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Tag Archive for JPLAY

Introducing Erawan, the flagship streamer that brings music of the eras to life

 

Erawan - Cover

 

After 8 years of development, Fidelizer’s flagship streamer product called “Erawan” is now ready to be shipped to overseas. It took 8 years because we set the main goal of Erawan to deliver streaming quality that we won’t miss flagship CD transport.

We could have released Erawan sooner and take advantage from Nimitra’s enormous success before COVID-19 but we want to release something that won’t make you miss CD, something that even vinyl lovers will be interested to hear. This is our mission, not business.

 

To make sure Erawan will really deliver quality we strive for, we conducted internal research and development with Esoteric Grandioso K1X which was one of the best CD players in market today. After reaching on-par performance to reference CD in our systems, we brought Erawan to test outside.

We gained a lot of new experience testing products in different systems. Hearing Erawan against Esoteric Grandioso P1X SE + N-01XD SE in bigger room with bigger reference system taught us a lot more about limitations of digital audio. It brought us joy and suffering at the same time to overcome.

 

Erawan - Reference

 

We also tested Erawan with a few $50-100k turntable setup too and our goal expanded to how we can deliver full scale analogue sound experience like that with streaming as medium. We kept researching relentlessly until we success in developing flagship streamer as we envisioned.

With completely new design from ground up for both hardware and software, Erawan can stream old and new music faithfully and bring whole new experience that you can even compare to Nimitra2 and hear the difference in recorded video clip as below.

 

 

 

The biggest challenge in developing flagship streamer is reproducing full scale analogue sound performance in highend audio systems. Many audiophiles often struggle to play old favorite songs in streaming platform because it couldn’t bring the life of that era back.

Erawan will stream your favorite old and new songs faithfully and reproduce every part of music as if you travel back in time and listen to music in that era again. We developed a cutting edge technology to bring the best of old and new technology as below.

 

ErawanOS based on Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024

ErawanOS’ development started since 2019 when we finally found a promising version of Windows 10 that sounds decent after the original NimitraOS version. We have been updating until finalized ErawanOS with official Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024 release.

Since original NimitraOS, we are the first to develop streamer with process core isolation feature into audiophile market since 2016. In ErawanOS, we are the first to develop streamer with core isolation feature at hardware level into market as below.

 

CORE #1: Core Audio / Clock and Timer drivers
CORE #2: Network devices
CORE #3: USB and audio devices
CORE #4: Storage and graphics devices

 

With important hardware devices isolated to different cores at higher priority (except graphics devices), Erawan can finally stream music at higher fidelity with improved performance on both dynamics and transparency.

ErawanOS is also developed from ground up differently from NimitraOS to decrease hardware latency and jitter. There’s a lot of new and unique optimizations, combined with Windows Server 2025 optimizations and internal improvements to deliver full sound similar to real vinyl.

 

 

Flagship quality linear power supply design

Erawan flagship streamer has built-in linear power supply with completely new design for flagship highend audio quality. With completely new circuit design using voltage reference circuit. We can finally reproduce transport quality similar to flagship CD transport level.

Besides new power supply circuit design, we also use highend grade components as below:

-100VA AUDIO GRADE toroidal transformer from Toroidy
-Silicon-carbide diodes from Cree
-Polymer hybrid output capacitor
-Solid core pure copper internal wiring

With new design of flagship linear power supply, Erawan can faithfully reproduce music with fuller dynamics and yet it can reveal more micro detail and decay at the same time. This power supply helps Erawan controlling low frequency to reproduce real analogue performance.

 

Erawan - Features

 

Next generation of hardware design that can handle high performance applications

In early designs, we used to develop Erawan prototype based on Intel powerful i7 processors to handle high complexity tasks but powerful processor won’t allow us to maintain flagship CD transport level of transparency even with best power supply.

So, we develop a new solution based on more recent technologies and found new sweet spot that can maintain flagship CD transport level of transparency while providing more dynamics with scalable processor design with ultra low latency RAM.

As a result, Erawan can maintain the same principle of being low powered design similar to Nimitra. However, this next generation design is capable of handling powerful tasks like DSD256 upsampling as Roon core and Audirvana for better performance.

