[charlest33]

Originally Posted by audiosanctum

You can edit easily using the web interface, a great addition to usability of the X10. As for ripping it takes around 5 mins depending on the speed you set it to rip. You have a choice how quickly you want the rip to take. We have it set on the slowest here.

I was interested to read your post, Audiosanctum. I'm wondering why you use the lower speed. Surely digital data is either ripped or not ripped and a lower ripping spead would not improve quality?

[charlest33]

I'm also wondering whether to rip in FLAC or WAV. General opinion appears to be that sound quality is more or less the same (?). The main advantage of FLAC is you can add "tags", but I'm not sure what this means in practice. How does the ability to add tags improve the X10 experience?

[gpauk]

Flac and wav are both lossless formats, no audio difference.. Flac creates smaller files, so unless you need wav files for some reason, flac is better.

[graham.myers]

Embedding the metadata tags in the flac file means thy can be more easily transferred to other devices without having to retag

[eddyad]

If I rip an opera from two or three CDs then is it classified as one album or is each CD a different album? If the latter, then can I combine all the tracks into one album for continuous play? I'd expect to use flac for best quality.

[epistrophy]

Has anyone tried the new release 1656 firmware yet?
My X10 is working fine at the moment and as the new release doesn't seem to have a lot of new features I'm debating whether to install it this evening - any views?
But anyway I'll just go and run a backup first - I may be some time....

[Member 476511]

Originally Posted by charlest33

I was interested to read your post, Audiosanctum. I'm wondering why you use the lower speed. Surely digital data is either ripped or not ripped and a lower ripping spead would not improve quality?

If he disc is scratched if you rip at a lower speed there is more chance the unit will be able to read and rip the disc with success. Remember good things come to those who wait

[Member 476511]

Originally Posted by eddyad

If I rip an opera from two or three CDs then is it classified as one album or is each CD a different album? If the latter, then can I combine all the tracks into one album for continuous play? I'd expect to use flac for best quality.

It will likely call it disc 1, disc 2 and so on. You can rename the albums into one using the web interface. Just not sure how you would get on with track order if you were to change the display order, so you can display alphabetically and reverse but when displaying in track order it might list 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, and so on instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. I haven't personally tried so can't be sure but i do know you can't change the rack number if I remember correctly.

[Sandy Saddler]

I have updated my firmware today with 1656 and have had no problems at all (at the moment!!!)

[eddyad]

Originally Posted by audiosanctum

It will likely call it disc 1, disc 2 and so on. You can rename the albums into one using the web interface. Just not sure how you would get on with track order if you were to change the display order, so you can display alphabetically and reverse but when displaying in track order it might list 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, and so on instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. I haven't personally tried so can't be sure but i do know you can't change the rack number if I remember correctly.

Thank you very much.
I suspected something like that might happen after ripping tests with assorted PC software. I couldn't find anything in the X10 manual to help.
I guess a solution might be to rip on the PC, rename the tracks appropriately, arrange them in one folder and load that to the X10.
Bit of a hassle as I have a couple of hundred multi-disc sets. I've waited years for a decent gapless player and the X10 seemed to have solved it all.
Not quite back to square one but needs some more thought...

[charlest33]

I installed R1656 yesterday and it's working OK except:
I have the X10 set to random play. Every time it moves from one song to another it gives a loud fffff sound between the songs. This was not happening before the new firmware was installed and is really annoying. Any suggestions about how to fix this?
Thanks in advance. C

[gpauk]

Does it do it only on random play?

[Kimberz]

Originally Posted by charlest33

I installed R1656 yesterday and it's working OK except:
I have the X10 set to random play. Every time it moves from one song to another it gives a loud fffff sound between the songs. This was not happening before the new firmware was installed and is really annoying. Any suggestions about how to fix this?
Thanks in advance. C

Do you have 'Gapless Play' switched on?
If you have, try switching it off and see if that cures it.
Obviously gapless playback isn't possible with Random play.
Regards
Mike

[charlest33]

Originally Posted by gpauk

Does it do it only on random play?

No, it happens between songs with random of or on. It happens when I press next. If I let the song run to the end and play to the next song of its own accord it also happens.

I went back to 1644 and that cured the problem. I've now reinstalled 1656 from a fresh download and it's happening again. Definitely something to do with 1656.

Thanks for your help.

[charlest33]

Originally Posted by Kimberz

Do you have 'Gapless Play' switched on?
If you have, try switching it off and see if that cures it.
Obviously gapless playback isn't possible with Random play.
Regards
Mike

I did have Gapless Play switched on but I've now turned it off and it doesn't solve the problem, unfortunately.

Thanks for your help.

[gpauk]

Sounds like a definite problem then -- have you tried mentioning it on the cocktail forum?
You seem to be the only one that's tried it so far on this forum!

