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Shootout at the Linux Corral: AudioLinux vs Euphony


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2 hours ago, kravi4ka said:

Hi Bob,

 

I expressed interest in the other thread, I would be very interested in your results as I just managed to buy one of the few NUC7I7DNBE boards around :) So I need to decide what OS to go for, it is not about savings,it's more about not being able to perform that comparison myself as I am totally Linux illiterate...

 

Euphony looks like everything I need except that for the price it should be actually fool proof for someone like me. But if it sounds at least as good as the Audiolinux and it works with ROON and HQplayer then it might be worth it.

 

Looking forward to your first impressions, thanks so much for all the hard work and most of all for sharing, appreciated!

My Pinkfaun streamer runs onAudiolinux, with Roonas the music management system and  player, with HQembedded.

So noreason to lok at another Linux OS.

 

I have bought this as a complete solution/package,and and I am extremely delighted with this combo, delivering a high quality music system.

Without all the hassles of Windows.

 

I am not playing  with Linux as an OS at all - just moved away from Windows not to be bothered with computer OS.

I can appreciate the freedom of Linux to build in fact one’s own OS, but I wonder why there is so much ‘competition’ in this market.

Why are the people active in this area not work together (which is the aim of open source software) to come up with a joined ultimate ‘Audio OS’ ?

 

Dirk

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Dirk,

 

You hit one of the nails right on the head here.  You have found what you wanted. There are many systems out there that provide some of the same benefits you have opted for.  Really the underlying OS is not relevant if the system designer does their job right. You have a commercial product with support that "just works"

 

 I am really happy that we have AL and the like to help make our systems sound better.  Great research and work going on here.

 

I love to tinker or play around with this stuff.  I enjoy it.  It is a journey for me.  

 

I believe that "open source" thinking might not be the goals for some folks.  Pinkfaun system is there to make them money!.  I cannot say what motivates others. Some of us need income to live!

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, bobfa said:

I have found a vendor that will build semi-custom fan-less NUC machines for me using that board.  I hope that it will work out.  There seems to be demand.  

 

I will report on progress on the shootout.  It will take a bit.

 

 

I just received the Akasa case for the build you described earlier but would be interested in that as well. Let me know when you have more info.

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So, Euphony Stylus is for single pc "server" only?

Meitner ma1 v2 dac,  Sovereign preamp and power amp,

DIY speakers, scan speak illuminator.

Raal Requisite VM-1a -> SR-1a with Accurate Sound convolution.

Under development:

NUC7i7dnbe, Euphony Stylus, Qobuz.

Modded Buffalo-fiber-EtherRegen, DC3- Isoregen, Lush^2

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Ah it's an OS like AL but if you have a dual pc setup it's two times 289 dollar. Or if it sounds better you can only do the renderer and the server on Al.

Meitner ma1 v2 dac,  Sovereign preamp and power amp,

DIY speakers, scan speak illuminator.

Raal Requisite VM-1a -> SR-1a with Accurate Sound convolution.

Under development:

NUC7i7dnbe, Euphony Stylus, Qobuz.

Modded Buffalo-fiber-EtherRegen, DC3- Isoregen, Lush^2

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hi bob

I noticed that you're enjoying Euphony more than AL, though I think AL sounds quite good too.

 

For Euphony with NUC, I read that it needs a HD/ SSD to run it. Is that true? Can it be like AL to run it all on ram and have the NUC discLESS?

 

Otherwise, I need to buy a M2 SSD to try it, which I don't want to if possible.

 

Thanks! and enjoy the sound!

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3 hours ago, bobfa said:

I do not have all the answers yet.  I would think that from an endpoint you would not need an SSD.  For a server, you need something.  I am running the server right now on a USB stick and a HD for music.  Much more to do.

I'd be curious if the media drives can be USB3 connected. That should allow most external storage options.  Not too keen on abandoning Roons database/Qobuz integration capabilities but comparisons of AL and Euphony as Roon core and/or endpoint sounds intriguing.

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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31 minutes ago, davide256 said:

I'd be curious if the media drives can be USB3 connected. That should allow most external storage options.  Not too keen on abandoning Roons database/Qobuz integration capabilities but comparisons of AL and Euphony as Roon core and/or endpoint sounds intriguing.

Yes I am on USB 3 port for my music drive.

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1) Per Euphony's support site, you have to have a dedicated HD/SSD for OS install... will win no fans on the endpoint side

2) there is no statement of minimum hardware requirements

 

so this doesn't appear launch ready "for prime time" yet

 

will give it a whirl as server on NUC7PJYH/8gb RAM with an SSD installed and USB3 attached storage media.... if it runs on that, then HW

limits shouldn't be a concern.

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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2 hours ago, davide256 said:

1) Per Euphony's support site, you have to have a dedicated HD/SSD for OS install... will win no fans on the endpoint side

2) there is no statement of minimum hardware requirements

 

so this doesn't appear launch ready "for prime time" yet

 

will give it a whirl as server on NUC7PJYH/8gb RAM with an SSD installed and USB3 attached storage media.... if it runs on that, then HW

limits shouldn't be a concern.

Sigh... doesn't look like I can get into NUC BIOS until I get a wired vs wireless keyboard... fast boot is enabled so wireless keyboard F2 doesn't work

and holding the power key for 3 seconds doesn't give the BIOS shell either.

