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

[Mike Gillespie]

RE: finding 16gb RAM for ZUMA

 

CDW says the product is discontinued. Any one know what 16gb kit works? Or, if some vendor still has some in stock? Thanks.

[vortecjr]

Marco,

 

It's easy. You can get all SOTM at mediaelectronics . Shipment by UPS is about 15 euro. I got my SOTYM stuff there, no problem.

 

I checked that link and the prices are in Euros so I converter the prices to USD to check them and for all items your paying a hefty premium for the parts! Also, they are also not listed as an authorized dealers for SOtM...

 

Jesus R

[sebassie]

I checked that link and the prices are in Euros so I converter the prices to USD to check them and for all items your paying a hefty premium for the parts! Also, they are also not listed as an authorized dealers for SOtM...

 

Jesus R

 

You're right. We pay a lot in the EU because of shipment costs, heavy import duties and appr. 22% VAT. In the end it is cheaper to pay the high EU price then to import from the USA or Korea. EU prices are about the same as the UK prices.

I don't mind that he might not be an authorised dealer as long as I can get the SOTM stuff I want the easy way :-)

[vortecjr]

You're right. We pay a lot in the EU because of shipment costs, heavy import duties and appr. 22% VAT. In the end it is cheaper to pay the high EU price then to import from the USA or Korea. EU prices are about the same as the UK prices.

I don't mind that he might not be an authorised dealer as long as I can get the SOTM stuff I want the easy way :-)

 

Sorry, but the math does not add up. If you add the 22% you posted about to the set price the cost on that webpage is still much more $. Then you are paying shipping on top of that. You should care about them no being dealers because the dealer network protects you from these kinds of issues.

 

Jesus R

[kevalin]

16 GB ram ... There is a 32 GB version too. It is twice as much.

 

Newegg.com - Crucial 16GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module

 

MEM CRUC|CT2KIT102472BB160B R

1

$123.99

$123.99

[sebassie]

Sorry, but the math does not add up. If you add the 22% you posted about to the set price the cost on that webpage is still much more $. Then you are paying shipping on top of that. You should care about them no being dealers because the dealer network protects you from these kinds of issues.

 

Jesus R

Jesus, you're wrong. We pay VAT over Price + Shipping Costs. After that, if unlucky, we pay import duty.

Example USB PCie:

$350 + $33 (shipping) = $383. $383 + 22% VAT = $467,26. At a rate of 0.7614 this is 357,17 euro. After this we have the risk to pay additional import duty (12.5 - 20%). We pay in Europe 359 euro. My conclusion is that importing from the USA to Europe is not attractive. I suggest we end this conversation now as it is leading us nowhere :-)

[Great Gig]

Jesus, you're wrong. We pay VAT over Price + Shipping Costs. After that, if unlucky, we pay import duty.

Example USB PCie:

$350 + $33 (shipping) = $383. $383 + 22% VAT = $467,26. At a rate of 0.7614 this is 357,17 euro. After this we have the risk to pay additional import duty (12.5 - 20%). We pay in Europe 359 euro. My conclusion is that importing from the USA to Europe is not attractive. I suggest we end this conversation now as it is leading us nowhere :-)

You also have to factor in the £8.00 Royal Mail handling fee if you pay any import VAT/Duty fees. I bought some Steve Hoffman Audio Fidelity discs and bundled 3 together to save on shipping, but this put them over the threshold for Duty (£15.00) - it would have been much cheaper to buy them individually and not pay the duty + PO Admin fees. I also had to drive over to the depot to collect them, as they don't deliver when you have to pay any fees. Its often not a good idea importing goods to the UK from outside the EU.

 

All mail that enters the United Kingdom may be examined by customs, but normally letters, postcards and packets containing only documents or similar forms of correspondence are excluded.

 

If you are receiving a package from overseas (unless it’s from another EU Country), please be aware that it may incur customs charges. Any package assessed by HM Revenue and customs as being liable for customs charges will also incur a Royal Mail handling fee of £8.

 

Any goods imported into the UK over the value of £15 are liable to import VAT. Gifts between private individuals over the value of £40 are also liable for VAT. Please note that with effect from 1 January 2013 the VAT threshold for Gifts will be lowered from £40 to £36. Goods and gifts over these values may also be liable for customs duty. You no longer have to pay customs duty for goods up to the value of £135, however you will still be required to pay import VAT and excise duty where applicable.

