Today l have playing with the Plexamp app for Linux.
Now before l start l have thank yet again, our in house ,go to guy on Linux Tim. l was having trouble getting Plexamp to install, but he steered me in the right direction.

So l run two servers, one Jriver for my Hi Fi, and another for backup files that has Plex Server on it. Plex is great if you want watch or listen to your own files,and more importantly if your away from your home.

So one question of the issues when using Plexamp (That's the app that plays back music only,it's available on Windows,Linux,Android, IOS) on Windows,that you have it's not gapless, however using Linux Mint LMDE 6 it is,and sound quality is pretty good via my old Acer laptop,inputting via USB on my Gustard R26.

As a experiment, l then dusted off my Leaf Audio Reclocker, so LAPTOP USB, then Leaf Audio output via Coaxial or I2s.
Well blow me down, a large improvement but a not a real surprise against a laptop direct, l could live with this via Coax. Lastly l dust off my Blue Jeans HDMI cable and connect via l2s on my R26, even better again.

This little box certainly works wonders, and can turn something average, into something special indeed.
Now on the slightly downside,Plex will only output at 24/48Khz, but thats still acceptable in my view.

Here is link to reclocker box, l use the expensive, which is version B.

Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out!
US $42.83 14%OFF | Leafaudio U2 CCHD957 XMOS XU208 USB DAC Digital Interface Sound Card DOP/DSD256 PCM HDMI I2S Output Audio Decoder Leafaudio U2
a.aliexpress.com/_EIYKHPJ

Yes Clifford l was,considering its a standard laptop and psu.
l am guessing l could probably get a bit more by changing the laptop psu as well.

Sounds promising Damien. Some shielding and Tara labs should work wonders too.

The Devil Makes Work For Idle Hands 🤣

Sheilded Furez FZ142AS by Damien Read, on Flickr

Aha.... Now fitted with tinned copper sheilding, and a bit of Copper tape for the trailing ends... O and don't forget a bit of "splash it all over" Brut...Sorry.. Graphene Solution on those connectors.

l have been blasting out the Hi Res version of one my favourite albums by Jellyfish titled Split Milk.
lf you haven't checked it out, you should, great harmonies that will remind you of the Beach Boys,great lyrics, actually quite a hard album to label,as you can chuck a bit of Crowded House and Squeeze into the overall sound,anyway check it out,it may be best album you never heard 🤣

So back to the cable, l did have positive moment while playing Colluseem 2 "Major Keys" from the album Wardance, l often use this as a test track, and l can't recall hearing a young Gary Moore rhythm guitar being so clear and easy to follow.

Hopefully the Furez cable will cable will improve further.

That's all for this week's messing around.

Quite the opposite Matt, took about 30 minutes.
l used this stuff for the sheilding.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263851562555?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=z85cyeo4Ree&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=BciNUykhRZm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Just slide it over,and apply Heatsrink or Electrical tape.
The Copper tape, even Monkey 🐒 like me can apply to the ends.

No..l didn't, TBH l just wanted to reduce rf nasties, as there is Zero protection on the Furez cable, and it's a theme on most speaker cables these days, l am not a expert,but sometimes l don't see some design logic, use a expensive copper or silver, but leave the cable exposed to interference. So the shield is acting more on the Faraday principle.

I use the Spec RS-901EX as terminations / impedance matches on my speaker runs, which seems to have a good effect on reducing nasties going back into the power amp. The latter has a very low output impedance, too.

So true... Matt. But there is no doubt, its a art.. You only need to see that Coherent speaker cable are on the right track,which are universally praised,sadly out of my budget.

I agree emphatically this is very much in line with my findings in my missive "small problem cured bigger result" where I am documenting the prevention (much easier than removal) of RFI/EMI 50hz particularly relating to my Croft phono stage with SUT's fitted by Mark Manwaring-White because the extra gain has made an existing unnoticed problem very visible.  I have used 20mm sticky copper foil spirally wrapped around with a 1mm earth lead connected to the 13amp plug & foil then covered in PET braid to insulate all of my power leads except the speaker ones, maximum fuse size 5amp they are also fitted with clip on ferrites. 

I have made sure that those RCA leads including one made for me by Len Gregory using CT100 air core coaxial cable with the centre copper wire removed then 99.99% pure Silver conductors threaded through & separated by the plastic of the air core lotus flower like segments, I have connected the outer copper foil & mesh screen to earth at one end indicated with heat shrink tube to connect at the phono/preamp ends not source... 

The non coaxial TNT shoestring type 99.99% Silver cables have been treated with copper foil in a similar way & earthed at the destination end.

The coaxial digital cables from DVD & CD to my DAC use "F" type connectors where the outer screen/return is automatically earthed,  the optical connections self isolate.   In my RFI/EMI rich environment I found that screened CAT8 cable with clip on ferrites improved on CAT5/6 non screened with ferrites.

I still have to investigate the 3m WF100 cross connected coaxial cable TNT UBYTE 2  speaker cables to see if the screen is still effective having been cross connected at each end,  & the 2m long power leads to my One Thing Audio Quad 57's.  I use rewired (that fitted was poor) original OTA Widgets which have helped a couple of anomalies in my room though I doubt my valve power amp requires any help with the weird impedance of Quad 57's that Widgets also provide.   

I forgot to mention the vast incremental improvement in the TV picture as the screening has increased, I believe leads act as receiving aerials feeding RFI/EMI 50hz MUSUH in to the corporate system.