Merry Christmas everyone!

And enjoy the end of year festivities...

Hi Mani,

"Liberating"

Don't you just savour that word? One of my favourite words in the English language without a doubt.

I second your sentiments and drink to that.

Best regards
Rakesh

Hi Leo

Let's put it this way. There are two aspects to this.

First I was rather annoyed, peeved, miffed by your earlier unsolicited rudeness.My earlier post was clearer in that regard but Peter suggested I edit my post, which I did, the Magna Carta being a British thing and  not being well known elsewhere. With that editing, the baby went out with the bathwater.

Second, if it is the case truly you cannot tell the difference then by rights your comment should belong in the section with the change which was most accountable for what you heard. It so happened your post went in the 'scary thread."

Now I am very mindful about what I can say and so would rather say less than I truly think on this matter. For the record though, I would reiterate that I am actually supportive of this use of Windows 10 in Ramdisk for the XXHighend PC but I do not follow what Peter calls the 'mainstream ' reasons for it positively affecting sound. Again this is something I will do but at this early stage I would have avoided being so gung-ho out of consideration for others who may now think their PC need a MAJOR and EXPENSIVE reconfiguration. Only in my case of course, it is easier for me to hang back a little ( I do trust Peter), wait for further confirmation of those who try the new tweak and take it from there.

In the meantime, another advantage is that I can concentrate on the development of my acoustic system, which is all about planning, designing and building (getting it built).

So no I did not misunderstand you. It's just I did not care much for the rudeness you exhibited and the elephant in a China shop syndrome of your post, aims at nothing and hits everything. So now you know. I could say more but Peter's earlier reaction to an expression of speculative doubt, which was more about trying to understand the reasoning and the why, does not bode well for such a thought being expressed here and now.

But let's keep it in good spirits. It's only an opinion based in large measure on what I have read here and elsewhere. I strongly second Joachim's view, expressed above, though that "every system sounds different, very different" and that makes it difficult to see the wood from the trees and encourages unfortunate generalisations...For example to what extent a LPS benefits your PC depends on one million other factors but somehow here people are trying to establish the positive effect or otherwise by relying on some random anecdotal evidence. Not kosher but again only my opinion.

Beat regards
Rakesh

Hi Anthony,

Enjoy your summer holidays (well it's always summer where you are!).

Best regards
Rakesh

Hi Anthony,

Sure thing. I will keep my own counsel on this from now on.

But you are a very enthusiastic partner in this 'joint' development of this ACG/Phasure LPS I must say. Good for you.

Best regards
Rakesh

And of course, if one looks carefully, there is this chinese company that seems to promise just such a solution.

www.disklessangel.com/en

"Our product 'Diskless Angel' can take Microsoft Windows 7/8/ME/NT/2000/2003/XP/Vista to run totally in RAM under diskless condition, it can serve the purpose of environmental protection, saving power consumption and elimination of virus infection (virus will be destroyed after rebooting the computer once virus infection occurs)."

Obviously one does not know until one tries it.

Naturally, given Peter's enthusiastically contagious expose above, I would be inclined to put more trust in Peter's solution given that it will take into account the environment of the XXHighend PC.


Best regards
Rakesh

Hi Anthony,

Sounds good.

Obviously I could not even remotely conceive that there was such a thing in the pipeline, albeit a very long pipeline.

In reality, I was not too happy with the idea on a personal level, as I would rather just follow my 'own way.'

Once my 'audio pc' is ready, whatever its hardware, I will probably get a Linear Power Supply and see if there is some improvement to be made there. The HDPlex is a current product. Yours is an ongoing R&D exercise and bound to a specific configuration. There is no indication of when it is going to materialise as a product. If it is more flexible, and will suit my eventual "audio pc," of course I would be happy to try it.

My personal opinion? Not that it matters but I have a feeling that given that your product might be a long time coming that people here should not feel the need to delay their buying decisions but feel free to do as they please, and buy whatever LPS is available currently and see if it works for them.

