What can I do to improve my computer?


I am currently running a Dell computer with windows 7 to my PS Audio PW DAC II via cat7 cable.....using the bridge. I am waiting to either get the new PS Audio Silent Server (when it comes out) or a MAC Mini to use as my source. Until that time, can you guys recommend some things that I can do to improve the sound from my computer? Are there programs that will help? Any settings I can change?

The computer is just a laptop that is used vary rarely by my wife when she needs it (maybe once a month). I would like to get the best sound out of it that I can while I wait for the other options mentioned above.

Thanks
Jeff
jeffatus
dont let windows manage your memory. manage it yourself and have the memory fime's min and max set to the same and set puter for optimum performance.
Ozzy,
I've never had a problem downloading Fidelizer. You must be clicking the wrong place. Try again.
Steve
Levy03 --

You're welcome :) And glad to learn there are others who've had successful results with Fidelizer!

Ozzy --

I must say your case sounds weird - indeed unfortunate. Have you tried uninstalling everything related to Fidelizer, and then re-installed Fidelizer via the 'Download Fidelizer' link at the bottom of their homepage? Or maybe your problem doesn't lie in the download process, but how you access the file you've downloaded?

http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer/

Perhaps others could help here? I'm no expert into this, but I do know the link works on my HTPC and several others I've recommended it to.
Tried it again, got further into the download until a pop up said I needed to add winzip for $69 bucks.Declined and I could not continue.
Are you guys sure this web site is not just a big SCAM ?
Everytime I try to download the Fidelizer, I get this giant advertizement overlay that I can't get rid of. And if you guys say that everytime you turn off the computer you have to reload it...
thanks for the heads up Phusis/Steve!. just downloaded Fildelizer and will give it a go. sounds pretty promising!.
odd how you need to reload it every boot. i only reboot once a week and will need to remember it's gone. however... a free app to demo that kills itself by default?? love the idea!

also agree with Steve regarding higher grade Ethernet cables *and the pwd2* . i stepped up to all cat6 cables a while back and cat7 more recently. definitely noticed improvements in my networks performance as i stepped up. couldn't pin down the sq improvements mainly due to losing interest in trying. noticed improvements in some areas but not consistently enough to draw any conclusions. got sick of it and gave up. however, overall network performance was easier to detect in my set-up (25+ Mbps service/Moto SGB6580/Linksys WRT610N/PWDII using Ipad3 and E-Lyric 32.03 or JR17).
Hi,
I saw the threads about Fidelizer and tried it with my PWD II and Bridge. First I installed it on my Windows 7 laptop that runs either jRiver or eLyric. I tried jRiver first with the Professional setting. Wow, what a difference. The soundstage became more solid, the images firmed up and stayed in place. Bass notes were better defined. An overall improvement. As eLyric sounds better I soon switched to it. The sound became even better there. The only downside being with eLyric it really slowed down the album art display on my iPad.

Next I installed Fidelizer Professional on my WHS as well. There was easily 2 times the difference.

Then restarted both computers and tried the Audiophile settings. This was even better. Certainly on the scale of updating from the PWD to PWD II or more. Easy to hear. The speakers seemed to disappear. The music seemed to slow down, have its own space, become more deliberate. It wasn't as if I knew there was a problem before but I'd call playback without Fidelizer kind of jittery.

I did try the Extremist settings. This did not work for me it closed down the network and did not allow communication between the laptop and WHS. Maybe I'll try other combos latter.

As for Ethernet cables not making a difference, I've found that it clearly does, Cat 6 better than Cat 5, and Cat 7 superior to both. Not huge blow me away differences if you go step to step but certainly worth doing from CAT 5 to Cat 7. I've heard that the new Ethernet cables from Audioquest are CAT 7.

I'd try Fidelizer on any Windows computer. All you have to do is reboot your computer to remove it. And if your PC is restarted you'll have to reinstall Fidelizer each time.

Try it you'll like it.
And it is free.
Foobar is the best playback software I know of. Also, asio4all makes the sound better, smoother like an upscale piece.

Both can be downloaded for free - google search for them.
Timlub, as Audioengr said you cannot really improve it other than improving clock (reducing jitter) on the other side of the bridge. You can run all the programs you want in parallel and it won't make a bit of a difference, since it affects only timing and timing is removed by networking. If cat7 cable makes a difference it is only by quality of shielding that is reducing ambient electrical noise.

Music is sent in packets as data without any timing. Timing is recreated on the other side of the bridge where good, low jitter clock and clean power are a must.
Go to your start up menu and turn off all programs on startup that are not necessary, so only your server program will be running.. ie foobar jriver, turn off you anti virus program.
go into your windows player settings and set it for your computer to take over control (bipass windows music player)
How ever you output to the dac, do not plug in any of the same type device while using your server... ie USB, or toslink or other spdif....
If you do all these things, you will hear it.
If you are using with bridge with networking, then there is little that you can do to the computer that will make any difference. You would have to mod the PWD to improve the power or clocking to make any improvement.

One thing that will improve things is to use the best CD ripping software to the best format, and that is dbpoweramp to .wav files. Enable Accurate-Rip.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
I run a Mac so my comments might be off the mark but generally maximum your RAM and minimizes services on the laptop you don't need. For instance on my Mac Mini I disable Spotlight and energy savings such as screen saver.

Are you using iTunes as your player and file manager? If so you might consider a third party playback software used with iTunes ( on the Mac side there are several like Pure Music and Amarra.