My new CAPS V2+ build; best digital I've heard

[ted_b]

ItemAudio,

Thanks for that. Hmmm...... Well then I would love to hear feedback from any CAPS-using-DN2800 users to give us your stories. If any of you have pushed the audio processing and lived to tell about it we'd love to know. Based on the Intel intel (and some of Chris's consistent comments about the DN2800 horsepower) I have never tried pushing the limits. I assume stutter, dropouts or playback freezes are the symptoms of over-used DSP, and would love to hear if any of you experienced any of this while trying to do some post-processing.

 

So, Item, you think our poster can do 1080p video though (driver issues notwithstanding ).

[4est]

Not to put words in Mark's mouth, but if I understand what item audio was saying, it is that you do not need(want) to use an Atom based board, but should bump up to the socketed Celeron processor mobos and be able to do the video and DSP because of the extra power available with the same power(TDP) and lower temps.

[Robert H]

Interesting comments ItemAudio/4est, so which motherboard/cpu/heatsink combo would you guys recommend?

My understanding is that the Celeron cpus come with a fan, suggesting to me they require one to be cooled. Is this wrong?

[iago]

We spent quite a lot of time in the last year measuring real-world draw on a number of different boards, and found that N2600-, N2800-, and N2550-based boards draw almost identical current in-situ in typical audio usage. Emboldened by these findings to widen the search to more powerful processors, we discovered that the sweet spot for high-resource/low-power no longer lies with Atom at all in 2012, but with the latest 500-Series Celerons.

 

ItemAudio, thank you for the interesting insight. Do you have a real-world power figure for your preferred H61 / Celeron 5xx combo? I would assume that Celeron 4xx (single core) has a lower power consumption?

 

For comparison, Chris Connacker reported 25W for the complete DN2800MT 'Marshalltown' based setup. My Alix.2 draws 280 .. 320 mA @ 15V (that includes one very low power SATA drive). Current draw would rise to ~450 mA if I powered the USB-to-S/PDIF Interface from the USB bus.

[Mister Ken]

Would there be any advantage to using the SOtM tX-USB card if using a battery power supplied DAC (John Kenny JKDAC32)?

 

 

[frederick184]

I have a CAPS V2 with SoTM TX USB card (not the PCI express version) feeding an EXA U2I board in my Buffalo DAC. I've tried feeding the EXA from a regular USB outlet and from the SoTM and there is a definite improvement in using the SoTM, however I want to power the SoTM from a battery supply such as the RWA unit that Chris has recommended for CAPS v3. The SoTM TX USB card is different in that it has no external power input on the rear of the board like the PCI express version. External power needs to be supplied via the Molex connector on the board itself. I am a little confused about the recommended external power requirement for this board. The PCI express version it seems is 6.5 - 9v. From what I have read my version is 12v. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

Colin

[ted_b]

Colin,

Yes, the 4 pin IDE connector needs:

Input voltage: +12.0 V (+0.5 V,-0.5V)

Input current: 2A max on / off

 

Mister Ken,

Battery power (i.e getting off the grid) is a viable option for any/many pieces in the signal path. However, just because a DAC is battery powered doesn't mean it does not care about incoming audio signal clarity. The upstream signal from the computer should be as clean as possible, and a couple steps of doing that are a nice filtered dedicated USB card (SOtM, for example) and then even a nice clean power source for that card (i.e SOtM battery, iFi, dedicated linear power, etc) instead of Molex-connected motherboard power, is frosting on the cake.

[Mister Ken]

 

Mister Ken,

Battery power (i.e getting off the grid) is a viable option for any/many pieces in the signal path. However, just because a DAC is battery powered doesn't mean it does not care about incoming audio signal clarity. The upstream signal from the computer should be as clean as possible, and a couple steps of doing that are a nice filtered dedicated USB card (SOtM, for example) and then even a nice clean power source for that card (i.e SOtM battery, iFi, dedicated linear power, etc) instead of Molex-connected motherboard power, is frosting on the cake.

 

Thanks Ted! I understand. I might as well go whole hog into this. I already have a Redwine Audio Signature 30.2 Amplifier, so I am familiar with Vinnie's Black Lightning PS which I will probably wind up using to power my C.A.P.S. and the SOtM tX-USBexp card. I like the CAPS v3 Carbon, but waiting now to see what the CAPS v3 Zuma has to offer.

[alsterfan]

@ ted_b

I have a question, which is a bit off the line being discussed here right now.

Earlier you said you are using WASAPI, a bit later you mentioned your interest in JPLAY. Well, this is my favorite player as plugin for foobar 0.8.3 / JRiver or as JPLAY mini. Josef and Marcin, the developers of JPLAY, advise not to use WASAPI but KS instead. 1. Have you tried KS with CAPS 2+ and what is your opinion on that? 2. I have not been able to get KS running on CAPS 2.1 (WASAPI works well). Am I doing something wrong?

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy (and audiophile) New Year.