We also upgraded clock in motherboard’s chipset and storage to further reduce jitter at more fundamental levels with new technology of components. Now Erawan can have both transparency of low powered and full scale sound of powerful processor, best of both worlds.

 

Separated USB/Ethernet ports for optimal audio performance

Erawan now comes with two separated ethernet ports, 1Gbps and 100Mbps for high bandwidth and low noise applications. Some highend ethernet cables have fast ethernet design for low noise and Erawan is fully compatible with fast ethernet design on 100Mbps port.

USB ports also have high-end grade modification to make onboard USB streaming full and uncompressed dynamics in large room. But if you want to install external USB card, low-profile PCI slot will fit in Erawan based on audiophile cards we tested before.

 

Just like Nimitra, Erawan can work with the following applications from different platforms as below:

 

Windows: KazooKinsky
Mac: KazooKinsky
iOS: JPLAY, Kazoo, Kinsky, mconnect Player, Lumin
Android: Kazoo, Kinsky, mconnect Player, Lumin

 

Erawan supports many features such as DLNA/uPNP (Audirvana/JPLAY/mConnect Player), OpenHome (Linn/Lumin), Airplay, Audirvana, HQPlayer, JPLAY, Roon and SqueezeBox ready to be used as plug and play solution.

 

As for hardware specifications, Erawan has gone through a lot of design changes from improved low powered server design to powerful server with flagship processor quality. At the end of the day, Erawan was finalized with these specfications as below:

CPU: Intel Elkhart Lake Pentium N6415 Quad Core processor (Up to 3.0GHz)
Memory: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz dual channel
Storage: Audiophile Grade SSD SLC mode (Optional: 1-4TB SSD with highend grade SATA cable on request)
USB: 2 x USB Audio / 2 x USB Storage / 2 x USB 2.0 side port
Ethernet: 1 x Intel I211-AT 1Gbps / 1 x Intel I211-AT 100Mbps
Display: 1 x HDMI / 1 x DisplayPort
Expansion Slot: 1 x Low-profile PCI Express X1
Power supply: 100 – 250 VAC
Grounding: Chassis ground support with ground conditioning products
OS: ErawanOS (Custom Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC 2024)
Supported streaming platform: Airplay / uPNP / OpenHome / LMS / Roon Ready / HQPlayer NAA (Audirvana, HQPlayer and Roon on request)
Product features: automate library server management / TeamViewer remote support / Web remote
Dimension: 365mm x 307mm x 120mm (W x D x H)
Weight: 7kg

 

This hardware design is finalized and future proof as it can handle Roon and Audirvana with DSD256 upsampling. Even Nimitra that was design 8 years ago which can still keep up with Roon today with firmware updates.

We already sold 5 units of Erawan before global launch so we have a few cases of users with different platforms to make sure Erawan will deliver smooth transition without interruption. As Esoteric Grandioso K1X SE owner, we can proudly say Erawan made these people happy no less than CD/vinyl format.

 

Erawan - System

 

The product price will be $8,900 USD with 30-day money back guaranteed and free shipping until 31st May 2025. You can read more about Erawan flagship streamer product in details before ordering and happy listening.

JPLAY 7 Femto upgrade on Nimitra/NimitraS situation

After JPLAY 7 Femto was released, I tested the software and found issues with my test equipment so I held out the upgrade and recommend my clients to wait until I can confirm JPLAY 7 is stable enough. Nimitra is a turnkey solution and I need to make sure it will work fine before upgrading.

I continue to test JPLAY from time to time and now it has version 7D with USB Audio Class 1 issue workaround added as I request. I still stumple upon playback instability and after trying to work out with JPLAY staff, I think it’s ready to inform clients now.

 

JPLAY 7 Femto is now stable for most cases except some issues that happened with me as below.

1. USB Audio Class 1 DAC will work with Classic engine only
2. JPLAY Femto service can’t be played from JRiver Media Center library
3. JPLAY Femto library server will crash in mConnect Android app during browsing

 

If these issues won’t become an obstacle with your system, you can upgrade to JPLAY 7 Femto on Nimitra/NimitraS with JPLAY 7 Femto now. Setting up free trial version to test with Nimitra before upgrading is highly recommended. However, JPLAY 7 upgrade is for 64-bit version only!

