I want to share a beginners experience with linux for audio.
My quest for an alternative OS started when the W7 installed in the atom based fanless pc is unable to play hi res files . The dropout is irritating and the set up is hopeless with 24/192 files . I change the buffer , driver and window start up settings without success.
I want to introduce the slacko puppy linux as it is very easy to use and sound wonderful . there is no dropout even with 24/192 files ! The entire os is about 120 mb and resides in the ram ! You do not need a hard drive and the cd can be removed once the OS is running .
It sound much better than W7.
Preliminary reading materiel Puppy Linux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and
Puppy Linux Discussion Forum :: View topic - Puppy 5.3.3 and Puppy School for Beginners
Follow these steps
1) Download the slacko puppuy linux here Download latest Puppy Linux release
2) Burn the iso file to a dvd r or cd r as a bootable disc.
3) Power up the sound card before starting you computer for the bios to detect it.
4) Enter bios of the pc to change 2 settings. One--- CD/DVD drive as the first boot up drive and two -----disable the on board audio device if there is any .
5) Insert the slacko iso bootable disc into the drive and restart the computer.
6) The entire operating system will be loaded into the ram . My pc has 2 gigabyte ram and I think 128 mb is the minimum. Read the help files of the slacko puppy linux and this is available on the desktop of the os.
7) When the slacko puppy linux is running, go the bottom left hand corner and click the picture of the puppy to enter the set up menu and activate the Alsa sound wizard. Go through the 3 choices in the menu to get the sound. The third choice gives you an option to activate the driver for the external sound card . Click OK to exit. You will be prompted to reboot but i do not find it necessary if I have only one audio device detected by the bios .
8) Use the P mount / unmount programme to mount ( activate ) the drives that contain your audio files.
9) Click once on the audio file and it will open automatically with Pmusic programme.
10) Have a cup of coffee , sit back and enjoy
I am a beginner in linux and find it hard to use the command line. Slacko linux menu are mostly wizard based.
I have tried it on another laptop and works well.
If you have always wanted to try linux audio, this should be simple enough.
Experienced linux users feel free to correct me if there is any mistake and share how to optimize the os .
regards
kp93300
My quest for an alternative OS started when the W7 installed in the atom based fanless pc is unable to play hi res files . The dropout is irritating and the set up is hopeless with 24/192 files . I change the buffer , driver and window start up settings without success.
I want to introduce the slacko puppy linux as it is very easy to use and sound wonderful . there is no dropout even with 24/192 files ! The entire os is about 120 mb and resides in the ram ! You do not need a hard drive and the cd can be removed once the OS is running .
It sound much better than W7.
Preliminary reading materiel Puppy Linux - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
and
Puppy Linux Discussion Forum :: View topic - Puppy 5.3.3 and Puppy School for Beginners
Follow these steps
1) Download the slacko puppuy linux here Download latest Puppy Linux release
2) Burn the iso file to a dvd r or cd r as a bootable disc.
3) Power up the sound card before starting you computer for the bios to detect it.
4) Enter bios of the pc to change 2 settings. One--- CD/DVD drive as the first boot up drive and two -----disable the on board audio device if there is any .
5) Insert the slacko iso bootable disc into the drive and restart the computer.
6) The entire operating system will be loaded into the ram . My pc has 2 gigabyte ram and I think 128 mb is the minimum. Read the help files of the slacko puppy linux and this is available on the desktop of the os.
7) When the slacko puppy linux is running, go the bottom left hand corner and click the picture of the puppy to enter the set up menu and activate the Alsa sound wizard. Go through the 3 choices in the menu to get the sound. The third choice gives you an option to activate the driver for the external sound card . Click OK to exit. You will be prompted to reboot but i do not find it necessary if I have only one audio device detected by the bios .
8) Use the P mount / unmount programme to mount ( activate ) the drives that contain your audio files.
9) Click once on the audio file and it will open automatically with Pmusic programme.
10) Have a cup of coffee , sit back and enjoy
I am a beginner in linux and find it hard to use the command line. Slacko linux menu are mostly wizard based.
I have tried it on another laptop and works well.
If you have always wanted to try linux audio, this should be simple enough.
Experienced linux users feel free to correct me if there is any mistake and share how to optimize the os .
regards
kp93300
Hi Pano,
Pmusic is more analogue when compared to the Gnome mplayer that is also installed in the package ..
There isa dialogue to activate in the preference page so that Pmusic is given priority over other processes. this gives a slight improvement.
In my set up using xmos usb converter from Lorien and B2 dac, the sound is super detail without any harhness and huge soundstage and excellent layering. I could pick up the brush of hand against the guitar box when musician starts playing !
There is zero listerner fatigue .
This is much better than foobar and W7 although i have never been able to prevent dropouts in anything more than 16/44.4 files !
cheers
kp93300
Pmusic is more analogue when compared to the Gnome mplayer that is also installed in the package ..
There isa dialogue to activate in the preference page so that Pmusic is given priority over other processes. this gives a slight improvement.
In my set up using xmos usb converter from Lorien and B2 dac, the sound is super detail without any harhness and huge soundstage and excellent layering. I could pick up the brush of hand against the guitar box when musician starts playing !
There is zero listerner fatigue .
This is much better than foobar and W7 although i have never been able to prevent dropouts in anything more than 16/44.4 files !
cheers
kp93300
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Very interesting instruction. I've been trying to locate any concise info on linux setup for audio player without success and found your post to be helpful. The only problem is my Atom headless music server (currently runs on W7) doesn't have any CD / DVD drive (to make it super minimalist), so is it possible to run it from USB thumb drive ?