[ted_b]

@ ted_b

I have a question, which is a bit off the line being discussed here right now.

Earlier you said you are using WASAPI, a bit later you mentioned your interest in JPLAY. Well, this is my favorite player as plugin for foobar 0.8.3 / JRiver or as JPLAY mini. Josef and Marcin, the developers of JPLAY, advise not to use WASAPI but KS instead. 1. Have you tried KS with CAPS 2+ and what is your opinion on that? 2. I have not been able to get KS running on CAPS 2.1 (WASAPI works well). Am I doing something wrong?

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy (and audiophile) New Year.

 

You are quoting the wrong guy; I have never once stated any plan about using jplay (unless my memory is really that bad, which it could be ). Others I know and respect have tried it and hate it (mostly for its stuttering, etc). They may be using it incorrectly, but I don't care. I am in a "don't fix what ain't broke" mode. I love J River (and jremote on ipad) and have no interest in doing otherwise. WASAPI-Event style for me.

[alsterfan]

Hi Ted,

I got mixed up with you and JohnVulcan.The latter said that he might give JPLAY a try. I´m sorry for that. May I nevertheless repeat my question, if you ever tried KS too and (if yes) with what results compared to WASAPI event style?

Greetings

[ted_b]

Output modes (like ks, WASAPI, ASIO) results are quit variable, depending on the DAC, depending on whether one upsamples, etc. J River themselves recommend ASIO, if it is available to you and your source. I use ASIo when using the Mytek as a DAC, but with the Metiner I find WASAPI-Event Style the cleanest, most dynamic and musical. However, to close this loop I will, next listening session, try kernel streaming (with the Meitner) and report back. But unless you are also using the same DAC as I am your output mode decisions are quite independent of mine.

[SoundQcar]

Ted,

 

I prefer KS over ASIO with the Meitner. This is using JPlay however.

 

Bob

[ted_b]

Ted,

 

I prefer KS over ASIO with the Meitner. This is using JPlay however.

 

Bob

 

Have you tried WASAPI-Event style?

[Priaptor]

Agree with Ted on this. WASAPI-Event for me was subjectively the best with the Meitner

[SoundQcar]

Have you tried WASAPI-Event style?

 

I haven't listened to W-es since the JRiver days, but remember not caring for it over ASIO at the time. I may give it another try one of these times.

[ted_b]

Upon return from CES my CAPS V2+ tells me the Windows 8 Preview has expired. I then installed the $39.99 upgrade as a clean install (via WinUSB bootable USB thumb drive) and all went well. I have everything back up with full Windows 8 Pro 64 bit. Yeah!

[Mike Gillespie]

Ted (or others using Win 8 pro 64 bit): what are you using for Image backup of your C drive on the server? Acronis works great for me for Win 7 but is there an image program within Win 8 that works well? There is an Acronis 2013 for $40.

[sebassie]

Ted (or others using Win 8 pro 64 bit): what are you using for Image backup of your C drive on the server? Acronis works great for me for Win 7 but is there an image program within Win 8 that works well? There is an Acronis 2013 for $40.

There is an image program within Win 8 Pro 64 bit just like in Win 7. I used Acronis 2012 when I was experimenting with Lagoon. It worked well!

[ejn1]

There is an image program within Win 8 Pro 64 bit just like in Win 7. I used Acronis 2012 when I was experimenting with Lagoon. It worked well!

 

I'm glad you have had sucess with Acronis... I have tried it for years and every time the situation arised where i had an emergency and had to reimage, it failed me or I couldnt get it to work. Now I just use the free Windows tool and have had success.

[Mike Gillespie]

I've used Acronis to restore at least 20 drives (I have a lot of computers in my business)... XP, Windows 7... never a hitch.

 

I just backed up my CAPS Zuma with Acronis 2013. Much easier, better GUI.

 

But I'll look for the native image program within Win 8 Pro 64 bit.

[sebassie]

@ Ted_b

I am expecting the SOTM power supply for the USB PCi card. My question is if I have to disconnect the Molex power-connector from the USB card before using the external power? I just want to avoid frying the card. Thanks.

[ted_b]

@ Ted_b

I am expecting the SOTM power supply for the USB PCi card. My question is if I have to disconnect the Molex power-connector from the USB card before using the external power? I just want to avoid frying the card. Thanks.

 

No, I haven't. Jesus says the card recognizes an external ps and shuts off internal Molex.

[sebassie]

No, I haven't. Jesus says the card recognizes an external ps and shuts off internal Molex.

Thanks Ted!

[ejn1]

No, I haven't. Jesus says the card recognizes an external ps and shuts off internal Molex.

 

I would have thought disconnected the molex would be desirable to stop the dirty power from the mobo getting in but maybe the sotm shutting it off prevents it but not sure the benefit of leaving connected. I'm going this route also now as Paul Hynes is going to add a second rail to the SR5 he is building me so I can power the SOTM. I really like the battery pack but would rather not live with another box on the shelve.