How to improve computer based hifi

Opinions vary. There's the camp that says if you bypass the computer DAC then it's just a transport, and zeros and ones are zeros and ones. This makes sense given the bit-perfect error checking.

Then again, there are those that say everything makes a difference, even the digital cables.

Probably best to try it for yourself with a borrowed computer. Personally I don't believe I would be able to hear a difference.

What you say is sound in theory Solid Air but it just doesn't work that way. I have been running a PC laptop into my Naim Audio DAC/Naim Audio XPS for the past three years. The more I have learned about the setting up of the laptop, the greater the improvement in sound quality.

I am now running Windows Server 2012 R2. It's an expensive OS but the trial period is six months so you can avoid purchasing it. You just have to do a complete reinstall every six months. If you don't fancy Windows Server 2012, then Windows 8.1 will offer an improvement in sound quality over Windows 7.

The two most significant improvements in sound have been brought about by using JPlay (http://jplay.eu/) and Highend Audio PC AudiophileOptimizer (http://www.highend-audiopc.com/optimizer.html). These two pieces of software will set you back around £150 but they are the most cost effective upgrade I have ever achieved in my system, be it analogue or digital.

There are those who will tell you that bit perfect is bit perfect and there is no point in tweaking the PC. I believe it makes a huge difference but you need to try it for yourself. A trial version of JPlay is available and I am sure that Phil could arrange for you to try out his AudiophileOptimizer. Both pieces of software are supported by outstanding after sales support.

Hi Tariq,

I'm in a broadly similar place to you with my study system, and the component I'm most keen to audition this summer is the V1-DAC.  Probably you should too.  OK, you don't need the pre-amp functionality but even with that redundancy, the reviews suggest it will provide a step change.

This allows you to retain the laptop player/interface which I also like very much too, and prefer to streamer interfaces.  I don't think the laptop age is a big concern unless you see the processor maxing out, in which case an upgrade may be called for.....

K

Hi Hot Rats,

Very interesting input.  I guess my question is:-  in running Windows Server does the laptop still function as a laptop, or does it just become purely a stripped down music player ?  The whole reason I got into computer audio is because the laptop is a tool on which I spend a hours a day, and it's convenient to flip to another window to control music.  In other words it suits multi tasking.....

Also, and regardless of other changes, do you consider J Play a significantly better sounding player than say J River ?  How about usability ?

K

I believe from reading comments on the MDAC on another pinkish forum that (unlike the Naim DACV1) the MDAC is not galvanically isolated via USB, so as it stands your DAC may well be picking up all sorts of noise from your computer. In which case probably the first thing to do would be to get a USB isolator - Olimex make one, there are all sorts of others. You could even get an Audiophileo USB to s/pdif convertor - after all naim use the Audiophileo solution inside the DAC V1. Or you could just get a DAC V1 I guess.

The load on your processor from playing music files should be trivial - check it with Task Manager. Before spending big money on dubious bits of software like JPlay, try firing off a few big programs while some music is playing to push your cpu usage up really high. Can you hear a difference? If not, then making tiny reductions in cpu usage is unlikely to have an effect, imo. Notice that JRiver say JPlay is a hoax.  

I'm very happy with JRiver for headphone listening from my computer with a Meridian Explorer dac. It's full of emotion and rhythm. No, it dosen't rival vinyl through the Naim system, but if I could feed it into an NDAC maybe it would! I think if your PC can output bit-perfect digital then the quality of the dac is paramount to music quality. 

I have fed the Explorer output into my 72/hicap/140 and it certainly rivals my sb3. I'm dreaming of a quality dac, but I believe my funds won't reach that far yet....

I'm currently running a trial of  JRiver on my office desktop (2008 Mac Pro) into a small USB powered nuForce dac and Audioengine A2's. Huge jump in sound quality from playing through iTunes or Clementine. It also allows me to stream from my Vortexbox. Nice piece of software - no idea about Jplay. A better USB cord (Pangea silver, on sale at AA) also made a big difference, even on such a lowly desktop system, as well as Chord Crimson RCA's from the dac to the A2's. So lots of tweaks ahead of you! Best of luck.

Thanks to all for your valuable inputs.

@Hotrats: I do not think that the software is my problem to be perfectly honest as the audio is bitperfect according to my DAC.

@likesmusic: The Olimex solution seems like an interesting solution as I do have suspicion that the computer is causing noise; however the main idea I started this thread was more about if I should replace the laptop with a music streamer and how much I would benefit. I am contemplating buying a Naim NP5 XS with its internal DAC and all and get rid of the laptop and M-Dac, what do you think, would it be a significant upgrade or not? Would just replacing the M-Dac with the DAC V-1 be a similar upgrade in terms of SQ gain (while still using the laptop as the source)?

 Laptop is about the worst type of machine for an audio pc. Lots of noisy components clumped together on a small space and very near to each other.

best sound quality is from a dedicate machine. Don't be fooled by the bit-perfect mantra I have used many different players, all bit-perfect and all sounding differently.

the world of software tweaks is immense.

triqv  - I would regard a streamer as a much better solution if for no other reason than it gets rid of a noisy, cumbersome, expensive computer. But how you control it is important too -  you may find foobar or JRiver a better way of selecting music than some naim/UPnP control point so I guess one of the things you need to decide is whether the UPnP/DLNA type streaming stuff is for you from a usablity point of view. When you decide that you could decide to swap the MDAC for a DAC V1, or swap the pc and the MDAC for an NP5 XS. I am sure either of them would be a lot better than an MDAC. Easy enough to find out by trying them.

Hi Likesmusic,

I'm not sure about your comment; "gets rid of a noisy, cumbersome, expensive computer".

Most people these days already have a computer for a host of other reasons, and are never going to get rid of it.  The question is more about whether you use it for audio, or invest in a bulky, cumbersome, expensive streamer.....  ;-)

I think Hot Rats' comments are interesting because it seems quite logical that if you optimise one device for audio (in his case a computer), that is conceptually the same as Naim designing/optimising another (such as a streamer) to deliver top class audio.  I see no difference at all.  Either its all just about bit-perfect data (where tweaks make no difference), or it isn't.  Whatever the source.....

As to the issue of noise, I think you make some excellent suggestions about how to combat potential electronic noise from the computer, whilst I think talk of laptop fan noise is (if you'll excuse the pun) very much overblown.  I'm not sure how anyone achieves the audio nirvana of a 100% silent listening environment.  The birds singing outside my window are far, far louder than the laptop and more intrusive.  Then there's fridges, boilers, kids, dogs, traffic roar & sirens in urban areas - the list is endless, and the issue therefore needs some perspective.  Rant over  ;-)

Hi Tariq,

I fully 'get' the decision/choice you're considering, but would suggest the only way to be sure what's best is to try out the alternatives.  So if possible, audition say a V1-DAC and an ND5 XS, so you can compare both the audio qualities and usability, then see what works for you (I'm not saying there aren't cheaper options, btw).  There is no absolute right answer for everyone.  Best of luck, and have fun whilst experimenting,

K

I'm totally in agreement with you, Solid Air.

Both solutions are capable of excellent results, so its more about the listening situation/context.  I use both, albeit in 2 different systems, and would not wish to fully switch over to one or the other.  I don't want a laptop cluttering up the lounge, neither do I really want to start faffing around with a streamer interface/remote when I'm working on the laptop in the study.  So that pretty much makes the decision....