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[TheGreatBiguini]

I am contemplating my next server build for my main system; would be fairly happy to not pay Bill Gates for yet another license, and I seem to have gotten Linux/cinnamon figured out well enough to get by. Has anyone noticed a difference one way or the other in terms of how they sound? I run both now, but in different servers in different systems, so there is no way to really compare.  

I believe in maxing out my builds, as much as possible anyway with passive cooling, so would not foresee cpu/ram limitations causing latencies with either.

[astromo]

From a subjective view point, as long as the audio is set up and functional (so no snap, crackle or pop during playback), I can't pick any difference between platforms or between debian and ubuntu if the question is about individual distros.

Audio perfection is in the ear of the beholder, so there may be others out there with an alternate point of view.

[TheGreatBiguini]

Thanks, I am currently running Mint, but would go with Debian next time. Anyway was more asking about any distro of Linux vs Windows. I hear you though.

[mwillems]

Thanks, I am currently running Mint, but would go with Debian next time. Anyway was more asking about any distro of Linux vs Windows. I hear you though.

The most likely difference you will encounter is driver support.  Some sound devices are better supported in windows, some are better supported in Linux.  This is unlikely to manifest as an abstract difference in sound quality, but rather as a difference in features (gapless does or doesn't work correctly, all sample rates are or are not supported, etc.).  I would advise testing your equipment on both and seeing if there's that kind of difference.  Barring driver differences, there's unlikely to be much of a difference otherwise.

[TheGreatBiguini]

Thanks. I have used the Linux version with various ifi DACS without problems (once I figured out which device to select) and my main system uses the PS Audio DirectStream, both via USB and the ethernet Bridge.  Can easily test my current linux box with both of those before going forward. I was one of PS Audio's beta testers for the Bridge (both versions), and though I didn't try it with Linux at the time, I am pretty sure others have used them together successfully.

[shimrod]

I replaced windows 7 with Linux mint and right now the sound is drastically worse on linux. It's the same computer (AMD processor, 8 GB ram) and DAC (LH Labs GO V2). All other components are the same. I'm a newbie at linux, perhaps someone more expert could diagnose the problem but it just doesn't sound as good. JRiver is also using between 60 and 70 percent CPU at all times. I'd always heard linux required fewer hardware resources than Windows but I'm not seeing it on my machine.

From the forums other people are having better experiences with linux; I just wanted to report my experience. I've only been running on linux a short time and I'm hoping I'll find a way to improve performance and sound.

[mwillems]

I replaced windows 7 with Linux mint and right now the sound is drastically worse on linux. It's the same computer (AMD processor, 8 GB ram) and DAC (LH Labs GO V2). All other components are the same. I'm a newbie at linux, perhaps someone more expert could diagnose the problem but it just doesn't sound as good. JRiver is also using between 60 and 70 percent CPU at all times. I'd always heard linux required fewer hardware resources than Windows but I'm not seeing it on my machine.

From the forums other people are having better experiences with linux; I just wanted to report my experience. I've only been running on linux a short time and I'm hoping I'll find a way to improve performance and sound.

You shouldn't be seeing anywhere close to 60 to 70 percent cpu usage unless you're running heavy convolution or have a 10-year old processor.  What CPU usage do you see at idle without MC running?  For comparison, MC uses about 2% on my Linux machine during playback.

[shimrod]

I found the sound quality issue...for some reason linux allows me to set the volume as high as 170% (!). I had the slider run all the way to the right and it sounded like crap. Once I recognized it could be overdriven I backed the volume off to 100% and it sounded much better. I use a preamp for volume control so I was accustomed to setting the computer to max and leaving it there.

High cpu cycles appears to have been an issue with the laptop. I swapped it out and with mint 18, jriver, and CIFS file transfer I'm getting 4 to 8 % cpu during playback.