 

Please note that these limits do not apply to alcohol and tobacco goods where both excise duty and import VAT may be charged. It is not permitted to send alcohol and tobacco products into the UK from another EU country unless prior arrangements have been made to account for the excise duty.

 

Customs information | Royal Mail Ltd

[firedog]

Would be interesting to hear a comparison of a commercial music server (something like the Aurender S10 - approx $7000) vs. the $1700-$3000 CAPS designs.

 

Would not surprise me if the CAPS in at least one version was as good or better.

[Priaptor]

Would be interesting to hear a comparison of a commercial music server (something like the Aurender S10 - approx $7000) vs. the $1700-$3000 CAPS designs.

 

Would not surprise me if the CAPS in at least one version was as good or better.

 

firedog,

 

When Chris was reviewing the Aurender, if you read between the lines, it sounds like he liked his CAPS 2 better. In fact, it was his Aurender review that got me on my hunt for better sound from my then Audio Research DAC8, where I discovered the true virtues of the DAC 8 with JRIVER and CAPS. I have never looked back. I am now using the same CAPS to drive my EMM DAC2X and loving it.

[roubaixpro]

The Zuma is a complex build. One wrong move, when installing the processor, and you bend a pin your done! What I did instead is allow you buy the Zuma with no Memory, SSD, or OS. This is in essence a kit but you don't need to do the complex part. All you do is install the SSD and load the OS.

 

With Zuma not having a CD or DVD drive, how do you install Windows 8 onto the SSD?

Do you have to get the Windows 8 ISO file onto a USB thumb drive from the install DVD then use the USB 2.0 port on the Zuma to install Windows 8 like outlined on the link below?

 

How To Install Windows 8 From a USB Device

[butidontcare]

Chris,

 

In the section on the SSD selected there's a picture of the SoTM SATA power noise filter and it's mentioned in the component list but though there was a lot of information on why you think the SoTM USB filter is valuable I couldn't see anything in the verbiage about why you think the SATA noise filter adds something (or takes something away). Could you say something on this? What is it that you believe it does that is not accomplished by a) the USB power clean up and b) which the DAC itself cannot achieve by virtue of whatever strategy it employs to isolate itself from upstream failings?

 

I suppose put another way I want to know what it is that you're concerned that might get to the DAC if this component were not there? As I write this I'm staring at the advert for the Wavelength asynchronous DACs which is right there below this comment box so I suppose I'm also wondering in my own mind what Gordon Rankin might make of the idea that the sound that would come out of one of his DACs might be influenced by whether or not the computer that was connected to it had a SoTM SATA filter.

 

Mike

[Mike Gillespie]

16 GB ram ... There is a 32 GB version too. It is twice as much.

 

Newegg.com - Crucial 16GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module

 

MEM CRUC|CT2KIT102472BB160B R

1

$123.99

$123.99

 

---------------------------

 

Does any one know if the above memory will work?

 

Has any one any leads on other memory - eg, from Kingston?

 

Am I understanding correctly that Chris says the Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB kit will not work when he says:

"Readers who stray from the Zuma design should steer clear of Crucial Ballistix Sport and Corsair Dominator Platinum. This memory works well in other designs just not CAPS v3 Zuma."

 

I don't understand the first sentence... If I'm not straying from the Zuma design, am I still supposed to "steer clear of Crucial Ballistic memory." That's what the next sentence implies.

 

Maybe Chris can rewrite this here.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Amazon.com: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB kit (8GBx2) DDR3-1600 1.5V 240-Pin UDIMM BLS2CP8G3D1609DS1S00: Computers & Accessories

[Mike Gillespie]

16 GB ram ... There is a 32 GB version too. It is twice as much.

 

Newegg.com - Crucial 16GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module

 

MEM CRUC|CT2KIT102472BB160B R

1

$123.99

$123.99

 

I spoke to Crucial... They say the BB is ECC whereas Chris' original BD (16gb kit) is non-ECC. Unfortunately the BD is not being made any more. Crucial said that if you call them directly, they have a few kits of BA left, which is closest to the BD, except it's 1.5 volts (vs. 1.35 of the BD). However, Crucial checked the Item model number: BOXDH77EB that Chris recommends for a motherboard and says the BA is completely compatible.

 

Crucial can be reached at

Toll-free for US & Canada: 800-336-8915

Phone: 1-208-363-5790

Hours (MST): Monday - Friday: 7am - 6pm

[Mike Gillespie]

Additional note on the RAM: the BA is also not being made any more. So first come, first served, then it's gone.

[wappinghigh]

I don't get this RAM compatibility.

