So @AlAngen was talking about this software a bit …. suggested to try the free version - which I have downloaded… Apparently it stops processes on the laptop and prioritizes certain things on the CPU to increase… you got it… fidelity… So, today I decided - what the heck - I’ll try it…
So I opted for the free version - and got to a point in the load where it asked me about prioritizing different media - I clicked one - and it told me ‘file does not exist’… Ok… whatever… but then I hit the ‘Fidelize’ button which said it was stopping processes etc…
So I took a look in task manager and did see a lot of things ‘stopped’ - but honestly, did not check before…
Anyway… sound? Well - I actually think I hear a difference… (although I am not sure what that media player prioritization was all about)…… I do notice that the light on the front of my laptop does not blink as often - indicating a ‘read to disk’ …. So that is a good thing.
Sound seems a little less ‘digitally’ - things seem to have a little quieter background…
Has anytone tried this.
Has anyone tried the pro version (i.e. paid) - and what are the sound improvements there?
Its a ‘no harm no foul’ attempt at more musical bliss - why not?
Can people chime in with their experiences? (I have no idea what the pay version cost is - and if it is a 1 time cost… )… I know it iss probably doing things I could do myself manually - I’m just not sure I have the patience to dig in and go at it…
(I wanted to split this out from the matrix topic…)
I used the free version for several years before recently springing for the Plus version at $39.99 one time fee. I’m too lazy to do endless comparisons anymore so I kind of just go on faith. I mean, if you use a PC you need to optimize it, IMO.
Yah. That’s why I decided to try it. Does anyone know if the pay version does anything different other than stick on reboot? I’m under the impression changes get lost on reboot
There is better option called Audiophile Optimizer for Windows machines. Little trickier to install and use but for huge improvements in sound and it´s better than Fidelizer. But they both can be used together at the same time. So my advise is to opt in for Audiophile optimizer first and then Fidelizer. They complement each other…
When I start it I check the first box and the box at the end of the line. Then I click on Fidelize. A file explorer window opens and I seek out and select the Jriver program. It does it’s thing and then Jriver starts and things sound great.
I am curious about your “file does not exist” result.
Thx Al. I screwed that part up. Didn’t think about finding jriver … duh. Let me try again. My guess is that everything else - stopping processes is the big thing. Since I’m not running anything else.
There are a few options available with the free version. A nice thing is a reboot undoes any and all tricks. I understand the pay version goes much farther and the effects can be set to auto load at startup.
I hear a very nice difference. I hope you find the same. I like that it’s free and requires little “study”.
I don’t have my machine load a bunch of stuff at startup so I do the following:
Start Fidelizer
On first page select user level: Audiophile
Click Advance button below
Advance Features check box in front of "Lower non audio process priority
Hit Fidelize button
Check box in front of Media Player application 1 priority high. Also check box in front of apply core isolation policy
hit start button
File window opens select Media center 25.exe
Hit open
Then I just wait for media center to pop up and I’m listening.
I anything goes wrong with playing music (it happens from time to time, not often) I do a reboot and do all of the above again.
Latency did not seem to be a selection in my process.
Okay, I am ten seconds in to listening via purist mode for the very first time. I feel dopey I haven’t tried it yet. So far it seems okay.
Edit:
After a couple of hours I guess I’ll say gosh. I wish I had selected Purist earlier. At first I thought na, no big thing. Then I started to think everything sounded a bit precious. Now I just want to stop typing and listen.
Please tell me what the gains are with the paid version. I was worried my remote access app would not work with Purist mode. I am pleased that it does.
So cool. I’m glad I could help with my babbling. Yes. In purist mode - free version - I kept my jremote working. With pro - I know you have control to either keep the WiFi working or shut it down completely. I asked the developer. I’m gonna buy it in a week. I’ll report back.
So I just purchased the pro version of fidelizer. I will let you know how it goes. I believe it takes 24 hrs for software delivery.
The results I got w the free version were very noticeable. So I will do a compare with nothing … the free version … and finally the pro and report back.
So about 6 months or so ago I started focusing on the signal that fed my DS. So I investigated and purchased a matrix. I found the improvement the matrix made a great addition. Then several months later started thinking about the signal feeding my matrix from my laptop. Enter fidelizer.
Ok … I had a chance to compare my system without fidelizer… with the free version…and with the pro version.
First - anyone that runs a PC should get this imho. Comparing my current to the free version - I found the free version to remove a layer of digital glare and so much so that I felt obligated to get the pro version. So I ponied up the 69 bucks and went to purist mode and had the software shut down everything on my dedicated pc not for music. It optimizes Audio processes and gives them priority and also gives you the ability to dedicate and isolate cores in the cpu for Audio. Seems like a good thing all wrapped up in a very simple piece of software a novice could use and understand. The developer is also very responsive to questions.
On to the comparison of free version vs pro.
The sound was fantastic - better than the free version. Quieter background with more inner detail coming out… music seemed to have more jump… more depth…and notes had more decay. Vocals were more solid etc.
I highly recommend this. It feels like a new upgrade.
Okay, I spilled for the upgrade. I should have done it months ago. $70 is like a rounding error compared to what I have spent on gear this past few months. DOH.
