I’ve been exchanging ideas about computer audio improvements with my pals for a long while and recent he started doing some very serious shootout between the best of Linux today “AudioLinux” and “Windows Server 2019” with software optimizations.
I’ve been checking out in forums recently and it seems there’s only good thing about one thing and the another but never see anyone posting about direct competition. So I asked him if I can share his test results in website and he said it’s OK.
The test was performed with AudioLinux with the double PC. Server with Xeon optimized with Roon Server and music on NAS and the renderer on Celeron with Roon Bridge, both started by pen drive and then put in ram without disks in headless extreme mode.
Good sound tonally correct, but lacking body and less broad and deep, thin sound and long tiring, compared to my current type configuration based on a single PC with Windows Server 2019 core with the new JPLAY 7 and Fidelizer 8.2, NAS with MinimServer commanded by mConnect.
Sound warmer round, analog with more body and that projects you more in the sound event, in short, the sound of Linux I do not like. Put Linux both in ram has not had positive effects the sound of Linux is always exile, lack of harmonics compared to Windows.
This is a serious shootout in extreme dual PC setup environment. AudioLinux is only $50 and should do pretty well for its price. I hope the future of Linux-based OS will be bright for those who don’t mind paying for products and services in near future.
I am struggling to see what relevance this has to Roon. Was Roon used in the shoot out on both setups or are you suggesting we abandon Roon in favour of a MinimServer/Mconnect setup?
He in first paragraph that he setup Xeon with Roon Server and Celeron with Roon Bridge for direct comparison. I copied his content and summarize without editing it so it may sound a bit confusing. Sorry.
Oh Fidelizer still exists … good to know. Played with it years ago and yes it makes a huge differnt on Windows in terms od DPCs (derferred procedure calls) which prevented Windows in the past to be taken serious for playing music without stuttering.
Boy. In my mind it is not so much what information was provided about the setup as what was not.
I agree with Henry. I am not sure we are comparing apples to apples here. The best test would be an all Roon system with the only difference being that the endpoint was booted to Audiolinux in headless ramroot extreme mode. Everything else should be unchanged.
As I said the test was done with Roon Server on Xeon PC and Roon Bridge is on Celeron PC to compare between AudioLinux and Windows Server 2019. The latter part about single PC is his personal preference I copied from conversation.
You can treat this as self promoting if you want to see it that way. My product just happens to be used in one of his components. You can also conduct your own test and share your results too.
That’s his preference and I won’t deny that. My point in this thread is to share sound signature different between Linux and Windows platform and both has Roon used to compare.
When I reply to your posts it says replying to “WindowsX”… Maybe it is self promoting. Maybe it’s just confirmational bias.
I conducted this very serious test. I took a packer cut beef brisket I bought from a renowned butcher. I seasoned it with salt and pepper then slowly smoked it over oak in a smoker that I had made from an lpg tank. I smoked it for 16 hours. I also bought a beef roast from the supermarket and cooked it in the oven. This was a very serious test: both used beef.
My friend said he preferred the brisket. He couldn’t eat too much of the roast as it was dry. But the brisket was moist and melted in his mouth.
He allowed me to share the findings of his taste test here.
That brisket sounds delicious. That aside, I think everyone should be able to share information without concerning themselves too much on those aspects. Because some considered manufacturer saying something good about their own product a taboo, some hired helpers to do customer works in forums instead.
Have you compared Roon sound quality between Windows/Mac/Linux before by the way?
I took a look at your site because it seemed interesting. Sadly I can’t try your product - I don’t have a Windows machine. No I’m not a Mac fanboy or an open source zealot - I just settled on those for jobs I needed them for. Computers are tools.
So, without wrapping it in “I have this friend who…” or adding lots of numbers to make it seem credible, and without saying “Free software isn’t free… wait till all the costs mount up or they knock on your door demanding your first born as a sacrifice to the penguin gods…” here goes…
To all the rooners out there, Fidelizer looks interesting. Has anyone used it and want to share their experiences? Or if not, why not give the free version a spin and let others know how you fare? The developer is on here and can probably answer questions on how it works or what the perceived benefits will be to your experience… share the results.
A couple of concerns:
1: Why would anybody use windows for anything? Terrible OS IMO! Maybe for games.
2: Have you tried running any other mainstream version of Linux and just running Roon server on it and compare the sound quality with AudioLinux?
3: How are you going to get support for AudioLinux? If it’s a community support system, you might have to wait a long time to get a fix. Also, if the kernel is modified outside of AudioLinux, how are you going to update to the next version with installed hacks?
Why not keep it simple, get rid of minimserver/upnp/jriver/amrra/audirvana/pure music/etc… and just run Roon server on Linux or a Mac mini (in a different room than your audio room) and use ethernet to connect to your DAC. Simple, better sound quality (sq) than using toslink/coax/and especially USB to a DAC.
It has the most powerful kernel and that works in better favor for audio than others. Most high performance games are built to play in Windows for a reason.
I ran various version of Linux. I also have some 40kg highend Linux server with AudioLinux here putting in a crate right now.
AudioLinux isn’t my product. I’m sharing my friends’ tests with AudioLinux and Windows in his systems. I considered about providing remote support services but I don’t want to be jeopardized by those who mistreat paid services.
As for why not keep it simple, because they heard better sounding platform than simple Linux with Roon software installed? Linux has a few distros and they sound different. I also tried AudioLinux from one of commercial server and I agree with his comment about it.
