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Quote from: Nick B on May 22, 2025, 07:46:45 AM

Quote from: steve on May 22, 2025, 07:21:28 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 21, 2025, 02:50:07 PM

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent. 

cheers
steve

Steve,

I haven't used VLC in quite a while. Just no need for me nowadays. Glad you found the best settings. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention that it can sound that good 👍

Hi Nick,

I also started a string at another website after reading an article mentioning several
media players and a couple of posters mentioned VLC was excellent. So I tried it.

Thanks Dave. I will check out Audirvana.

cheers

steve

Hi Steve,

As VLC is free, this turned out great for you. Not sure what  Audirvana costs. I took a look on the Apple apps store for comments about VLC, and it wasn't rated well at all. So apparently the issue is Simply having the right settings in place. When I used it years ago with windows, audio quality wasn't important for me.

Nick

I found about half a dozen settings improved the sound quality of VLC immensely.
I also downloaded foobar2000 and found they were quite close sounding after Hal's
suggested settings. Thanks Hal.

I could live with either. And both were clearly superior to Media Player and Windows
Media Player.

I found that Audirvana is ~ $5.50/mo and $6.99/mo.

I am thinking strongly of testing AIMP, will have all three players on board at once.

cheers

steve

Here is an internal pictures of the amps up for sale.

Extensive upgrades start by gutting existing parts and build up from scratch.
-V-Cap capacitors x10
-SonicCap input capacitors x4
- Dale RS Series triode mode resistors
- Dale RN Series throughout
- WBT Binding post
- 4 pieces Gold Bybee Purifiers in Balanced input stage
- Ultra Fast Vishay Diodes
- Cerafine front end bypass capacitors
- Power Supply electrolytics replaced.
- Cryo'ed Silver IEC connector
- 8x Tung-Sol Power Tubes.

Quote from: steve on May 22, 2025, 07:21:28 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 21, 2025, 02:50:07 PM

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent. 

cheers
steve

Steve,

I haven't used VLC in quite a while. Just no need for me nowadays. Glad you found the best settings. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention that it can sound that good 👍

Hi Nick,

I also started a string at another website after reading an article mentioning several
media players and a couple of posters mentioned VLC was excellent. So I tried it.

Hal, I clicked "none" for gain, slid "memory length" for higher, device to my dac, and no fading.

Thanks Dave. I will check out Audirvana.

cheers

steve

With improper settings VLC is awful in SQ.  Get them right and it is quite good considering it is free.

Audirvana is quirky, but the SQ is very, very good.

I haven't tried the current iteration of Amara.

HQ Player is just a PITA for me.

The most important aspect to achieve excellent playback is to turn off every possible instance running in the background.  All of the millions of unnecessary toggles in processors generate RFI and EMI that screws mightily with audio quality.

At one time, Response Audio bought out the remaining ASL Monsoon 100 watt/60 watt triode, mono bloc amplifiers.

As many know, we did extensive upgrades (complete rebuilds) to the Hurricane DT200 mono blocs.

We brought this same level of upgrades to the Monsoons which are the little brother to the Hurricanes. We were even allowed to sell them under our name.
Reviews were amazing. I can provide links.

I forgot I had these as they have been stored at a different location.

This picture is from one of the shows we did with Acoustic Zen and Modwright.



I will provide more pics of the actual piece for ale as well as precise upgrade details.

We are selling this pair for only $4,800 with Tung-Sol power tubes.

Please contact me if you are interested or have any questions.

Quote from: steve on May 22, 2025, 07:21:28 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 21, 2025, 02:50:07 PM

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent. 

cheers
steve

Steve,

I haven't used VLC in quite a while. Just no need for me nowadays. Glad you found the best settings. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention that it can sound that good 👍

Hi Nick,

I also started a string at another website after reading an article mentioning several
media players and a couple of posters mentioned VLC was excellent. So I tried it.

Thanks Dave. I will check out Audirvana.

cheers

steve

Hi Steve,

As VLC is free, this turned out great for you. Not sure what  Audirvana costs. I took a look on the Apple apps store for comments about VLC, and it wasn't rated well at all. So apparently the issue is Simply having the right settings in place. When I used it years ago with windows, audio quality wasn't important for me.

Nick

Quote from: Nick B on May 21, 2025, 02:50:07 PM

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent. 

cheers
steve

Steve,

I haven't used VLC in quite a while. Just no need for me nowadays. Glad you found the best settings. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention that it can sound that good 👍

Hi Nick,

I also started a string at another website after reading an article mentioning several
media players and a couple of posters mentioned VLC was excellent. So I tried it.

Hal, I clicked "none" for gain, slid "memory length" for higher, device to my dac, and no fading.

Thanks Dave. I will check out Audirvana.

cheers

steve

Foobar2000 is also available for MACOS

https://www.foobar2000.org/mac

Just turn off applied gain and set a large memory buffer.

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent. 

cheers
steve

Steve,

I haven't used VLC in quite a while. Just no need for me nowadays. Glad you found the best settings. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention that it can sound that good 👍

Quote from: steve on May 21, 2025, 09:01:03 AM

Quote from: Nick B on May 13, 2025, 03:05:51 PMSteve,

I used VLC years ago when I was running Windows. My recollection is it was not near audiophile quality. Have heard good things about Foobar, but haven't used it.

Hopefully someone else here has much more information.

Nick

I just found out that there are some important Settings that need to be changed with VLC for optimum audio.
I was wondering if you made the adjustments as I clearly thought VLC was also inferior until
I made the Settings changes.

After making the changes, I find VLC is clearly superior to media player, windows media player, and even
foobar 2000. If I set foobar from 2x to 8x oversampling, it became closer to VLC but VLC sounded cleaner, more
natural, live sounding while foobar had a smidgen more bass, but also less live sound.
Your results may vary though, system dependent.   

cheers
steve

I'm using VLC on a Mac mini that has aged out of Audirvana support.  Audirvana is superior to VLC, but not by a lot.    Getting the settings correct - eliminating spatialization, setting proper toggles isgoes a long way to make it a very good player.

Macs are hard to please with software...  Apple cancel drivers and other supporting data.