Fidelizer

Davide256 --

All lossless WAV files played here, and via my quite
transparent setup Fidelizer is certainly not a waste of
time; it makes a very worthwhile difference with JRiver
MC18, and that for free. I'll just go ahead and say it
again: Fidelizer makes a VERY worthwhile difference, not
only in my setup.

Your "JPLAY blows Fidelizer out of the water"-
remark is, strictly speaking, somewhat besides the point;
Fidelizer is no playback software but a Windows-based (HT)PC
optimization tool, and as such makes comparisons to a
playback software moot. If you'd want to compare investments
- one free, the other not - into making better sound, I'd
say Fidelizer with an existing playback software like JRiver
MC18 holds as much potential as JPLAY sans Fidelizer, unless
perhaps where JPLAY's hibernation mode comes into play.
Indeed, being that Fidelizer is free and does what it does,
why not use it in conjunction with JPLAY as well?

No bashing on JPLAY, I must add. In terms of pure 2-channel
sound quality I find it's possibly the very best out
there, certainly in hibernation mode, but JRiver MC18
+ Fidelizer is very close. There's also cPLay, which is
free, and to my ears sounds very much like JPLAY. What I
like about the sonic "imprinting"(or lack hereof)
of cPlay and especially JPLAY is the natural, full-bodied,
and organic sound, where JRiver MC18 sans Fidelizer is
perhaps a wee bit more meager or even sterile, if you will.
However, Fidelizer seems to almost completely eradicate this
slight sterility via JRiver and brings with it a needed
organic element to the sound.

Davide256 --

I'm using the NuForce DAC-9, yes - the one that doesn't sport the asynchronous USB input that has since become standard with the DAC-9. However, it doesn't automatically follow that the USB input is the only way to go, although I did that to begin with; the preferable solution over isynchronous USB in my case has been to output from a professional RME 9632 soundcard via its XLR AES/EBU digital out to the DAC-9. The standard RME break-out cable has been replaced by a dedicated DIY digital cable with Mundorf silver/gold wires and Switchcraft connectors. This way of outputting to my ears clearly bests the isynchronous USB hook-up, and by all accounts the asynchronous variation isn't going to better my current connection. Instead the next digital interface update will be to invest in the Audiophilleo2 USB to S/PDIF converter + PurePower with direct BNC-BNC connection to my DAC-9. This will blow a stand-alone USB asynchronous connection even further out of the water, to use your way of going about it.

With regard to your impressions on JPLAY vs Fidelizer(+ a software?), what's the software used in conjunction with Fidelizer? I can't really make any further comments until getting that clear, and even so your comments, honest they may be, are put forth in a way that makes any worthwhile assessments on them very difficult.

Look, I have made my own conclusions on JPLAY's sonic attributes, and they simply don't mirror yours - at least not to the same degree. My own setup is quite capable, so it's not a matter of having shitty equipment badly implemented that can't reveal any differences to a notable extent. Like I said, I hold JPLAY in high esteem, but JRiver MC18 + Fidelizer in Audiophile mode comes extremely close.

Tonyptony --

As noted above.

Ozzy --

Via the link my first post refers to, go to the bottom of the page just below the 'Fidelizer 2.1' window illustration and click 'Download Fidelizer' - that's it. No scam, no collecting fees or whatever.

Ozzy --

Did you download via the link('Download Fidelizer') at the bottom of the homepage referred to above to begin with? As is I'd recommend you uninstall all Fidelizer related files you've downloaded already(i.e.: what you've downloaded that you would imagine is Fidelizer-related..), and start all over via referred 'Download Fidelizer' link.

Fidelizer is a free software for sure, so I'm a bit puzzled how you've ended being required to pay for a winzip file.

Sbleam --

No worries, Fidelizer is doing what it's supposed to do just fine reading through your message above. After you've chosen your setting and pressed 'Fidelize' it then "does its thing" as indicated by the small process-window(status-screen), and when it's done the small window closes and a browser to their website pops up. Simply close the browser, and then start up your playback software. From here om Fidelizer has managed you PC according to your setting and closed down processes corresponding one of the three chosen stages - either Professional, Audiophile, or Extremist. I'd recommend you use the Audiophile setting, as it still allowes basic usage of your PC while having shut down a variety of processes that interferes with audio quality.

To achieve the desired effect of Fidelizer it is important that you run the program BEFORE you start up your playback software. Simply run Fidelizer as the first thing when you start up your PC, and Fidelizer will then continue its effect until reboot. That's also saying that you need to start up Fidelizer manually after every reboot, a small measure of action that only takes a few seconds.

Remember, Fidelizer only shuts down a variety of processes on your PC, and that's it. It's not a playback software to manage your music library; it simply "re-calibrates" your computer by shutting down processes that would otherwise interfere with audio quality in making the soft- hardware environment less "noisy." Fidelizer is simply "incognito" while running, the only visible effect of which is when you access the Task Manager under 'Services' and sees how many of them are stopped when scrolling down(compared to when Fidelizer is not in use).

Dtc --

For what it's worth a friend to a friend of mine, who is an avid audiophile himself, is a software programmer(as mentioned in my OP on this subject), and he's thoroughly tested Fidelizer to have a look at its "inner workings." From what I've been told nothing suspicious came of his conclusions that would warrant an alarming position with regard to the safety of using Fidelizer, and from all the posts I've read on people using Fidelizer none of them have expressed problems as in actually being confronted with problems from its use.

With regard to the (lack of) ease of starting up Fidelizer upon every reboot - and yes, you have to manually start Fidelizer after every reboot, and if you don't check Task Master und 'Processes' to confirm that it actually doesn't run - I don't see the problem. I've placed the Fidelizer icon in the task bar at the bottom of my Windows page next to JRiver and other icons, and from here on it's only a matter of seconds for Fidelizer to be up and running. Had there been an option for it to default start with every reboot, fine, I'd have greeted the opportunity. You should in fact be able to have Fidelizer start up automatically via the Windows settings, but you'd still have to go through the setting, press 'Fidelize,' and close the browser. As is I'm fine with it as is; it's a free program, the audible difference is significant, and what small setup there is is done within a matter of seconds.

Perhaps part of the answer to your wondering what it is Fidelizer is doing lies in its, for the casual user, intricate function in shutting down Windows services, but also because doing what it does is not playback related as such, and therefore has no inherently visible "user interface" you'd want or even need to go by. For more detailed information I'd simply access the Task Manager under 'Services,' where you can see the services running or stopped. For a reference you might want to access this information both with and without Fidelizer running.

I'd wager to disagree with your stance on the casual user seeing Fidelizer as a "mysterious" program. Granted, apart from being a casual user I may as well be somewhat naïve (or simply ignorant) into the workings of Windows programs, but I've had the fortunate pleasure of having beforementioned software programmer giving the Fidelizer program his "Approved" stamp, as far as he could tell, and from here on I've simply applied a pragmatic approach with the use of Fidelizer where, if no problems arose, I'll remain happy.