XXHighEnd

Here are some considerations to take into account that I learned, still learning, since the 09z-07 has been released. It took me some time to get it all together, even now I´m not sure if all is ok but I summarize it here. I hope that could be of some help for others, save time and avoid hassels. It has nothing to do with the specific settings "inside" XXHighEnd for better sound etc., just some preliminary considerations:


- Use all the time the Playback Drive. That is not mandatory but using it avoids the difference in sound, if any, between FLAC and WAV files. It seems that also avoids some glitches.


- Format the drives differently depending what you are going to use them for. Read first: Block size in A Guide to Glitchless Playback http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2029.0 (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2029.0)

  1- The Playback Drive: must be formatted (must have the system files as exFAT) following the steps showed in How to let XXHighEnd format a Volume (more advanced) http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2086.0 (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2086.0).

or step by step:

a)- Write cmd.exe in the Start menu and then create a shortcut for it on the desktop, go into Properties and set 'run as Administrator'. (Thanks Mani).

b)- In the Control Panel look for Folder Options and make visible all the hidden files and folders.

c)- Go to the drive you are going to use as Playback Drive and open it. There you´ll see one or two of the folders mentioned in How to let XXHighEnd format a Volume (more advanced). In the System Volume Information folder right click and go to Properties > Security > Permissions > Change Permissions > click in "Include Inheritable Permissions..."

d)- Open XXhighEnd and set the PlaybackDrive/Folder where you have the drive you are going to use as Playback Drive, before it name that drive as PlaybackDrive (name without spaces) and put a folder inside the drive and call it as you want (e.g. Folder). Now XX is ready to use that drive as Playback Drive.


  2- Format the Music drive/s as NTFS with block size of 64kb. Right click in the drive > Format > NTFS, 64kb.


Finally (so far) and although perhaps not exclusively related to 09z-07, a Peter advise of general application:

- Do not rip directly your music in the Music drive. Copy to the Music drive the files and let them stay there, don´t erase them.

I hope it helps,
Juan


PS. If anyone wants to add something more it is welcome. If any of this considerations is wrong please correct it. As I said I´m still and always learning.

I'm about to format Western a Digital VelociRaptor to use with my XXHE computer.  I usually put the OS (win 7 home prem) & XXHE on the same drive.  Is this the "playback" drive you speak of?  Or is it now "recommended" to put the OS and XXHE on different drives?

"Playback Drive" is a new drive option found in the settings area where you set the Music Drive and the Data folder. I don't believe it is recommendd that the OS and XX be on different drives. You can read about the Playback drive here:
http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2092.0

The data folder ?? No ...

If you want to use the Playback in your Velociraptor, where the XX and OS is installed, you have to make a partition in it. The Playback Drive needs to be installed in a physical drive and think that every time you turn off XX all the files you have in that Playback Drive are going to be erased. It is because of that that you need to install it in a partition or in another hdd with nothing more than the Playback Drive in it. I´m using now an external USB 3.0 hdd for Playback Drive.

About the structure of the Playback Drive are two important considerations:

- Name it without spaces e.g. D:/PlaybackDrive (D: is an example, windows will give you a letter for that drive).

- Put a folder inside the Playback Drive and call it whatever you like e.g. Folder. So at the end the structure of the Playback Drive is this: D:/PlaybackDrive/Folder
In that Folder is where XXHighEnd is going to put the Playlist, in fact a mirror of the "real" Playlist. That list will stay there even if you clear the real Playlist but will be erased once you turn off XX.

Once you have chosen where to put the Playback Drive go to the XX settings and in Settings/Data Location/PlaybackDrive/Folder choose the hdd or partition you have prepared to put the PlaybackDrive.

The idea behind the Playback Drive is to avoid differences in SQ between different placements and/or different kind of sound WAV/Flac files. But also and by now it also helps to get off of some glitches that otherwise, without Playback Drive, are present now like stalls, etc.

Best regards,
Juan

thanks

I think I have a lot of reading/catching up to do here.

Ok, so...
Going to make the "Playback Drive" the Western Digital VelociRaptor (it's only 70 GB and pretty fast spinning drive), and put the OS/XXHE programs on a 320 GB 7200rpm Seagate drive I have lying around.

#####aside

I don't want to mess around with Maximize/minimize anymore because I have to change settings in the fireface 800 each time and reboot a couple times to get from max/min (involved steps that I've learned to do in the right sequence,,,), so...

I've elected to have two OS drives and keep my video/internet OS on one drive, XXHE on another OS Drive, and Playback Drive on a third drive.  I'll just physically change the SATA cable from one OS drive to the other OS drive depending on what I'm doing, internet/video or XXHE.

So I'll shutdown
move the sata cable to the OS drive I want to use
fire up computer

Are there any prefrences as to OS for XXHE?  Vista vs Win 7?  I think most of us have gone on to Win 7 and feel that's good?  I have legit copies of both OS's I could use.

Yes I'm struggling with this one also.

My thought was to partition drive that OS is on and reformat as FAT. What size would be required for this playback drive?

Is it preferable to use a separate drive rather than partition?


 

If I've read correctly, PeterSt anticipates that depending on the type of Playback Drive you use (spinning, solid state, usb thumb, memory card ....) there will most likely be SQ differences.... hehe isn't that always the case?

I usually only play my system when the moon is at 1/4 or 3/4 full. jk

Yes I'm still over the moon with the better sound I had a good listen last night and wonder perhaps we need to savour the better sound before tweaking this beyond our capabilities.

Even with my pathetic laptop the sound is now way beyond what my $10k CD playback gave me. Its now for sale.

It doesn't matter how and if you format the Playback Drive. So don't bother ...
The formatting as advised in the Tutorial is only to get rid of system files you don't have access to otherwise ...


Although it works (obviously) I never intended to use a partition on an existing "drive". This is not flexible. What I did intend was attaching dedicated hdd's etc. for this. These can be swapped with others for the better (or the worse). You (virtually) can't do this when the Playback Drive rides on another existing hdd.

KEEP IN MIND : one half of the purpose of the Playback Drive is finding the means with the better SQ. Try a floppy disc. Haha.

Peter