Article: Computer Audiophile Pocket Server C.A.P.S. v3 Zuma

[Jammrock]

I really like this build. It's extremely well-rounded, capable, expandable and could easily double as a HTPC. It's almost identical to what I would build.

 

My main question is, why an i7? That's some serious horsepower. Any of the Core gen 3 processors should handle any music server load, and most HTPC loads, without breaking a sweat. Going for an i7 seems like serious overkill, especially since this server is designed to offload the music processing to an outboard DAC via the SotM.

 

I would recommend to keep the i7 as an option, but for those who want to shave cost and power, give some alternate processors. I would suggest the i5-3225 (55W TDP, 4 cores without HT, $145) as a mid-range alternate and the i3-3220T (35W TDP, 2 cores w/ HT, $130) as a low-end alternate.

 

Personally, I think the i3-3220T is the best way to go for a pure music server. It still has some serious processing power, and should last a lot longer on battery power than its i7 counterpart.

 

Which brings me a power question...

 

The Red Wine Audio, Black Lightning High-Current Battery Power Supply... What happens when the batteries are about to die? Does it auto-switch to wall power? is there an optional USB connection that will power down the computer before power is lost, like a UPS? Or does the computer simply lose power and go down?