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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2012 8:45:08 GMT
I had run Norton's for a long time and I stopped once I copped it. Trouble is, these viruses and all kinds of things can't be stopped until they exist, so there is always a time when they can get through I guess.
I dumped Norton's though because of that and the fact that my pc was almost stopping and went to the free version of Avast which gets updated almost every time I switch on. A little voice tells me it's updated so they are on the case all of the time.
I don't know whether it's worth getting the paid for version, but for a free virus protector, this one has been pretty good for the past year or more.
I also use a cleaner that takes out tracking cookies. I forget its name now!! It downloads definitions weekly and then searches you computer for anything. Generally, every week it finds and deletes something that's appeared. (Normally tracking cookies)
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Post by PinkFloyd on Jan 17, 2012 8:48:29 GMT
Norton IS a virus IMO, it takes over your computer. I run the paid version of AVG and use crap cleaner once a week.... both seem fine (touchwood!.
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Crispy
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Post by Crispy on Jan 17, 2012 8:59:51 GMT
X2
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leo
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Post by leo on Jan 28, 2012 16:36:58 GMT
Bits ordered and should hopefully be here in a week or two.
Decided to go for the I5 2500K , Asus P8Z68-M Pro motherboard, 8GB Ripjaws X RAM, Western Digital RE4 Hard drive to get me going. I should be able to get a soundcard locally , just need to decide which . Anyway thanks for all the advice guys
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2012 18:11:31 GMT
Hi leo, I have a similar specc'd self-built PC as you have gone for, just slightly lower specc'd item in each case but same manufacturer, and I was advised to go for an ASUS Xonar ST card - I'm very happy with it. Dave.
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leo
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Post by leo on Jan 28, 2012 19:54:56 GMT
Thanks Dave, I just hope its not an arse to set up, hardware is fine, just the software drivers etc
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2012 20:31:01 GMT
leo, itwas a piece of p*** to set up for me but I had a lot of help from a guy on here goes under the name of Javier . Javier is an IT whiz and has the same card himself so I'm sure he would answer any appeal for help from you in the same generous way he responded to mine - Javier, you reading this? I wouldn't say it was at all difficult anyway but I'm an old numptie in these matters so I would expect anyone with a modicum of knowledge would not find it too difficult. Cheers, Dave.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2012 20:46:14 GMT
I'll be happy to be of any help should you need it Leo.
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xerxes
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Post by xerxes on Jan 28, 2012 20:58:14 GMT
There is sound on board, alternatively, have you considered an external sound card/USB DAC.
My similar set up was a doddle to get up and running. There's even an automatic overclocking utility if you fancy getting a bit more performance. However, I would make sure you have a good CPU heatsink and a nice cool case if you want to get into that.
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leo
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Post by leo on Jan 29, 2012 16:44:21 GMT
Thanks chaps, I'm a little slow with setting up any software so its good to know there's help if needed. I just downloaded all the latest motherboard drivers and stuck them on a USB ready, I'd imagine the ones supplied will be out of date.
I think the Asus only has optical spdif out, maybe a header on the board to allow co-axial ? not sure of the quality though, compared to a decent separate sound card it may be poor. I'll be using it with the external Sabre based dac so the analogue out quality of the SC isn't important. I have a Hiface USB to spdif and a Musiland 01 US (A friend is borrowing) Probably go with a SC though like the Xonar
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 17:16:57 GMT
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leo
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Post by leo on Jan 29, 2012 18:36:30 GMT
Thanks for the links Javier. I would have preferred I2S (also using it with the modded QLS transport)but the pc will be a few meters away from the dac , I may try it and run long interconnects from the dacs output
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 18:42:14 GMT
Javier I believe that part of the high performance of the more expensive cards via coax SPDIF may come down to the use of that additional power supply feed. Alex Is not clear the extra power connector feeds the digital section of the card Alex, from what I've read it seems rather it powers the analogue part.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 18:52:14 GMT
Leo, have you read about the inminent Twisted Pear Audio Teleporter? it is designed to do exactly that, tap the I2S lines of a sound card or standalone player and send it to a remote DAC DAC using LVDS over CAT5 cabling, unless you have a very, very large house it'll be good for up to 100ft: www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/201106-introducing-bit-teleporter.htmlFrom DIYAudio:-"In the process I created a little module that is also useful for many other applications. That module is call "Teleporter" and here is what it does: It is a LVDS transceiver. It works in LVDS mode1 and mode 2. The LVDS channels are properly terminated. It has both a .1" header and RJ45(for CAT5) connector. It has an on-board low noise LT1763 regulator. It has 4 independent LVDS transceiver channels that can each be configured as a transmitter or receiver. Each channel either has TTL input (in transmit mode) or TTL output (in receive) mode. You use two(or more) of these modules for a complete application. One at the source and one at the DAC or some other receiving device. They are designed to be panel mounted using 90deg tabs on the PCB. We will probably proved some with the kit. Here is how I have used it so far: - DSD/PCM output from a modded Denon SACD player to Buffalo III. - USB audio to Buffalo III. (up to 384khz tested so far with 256fs master clock) I have tested it carrying a signal up to 100Mhz(master clock) and it worked flawlessly so far. It *should* be able to handle up to 125Mhz, but I have not tested that yet. We will be making these available very soon. They will be fairly inexpensive but I do not know the price just yet. Brian and I need to work out the costs. I am listing to an XMOS prototype at the moment with all of the PCM signals including the master clock being fed to the DAC via the interface. It sounds awesome. What is more incredible is that I have been using as much at 100ft of CAT5 with absolutely no detectable ill effects."-
