Design a PC/Server for ROON and HQ Player

[randytsuch]

5 hours ago, asdf1000 said:

Previously was running HQPe and Roon Server on a NUC i7, running Debian Server. Limited to DSD128 with ASDM7EC (and limited to PCM96kHz with that)

 

So this is a big step up for me - will be the most powerful PC I ever owned! Excited.

 

 

Looks like its going to be a nice machine

For my build, I also picked a Noctua cooler but different model and the same samsung ssd.  Rest of my choices were different, there are lots of options out there.

[randytsuch]

52 minutes ago, asdf1000 said:

Update.

 

My i9-9900K system is now up and running. I was like a kid in a candy store, wanting to get my new fingerprint so I could get @Miska to transfer one of my licenses across to the new machine (I have two HQPe licenses).

 

The quickest way to get my new fingerprint was HQP OS bootable USB stick.

 

So I created the bootable stick and got lots of errors with HQP OS. Tried a few times in case the Etcher bootable wasn't being done properly.

 

Then I thought I'd skip HQP OS and go straight to Debian OS because that's what I want to use anyway.

 

But Debian wouldn't install properly.

 

So I thought hmmmm it's not unique to HQP OS.

 

Then I did the thing I should have done first ! But I'd skipped this step because I was too excited initially. I checked BIOS version and indeed it was an old BIOS version - there had been 3 BIOS updates since the one currently installed.

 

So I installed the latest BIOS update for ASRock Phantom Gaming 4. Then went to load HQP OS and now we're cookin with gas!

 

I'm limited to 30min trials at the moment but very impressed with how quiet the Fractal Design R6 and big Noctua fan is. I'm glad I followed Jussi's advice there.

 

Next I'll get Debian OS installed (with Roon Server alongside HQPe) and I can share usage and temperature figures, in case it helps anyone else.

Wondering if you'll have better luck with debian than me?  Seems to depend on ethernet chip used.

 

I also had old bios in my Gigabit motherboard, and couldn't boot from windows or ethernet installation sticks.  Updated bios and then boots fine from these sticks.

[randytsuch]

I use the D15s heatsink, all my parts used are here

https://sites.google.com/view/audiostuff/audio-pc/parts

 

Here are a couple pics.  I moved the big noctua fan to the middle.

Looks like your case has a rear fan.  Make sure they blow in the same direction, and it will almost like having the 2nd fan.

 

I would have had problems putting a 2nd big fan on either side of the heatsink I think.  Ram is on one side, and other fan and the rear of the motherboard is on the other side.  

In the 2nd pic you can see how low the fan goes, but I pushed it down to make sure it cleared my case door.

I had to remove the rear case fan to install the motherboard, because the mb heatsink was hitting the fan.  But could install the fan after mb was in.

 

EDIT:  I don't have a video card, so no heat there.  Case has three front fans, one rear, good ventilation, and hardly gets warm running hdp.

 

 

[randytsuch]

I ran into this when I was building 

On 1/5/2020 at 8:56 AM, dctom said:

 

 

Hi Jussi

 

I noticed you had good results with this board. 

I notice it has 2 ATX 12v cpu power connectors, do they both need to be connected or can you just use No1?

 

I ran into this when I was building my hqp PC.

I ended up using a 750 watt Cosair PS that had two atx12v connectors.  Its overkill for my PC, but made the build easier, and its a nice supply.

 

Otherwise, I found an adapter that  lets you take another 12v power, probably pcie, and has a atx12v connector on the other end.

Didn't save the link, but I know they are out there if you look.

 

I also saw some builds where guys connected just one of those connectors, I guess it really depends how much power your processor is pulling.