Da ich unmittelbar vor dem Setup meiner beiden neuen NUC Rechner (Pentium N3700, 512 GB SSD, größeres Gehäuse, Lüfterlos, recht niedriger Energieverbrauch bei 24/7 Betrieb) stehe, stellt sich nun natürlich die Frage nach dem Betriebssystem (ja, ich kann bei Computer-HiFi tatsächlich bei null anfangen!!!) und es interessiert mich natürlich besonders, was so über die audiophilen Qualitäten von Windows 10 berichtet wird.
Warum haben coole Typen, bei denen es (dem Vernehmen nach) wirklich gut klingt, wie Frank (frankl im Forum) eigentlich meist Linux Systeme aufgebaut?
Ich habe das hier auf der audio GD Website gefunden http://www.modelpromo.nl/Audio-GD_Master7-Amanero.htm - etwa 2/3 runterscrollen:
Rectification
Being a Audiophile also means that you are in constant learning process.
So you will learn every day new things! also my opinion have changed about certain things, so it's time to rectify:
Lately my Audio Dandy AV streamer has been modified a lot.
The motherboard in my AV streamer had an EUFI bios.
And this EUFI bios has only one purpose, to make it for the customer difficult as possible to install other operating systems on this hardware than Microsoft Windows...
(It's also a "backdoor" if you didn't know this already...) this EUFI bios gave me a lot of problems...
In my earlier reviews I wrote that "Windows Storage server 2012 R2" was the best operating system for the Audio Dandy Audio Video streamer.
What I didn't know at that time, is that Microsoft don't sell this version separately, so you cannot buy it.
It's just a desperate attempt of Microsoft to compete against QNAP and Synology.
"Windows Storage server 2012 R2" is an OEM product and can only be sold together with an expensive NAS...
I used "Windows Storage server 2012 R2" because I wanted to use the "Pink Faun I2S Bridge"
which only works with Windows drivers...
So I was "forced" to use Windows because the "I2S" bridge couldn't work with Linux.
When Windows 10 came out I wanted to test it, and then it happend....
Warning! Windows 10 corrupts your other DATA disks!
When I installed Windows 10 on my dual boot AV streamer (with shared NTFS harddisk for music data)
Windows 10 sabotages all my other harddisks! in fact it did something with the harddisks (also my FAT32 disks)
so that Ubuntu cannot read them anymore! it got the following error on all harddisks:
So be warned! if you don't want to loose your entire music collection don't upgrade to Windows 10!
For best Audio results:
1) Don't use a motherboard with EUFI bios (EUFI bios is not only spyware, it's designed to keep Linux out)
2) Use a motherboard certified for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS with USB 2.0 connections.
3) Use Ubuntu 14.04 LTS as operating system for your Audio streamer (with JRiver mediaplayer)
Other reasons to switch over to Linux:
After five years, Windows still has NO native USB Audio Class 2.0 support
It's ridicilous! but true,
Windows (7, 8.1, and 10) do NOT have native support (without third party drivers) for USB Audio Class 2.0 - UAC2.
Windows 10 only has native support for USB Audio 1.0 audio devices, NOT for for USB Audio Class 2.0...
Apple also has a bad sound architecture by design, you even have to bypass the Sound Core to get better results...
Linux operating system has also not an optimal sound architecture but at least it
supports USB Audio Class 2.0
And that makes a big difference and therefore it supports the Amanero Combo 384 USB module without any drivers straight from the kernel
It bypasses the operating system sound architecture and the digital audio signals are transferred straight to the Amanero Combo module.
Currently I'm using Ubuntu 14.04 LTS as my main Audiophile operating system on my Audio Dandy Audio Video streamer.
Proprietary drivers in a Audiophile streamer are a bad thing
The Pink Faun I2S Bridge uses "proprietary drivers" to make the I2S Bridge work. (these drivers work only in Windows...)
And that is just the problem, Windows is NOT an ideal operating system for listening to High Resolution music, in fact Windows alone is blocking wide adoption of High-res format higher than 24/96
It took more than 15 years to get FLAC support in Windows
Windows works with proprietary drivers, and they are closed source, and therefore you don't know what this drivers is actually doing, and this driver is also extra software on top of the operating system! this gives a extra layer, extra load which is not preferred. it makes the "digital audio route" longer and more troublesome.
We want the shortest path possible, and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS support the Amanero Combo 384 module from it's kernel! without the use of any drivers
Ubuntu doesn't do, or add anything with the digital signal, it sees the Amanero Combo 384 module as a seperate audio device and sends the digital music straight to it
Another nice effect is that Ubuntu (like all other Linux versions) is not only free, Linux is also immune for Windows virusses, maleware and spyware
My advice don't switch to Windows 10 go for Ubuntu instead.
