Boost your PCs audio performance. - Page 3

Roller: You're going over the top. Have you got links to forums or the like showing where people are having trouble with this specific piece of software?

@MaciekN: Simply installing Game Booster won't do any harm by itself, but the usage of the program will inevitably do. About optimizations, I use maintenance software, while the optimizations themselves are done by me, with strict control and knowledge of what they can and cannot do. Looking at sound quality, we can think of two ways of it being improved, both improving the sound quality itself, which would refer to some issue on the default configuration and not expected to be there in the first place, or reducing/eliminating system issues that would affect audio in general, such as crackling, popping, and such, making for a glitch free audio, which is an improvement by itself. For this purpose, I consider my configurations to have reduced issues to a minimum or to be non existent, as the machine I listen music to is also the machine where I do general computer usage, although every system is different and can't have the exact same approach, which is why a "one size fits all" solution doesn't work as intended.

@Currawong: If links is what you want, I'll post them. Seems I might have to get other testimonials as well:

http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?68552-Corrupt-Quarantine-details-after-using-Game-Booster

http://forums.iobit.com/showthread.php?t=10539

http://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/88736-gamebooster-grand-theft-auto-san-andreas.html

http://www.thebuddyforum.com/general-discussion-forum/13590-gamebooster-problem.html

http://www.davescomputertips.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1150

It's like I said before, all the apps I use are reliable and don't cause any issues whatsoever. Reliability is something very important, and unlike how for headphones to have different signatures, they usually have to sacrifice part of the spectrum in favor of another, computer systems can have their performnce improved without having to give something in return, but of course that this is only achievable if done consciously.

I just read "The Art Of Building Computer Transports." Rarely has one place contained so much misinformation. Set to 256 colours for high quality audio? Kill explorer.exe? Whilst, as the article is obviously aimed at transports (not as bad as doing it to your main computer) there is a vast pile of stuff there that "total waste of time" doesn't do justice. The fact that to choose components and so on the guy must be vaguely computer literate only makes it more terrifying.

Does anyone really believe that all the running processes "pollute" your audio? Just because someone found the word "Jitter" relating to something doesn't mean it's going to affect the sound. Reminds me of a certain member who found the phrase "Operating System Jitter" in some IBM documentation, promptly leapt to the wrong conclusion and has a whole website devoted to all the stuff he's done to prevent it corrupting his audio.

I don't trust these programs. Of course it's difficult to find solid evidence that using these programs will destroy the internal workings of your OS (registry and stuff). On the surface, what it is doing may seem harmless - shutting down updaters and stuff, what could go wrong, right?

But you really don't know man, it might be messing with your registries and shutting down certain "unuseful" programs, which might cause problems to arise in the long run.

Yes, I know I sound like a paranoid foo.

I've read the theory, it's still bollocks (with a few minor exceptions - setting sample rate correctly and the like is always required for bit-perfect output.) If anyone says they hear any difference (unless they hadn't previously set up their system for bit-perfect output, which is ridiculously easy to do) I suggest that "difference" would disappear under test conditions that eliminate bias.

You have a nice day, too, Roller. Sorry that making a minimal introduction of you to reality appears to have gotten you so agitated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaciekN 

Leaving all the discussion why behind, have any of you guys tried fidelizer/gamebooster/jplay/anyotheraudioenchancingapplication and can repory any sound benefits from reduced background processes/applications?

I haven't used them for audio (though I recall trying Game Booster years ago for other reasons). However, I regularly play games (MMOs, or casual single-player games) and listen to music in Foobar at the same time, and I've never noticed a degradation in sound quality from that extra processing. So from my perspective no, I wouldn't hear the difference caused by killing minor background processes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaciekN 

Hmm, so if there is any difference you would most probably notice it if you are listening with what's mentioned in your list. Have you compared your PC to any traditional transport like a CD player, then?

No, and it would be inconclusive anyway because I wouldn't be able to use the same DAC. The uDAC only has a USB input. My Clip+ has no line-out for my amp, so I can't use that either. Also I don't have a CD player 

It's possible my amp and DAC are introducing so much noise and distortion that the otherwise "audible" jitter from my system and games is masked. I'd be happy to do a real quick comparison between game and no-game sound once I get my DAC1. The results probably won't mean anything, reverse placebo and all that. Maybe if I can find a game that's demanding but loads quickly, I could set up an ABX test. I don't care enough to go through the trouble.

Hey, maybe someone could ABX audio quality with and without explorer.exe running 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaciekN 

Leaving all the discussion why behind, have any of you guys tried fidelizer/gamebooster/jplay/anyotheraudioenchancingapplication and can repory any sound benefits from reduced background processes/applications?

I used Fidelizer back when I had my STX, it was barely notice able but I had to listen for it.Newer Fidelizer cause issues so if you do try it. use the one that roller suggests which is 1.6.

You could try running Prime95 whilst listening to music to see if CPU usage makes a difference. I wonder if it is possible to sustain an unbroken stream of audio under such a benchmark...hold that thought...

EDIT: If you try this on a laptop, please make sure it has adequate cooling. I am not responsible for your fan-less laptop you put on a blanket catching fire.

If it is possible to listen to music while running Prime95 then that would be because it's not intensive enough IMO. 

Try with Intel Burn Test or LinX instead (if you have a more recent CPU) it will be far harder on your hardware (and temps will go much higher too). 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willakan 

You could try running Prime95 whilst listening to music to see if CPU usage makes a difference. I wonder if it is possible to sustain an unbroken stream of audio under such a benchmark...hold that thought...

 

EDIT: If you try this on a laptop, please make sure it has adequate cooling. I am not responsible for your fan-less laptop you put on a blanket catching fire.