[TJHUB]

I recently built a C.A.P.S. v2 music server and I've been playing with JPLAY for the past week.  I'm trying to get things figured out before buying JPLAY.  It's just that there are so many setting in JPLAY that affect the sound.  I'm wondering where other users landed for settings, and with what DAC?

[Aleg]

My favourite settings are, but they are system and listener dependent,

Buffersize.    DirectLink
Engine          Xtream (with default size of 1000)
Hibernation.   FullScale (if your computer can handle it and it doesn't work yet under Windows 8, it crashes after few minutes. Best would be "via USB" as alternative)
Throttle          On


I use these with a JKenny MK3 modded HiFace USB/SPDIFF and HiTech Young drivers on a dedicated PC running Windows 8 Release Preview.

I find Windows 8 better sounding than Win 7 so am willing to forego on FullScale hibernation gor longer listenings. I sometimes do use it for single tracks. But it will only after the official release of Win8 that this issue will be looked at.

Just play with the three engines to see what you Like best.
Gradually increase buffersize if you've got stability problems until it is stable.

-
Aleg

[TJHUB]

I understand the setting are system and listener dependent.  I was just looking for where others have settled in.  I still have a lot of comparing to do.

I did not know hibernation mode didn't work with Windows 8.  I'll find some time today to try "via USB."

[toddbagwell]

My settings are similar.

Xtream with the default 1000 setting
DirectLink
Throttle ON

I generally use iTunes to manage things, and jplay to listen.
I've found the integration is much more finicky with Xtream as compared to River or Beach, but the sound is better.

I've been listening with JPlay mini the past week or so, just copying highlighted sogns in iTunes, and pasting into mini.
This seems to have eliminated some of the odd behavior I was seeing when trying to use itunes with the xtream engine.

As to the decision to buy, I have had no regrets since my purchase 3-4 months ago.
The guys are great with customer support, and your purchase price does entitle you to free new editions of the program when new features are added.


later,
todd

edit:
my DAC is a Wyred4Sound DAC-2
Windows 7

I don't use hibernate at this time, and haven't tried.

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

Here are my JPlay settings...

Audio Interface (Kernel Streaming)
Buffer Size (DirectLink)
Engine (Xtream)
Hibernate Mode (FullScale)
Track info (Off)
Memory (6GB)
Bitstream size (24 Bit)
Throttle mode (ON)

[saisunil]

I recently built a C.A.P.S. v2 music server and I've been playing with JPLAY for the past week.  I'm trying to get things figured out before buying JPLAY.  It's just that there are so many setting in JPLAY that affect the sound.  I'm wondering where other users landed for settings, and with what DAC?

Would love to see the configuration of your C.A.P.S. v2 music server ... thanks

[TJHUB]

Would love to see the configuration of your C.A.P.S. v2 music server ... thanks

The pics can be seen here in my gallery:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=7297

JPlay has turned out to be unsuccessful for me.  It certainly helped my netbook sound "better" in many ways, but it honestly seemed to create a blacker background by attenuating some upper frequencies.  It's too difficult to explain, so I won't bother.

I don't know if any of you that posted in this thread use a SOtM USB card like my CAPS v2 uses, but JPlay doesn't change the sound much when using its output.  And what JPlay does change, isn't for the better.  I can go into details upon request, but I hate typing all this stuff out on forums.

Anyway, I happened to find an issue with setup just the other day.  I had been running a PS Duet power conditioner on my setup for some time with a very nice improvement in sound.  Now that I've switched from a Touch with a DIY linear power supply with a Bybee Music Rail to the CAPS v2, everything I thought I knew about my system has changed.  The CAPS server does not work well with the Duet at all.  Plugging it directly into the wall, the CAPS server took on a whole to life, and WAY for the better in every regard.  I've never had sound like this before, and it's pretty incredible.  There isn't a Touch that can touch sound like I'm hearing from the CAPS server.

For the record, the CAPS server's on-board USB outputs sound much better plugged into the Duet, but the SOtM card's output sounds MUCH better when not plugged into the Duet.  Apparently the Duet and SOtM card don't like each other.  When I first started playing around bypassing the Duet and SOtM devices, I was impressed with the sound of the CAPS server's on-board USB outs when plugged into the Duet.  That was until I heard the SOtM card's output when bypassing the Duet.  It easily wins.