The HDPLEX 300W LPS also seems rather reasonably priced, even at full price of $680 including shipping and taxes in Europe.

Best regards
Rakesh

Like.

Hi Guys,

I have been wondering about getting a LPS for my projected 'audio pc' but what would have been the relatively high power consumption of the dual cpu motherboard meant that I was slightly unstuck.

HDPlex offer a 100W LPS, however when I contacted Larry of HDPlex, he said that a 300W unit was coming out. It looks like it would do the job. The price is $688 inclusive of shipping in Europe.

Here is a pic.

Thought I might post a pic of hopefully the end product of my current multi-channel horn project. Overall height is exaggerated as total height in my current room would be 1.8-2m as listening distance is approximately 2.5-4m.

Hi Robert,

I feel for you. Industrial workplaces used to be and still are dreadful enemies of the audiophile.

Having said that, if I recall correctly you mentioned that you live in beautiful New Zealand. The music of that magical landscape will outlast and outclass every single audiophile system anywhere on the planet, so you are highly compensated!

As far as personal music products are concerned, I do not know what the legislation is in New Zealand but here in Europe the issue is being taken more seriously. Studies conducted by the the EU Scientific Committee SCENIHR led to legislation that goes some way to ensure that exposure to sound level is controlled in personal music players. (see Article 3.2.1 of EU directive 2009/490/EC, for example:

Exposure to sound levels shall be time limited to avoid
hearing damage. At 80 dB(A) exposure time shall be
limited to 40 hours/week, whereas at 89 dB(A) exposure
time shall be limited to 5 hours/week. For other exposure
levels a linear intra- and extrapolation applies. Account shall
be taken of the dynamic range of sound and the reasonably
foreseeable use of the products


More to the point, I have a friend, who is in his twenties, does not contribute much to online forums and attends regular live classical concerts in London where he lives. This is even though his hearing is severely impaired in one ear. So music is certainly accessible to all, irrespective of age, infirmity, even health...And maybe legislation will be increasingly brought in to control noise levels in public venues so you do not face 110db at a public venue (eventually here in Europe anyway).

About children you also said:



I think this is a very lofty aspiration and hopefully your children will grow up to understand the values that are sought by the audiophile.

In my case, I am not too fussy as to the source material. But then again, rather than MP3 (that we do not use here anyway because it is not available anywhere in the house as personal and portable music players are not allowed in my household - how long I can fight this loosing battle I do not know).

On the other hand, I take the children to classical music concerts, not so long ago to Schubert's Variations Goldberg at La Filature and Bach's Magnificat at St Thomas Church, Strasbourg. I was truly shocked that on these occcasions my children (and the older children of guests that we brought along) were the only ones in attendance. It is remarkable how children can learn the power of beautiful music if given the opportunity, which is your point and I agree.

But I do not feel the need to tell them about my hobby as such, about the equipment, the little things that I care about...I prefer them to go on their piano and practise. I remember all too well when I wanted to learn the piano as a teenager, and found a tutor that my parents could ill afford, but without the piano at home, obviously the exercise was doomed to failure.

One of my fondest memories of university was when a friend of mine, a pianist would don off his formal gown and give an impromptu recital, or play the organ of the college chapel without permission or the live concerts at the Sheldonian, even though the seats were(still are) pure medieval torture.

Different ways to skin a cat no doubt and all that. But I try to have the children enjoy music but without any of the distracting audiophile flourishes that come into every aspect of it when it comes to our hobby.

Best regards
Rakesh

Hi Joachim,

You are right. And thanks for linking that interesting article that I read years ago. Oliver Sacks is a most erudite man and as a neuroscientist, his work shows how humans have this special relationship with music, that patients who suffer from debilitating diseases of the mind such as Alzheimer's (which we all know is becoming more prevalent amongst older generations) can still relate powerfully to music. His learning and passion for his field shine through the article.