 

Can someone please say precisely what is 100% compatible. Right up to 32Gb.

 

Thanks.

[kevalin]

Crucial can be reached at

Toll-free for US & Canada: 800-336-8915

Phone: 1-208-363-5790

Hours (MST): Monday - Friday: 7am - 6pm

 

I spoke with Crutial and given Chris' mother board choice of Intel BOXDH77EB, Crutial has had a 6 month history success rate with Ballistix:BLS2KIT8G3D1609DS1S00 or you can order individual ones at half the price, Board accepts up to 4: BLS8G3D1609DS1S00. Chris may have used this particular one, there however are three other models that may or may not work. Nice that the tech support was able to pull up a compatibility history.

 

CDW.COM has the CT2KIT102464BA160B. However, Crutial said this has a slower refresh rate.

 

Hope this helps. I would delete my old posting but unable to.

 

-j

 

 

 

 

 

[sgr]

Hi Chris,

[Mike Gillespie]

I still need Chris to chime in on this so we'll understand what the memory issue is or is not with Ballistix.

 

From above:

 

Am I understanding correctly that Chris says the Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB kit will not work when he says:

"Readers who stray from the Zuma design should steer clear of Crucial Ballistix Sport and Corsair Dominator Platinum. This memory works well in other designs just not CAPS v3 Zuma."

 

I don't understand the first sentence... If I'm not straying from the Zuma design, am I still supposed to "steer clear of Crucial Ballistix memory." That's what the next sentence implies.

 

Maybe Chris can rewrite this here.

[Audio_ELF]

I still need Chris to chime in on this so we'll understand what the memory issue is or is not with Ballistix.

 

From above:

 

Am I understanding correctly that Chris says the Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB kit will not work when he says:

"Readers who stray from the Zuma design should steer clear of Crucial Ballistix Sport and Corsair Dominator Platinum. This memory works well in other designs just not CAPS v3 Zuma."

 

I don't understand the first sentence... If I'm not straying from the Zuma design, am I still supposed to "steer clear of Crucial Ballistix memory." That's what the next sentence implies.

 

Maybe Chris can rewrite this here.

My take on what Chris wrote is that "straying from the Zuma design" means any change from his list of components i.e. changing from 8GB to 16GB; or using different memory from the Crucial memoryy Chris specified, is straying from the Zuma design.

 

Eloise

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Chris,

Hello sgr,

[kevalin]

Can anyone recommend an excellent external blue-ray or DVD player for the Zuma?

[Mike Gillespie]

But the second sentence says pretty clearly that "(Crucial Ballistix Sport and Corsair Dominator Platinum) works well in other designs just not CAPS v3 Zuma."

 

So I would avoid either in the Zuma.

[The Computer Audiophile]

My take on what Chris wrote is that "straying from the Zuma design" means any change from his list of components i.e. changing from 8GB to 16GB; or using different memory from the Crucial memoryy Chris specified, is straying from the Zuma design.

 

Eloise

Exactly.

 

The issue with the RAM was it made the server either un-bootable or so unstable reboots occurred every few minutes. I believe too much power was being used by the RAM.

[JJJ]

Chris. Nice looking audio device. I was looking at using the same case. However, don't you think it's overpowered for what it needs to do and hence your costs are too high? The Bryston BDP-1, and I admit this won't drive a USB DAC but rather feeds S/PDIF or AES/EBU, can be had for circa $1,600 from the right dealer. The BDP-2 for $2,150. (These are not MSRP.) And with these you get Bryston engineering for the LPSU (amongst other things).

[Stumps]

I am currently building this version with 2 changes:

 

1. Streacom case designed for slot loading optical drive.

2. Sony Optiarc AD-7640s.

 

I made these changes to make it easier to use optical media when necessary (i.e. No USB device to connect/disconnect).

 

3 other notes:

 

1. I read in this thread someone asking about how the hard drive was mounted. I think the answer is either it wasn't or possibly double back tape was used. I found that the SATA noise filter is manufactured upside down from the mounting holes on the drive. That bugs me, so I am going to try using some intermediate cables between the filter and the drive. That won't be as neat, but I can then attach the drive to the case with screws.

 

2. The case I am using has 6 heat pipes rather than four. I'm not sure if this translates to additional cooling, though. Just an FYI. BTW, this case is a little less expensive ($25 or so).

 

3. Hoping the addition of the optical drive does not exceed the power supply's capacity. I guess I will find out.

 

Hope this info is useful to someone.