Help on Optimizing Dedicated PC as Music Server

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.

So by reading up on this, I'm not sure whether jPlay is a viable option when streaming over ethernet to the PerfectWave bridge?

Jplay doesn't work if you connect ethernet to PerfectWave bridge.

I've had a chance to try some of those great suggestions given above. I like to share my findings. My comments will be based on the highly modified ML No. 37 transport as my point of reference.

My ML No. 360 DAC does not accept USB input, thus the MSI Z87-G45 MOBO was chosen for its S/pdif output connector. Using a Nordost 1.0m 75 ohm Valhalla V1 digital cable connected between the PC and No.360 DAC the SQ was very acceptable with this minimalist setup.

Next, the KingRex UD384 & PSU comb was connected to the USB port via standard computer cable. I thought this setup was worse sounding than the setup above. Floor noise increased and there was more digital sound. I didn't like the sound.

Swapping out the .99cent standard USB cable with the KingRex Unanimous UART USB Y-cable improved SQ by a wide margin. By adding this Y cable, the SQ was better compared with the MOBO S/pdif output by a small margin.

Next, the ASUS Xonar Essence STX sound card was installed. Using the S/pdif output on the Xonar, and connected directly into the No.360 DAC, via Nordost V1 digital cable, the SQ was superb. The soundstage is expansive, dynamics is the best I’ve heard in my system, the music is clear and detailed, and most importantly it has weight. I like the sound.

There is much discrepancy with JPlay. As one poster said, it’s free to try. So I did. I thought in my system JRiver on its own sounds best. To be fair, I didn't fiddle with the setting within JPlay. Whether this makes a difference or not, I don’t know.

Next, I’m waiting to install Window Server 2012 and Audiophile Optimizer.

Thank you all for your inputs & comments.

Great input. Would you say the Xonar SPDIF output sounded better than the mobo USB output? You may want to try some of the audiophile USB cards by Paul Pang (PPA), SoTM, and JCAT. There has been great feedback on all three products. I am going to try the JCAT one shortly.