For customers with 32-bit version, you can send unit back to me for 64-bit reinstallation. That’ll cost $100 USD. If you have Nimitra, you may consider upgrading to NimitraS at $500 USD with free 64-bit reinstallation version.

 

You can purchase JPLAY 7 Femto upgrade from JPLAY directly at 79 Euros. If you prefer to upgrade through Fidelizer, it’ll be $99 USD with PayPal conversion fee and some exchange rate buffer applied.

New JPLAY purchase in Nimitra/NimitraS will be a Classic version and can be upgraded to Femto as an optional upgrade. Please let me know if you have any question about Nimitra and JPLAY products and I’ll assist you with best of my abilities. Happy listening. 🙂

Regards,
Keetakawee

Extreme dual PC computer audio setup shootout between AudioLinux and Windows Server 2019

I’ve been exchanging ideas about computer audio improvements with my pals for a long while and recent he started doing some very serious shootout between the best of Linux today “AudioLinux” and “Windows Server 2019” with software optimizations.

I’ve been checking out in forums recently and it seems there’s only good thing about one thing and the another but never see anyone posting about direct competition. So I asked him if I can share his test results in website and he said it’s OK.

 

The test was performed with AudioLinux with the double PC. Server with Xeon optimized with Roon Server and music on NAS and the renderer on Celeron with Roon Bridge, both started by pen drive and then put in ram without disks in headless extreme mode.

Good sound tonally correct, but lacking body and less broad and deep, thin sound and long tiring, compared to my current type configuration based on a single PC with Windows Server 2019 core with the new JPLAY 7 and Fidelizer 8.2, NAS with MinimServer commanded by mConnect.

Sound warmer round, analog with more body and that projects you more in the sound event, in short, the sound of Linux I do not like. Put Linux both in ram has not had positive effects the sound of Linux is always exile, lack of harmonics compared to Windows.

 

This is a serious shootout in extreme dual PC setup environment. AudioLinux is only $50 and should do pretty well for its price. I hope the future of Linux-based OS will be bright for those who don’t mind paying for products and services in near future. 🙂

Fidelizer in Sonore microRendu review from Positive Feedback

 

Today I noticed Mr. Tom Gibbs has launched his The Sonore microRendu and Signature Series Linear Power Supply review today while doing daily search for Fidelizer. His review is straight forward and thoroughly tested all the features as usual.

I believe microRendu is the most famous audio endpoint device in computer audiophile industry. I couldn’t help feeling honored to see Fidelizer being mentioned in this review again and again along with JPLAY. I’m happy to know he’s stilling using Fidelizer Pro.

The price of microRendu with Signature Series Linear Power Supply is $2039 USD. That’s even more expensive than Nimitra Computer Audio Server and Nikola Linear Power Supply combo. If $2,000 sounds costly, you may consider Fidelizer Pro together with JPLAY at $200 for remarkable performance. 🙂

Optimize MQA sound quality for Tidal Masters Guide

After Tidal launch Tidal Master update that works only on desktop applications right now, there’s a few Fidelizer users asking about getting the best sound with Tidal Master so I think it’s good idea to write up step-by-step guide here.

 

STEP 1: Get Tidal for Windows app

Download most recent version of Tidal for Windows then sign up or login with your account.

 

STEP 2: Setup Streaming audio for best sound quality

Click on “Streaming” tab, you’ll see Streaming dialog with Quality and Sound Output options. Select “HiFi / Master” for Quality and audio output device of your choice. Don’t choose “System Default” because it doesn’t support exclusive mode.

You’ll notice settings icon when you move your cursor to audio output item. Click on that icon and select all options there. If your audio output doesn’t support MQA, uncheck “Passthrough MQA” option so Tidal will perform software decoding of MQA instead.

 

STEP 3: Use Fidelizer with Tidal

After setting up Tidal software, you can improve Windows sound quality further with Fidelizer software. You can run Fidelizer, click “Fidelize” button, choose “Yes” to launch music player application after optimizations, and select Tidal shortcut icon on Desktop.

If you’re using upgraded version, you can choose “Network Player” audio profile for better streaming audio performance.

 

And now you’re ready to play music with best sound quality from Tidal Masters. If you want to use Tidal Masters with JPLAY, I recommend ASIO Bridge software to allow bridging audio output with JPLAY ASIO driver.