My friend visited me Wednesday to this latest discovery, and he too felt like JPlay did more damage to the sound than any good. 

Between JPlay feeling clunky and not improving anything with the sound for me, I'm done with it.  I have no more interest in JPlay.

For the record, my CAPS v2 build is running Windows 8, Fidelizer, and J.River Media Center.  The sound is incredible even though I'm not using a very good USB cable at the moment. 

[wushuliu]

Agree that there are some configurations where Jplay doesn't sound as good or where it's a wash. Currently running Hiface 2, W8 Release Preview, J River Kernel Streaming. With this setup Jplay has a kind of loudness effect, and just doesn't sound *quite* as natural as J River KS. But I've had other setups where it walks all over everything else.

[TJHUB]

Good to know someone else has experienced something similar.  I was wondering if I was doing something wrong, or if something wasn't working well together.  I want to believe my CAPS v2 server with the SOtM card is just that good that JPlay just doesn't make a positive impact. 

As far as J.River goes, I read on Computer Audiophile that WASAPI-Event Style was the "best" to use.  I haven't tried Kernal Streaming yet.  I'll have to do that soon.

[ThuanDB]

I've tried and finally purchased JPLAY for a couple days, running regular USB cable from 4GB RAM ASUS laptop to Teddy Pardo DAC USB.  Too bad the DAC USB only accepts 48Khz and below.  So far I've been enjoying the clearer musical nuances revealed by JPLAY and vinyl-like sound from the setup, while noticing the seemingly attenuated high frequencies.  Hopefully, a Kimber USB cable and JKSPDIF will help improve things further.

P.S.  I attempted Hibernate/Xtreme/1000/DirectLink and it runs a few seconds then stopped.  Increasing Buffer to 2 samples does it.   

Cheers! 

[hot3288]

I've been running JPlay mini Kernel streaming -> J Kenny JKDac32 -> Marantz AV7005 (pure direct mode) for 2 months now (previously was using Foobar WASAPI -> Opt or HDMI -> Marantz) , and very satisfied with the improvement in sound (instruments/voices better separated, can hear nuances in recordings that I never noticed before, e.g. background accompaniment, shimmer of cymbals etc, and deeper and more defined bass).

[adydula]

I would not touch this piece of snake oil with a 10 foot pole.

Its is the same league as fidelizer.....

I can't believe people pay money for this stuff....but well ....

Have you not read how well this has been recieved by the JRiver folks?

Many of you guys use Jriver and then you try to make bitperfect more bitperfect with this  JPlay stuff?

If it actually did improve something well maybe....but it doesnt.

TJhub you made a wise decision....

All the best
Alex

oh....just to be clear this is my opinion....buyer beware.

[toddbagwell]

Just a gentle reminder to keep posts civil.

I have enjoyed how smoothly things run here, and don't want to see things get heated.

Alex your post is unclear. have you tried Jplay yourself, or are you voicing an opinion that someone else has?

I do not use JRiver myself and therefore cannot comment on any extra utility of Jplay in that setting, but my music player now switches sample rates automatically with different tracks and I would not call that "snake oil".

todd

[hot3288]

I don't use JRiver either, but with JPlay mini, I found a big difference versus foobar. 

Alex - I don't think there is any case for buyer beware - the user can use the JPlay trial version to hear for themselves and make a determination before committing their money on whether to purchase or not.  Their trial version has no time expiration limit, but inserts passages of silence into the music to let you know this is a trial version.  For the US $130 (approx), I got better bang for buck than spending that on some cable upgrade.....and the full license allows to user to install on more than one computer and includes lifetime upgrades.  JPlay doesn't claim to change the bits, but to minimize the computer overhead so as to reduce latency.

There are plenty of reviews on the web on this software besides the JRiver forum:

http://jplay.eu/reviews/

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/blog/2011/10/06/jplay-audiophile-computer-playback-software

http://www.tirnahifi.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1112

Anyway, the best way for anyone is to try it out and hear for themselves - that's free! 

[adydula]

Hi Todd....yes lets be civil...np there..no intent on rattling anyones cage...

I have used it and some other service stopping utils, re-priortizing utils etc...and many more.

It did not do anything to the sound in three sets of headphones or in my 2 ch setup..nothing that these ears could discern.