[charlest33]

Yes, I've posted on the cocktail forum and been told by their "experts" that the problem is "ridiculous" and "imaginary". Another X10 owner wrote in to say he was having exactly the same problem, described as "a short burst of white noise", but he hadn't discovered any fixes. Hopefully someone will come up with a solution but for now I'm going back to 1644.

[gpauk]

Originally Posted by charlest33

Yes, I've posted on the cocktail forum and been told by their "experts" that the problem is "ridiculous" and "imaginary". Another X10 owner wrote in to say he was having exactly the same problem, described as "a short burst of white noise", but he hadn't discovered any fixes. Hopefully someone will come up with a solution but for now I'm going back to 1644.

Another example of the bizarre behaviour of the uk cocktail forum admin... You'll probably find the messages deleted after while; they seem to like to answer like that, then remove it to leave no trace.

The EU support forum does seem to be run be support people who actually care....

[charlest33]

Where would I find the EU forum? It's not appearing on Google.

[gpauk]

Startseite

... it's mostly in german though... So you need a german speaking friend, if you don't speak it yourself!

[hamish72]

Originally Posted by charlest33

No, it happens between songs with random of or on. It happens when I press next. If I let the song run to the end and play to the next song of its own accord it also happens.

I went back to 1644 and that cured the problem. I've now reinstalled 1656 from a fresh download and it's happening again. Definitely something to do with 1656.

Thanks for your help.

I have run on 1656. since it left beta stage with no sign of your problem on random or manual sellect

So It must be a combination of things firmware and possibly some setting diference on yours or hardware issue

I use only the X10,s internal amp direct to passive speakers

[charlest33]

Yes, that makes sense. The problem only occurs when using the optical out. I can use the analog outs without hearing the white noise blip, but I get much better sound from the optical out (through an Arcam DAC) so I prefer to use that.

[charlest33]

Originally Posted by gpauk

Startseite

... it's mostly in german though... So you need a german speaking friend, if you don't speak it yourself!

No german speakers here unfortunately, but thanks anyway. Perhaps if you see a solution to this problem on that site you'd be kind enough to post it here.

[Sandy Saddler]

Hi Charles,

I too had this burst of white noise, so you wasn't hearing things!! Strange though, i backed up the device yesterday (not because of the noise, but because of lots of new CD's ripped), and the noise has disappeared!!! No idea why, but it was definitly there when i first upgraded the firmware. Hope you get yours sorted soon.

Must say, not impressed with the attitude of some of those on the cocktail forum, to call it 'ridiculous' and 'imaginary' is unbelievable. Whilst they have helped me with the odd niggle, there is no need for those comments,

All in all, i bought this machine 4 weeks ago and i have now loaded everything we have got, and i love it!!

[Sandy Saddler]

On a different note, does anyone know if it is possible to set as default the info screen when a track is playing? I would rather have that than the pointless scrolling what is next and what was previous tracks page. Any ideas?

[charlest33]

Thanks for tip. I just did a back up last night with 1644 firmware installed - took 14 hours! Before I do my next backup I'll re-install 1656 and see if that fixes the white noise problem.

Yes, it's a great piece of equipment when it's working properly!

[Sandy Saddler]

Not saying that the back up was the solution! Just saying the noise disappeared after i had backed up. I'm no computer expert, so i have no idea why that should happen!! As others have said, we didn't realise we needed to be technically minded to work a piece of 'Hi-Fi' equipment!!

[gpauk]

Yes - X10 is a great product.. But it's not exactly a consumer product, nor is it an audiophile product... It could be either, or both, with a bit more work!

I've had mine for 9 months, it's getting slowly better but not as quickly as you might have hoped.. And as for Cocktail UK's support forum....

[Sandy Saddler]

Yeah, i know what you mean!

Before i bought this product i read all this forum, and on many occasions i was put off buying it. I must admit i glad i did. I feel quite blessed that i have had mine four weeks, everything works, firmware update worked, i've not sent it back or anything! A couple of tiny niggles, but they have been sorted by other peoples advice as the manual isnt very good!

The webinterface and loading album art is easy to do, i have radio stations from around the world to listen to as well, all is well with the world!!

I'm sitting here listening to it on random play and i cant think of anything else i would rather have!


You watch, tomorrow, it wont boot up and i'll be panicking!!

[Aviator007]

Originally Posted by hamish72

I have run on 1656. since it left beta stage with no sign of your problem on random or manual sellect
So It must be a combination of things firmware and possibly some setting diference on yours or hardware issue
I use only the X10,s internal amp direct to passive speakers

Installed the FW1656, no issues with the optical.
Could it be a frequency thing or a specific hardware/DAC?
(Checked the cocktail forum and only 2 people seem to have that issue)