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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2 hours ago, davide256 said:

1) Per Euphony's support site, you have to have a dedicated HD/SSD for OS install... will win no fans on the endpoint side

2) there is no statement of minimum hardware requirements

 

so this doesn't appear launch ready "for prime time" yet

 

will give it a whirl as server on NUC7PJYH/8gb RAM with an SSD installed and USB3 attached storage media.... if it runs on that, then HW

limits shouldn't be a concern.

Let me come to their defense a little bit with and admission that my own small business is far from perfect from communications with customers.  I think that their primary product is the server side of things.  They sell servers in different parts of the world and sell SSDs with the OS installed.  I find it very hard to get the end user docs right let alone define who the end user is.

 

They have a tech support site that you can submit tickets on and they have been very responsive.  The documentation is a little weak on the website and the FAQ is “thin”. I have submitted tickets and they have responded rather quickly.  

 

It is my understanding that you can finish an install on an endpoint type device.  I am running it off of USB sticks in trial mode (Stylus Server).  I have not tried Roon or any of the other options as of yet.

 

I am testing the server / player software between my NUC/Xeon.  I am not ready to say much more about this yet as A/B takes 10 minutes because I only have one power supply and storage drive.

 

I am about ready to commit to purchasing at least one license.  

 

This may not be the most “tinker-able” OS to play with.  I will say that I made a USB stick, booted up and had a music server system up and running with no issues.

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1 minute ago, davide256 said:

Sigh... doesn't look like I can get into NUC BIOS until I get a wired vs wireless keyboard... fast boot is enabled so wireless keyboard F2 doesn't work

and holding the power key for 3 seconds doesn't give the BIOS shell either.

I keep a display, keyboard and mouse I the cabinet with the stereo....  I hate this stuff.  I have no wireless in my hardware.

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I bought a Euphony Audio PTS (i3 8 GB ram linux-based server) from the company and have been using Euphony for a year and I really like it. I think the Euphony Stylus-based music app sounds great but is a bit pokey. Euphony works perfectly fine with HQPlayer and Roon. 

 

Arthur, their USA rep, is very responsive to questions and getting bug reports to the engineering group. He's great. His email is: [email protected].

 

Euphony regularly updates their software with additional features and better audio quality (v3 just came out and sounds fantastic). It blows away Auralic's products (the last generation... haven't heard the latest models).

 

I'm very pleased with Euphony overall.

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1 hour ago, dc-audiogeek said:

I bought a Euphony Audio PTS (i3 8 GB ram linux-based server) from the company and have been using Euphony for a year and I really like it. I think the Euphony Stylus-based music app sounds great but is a bit pokey. Euphony works perfectly fine with HQPlayer and Roon. 

 

Arthur, their USA rep, is very responsive to questions and getting bug reports to the engineering group. He's great. His email is: [email protected].

 

Euphony regularly updates their software with additional features and better audio quality (v3 just came out and sounds fantastic). It blows away Auralic's products (the last generation... haven't heard the latest models).

 

I'm very pleased with Euphony overall.

That sounds great.  I have been playing with the Stylus server and it sounds great.  The UI is "different again"!  I am used to using Roon which I cannot test till I send them money!

 

What are you using on a regular basis and how is your system configured?

 

Thanks for helping!

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6 hours ago, davide256 said:

Sigh... doesn't look like I can get into NUC BIOS until I get a wired vs wireless keyboard... fast boot is enabled so wireless keyboard F2 doesn't work

and holding the power key for 3 seconds doesn't give the BIOS shell either.

 

Hi, I fear you will have to reset the BIOS by clearing the CMOS. I had to do the same a couple of months ago. I thought that activating fast boot is a good thing. Maybe it is as long as you don' t need to enter the BIOS. 🙂

 

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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4 hours ago, bobfa said:

That sounds great.  I have been playing with the Stylus server and it sounds great.  The UI is "different again"!  I am used to using Roon which I cannot test till I send them money!

 

Hi Bob, thank you very much for this thread. I downloaded Euphony last night and was testing Roon core with HQPlayer embedded. I must say I liked what I heard but it seems my USB stick is not made for this kind of continuous operation. I still want to give Euphony a try as endpoint for Roon and HQPlayer.

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon or Stylus) --> Euphony EP (NUC7CJYH: Roon Bridge or NAA or StylusEP) --> Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (I2S) -->

Euphony (NUC7DNKE: Roon) --> WS 2019 Core (i7-8700: HQPlayer, JPLAY Femto, Roon Bridge, MinorityClean) / Matrix Audio Element H --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (USB) --> B & M Prime 6

Synology DS 112+ (LMS) --> pi3B+/HifiBerry Digi + Pro (PiCorePlayer) --> Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) (SPDIF) -->  

bedroom: pi3/DigiOne (RoPieee) --> S.M.S.L M500 --> KRK Rokit 5 or AKG 712 Pro

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Do you know if I can connect the Euphony server to my NAS music folder instead of a USB or internal storage drive? 

Qobuz - HQPlayer(d) 5 - M1 Mini - RPI 5 8gb - Nuc i7 - Signature Silver DC - Keces P3 PS - Lush USB - Holo Spring Dac - SRC-DX - Chord Mojo2 - Bottlehead Crack Upgraded w/ GEC or Tung-Sol 6as7/vt231 - Triode Wire Labs AC - HD-650 - GR Research V2 - Dennis Murphy Pioneer BS22 - B&W 602 S2 - Apple Music Spatial 7.1.4

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