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A-Sky


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A-Sky

Clearsound club presents a new high-end audio player with support for PCM and DSD formats,

fast scanning of music libraries and traditionally exceptional sound quality.

 

Some distinctive features of the player:

– Automatic adjustment at every start

– Checking the connected audio interfaces

 Preparing data for playback

 Playback at one sampling rate

 Truly seamless playback

 Native executable code

 Kernel in assembler

 Correct priorities of the created processes

 The minimum number of processes

 Optimal route for data movement

 Output only through ASIO and WASAPI Exclusive

 Graphical interface without DirectX

 Refusal to use tags

 Super-fast scanning of music libraries

 

Automatic configuration every time you start.

 A unique feature, never seen in any other player.

Immediately after starting the player, the system is checked for compliance with the minimum requirements. If the conditions are not met, the player is closed.

Next comes the check if the DAC selected in the previous session is active and its parameters are compared with those saved earlier. If the DAC has a quick indication of modes, you can observe how the sample rates and pcm / dsd modes are tested. If the DAC is not active or its parameters have changed, a window is displayed with all the DACs available in the system, indicating the supported modes and sampling rates based on the test results for each of them.

After selecting the DAC, if provided, a window for setting various parameters of the player is displayed.

The next step is to configure the player in accordance with the system parameters and the selected DAC, including the reservation of certain memory areas, buffer sizes, priorities of the initiated processes, etc.

It is assumed that the OS is configured by default and no “optimization” programs are applied.

 

Preparing data for playback.

During playback, the read data is directed to a preliminary memory buffer. The double buffering method is used - when playing data from buffer 1, the next piece of data is written to buffer 2, then they are swapped. Since the data is in the dynamic random access memory for several cycles of its update, at this stage any possible interference and artifacts that arise when reading and transmitting data from the storage location to the main memory are completely eliminated. This means that neither the type of storage device (HDD, SSD, etc.), nor transmission lines (cables, wires, connectors, wireless links, etc.), nor intermediate devices (routers, switches, access points, etc.) cannot affect the sound in any way.

 

Native executable code.

The player's executable code is native to Windows. The player does not use DirectX, OpenGL, .NET Framework, etc. This ensures full compatibility with different versions of Windows, although it imposes some restrictions on the player's functionality, however, secondary, not related to high-quality playback of audio content.

The core of the player is written in assembly language. This allows you to fully determine and control the path of the audio stream through the intermediate buffers and the central processor. A similar approach is practiced when creating professional packages for working with audio content.

 

Super-fast scanning of music libraries

For scanning drives in order to create libraries, an original very light and fast algorithm is used. Scanning is performed only when the player is started and after opening it does not affect the sound in any way.

Another original feature of the formation of libraries is the sorting of albums in accordance with the structure of the catalogs on the disk.

 

Clearsound club

A-Sky download

 

a-sky.jpg

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1. The player always plays the file at the sampling rate. I meant that you can only open files with the same sample rate at the same time. Sampling rates from 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz are currently supported.

2. In the current version up to DSD512 - 22 579,2 kHz

3. If a network drive is mounted in the system and has a letter assigned to it

4. 150 Euro

5. The evaluation version works with ASIO, including in the Native DSD mode. There are also versions for DoP mode and only for PCM. The WASAPI Exlusive version is available on request. Linux in MacOS is not interesting to me.

6. Libraries are not limited in size. At one customer, the player easily and quickly scanned 4 HDD of 2 GB each. Roon on this library just froze. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
1 hour ago, One and a half said:

Had the opportunity to install A-Sky today and this screen popped up.

The computer had to be shutdown and the file removed in a protected environment away from Windows.  Would not restore.

Santa Maria, this install needs some communication with BitDefender, leave that to you @Alexander M.

 

image.thumb.png.e33f68c16744a0f6e1fc2ac8e81541e6.png

 

What an unexpected surprise.

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2 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

Just access to media file drive. I just clicked allow. Job done. 

 

This is not blocking, but normal permission prompts in modern OS, just like Android and iOS do too.

 

Like macOS asks whether you want allow application to accept incoming network connections, or access "microphone" (meaning in fact any audio input). For audio inputs on Windows too, you need to allow applications to access "microphone", even if it is line or digital input - slightly confusing at first. But these are sensible privacy controls.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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This is all pretty enigmatic. The website gives no information as to who wrote this. It gives no information as to why this would sound any better than any other software. It also does not mention DAC compatibility.

 

@Alexander M how are you affilitated ? Are you the developer behind this ?

 

When you say "The player does not use DirectX, OpenGL, .NET Framework, etc" - how does it work ?

 

When you say "Refusal to use tags" - you do display cover art so I assume that you do have an "album" concept. Can you describe it ? Is an album = 1 folder ?

 

Thanks

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2 minutes ago, hopkins said:

This is all pretty enigmatic. The website gives no information as to who wrote this. It gives no information as to why this would sound any better than any other software. It also does not mention DAC compatibility.

 

@Alexander M how are you affilitated ? Are you the developer behing this ?

Yes, I'm a developer. This is my hobby, not my livelihood :)

I agree, the site is uninformative, but beautiful, I hope.
I tried to write here why my players sound better, but I'm not a very good writer. And translation from Google :)

The players are compatible with any DAC that has the correct ASIO driver. There are also versions for WASAPI, including for DACs connected via the USB Audio class 2 protocol. 

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4 minutes ago, Alexander M said:

Yes, I'm a developer. This is my hobby, not my livelihood :)

I agree, the site is uninformative, but beautiful, I hope.
I tried to write here why my players sound better, but I'm not a very good writer. And translation from Google :)

The players are compatible with any DAC that has the correct ASIO driver. There are also versions for WASAPI, including for DACs connected via the USB Audio class 2 protocol. 

 

Thanks. I agree the site is very nice.

Can you explain the assumptions you are making when it comes to the organization of one's albums (folders,etc) ? 

Also, a small detail, but you state that no tags are used, however at the bottom of the screen you have the "genres" displayed.

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4 minutes ago, hopkins said:

 

Thanks. I agree the site is very nice.

Can you explain the assumptions you are making when it comes to the organization of one's albums (folders,etc) ? 

The player is accompanied by instructions in pdf format, which outlines the basic principles. Please read it. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer. 

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Alexander M, not to rain on this parade, but if you are the developer, and selling a product/service, please list it in your signature, as per AS guidelines.  It's one way we can clearly see any conflicts, interests and...by the way, a way to keep your product/service out there even in unrelated posts.  🙂

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4 minutes ago, Alexander M said:

The player is accompanied by instructions in pdf format, which outlines the basic principles. Please read it. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer. 

 

Thanks, I just did, and that answers my questions:

- genres corresponding to different folder locations

- 1 album = 1 folder

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16 minutes ago, ted_b said:

Alexander M, not to rain on this parade, but if you are the developer, and selling a product/service, please list it in your signature, as per AS guidelines.  It's one way we can clearly see any conflicts, interests and...by the way, a way to keep your product/service out there even in unrelated posts.  🙂

I'm a bad marketer, everyone tells me 🙂

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11 hours ago, Alexander M said:

You can tell the BitDefender to add A-Sky.exe to the list of trusted applications.

I thinking about no uPNP, RAAT (similar) protocols, Clearsound won't work for me with an Ethernet Renderer. Could only use on one local machine, considering the hoops to go through, not going to proceed with any Clearsound derivative install. Lately not having faith at all with software, with disappointments at every turn, so I don't need another heartache, when I'm supposed to be enjoying the music.

AS Profile Equipment List        Say NO to MQA

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