Medically of course, there is another relationship between age and hearing, which impacts our enjoyment and ability to appreciate music, and is a relevant factor for all of us here who are not so young anymore. We should enjoy it while we can (see extract below, full article to be found here, http://patient.info/health/hearing-loss-of-older-people-presbyacusis):

Most people over the age of 60 develop some hearing loss. The severity can vary greatly from person to person.
What is presbyacusis?
Presbyacusis (sometimes written presbycusis) is the medical term for hearing loss that occurs in older people as they age. It is the most common cause for hearing loss in people aged over 55.
The hearing loss comes on gradually, often over several years. Both ears are usually affected equally. It is usually high-pitched (high-frequency) sounds that are most affected. For example, you may find it difficult to hear the telephone ringing or birds singing. You may not be aware of your hearing loss at first. You may only realise that your hearing is becoming poor when you have difficulty using the telephone or following a conversation in a group or noisy room. Friends or family may comment about the television being loud or having to repeat themselves more often to people with hearing loss.
Why does it happen?
Most people will tend to lose some of their hearing to a greater or lesser extent as they become older. Over half of people over the age of 60 have some degree of hearing loss. The exact cause of presbyacusis is not known. The inner ear (cochlea) contains nerve cells that convert sound into nervous impulses which are sent to the brain. It is thought that most people develop presbyacusis because these nerve cells don't seem to work as well and they become damaged.
It is probably a number of different things that contribute to this damage and it seems to be part of the ageing process. A number of things have been suggested as possible causes for the damage:
•   Arteriosclerosis - hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the cochlea, which means that less blood gets through. Heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes may also make the situation worse.
•   Exposure to noise over the years.
•   Exposure to harmful chemicals produced by body cells over the years.
•   Exposure to certain types of medication over the years.
•   Smoking.
•   Being overweight.
•   There may also be some inherited (hereditary) reasons for presbyacusis.
When a sufficient number of nerve cells are damaged, this is when you notice hearing loss. Most people do not go completely deaf. The severity of the hearing loss varies from person to person of the same age.
Can it be prevented?
There is little that can be done to prevent this age-related process. It is likely that being exposed to a lot of loud noise over long periods may make hearing loss worse when you are older. For example, if you work in a noisy factory, you should wear ear protection. It is also advisable to avoid excessive noise during leisure time (such as listening to loud music for long periods). See the Noise Association website under 'References' at the end of this leaflet for guidance as to safe sound limits.
A healthy lifestyle may help to reduce the likelihood of hearing loss later. For example, exercising healthily, eating healthily, and not smoking. This is partly because an unhealthy lifestyle increases the risks of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and diseases of the blood vessels. These conditions in turn seem to increase the risk of developing hearing loss.
Plugs of earwax may make any hearing loss worse. Therefore, from time to time it may be worthwhile having your ears checked for wax. Wax can usually be cleared out to allow the hearing to be as good as possible...



I know. Not good news. Definitely, enjoy it while we can.

Best regards
Rakesh

Hi Juan,

Very thoughful post as always. You are, if one were to try to pigeon hole you, a humanist and an optimist.

I have three wonderful children aged 2, 7 and 8 and I have of course wondered about what sort of legacy I will leave them one day when it comes to my enormous music collection, and audio paraphernalia that's still left, although I have tried to rationalise it over the past few years.

I think that our generation, and by implication older ones before us, got it wrong because audio as an industry has become so led by commercial interests and is so dominated by powers in the media world (reviewers, audio publications and the like), that there is little point to try and save it as it exists.

My personal, therefore subjective opinion about this was made in an earlier post where I wrote:


Does the fact that some of us are "crazy audiophiles," as you put it, and would go to any length to squeeze the last atom of performance, make us more noble and our struggle a source of pride and inspiration for generations to come? The tenor of your argument seems to be that what we do is a good thing, and is a legacy that we should be proud to hand down.

