Building a DIY Music Server

Rovo · September 14

14 hours ago, flowcharts said:

I'm wondering how upgrading the 800W to Taiko DC-ATX compares

A very big step!

abase · September 14

3 hours ago, Rovo said:

A very big step!

are you shure?
I had an intel nuc with a cheap LPS and a Holo Audio Red Streamer (all parts around 2000 euros)
Now I have a DIY server with TAIKO DC to DC and an ulps (all parts about 10,000 euros and a lot of work.
The sound is certainly better, in my opinion 20-30% (meager for 5 times the price - but that's HiFi.
It would be nice if those who switched from a Gamer Borg (1 processor) to the Taiko Extreme board would share their experiences.

MarcelNL · September 14

Those final steps towards more natural and organic sound are IMHO huge, yet they come at great expense...

I do not consider a difference of 20-30% for 10K an unreasonable amount, it's a hyperbole...

I am transitioning from a gigabyte Master with Ryzen 16 core to a dual 4210 Xeon board right now, and what i heard from the Asus Sage using fans is WAY more refined than what the Ryzen is capable of....I did the full ante, went all the steps starting at a dual core NUC ..step by step so I have loads of cash invested but the journey is worth it IMHO.

Dev · September 16

anyone pondering over or switched from Intel to the latest high powered AMD Ryzen 9 series builds yet ?

Rovo · September 16

On 9/14/2024 at 5:16 PM, abase said:

are you shure?
I had an intel nuc with a cheap LPS and a Holo Audio Red Streamer (all parts around 2000 euros)
Now I have a DIY server with TAIKO DC to DC and an ulps (all parts about 10,000 euros and a lot of work.
The sound is certainly better, in my opinion 20-30% (meager for 5 times the price - but that's HiFi.
It would be nice if those who switched from a Gamer Borg (1 processor) to the Taiko Extreme board would share their experiences.

I had to upgrade the rest of my installation to get the full benefit. It is worthwhile.

gogobolo · September 16

Just now, Rovo said:

Musiałem uaktualnić resztę mojej instalacji, aby uzyskać pełne korzyści. Warto.

Just now, Rovo said:

I had to upgrade the rest of my installation to get the full benefit. It is worthwhile.

What did You change?

bit01 · September 17

@abase

I have a NUC Win10/PH SR7T Iso Regen setup, an i9-10900/ALXQt V3/HDplex 800W/PH SR7T Iso Regen and a 19-13900/TAIKO DC-DC/DIY 'Nenon variant' ULPS V2/JCAT USB-XE. I find the third option 'cleaner' but thinner as is the 2nd one (perhaps due to the ALXQt OS?).

The NUC is excellent when using the Iso Regen with 'very clean' power. It has a nice full bodied sound that I like. I use the Topping E-30 II powered off the same PS as the ISO Regen.

More detail here

abase · September 17

1 hour ago, bit01 said:

I find the third option 'cleaner'

that`s also my experience - with every step you get your system cleaner you find it thinner (less body). But maybe what you find as a fuller sound is only more noise.

Today I disable my DC-Blocker out of my chain and the sound gets fuller (more noise ??)

bit01 · September 17

5 hours ago, abase said:

.. But maybe what you find as a fuller sound is only more noise.

This is possible- but I have no way of establishing that. I will just say that enough of my 'audiophile' check boxes are ticked and that I find it pleasant to listen to.

ATB.

b.

flowcharts · September 22

In addition to the stranded Angelique, I've been playing around with another type of wire -- Grand Activation AC-55. The brand is supposedly similar to QSA in using MMAT processing on the wire.

I started by replacing the ULPS power cable, putting AC-55 in place of Furutech S55N -- that improvement was the biggest of the three listed in this post. Realism took a big step forward. Dynamics, tonal color, imaging & tangibility are much improved. My best descriptor would be immersive. The Furutech sounded slow, grey & veiled in comparison.

Next step was to tear down a run of AC-55 to use the conductors in a dc umbilical. I was using ~9awg Neotech stranded copper in a star quad before. Switching to 4x 10awg resulted in 7awg per pole. The conductors fit perfectly into the updated Speakon (green!) connectors with absolutely no room to spare. This gave a bit more of the same, but not on the same level as replacing the power cable. Maybe replacing the internal dc wiring leading up to the dc-atx would help.

Last was replacing the solid core 12awg Neotech AC wiring in the ULPS. Despite being stranded, the AC-55 is fairly stiff and super springy, so it took some extra room in the chassis. I was worried about the possibility of it mangling the tiny fuse holder tabs, but it worked out alright.

I also took the opportunity to try out a fancy schmancy Audio Note Meishu SPC ground post and the new-ish ETI Legato IEC inlet, which replaced a Furutech FI-06 R NCF with no change to cutout dimensions. The ETI is lighter weight than the Furutech due to the plastic body, but the clamp system for the conductors is much nicer. These internal bits haven't broken in yet, but initial impressions are good -- just building on what the power cable has done.

(the ETI female plug's diameter is too large for the Furutech Booster Brace)

Of course, all the new connectors were subjected to the same ultrasonic & demag hygiene treatment I'd outlined previously. Even brand new, it makes an appreciable difference, especially on the binding post.

Gavin1977 · September 23

@flowcharts you mention the Angelique stranded, any comparative thoughts, or where each differs?

Ozeki · September 23

Using a Server to Client scheme do you all feel providing clean power and tweaks to the server pays benefits?

How about upstream to the router, and network hardware?

O.

flowcharts · September 23

@Gavin1977 I haven't tried each cable type in the same location, so I can't make a direct comparison. What I do hear is that stranded Angelique sounds like a faster, more open version of the solid core version without any drawbacks that I could detect. AC-55's strengths lay in in-the-room tangibility & impeccable imaging while also being clear, open & dynamic. AC-55 might get the more glowing review because it's the most recent thing added -- I think they each have the transparency to allow the other cable's impact to show through.

Todd H · Monday at 10:40 AM

On 9/23/2024 at 7:24 AM, Gavin1977 said:

@flowcharts you mention the Angelique stranded, any comparative thoughts, or where each differs?

I was encouraged to prioritize upstream components with clean power and was surprised to find cleaning up the power for the modem had the biggest impacts in a streaming application. This includes LPS for server, usb card, preamp, dac and amplifiers.

rico25 · Tuesday at 06:29 PM

On 8/22/2024 at 3:05 AM, flowcharts said:

Ring terminals: https://www.hificollective.co.uk/loudspeaker-parts/mundorf-copper-ring-cabel-lug.html

MCONCL.R60-6,5G is the preferred option, I accidentally selected MCONCL.R60-8,4G which don't make quite as much contact with the capacitor terminals, but still work fine. Either of those options will accept 3x 15.5awg solid or stranded with no modification.

And to the Saligny rectifier side, what ring terminal do you use ?

Thank you :)

flowcharts · Tuesday at 09:27 PM

I used these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D8E5JG4

The ring opening is still a bit oversized, but it's hard to find an M3-sized ring opening that'll also accept 10awg wire on the crimp side. Maybe somebody else has found a good option here.

MarcelNL · Tuesday at 09:42 PM

I'm using red copper crimp lugs from the electrician's supply, available in many sizes. I use the Dremel to cut out the upper half of the crimp connector to allow soldering in wire. 3 x AWG 12 is no issue :-)

Building a DIY Music Server

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