I think same as what is being spoken of) just a quad-core Pentium?  

If cores are the thing--even just for use as NAA or Roon endpoint--then I makes me wonder about the potential of Apple's new 2018 8-core mini.  I think someone here has booted AudioLinux on a Mac (I know Linux on a Mac is not difficult).  Rather pricey though.  And until we get one and sit down to figure out space and Apple's new mobo power connector, our Mac mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK) will not work with the 2018 minis. 

You have the dual core Celeron model.

[rickca]

1 minute ago, lmitche said:

You have the dual core Celeron model.

OK so that's why Alex has no problem booting with an LPS-1.2 I guess.

[lmitche]

26 minutes ago, Superdad said:

@lmitche So is my NUC (I think same as what is being spoken of) just a quad-core Pentium?  

If cores are the thing--even just for use as NAA or Roon endpoint--then I makes me wonder about the potential of Apple's new 2018 8-core mini.  I think someone here has booted AudioLinux on a Mac (I know Linux on a Mac is not difficult).  Rather pricey though.  And until we get one and sit down to figure out space and Apple's new mobo power connector, our Mac mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK) will not work with the 2018 minis. 

Alex, yours is a dual core Celeron model.