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 20:14:50 GMT
Javier I believe that part of the high performance of the more expensive cards via coax SPDIF may come down to the use of that additional power supply feed. Alex Is not clear the extra power connector feeds the digital section of the card Alex, from what I've read it seems rather it powers the analogue part. Javier, irrespective of what it actually supplies, it's always a good idea to use different supplies for both analogue and digital areas. Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 20:38:26 GMT
Hi Leo I use an Asus Xonar D2X and david2vk uses a later version of the card with improved specs.My SC DAC via coax S/PDIF from both our PCs clearly outperforms the Steve Nugent Offramp route. I simply do not agree with Javier about USB Audio, and many threads elsewhere are reporting having to go to fancy and expensive USB cables to get improved results by decreasing system noise effects.Some members are also reporting improvements using the Aquvox with it's split leads and linear PSU.There are also some reports about further improving asynchronous audio DACs by doing these things. I linked yesterday to a post in C.A. by a previously sceptical E.E. who tried separating both sections of a USB cable and much to his surprise immeduiately noticed the improvement.He will be reporting back shortly about NiMH batteries being used to supply the +5V instead. C.A. members are now starting to organise a full on investigation into the effects of different USB cables on performance, after large numbers of confirming reports. The investigation may take more than 6 months,and will also follow strict engineering type protocols,including working with an E.E. who is even more closed minded about subjective reports than Frans ! They are presently drawing up the framework for this investigation. Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 21:42:58 GMT
I know you don't agree Alex, you have stated your dislike of USB quite a few times.
I'm not much of a man of faith, there are hundreds of millions who believe in a God or another. Thousands of them say they had experienced His presence but no matter how cultivated or knowledgeable in their fields they may be I'm still unconvinced, my mind just says no. I deeply respect their believes and will never try to talk them out of them but that is it.
Logic tells me I2S is a better way to transport a digital signal than SPDIF as there is no guesswork involved and no need to use gimmicks to recreate a clock signal that could have been recieved in a much better state in the first place had it not been multiplexed. IMVHO good clean power is indeed important but there is much more to be considered. Like, what is the point of a great power supply if you are using a not so fantstic ASRC? or even worse, you are letting the PC do the up/downsampling with a crappy algorithm?
I2S can come from a USB DAC, which is some sort of anathema, but it can come too from a "Kosher" PCI or PCIe sound card by tapping the lines just before the DAC. There many sites showing how to do this for different internal cards. Though it somehow amazes me how all the noise inside the PC only seems to affect USB ports and devices while the rest of the I/O ports manage to get away inmaculately clean.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 22:04:58 GMT
Javier I have no dispute with I2s being better, but I would never use USB to do that. If you think I am the only one making claims about SQ deterioration, due to system noise etc. , then you would most likely get a little uptight if you read the report about .flac vs. .wav in the February issue of "The Absolute Sound." More and more people, and magazines, are reporting findings that you state are impossible.
Alex
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 22:40:24 GMT
Thankfuly I'm blessed with inability to distinguish the same file in FLAC from WAV or viceversa. Saves me from lots of trouble. (remember I do IT for a living). My point was that with Leo's skills it should be a piece of cake to tap into the I2S lines of a sound card (internal or external, horses for courses) and get the lowest jitter best possible signal, also if the analogue section was not to be used that there was not benefit of paying more for something that won't be used (if mixing analogue with digital power is no no offending traces can be cut) and a cheap Xonar DS or DX could do the job just fine while saving money or investing it where it may be of more benefit. Cheers
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2012 23:03:38 GMT
Expectation bias ? ;D
Javier I agree with the last part of your reply, but not too many have Leo's skills and it could be quite messy to implement. Not all have suitable DACs either. I think that Leo should go along with the better soundcard, as there are other internal improvements . Using the internal S/PDIF header could cause level related problems if not implemented properly. Leo may also wish to use other DACs from time to time. Alex
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leo
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Post by leo on Jan 30, 2012 9:10:24 GMT
Hi guys, I'm hoping to be a little more active with the audio equipment and diy this year if I get time. Seeing as though I already have a Hiface and the Musiland 01 it makes sense to get a soundcard and just compare them against the USB devices. Maybe stock and then lightly modded? The Hiface only has a few mods, I didn't get around to finishing them, at the moment the XO is connected to a battery, I wanted to fit a socket allowing to run the rest from an external psu and obviously isolating it from the pc's supply . Try some of JK's idea's if he doesn't mind. I can't remember exactly what I did with the Musiland, psu mods, some tweaking to the S/PDIF output, etc. Both of these units was going ok but at the time I liked the QLS better. The downside with that though is its limited to 16/44.1 Regarding I2S agree its better IF your setup allows it to be used properly. With the QLS SD card player it can easily sit right next to the dac keeping the lines short. With the pc running things close is a little more awkward for me.I'll have a look into the thing Twisted Pear are working on which can run longer lines, thanks for the link to that Javier. Once its all up and running I can hopefully fully appreciate Alex's rips
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2012 9:32:14 GMT
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