MQN

[Aleg]

Aleg - are you talking about "mqnplay.exe 24 bit avx2 v1 win8.1-r2 100000" when you say 100000?
Thanks for an extensive report!

100000 version is the buffer size equivalent of the old 448
I was fond of
This buffer size seemed to show much more resolution or like the refresh rate of a picture on a tv the more often the refresh rate the more accurate the picture and it's movement and fluidity

Sbgk thinks lower buffersize meaning much more Loops Causes more noise

But there's probably much more going on than that

For me the detail and realness sets mqn ahead of the game

Ah, I didn't know that 100000 was the 'same' as 448.
In the 2.7x range the 2.73 448 was also my all-time favourite, so that would explain why I am again drawn towards the 100000 in the avx range.

Hope that sbgk will keep the 100000 in the productline as well, preferably as a 24-in-32 version for the high-res playback.

cheers

Aleg

[Aleg]

My problem is that my DAC can't play 448 or 100000, but I was listening V16 last night without any serious testing. It does perform well, I would say.
Gordon - any chance for V16 2000000, please? I would like to experience hirez with this version.

cvrle59

How do you start your music and from what format (flac or wav).

What I notice for example is that when I start an avx version via mqnload from a flac file, it can take 1-2 minutes before playback actually starts.
The pause between flac conversion and mqncontrol startup takes quite a long time and then after the listing of the tracks it again takes a long time before the track load counter comes into view.

If I start from wav files, it start quite fast with no obvious pause anywhere.

Maybe something to try if applicable to you?

cheers

aleg

[cvrle59]

My problem is that my DAC can't play 448 or 100000, but I was listening V16 last night without any serious testing. It does perform well, I would say.
Gordon - any chance for V16 2000000, please? I would like to experience hirez with this version.

cvrle59

How do you start your music and from what format (flac or wav).

What I notice for example is that when I start an avx version via mqnload from a flac file, it can take 1-2 minutes before playback actually starts.
The pause between flac conversion and mqncontrol startup takes quite a long time and then after the listing of the tracks it again takes a long time before the track load counter comes into view.

If I start from wav files, it start quite fast with no obvious pause anywhere.

Maybe something to try if applicable to you?

cheers

aleg

I start with mqnload, and always waw, no flac, all converted. The problem is my DAC. It would start playing, but after few seconds just crackling noise. I have contacted Naim about V1 and buffer size. This is what Steven Hopkins came back with.
"I started to have a look at MQn, but I wasn’t able to get it to queue any music in a short space of time and need to do a more thourough investigation in the New Year. The DAC-V1 audio buffer is set to about 30ms, but reduces with increasing sample rate.
The MQn 10ms buffer sounds very optimistic as many operating systems have a timer resolution greater than that. Some hardware may perform better than others depending on the chipset used.
If you are using the naim DAC-V1 custom driver, check that it’s the latest. Youcould try the standard windows driver to see if that makes a difference?"
I like this DAC so much, so I asked him if there is any chance they change it with some firmware update. His answer was negative. He did mentioned standard windows driver, but I'm not sure how to make it work. I should probably delete Naim driver and just install some USB audio driver. Any idea about that option?

[Aleg]

My problem is that my DAC can't play 448 or 100000, but I was listening V16 last night without any serious testing. It does perform well, I would say.
Gordon - any chance for V16 2000000, please? I would like to experience hirez with this version.

cvrle59

How do you start your music and from what format (flac or wav).

What I notice for example is that when I start an avx version via mqnload from a flac file, it can take 1-2 minutes before playback actually starts.
The pause between flac conversion and mqncontrol startup takes quite a long time and then after the listing of the tracks it again takes a long time before the track load counter comes into view.

If I start from wav files, it start quite fast with no obvious pause anywhere.

Maybe something to try if applicable to you?

cheers

aleg

I start with mqnload, and always waw, no flac, all converted. The problem is my DAC. It would start playing, but after few seconds just crackling noise. I have contacted Naim about V1 and buffer size. This is what Steven Hopkins came back with.
"I started to have a look at MQn, but I wasn’t able to get it to queue any music in a short space of time and need to do a more thourough investigation in the New Year. The DAC-V1 audio buffer is set to about 30ms, but reduces with increasing sample rate.
The MQn 10ms buffer sounds very optimistic as many operating systems have a timer resolution greater than that. Some hardware may perform better than others depending on the chipset used.
If you are using the naim DAC-V1 custom driver, check that it’s the latest. Youcould try the standard windows driver to see if that makes a difference?"
I like this DAC so much, so I asked him if there is any chance they change it with some firmware update. His answer was negative. He did mentioned standard windows driver, but I'm not sure how to make it work. I should probably delete Naim driver and just install some USB audio driver. Any idea about that option?

I have never used a USB sound device with Windows native usb drivers, but for uninstalling I would check the following:

- Programs/Uninstall program: look if there is a Naim driver package mentioned among the installed programs. If so uninstall it and reboot computer. After reboot go to Hardware/Device Manager and lookup your Naim Sound Device. If it is there check with right mouse click properties the driver that has been loaded. If it is plain Windows than you're OK, if it has a reference to Naim, AudioPhileo or other non-Microsoft company name than the driver has not been removed from the driver 'cache'. In that case in Device Manager right click on you Naim Sound Device and select Uninstall and put a check mark in the Delete drivers checkbox. Reboot the computer.
After reboot check in Device Manager the status of the Naim Sound Device.
Try to play music to it with sample frequency smaller than 96k.

SPECIAL DRIVERS NOT REQUIRED
....
From the Microsoft Developers Network website:
"Microsoft provides support for the USB audio device class by means of the Usbaudio.sys driver... If a connected USB device belongs to a class that is supported by the operating system, it automatically loads the class driver, and the device functions with no additional driver required..."

Cheers

Aleg

[cvrle59]

Can't get rid of custom naim driver...hate windows...

[Aleg]

Can't get rid of custom naim driver...hate windows...

Kan niet bestaat niet. (Cannot exists not) as we say here :-)

What method did you use?
What did you see in each of the steps I described?

In the end it is just a program that has been installed, so can always be removed.

Cheers

Aleg

[cvrle59]

I uninstalled by program management, that wasn't enough. I went to device manager, uninstalled it, rebooted (no check to delete available as you described), didn't help either. It comes back as soon as I plug dac in. I know, it's a program, but it should clean sh...t behind when I use uninstall, so that's the reason why I hate windows. I will find it, it's not the first time, but it shouldn't be like that.

[nige2000]

Maybe delete device in device manager after removing drivers
Then reboot

OK see Aleg already suggested that

[Aleg]

I uninstalled by program management, that wasn't enough. I went to device manager, uninstalled it, rebooted (no check to delete available as you described), didn't help either. It comes back as soon as I plug dac in. I know, it's a program, but it should clean sh...t behind when I use uninstall, so that's the reason why I hate windows. I will find it, it's not the first time, but it shouldn't be like that.

cvrle59

If you do Uninstall of a Sound device in device manager it should offer the option checkbox to delete the drivers like this:


Are you sure you selected Uninstall device?

Cheers

Aleg

[cvrle59]

Got it...the best thing is that generic driver is playing 100000!
Thanks guys for your effort!
P.S. Aleg - win 8.1 doesn't offer that option. I am embarrassed, but I have to admit. It worked at first time I took naim driver down, but damn windows installs own driver automatically with exact same name. I should've checked properties.