Today we have another thorough feedback. He’s using Fidelizer Pro with JPLAY and J River which is quite unexpected combo.

Hi Windows X

I have now had a chance to listen properly with Fidelizer in Extremist optimisation mode + “music server with network support” and to try various different settings in both Jriver 20 MC and Jplay 6.2 with it. This is going from a single Windows 7 laptop via Oyaide Continental 5S silver USB cable to OPPO USB audio 2.0 DAC, controlled by Jriver’s Gizmo app on my android phone.

Firstly I tried various settings in Jriver. I tried Oppo Asio driver, volume set to OPPO and DSD bitstream in DoP format enabled. For Output Encoding I set it to 4xDSD in native format. Jplay was set to Oppo Usb 2.0 Asio driver (engine Xtream, Throttle on and Hibernate mode on).

Secondly I tried in Jriver, Oppo USB 2.0 Dac with Kernel streaming, for bitdepth I used 32-bit integer, buffering 0,50 seconds, volume OPPO BDP-105 USB audio 2.0 DAC, Output Encoding 2xDSD in DoP format. In Jplay, KS OPPO USB AUDIO 2.0 DAC, Engine Xtream, Throttle ON, Hibernate mode ON.

My preference in Jplay has always been Xtream with KS, but in the Asio settings there was a certain delicacy in the treble, which I hadn’t heard in KS. However overall it lost a lot of information that was in the KS settings. In the KS settings, the midrange and bass were far better and the treble was fine though less delicate. In KS the soundstage and depth were much greater. So I am using at the moment the KS settings.

Overall I would say that the Fidelizer Extremist settings have made the single biggest improvement in my computer sound. I think Jplay makes a significant difference as well. Jriver works well as a library and their Gizmo app makes control easy.

Perhaps you could let me know what you think of this? Any suggestions most welcome. At some stage I will definitely go the twin computer route, whether Windows 8, 10 or 2012 server.

Congratulations on a brilliant programme.

Best Robert

From my experience, kernel streaming is direct mapping which has its own ups and downs depending on configuration. Unlike ASIO where it has software driver layer to manage the flow of audio stream data, kernel streaming has no such thing so things like induced jitter will become more effective for better or worse. You can configure JPLAY configuration to tune treble frequency being more delicate. I usually set clock to lowest possible (0.5ms with 0.01 buffer time) and tune frequency to optimal sound signature I prefer.