Ubuntu rocks! it's perfect for Audiophiles!
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS is really an Audiophile "out of the box" solution
Just connect your Master 7 dac with an USB cable to your streamer, and off you go! no drivers, It just works from the box
To listen to nice music with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS you first have to select the "Amanero Combo 384" with the builtin tool called "Sound"
After starting this tool, select: "Digital Output (S/PDIF) Combo384 Amanero" to fully enjoy the quality of the Master 7 dac.
Ubuntu detects the Amanero384 module automatically without any drivers
Important:
First you will have to turn on your Master 7 dac, and then your amplifier and then your computer/streamer with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (your computer has to have a USB 2.0 connector)
When you turn off your set, first turn of the amplifier, then the dac, and as last the audio streamer
Remember the opposite direction (when you turn on your set) works a little bit different
The dac has to be turned on first, before the audio streamer (with Ubuntu) is turned on, otherwise it can not "detect" the Amanero 384 Combo module.
For this test I just used a standard (cheap) USB 2.0 cable, and my Master 7 dac is connected with
“ACSS” (Audio-GD Current Signal System) to my Audio-gd Master 10 amplifier.
This gives the shortest signal path possible.
Resulting in a very detailed and dynamic sound
I first wanted to know if a more expensiver USB cable will give a real improvement over the sound quality.
Therefore I started the listening test with a standard USB 2.0 cable (High Speed certified) to have a baseline experience.
How did it sound?
Listening to High Resolution Audio
In my Audio-Video streamer I had a Pink Faun "I2S" Bridge (PCI-E card) which sounded very good, and till now
It was the reference to connect my streamer to my Master 7.
When I first reviewed it, I was very happy with it, and it sounded very nice, stabile, and musical.
In my earlier reviews I was not very possitive about USB, because USB is not designed for High Resolution audio transport from the beginning.
But after listening to the Amanero USB module I have to admit that USB can also sound very, very good!
When I listened to the Amanero Combo 384 module upgrade, one thing became very clear...
This sounded much better than everything I have heard before!
Birds Requiem of Dhafer Youssef sound amazing!
I have listened many different music albums, from Jazz to Classical and they all sound very impressive.
In fact the Amanero USB module is far more three dimensional then anything I have heard before.
The space between the musical instruments is huge, and you will hear details that you have never have heard before.
I had not expected that the difference would be this great, the most impressive part of this module is it's low
jitter. or better said it has no jitter
This exterme low jitter gives an very wide and solid soundscape were all the instruments are seperated
from each other.
The 3D projection is also very precise, so precise that you can pinpoint the location of all the musicans.
So these very precise audio clocks really work, and are a big improvement!
The bass is also very deep, tight and fast. play the "Daft Punk Random Access Memories Album" than you now know what i mean.
I really recommend this Amanero Combo 384 USB module.
It will greatly improve you sound quality of your Master 7 dac, and the best part it not so expensive
Final thoughts
I'm very statisfied and thrilled about this product, I will definitely make another more indepth review about this amazing product.
Well done Mr Kingwa! the Master 7 is sounding better than ever before
If you want to know...The Pink Faun I2S Bridge was my favourite for a long time and compaired with the "old"
Master 7 USB input it performed simply better.
But after listening to the Amanero there is no need anymore for this I2S card, and therefore I sended the Pink Faun I2S Bridge back to the distributor...
There is a new sheriff in town, and it's name is Amanero!
Maarten van Druten (Audio Dandy)
But there is more...
Jos of Magna Hifi recommended to play with some settings in the Master 7
Especially the "NOS" could work very well with the Amanero USB input.
The Master 7 in NOS bypass will also bypass the digital filter, this requires a very low-jitter source though.
The Amanero USB module has very low jitter and reported by HiFiDuino phase Jitter is between 0.04~2.41ps (10Hz~1MHz),
And a total phase Jitter (RMS) of 2.42ps . so the Amanero USB module will also work perfectly fine in NOS mode"
Just bridge jumper IPS0 and IPS1 with a jumper
Of course I will try this, but I will make a seperate review for this Master 7 in bypass mode with the Amanero Combo module
What a dac! it keeps amazing me every time!
Special thanks to Rob & Jos from Magna Hifi for
excellent support and service!
http://www.Magna Hifi.com/
Ist das jetzt völliger Quatsch, was da geschrieben wird, oder werde ich mich jetzt wohl in Linux ubuntu einarbeiten müssen?
Immer nur das Beste,
Thorsten