I also found another Puppy distro which is pre-customized as music server and can run from USB drive: mpdpup. I was about to test it last weekend, but could not be done due to other matters.
BTW, I don't remember if I have dropouts issue on my Atom machine with Win 7 & foobar, perhaps it is because the "mutilation" that I've done on the OS. But I have dropouts with Jplay via USB (tenor chip), but can be fixed by increase the sample size. While playing hires via spdif out is OK.
I also found another Puppy distro which is pre-customized as music server and can run from USB drive: mpdpup. I was about to test it last weekend, but could not be done due to other matters.
BTW, I don't remember if I have dropouts issue on my Atom machine with Win 7 & foobar, perhaps it is because the "mutilation" that I've done on the OS. But I have dropouts with Jplay via USB (tenor chip), but can be fixed by increase the sample size. While playing hires via spdif out is OK.
mpdpup on ALIX
I am using mpdpup on an ALIX 3d2 machine with excellent results. I started with VoyageMPD. It is better suited to Linux experts. mpdpup has two key features.
It is all wizard driven. From download to music playing in 30 mins. It configures mpd, alsa, and the connection to your NAS.
It has a low latency patch to the linux core. Sound quality is excellent.
I use the WaveIO card from Lucian into a tda1541a dac. awesome sound. Dramatically better than foobar and the like on xp/W7. Also better than a fully tricked out CMP xp machine. This has the best detail, texture and 3D sound stage I have heard.
The ALIX board can be purchased from PC Engines online for $90us. I use a retail WDLIVEBOOK NAS. Picked up a cheap wireless router $19. Simple wall wort ps is fine for ALIX. It draws all of 5W. Easy to build a linear PS for slightly improved sound. Also did a linear PS for WaveIO. You will need a CF card. Buy a good name brand like Kingston. I use an old laptop running GMPC as the client. An Ipad or android tablet would be even better. This does nothing but display the GUI, so it does not need to be dedicated to this task. The VoyageMPD site is a good primer to get the hang of it.
Outstanding sound on a budget. Exactly what DIY is all about.
I am using mpdpup on an ALIX 3d2 machine with excellent results. I started with VoyageMPD. It is better suited to Linux experts. mpdpup has two key features.
It is all wizard driven. From download to music playing in 30 mins. It configures mpd, alsa, and the connection to your NAS.
It has a low latency patch to the linux core. Sound quality is excellent.
I use the WaveIO card from Lucian into a tda1541a dac. awesome sound. Dramatically better than foobar and the like on xp/W7. Also better than a fully tricked out CMP xp machine. This has the best detail, texture and 3D sound stage I have heard.
The ALIX board can be purchased from PC Engines online for $90us. I use a retail WDLIVEBOOK NAS. Picked up a cheap wireless router $19. Simple wall wort ps is fine for ALIX. It draws all of 5W. Easy to build a linear PS for slightly improved sound. Also did a linear PS for WaveIO. You will need a CF card. Buy a good name brand like Kingston. I use an old laptop running GMPC as the client. An Ipad or android tablet would be even better. This does nothing but display the GUI, so it does not need to be dedicated to this task. The VoyageMPD site is a good primer to get the hang of it.
Outstanding sound on a budget. Exactly what DIY is all about.
Hi wlowes
thanks for the info about mpdpup and i will downlaod it to give it a spin soon.
I am also using Lucian usb sound card feeding the B2 and it is transparent dynamic and the best in my set up so far.
Are the changes in setting in mpdpup saved in the Cf card ?
I am now booting slacko pup linux from a usb drive and it save all the changes and i can also surf the net on another laptop.
thanks
kp93300
thanks for the info about mpdpup and i will downlaod it to give it a spin soon.
I am also using Lucian usb sound card feeding the B2 and it is transparent dynamic and the best in my set up so far.
Are the changes in setting in mpdpup saved in the Cf card ?
I am now booting slacko pup linux from a usb drive and it save all the changes and i can also surf the net on another laptop.
thanks
kp93300
Yep. Those guys never expexted such a success. Such a computer can be used for endless number of applications.
I'm sure there'll be a 2nd batch.
The industry has realized that there is a market for those micro computers. There'll be more of these kind of boards soon.
The board is supported by quite some Linux distros. There is even an XBMC project ongoing.
I'm not sure if Puppy Linux is supported. But IMO that's irrelevant anyhow.
IMO you don't need a Puppy Linux - from my perspective it lacks flexibility. There are better solutions out there.
Cheers
I'm sure there'll be a 2nd batch.
The industry has realized that there is a market for those micro computers. There'll be more of these kind of boards soon.
The board is supported by quite some Linux distros. There is even an XBMC project ongoing.
I'm not sure if Puppy Linux is supported. But IMO that's irrelevant anyhow.
IMO you don't need a Puppy Linux - from my perspective it lacks flexibility. There are better solutions out there.
Cheers
Do I understand correctly you want to use multiple machines in your audio processing chain? I.e. using jackd/netjack?
Yes I have at least 3 machines that I use hooked up through the aux sends and returns on my mixer and one is for a live VST host for my guitars and midi stuff and I can use the P3 as just a player now.
Since they are older P4's and an Opteron 185 it will help to keep my latency and cpu usage down under heavy use.
jer
Since they are older P4's and an Opteron 185 it will help to keep my latency and cpu usage down under heavy use.
jer
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