Auralic Vega and Jitter

[Hammer]

Puzzling question I am struggling to find a 'scientific' answer to:

 

I have a Vega DAC which I run with the clock set to exact (eg. Femto mode). I feed the DAC from the USB output of a Wandboard Quad running Community Squeeze OS. Until recently, I ran the Logitech Media Server on a Server located in my basement away from my listening area (wiring from the server to the Wandboard is CAT6). Now, this setup sounded good, but recently for reasons unrelated to audio, I set up a standalone PC to run LMS in my listening room. And to my surprise, my system now sounds different; more laid back and relaxed with a tamer high end.

 

Why is that? Given the Vega is running in Femto mode, shouldn't jitter be eliminated in both scenarios? And if so, what can be causing the difference in sound - besides it being all in my head!?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Hammer.

[coxhaus]

One place to look at is the SATA cables and hard drives. I discovered this after switching hard drives in my music server. I am not saying this is the only things to look at but I found a difference. I have a friend which built a new music server and it sounded worse than his old one so he gave it to his kids.

 

Have you done any tuning to your computer software? It can make a difference. I improved my sound with a better power cord into the computer.

 

Just a couple of things to think about.

[barrows]

Jitter itself is not the only possible influence from the source, especially in a case where there is no galvanic isolation from the serving computer to the DAC, other possibilities for degradation: noise from the computer source coupling into the DAC via the USB cable, and modulating the analog side of the signal-remember, power supplies are connected directly to the output signal. Noise caused by the computer source going out onto the AC line, and then getting in to other components via their AC inputs. Airborne noise (RF) from the computer source getting picked up by other components and cabling.

[Matias]

+1

Must be noise coming from the USB cable and/or EM/RF noise.

[cjf]

It sounds to me like the OP might like the new configuration better then the old but I may be reading it wrong. OP, which configuration do you like better?

 

How different is the Ethernet wiring configuration with the Media Server now located in the same room? Are you using the same length and type of Ethernet cable as before, are you connected to the same network switch and are there fewer network Hops taken between the Music files and the Media Server?

[Hammer]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Not sure how I can go about isolating each one, but yes, I like the new configuration better if I am in a mellow mood. Given the difference is so noticeable, I am thinking about getting a second Wandboard which will run off my initial LMS setup in the basement so I can have the best of both worlds! This is what I call fun!