Also I have posted this as well:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/blogs/mitchco/jriver-vs-jplay-test-results-156/

JPlay doesn't claim to change the bits, but to minimize the computer overhead so as to reduce latency????

That statement leaves a whole lot to desire....use an asynch dac....this is not a real issue at all.

This code about 256KB worth does nothing to make our already bitperfect bits any more 'perfect'.

I agree 100% with  your "For the US $130 (approx), I got better bang for buck than spending that on some cable upgrade..."  well maybe. lol.

I use several dacs Todd, and one is a HRT MSii+ I use has lights on it that change when different sample rates are detected. JRiver allows for bitperfect passthru...nothing to do with Jplay or mucking with services...Jriver when setup to allow for bitperfect playback just sends what it gets to the DAC....and the dac detects this and the lights change on it.

I have been in the PC dev business since the PC1 and still am.

If there were any services that were not needed and actually did something to make our sound better I would be all over it..

Jplay and some others well...just dont cut it. IMO.

to-days pc's running close to 4 ghz have NO issues handling the bits from a 16bit/44Khz file....and most us hi-fi "nuts" are really anal in that
we seem to tend to want the best and have our music servers do just that, play music...not play music and browse etc...

If you have a really old pc, with an older OS, and slow memory, slow interfaces etc...then maybe just maybe shutting down some services would help any stuttering, or slowing of data flow to an outside device like a DAC. But the quality of the bits are still what they are...nothing worse, nothing better.

But if your OS and playback software does allow for bitperfect playback and you have this setup correctly shutting down services doesn't do a thing
for audio quality in those bits.....if someone states this product does this "buyer beware"....

The neat thing here is you can try this stuff for free and if you really think its making your stuff sound that much better then you can continue to use it or not...I am very critical of claims that dont hold up or are coming from ignorance. I am guilty of ignorance in many areas...this isn't one of them.

I just thought I would share my experience in this area....good or bad.

All the best
Alex

[wushuliu]

Jplaymini is magnificent. It helps to shut off as many windows services as possible. Also there are lots of little tips and tweaks at the jplay forum but they are scattered unfortunately. Some other audio players come close to Jplay like StealthAudioPlayer IMO, which is free and in some ways easier to use. But a little fiddling under the hood can make Jplay superb.

What's also nice is that the $130 is for lifetime upgrades. They seem to be on a 6mo cycle.

JRiver is not free: $50. And you pay for each upgrade: ~$27. Compare cost spent on Jriver over 3yrs vs Jplay. Hmmm.

And Alex knows Jplay has a free trial. He just wants to grind the same axe over and over again from thread to thread forum to forum.

[adydula]

Yes and JRiver has a free trial too!!!

Comparing Jriver to a service shutdown piece of code is like comparing a one story building to a one hundred story building?

Send me your pc and i will shutoff uneeded services for free!!

You pay the shipping to and from my location.

Oh and what was the conclusion of this product on computeraudiophile:

"In conclusion, using my ears and measurement software, on my system, I cannot hear or (significantly) measure any difference between JRiver and JPLAY mini (in hibernate mode)."

Hardly what I would call "magnificiant".

All the best
Alex
 
 

[wushuliu]

Yes and JRiver has a free trial too!!!

Comparing Jriver to a service shutdown piece of code is like comparing a one story building to a one hundred story building?

Send me your pc and i will shutoff uneeded services for free!!

You pay the shipping to and from my location.

Oh and what was the conclusion of this product on computeraudiophile:

"In conclusion, using my ears and measurement software, on my system, I cannot hear or (significantly) measure any difference between JRiver and JPLAY mini (in hibernate mode)."

Hardly what I would call "magnificiant".

All the best
Alex
 

I'm not sure why cherry picking a post from computeraudiophile somehow makes Jplay inferior or questionable but okay. I mean we can 'quote' internet 'experts' aka just some guy back and forth all day. Including the recent 6 moons review and High Fidelity and TNT-Audio and Enjoy the Music and... but hey I'm sure mitchco at computeraudiophile in his forum post used 'rigorous' methodology that only Nick Charles could better.

I take care of all my computer mods, thanks which you know. We've covered this already, but if pretending this discussion is new adds to the fun then okay to that too.

[adydula]

For hot3288...

If your really concerned about your pc's latency try this:

http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

Let me know what you learn?

Alex