[svyr]

I think its down to "hard pagefaults" now.  I have got rid of latency spikes completely now.  I can't afford Mac - all pocket money goes on audio gear lol

 
-most of the hard pagefaults seem to come from antivirus software file monitoring...  Might try a more lightweight antivirus.
 
OK check the above - no more hard pagefaults.  If dropouts persist its pretty likely a hardware issue now.

pagefaults are from the OS fetching memory pages from the pagefile on disk instead of RAM (part of the virtual memory extending to disk if necessary. Disk = orders of magnitude slower = bad). You're describing just disk activity by the looks of it
Unless you ran xperf and actually checked the number of hard page faults (where it fetches from disk) and it indicates that's a problem.

Usually, if you have 4+ gb of ram and aren't (you or windows) doing anything accidentally sad or using ram intensive software (e.g. large images, etc) (like windows accidentally paging to your removable usb hard drive) page faults would not be a problem. (you won't really be paging to disk much anyway)

The easiest way to monitor disk activity in win7 is task manager -> performance-> resource monitor -> disk. Incidentally, that also shows use info about paging ( memory tab) - commit charge is the total incl to disk paging, working set is the pages in ram.

 

[drez]

I think I have it sorted for now - cutting down services and switching antivirus seems to have eliminated hard pagefaults as reported by LatencyMon.  No dropouts yet.
 
Now can I get troublefree audio with autocad running...

 

[tim3320070]

I run AutoCAD everyday with no dropouts on Win7 64. I use MediaMonkey. I run a lot of other intense programs too.

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

I think its down to "hard pagefaults" now.  I have got rid of latency spikes completely now.  I can't afford Mac - all pocket money goes on audio gear lol

 
-most of the hard pagefaults seem to come from antivirus software file monitoring...  Might try a more lightweight antivirus.
 
OK check the above - no more hard pagefaults.  If dropouts persist its pretty likely a hardware issue now.

I like Microsoft Security Essentials for a lightweight antivirus. If you have 4GB of RAM or more, you could also disable the page file as it's unnecessary by searching for "Advanced System Settings" in the start menu, Performance Settings, Advanced, Change Virtual Memory, and set to No Paging File.
 

 

[svyr]

I think I have it sorted for now - cutting down services and switching antivirus seems to have eliminated hard pagefaults as reported by LatencyMon.  No dropouts yet.
 
Now can I get troublefree audio with autocad running...

was it showing them in the red before and in green now?

 

[drez]

Its down to 0 pagefaults - except those caused by latencymon itself.
 
@Somestranger26 I think maybe your PC has better memory performance than mine - MSE caused heaps of hard pagefaults with its file monitoring on my system.  
 
Possibly a ram upgrade is in order on my side - I'm using 4 gig of 1333 mhz value ram.  
 
Either way problem is solved for now - albeit requiring new windows install onto ssd, wireless gateway, and lighweight antivirus.

 

[oculus]

Would there be any chance that there would be an optical input on a unit like this.  I really need something like this to clean up my Airport express.  I really like the Airport express for its fuctional side and for guests supplying music via their iphone etc wirelessly to my sound system. 
Is it difficult to put optical spdif into a unit as this? or are there any other options out there.  Cheers
 

 

[jimmychan]

 
It's easier for you to get a optical to SPIF converter.

 

[tim3320070]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2948&seq=1&format=2
 
I have one and they're not amazing quality but it works.

 

[donluca]

Quote:

If you have 4GB of RAM or more, you could also disable the page file as it's unnecessary by searching for "Advanced System Settings" in the start menu, Performance Settings, Advanced, Change Virtual Memory, and set to No Paging File.
 

/this
 
I always do this and it greatly improves performance in windows.
 
Be aware though, that if you run out of memory, the program you're running will be closed without warning.
 

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Be aware though, that if you run out of memory, the program you're running will be closed without warning.

It's possible, but usually Windows complains that you're out of memory and gives you time to save your work. With 4GB(or more) you shouldn't hit that limit unless you're 3d rendering or doing photoshop while listening.

 

[oculus]

After thinking about it I think my best option would be keeping the airport express going directly into the dac but using a apple laptop running into a digital interface for serious listening sessions.  Thanks guys for the input tho
Jason

 

[drez]

OMILEX USB isolator arrived.  To me the sound without being red the DI power supply smears the imaging quite a bit, but is much better with the DI power supply feeding the isolator.  Let's hope it fixes the dropouts 'cos I'm at wit's end with OS optimisation, and this SSD sin't much better (massive headache). 
 
EDIT: Isolator does not stop dropouts.  I will be looking for an alternative transport.
 
As for SQ of the isolator - again I prefer straight from the USB port.  To me a galvanic isolator is only useful if it solves a ground looping issue.  I find imaging much more precise without the isolator ( I have only beeen using it with 2 [good] usb cables but I don't think these are much of a factor.)
 
I will update if the isolator performs better with the adapter but I have my doubts.
 
I think from here it would be wisest to try a different transport rather than continue trying to to workaround what would seem to be a fault with the DI itself.
 
I wonder if I can borrow someone else's adaptive usb transport to prove that the DI is flawed and get my money back from AGD...  Someone else reported no dropouts running straight to the usb input of their [adaptive?] dac...  I will chase that up.
 
Not happy.

 

[svyr]

OMILEX USB isolator arrived.  To me the sound without being red the DI power supply smears the imaging quite a bit, but is much better with the DI power supply feeding the isolator.  Let's hope it fixes the dropouts 'cos I'm at wit's end with OS optimisation, and this SSD sin't much better (massive headache). 
 
EDIT: Isolator does not stop dropouts.  I will be looking for an alternative transport.

sorry to hear. Err, try DI on a another pc first?

also, difference between olimex and aimaigin, if nay?

 

[drez]

I mean could always be the power in my room stuffing with the PC but I thought the DC voltage regulation in the PSU would fix this.  I might try the DI on another PC on the weekend - but problem is that the dropouts are intermittent - I would have to leave my rig set up at that other PC for a week