Setting up a Windows computer for high end audio use is now pretty easy. If you follow the suggestions below you can have an amazing level of sound quality and stability in no time at all. Here is an easy and fast method to setup a Windows 8 or 8.1 computer using JPLAY V6.2 and JRiver version 21:
CAD Recommended Windows Audio Playback setup
The CAD Recommended Windows Audio Playback software setup supports FLAC, MP3, ALAC, WAV, AAC, Vorbis and WMA. If you have any other format it will not work. CAD recommends that you convert to WAV using the following process:
Here are Windows 8 software modifications that we have found help improve sound quality even further. The modifications used are exactly what we used to win the “Best Sound In The Show” award at the 2013 Bristol Sound & Vision Show. We used a £450 Asus K55A i7 Windows laptop using an Intel 520 120GB SSD drive and 8GB of RAM – Along with the 1543 DAC of course!
Computer Audio Design Windows 8 Audio Optimization Procedure
We have published a programs/scripts that will do more optimization than described in the original Windows 7 Paper automatically in Windows 8!
You must read the Audio Optimization procedure above before using the CAD scripts.
Note: You use the CAD Windows 8 & Windows 8.1 Audio Optimization scripts at completely your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for any issues that you may encounter.
We now offer two separate scripts, one for Windows 8 and another for Windows 8.1. The two are NOT interchangeable.
The following 2 downloads contains 3 separate scripts:
1) CAD Windows 8 Audio Optimization
2) CAD Windows 8 Return to Original Settings
3) Desktop Services Killer
CAD Windows 8 Audio Optimization Scripts
CAD Windows 8.1 Audio Optimization Scripts
The Desktop Services Killer will shut down services that are needed for boot up or do not start running until after boot up. You can copy this to your desktop and double click on it to run. If you decide you like it you can then copy it to your startup folder. That way it will run automatically on boot up.
For those of you who are looking to get the very best sound quality two of the biggest resource hogs left after you have run the scripts above is the explorer shell & the desktop windows manager. The explorer shell is basically your desktop – but you do not need a desktop to play music. The following download will allow you to stop both of these services:
This zip file contains 1 script and one executable:
1) CAD Windows 8 Shell Killer V1_1.cmd
2) NtSuspendProcess64.exe
For the script to work you must copy NtSuspendProcess64.exe to C:/. It must be in the root directory of your C:/ drive.
This script will only work on a 64bit Windows 8 OS.
Copy CAD Windows 8 Shell Killer V1_1.cmd to your desktop
If you are running JRiver 19.x instead of Jriver 18.x you need to open the script with notepad and change the MC18.exe to MC19.exe.
Now when you double click on the Shell Killer script the screen will instantly go black. The keyboard and all controls (besides the power button) will no longer work on your computer. You can still use an iPad device and JRemote to control JRiver. The only option on your computer is to use the power button to turn the computer off.
This is not a permanent change! When you reboot your computer it will be back exactly the same. So the CAD Windows 8 Shell Killer V1_1.cmd needs to be run on every boot up. If you are also running the Desktop Services Killer let that start before you run the Shell Killer.
OSX Audio Optimization
The latest version of the Computer Audio Design OSX Audio Optimization Script is out! You use this script at entirely your own risk. Computer Audio Design cannot be held for any issues that the use of this script causes.
- This script is designed for people that use their computer just for audio use. If you wish to use your computer for any other use this script is most likely not for you.
- This script disables processes that are running on your computer that are not needed for audio.
This script deletes all startup items located in: System Preferences –> Users & Groups–> Login Items. If you want something to auto start on boot up you must add it after the script has run. After the script has run Audirvana System Optimization needs to run.
- This script is FREE and open source. Use TextEdit to see/change what this script does.
- This script has been tested using Mountain Lion 10.8.5, Mavericks 10.9, Yosemite 10.10.2, iTunes 11.1.2, Audirvana 1.510 and iTunes Remote.
- The script is designed to allow control of iTunes using the iPad app, iTunes remote. Wifi connection should be made with an Ethernet connection to your wifi router.
- The script has been tested with Audirvana.
- This script gives you the option to turn wifi OFF. CAD has found that using wifi internal to the computer degrades sound quality. If you want wifi we recommend you to use an Ethernet connected wifi router. If you must have wifi then please respond appropriately when the script asks you if you want to turn it off.
To return your Mac to original settings use the CAD Reset OSX Script.
The scripts can be downloaded from here: