Help on Optimizing Dedicated PC as Music Server

Hi Goulsonc,

The Asus Xonar STX card was installed but wasn't able to get it working properly. Will try again later.

Hi Loftarasa,

Late last night I briefly audition the KingRex UD384 & PSU combo borrowed from a friend. From initial listening, I can't say the UD384 is better or worse compared with connected directly to motherboard. With UD384 sound-stage is more expansive. Floor noise seems higher. My impressions may change with further auditioning.

Hi Doggiehowser,

IMO, the power supply is perhaps the PC's Achilles heel. I don't know much about the HD-Plex Linear PS. Please keep us posted on your progress. I've just ordered a NoFan Cu-180 cooler for the CPU. Expensive, but may be a worthy tweak. Vibration and fan noise emitting off the stock intel fan & cooler can't be good for sound. Further, I can hear the PC fan from my listening position which is annoying. Thank you for your input, Doggiehowser.

Hi Al,

Always a pleasure to read your post. Thanks for catching the typo error.

This PC will not be on line. Other than the internal network to operated Gizmo/JRiver by remote using Android tablet. Great suggestion on the duel boot. Thank you.

Hi Pkoegz & Cerrot,

I really like how JRiver manages my music files. If JRiver will not support M. Center with JPlay, that is a problem for me. Thank you for the heads-up.

I've read all the disclaimers made by the good folks of jriver regarding jPlay.

Several friend and I have listened critically to jRiver with and without the use of jPlay. The results did not take any magic or audiophile ears to discern. jPlay made an audible improvement in playback that was not subtle at all.

I've heard the difference with a variety of computer setups and DACs. The DACs include the PS Audio PWD, PWD II, Direct Stream, Theta Gen 5a, and Lampizator 5. Computer setups ranged from i3 to i7 with from 4-16gb of RAM, various USB implementations, Asus Audio Essence STX SPDIF out into the above DACs, and the Lampizator USB Transport USB/SPDIF converter, and using Fidelizer or not. All the above used in a variety of high end systems.

In each case jPlay teamed with jRiver was always a significant improvement throughout the audio spectrum.

In my opinion the guys at jRiver either can't hear or they have some how been offended by the guys at jPlay or they somehow think jPlay competes with them (I don't see how since one uses jPlay with jRiver or other playback software. jPlay doesn't replace jRiver at all.) Or maybe because they use the lower case j in their name.

In my experience it's been pretty easy to achieve great sound with computer audio. A PC or Mac can easily rival most ordinary CD players, transports, and turntable setups when paired with a good DAC.
With a few tweaks and a few more dollars spent the PC or Mac system can easily rival the most expensive of the above designs when paired with a DAC equivalent in SQ to a Lampiizator 4 or PS Audio DS.

And then when your entire music collection can be accessed from an iPad or other tablet via great software like jRemote the musical experience becomes even more special!

If one thinks I'm just a digital junkie, I've set up more than my share of Oracles, SOTAs, Linns, Dynavectors, Koetsus, etc. and loved the sound of all of them.

you can download the trial version for free and decide for yourself whether it's worth it or not. I do agree with Cerrot regarding using a pci usb soundcard. Paul Pang makes a nice one for $129, which is what I use. It is powered by an Acopian AC/DC linear power supply (5v/1a)

Jriver's announcement of not supporting Jplay is basically meaningless. IOW, JPlay already plugs into Jriver without needing any special Jriver support. Go to jplay's website see how simple it is to install the jplay/jriver interface.I myself don't use JPLay although I've used it with Jriver in the past.

I recommend you visit computeraudiophile.com for other perspectives on using jriver with jplay.

Oh yes. Consult CA. I like those guys but it seems they are good friends of the jRiver folks and pretty much stick to the party line. . .. . JPlay is a waste of time and money.

It is amazing to me that the jRiver people swear there can be no sonic differences in versions of their software yet they apparently work hard to improve the SQ of jRiver itself as it seems to improve quite a bit sonically between versions 17, 18, and 19. But don't say that on the jRiver forum. It will be deleted. Very strange.

Then there is the guy that goes crazy on the CA site and other places comparing bits to bits (not limited to jPlay) and always proves that all digital sounds alike, and that there can't be any sonic differences between players, power cords, PSUs, CPUs, you name it. He really goes out of his way to magnificently prove his point. He just doesn't take the time to listen.

But do download the free jPlay install. If one has listening skills at all and a decent system it is not difficult to hear the improvement. Really all jPlay and the Audio Optimizer, Fidelizer, cPlay, etc, do is shut down various windows services, adjusting how the files are played back via Ram, etc. Nothing magical or hocus pocus. But unlike me and most of us they do know what they are doing and have confirmed their results through their own listening and beta testing teams.

Of course jPlay, does pay may $100 for everyone I get to buy their software . . . . NOT!

I'm in no way affiliated with any of the above companies or any other entity besides myself.

But I have been stumbling through the computer audio world for at least 5 years and have found with really very little effort one can get superb SQ from a PC or MAC that rivals the best transports I've ever had in my system or at heard other friend's homes.

I've owned some very well regarded transports including the ML 31.5, 37, 39, Theta, PWT to name a few. I wouldn't go back to any of them.