I think you have made an interesting point and in an ideal world that's what we would want. So I would like to comment, again keeping in mind that this is just an opinion, that I do not share this sentiment. The industry has obviously been suffering immensely for years and you can see its reaction in the proliferation of overpriced equipment everywhere. There is an interesting artcle that defends the pricing structure and which receives the support of an economist, but you will not be surprised to see that I disagree:

http://www.dagogo.com/the-economics-of-high-end-audio-equipment-separating-fact-from-fiction

I do not want to take on the views expressed in that article though because otherwise we would be here the whole day.

But in short, my main objection is that most of the equipment around which hype is created in reviews and magazines that they perpetuate this inequality that good playback systems are for the rich. Music is so important to all cultures that it is a shame that this has happened. The best thing that has happened is MP3, itunes, music downloading and the internet. It democratises music, makes it available readily to all. The day when children will be encouraged by all parents to raise themselves to the challenges and wonders of more "difficult" music, such as classical music, will be the day when we will have made some real progress.

Our pursuits, fascinating and interesting and rewarding as they might be, amount to no more than the perturbation that the great river of history feels when we put our hand in it in the hope of deviating its course. It is hopeless. It will not register and I am glad that this is so.

On the other hand, Juan, I also agree with you when you talk about the power that lies behind computer audio, but in my mind more precisely the power of the internet to make the musical history of our civilisation more easily accessible to all, irrespective of wealth, class, nationality, colour, race, gender, and indeed, culture.

You are a wonderful person Juan and I feel better whenever I read your posts here. But I do not agree with you. I hope you do not mind? Some people do not seem to be happy with my posts and have written to complain to Peter. I hope I am allowed to have an opinion and to voice it. It is only an opinion after all.

Kind regards
Rakesh

Hi all,

I hope that I will not be advised to edit this post by Peter.

I will weigh my words very carefully and hope not to give offence.

I will be mindful that although it has been established that I do not come from Algeria or Mauritania,(ha ha ha) that potentially my culture is so different that it might cause maybe some misunderstanding or difficulty in the future.

I have explained that I have lived from a very young age in England, where I did my higher studies at what's considered a very good university, met my wife here, married here, had my children here and consider myself English through and through.

Are audio and culture related topics?

I think one should not refer to cultures, even in private e-mails, as this is likely to come across the wrong way but there is no doubt that different cultures will have different attitudes to different aspects of music, audio maybe even music playback. Sure we should be aware of it but it is not right that it should become an issue.

Our interest in audio and music is a universal language that links all of us together, in this wonderful world that we can appreciate for an ephemeral moment.

We should remember that.

Kind regards
Rakesh

Hi Leo,

My first post here was tinged with maybe some sarcasm and Peter suggested that I think it over. So I did. Below is the heavily edited result.
 
From your visit at Peter's which lasted several hours, you handed us this profound piece of remarkable insight:
 

Now I do not doubt for one moment that Peter is so well tuned to the many characteristics of his system that he can instantly attribute changes in sound quality and improvements to the last change that he has effectuated.
 
So the other changes that had happened since your last visit were:
1. NOS1 to NOS1a
2. Use of Blaxius interconnect
3. Use of Clairixa USB cable
4. Change from whatever was before to new Orelo speakers
5. Other changes that may have been relevant but not visible, such as better electricity on the day and god knows what else
 
Well, Leo, you could distinguish among the different levels and characters that these many individual changes have made to focus on the core improvement brought about by the implementation of Windows OS in RAM. I am impressed by this ability that you have and that is quite unique amongst the people that I know and have known who care about audio.
 
This being so, thanks for realising the difficulties I have always faced with reading and comprehension, just being a little bit "slow on the uptake" really...
 
 

So I would like to extend my heart-felt thanks for you making the effort of using "very short sentences."

English is a third language for me so my situation was always a little bit hopeless from the start, although my parents, teachers, and countless others tried their very best...Thanks for being so understanding.
 
Kind regards
Rakesh