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LPT-PC dedicated music server build


thuandb

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Lately I had a wonderful experience with having my very first music server built. Having used a dual PC setup with two laptops for over a year (WS2012r2, AO, JPLAY, Fidelizer Pro, Process Lasso Pro, BugHead) back in May 2015 I decided to pull the trigger and emailed Audio Phil. Upon my bold request, he promptly drafted two separate orders, one for the music server case, the other the audio grade components located inside the case. The case, PSU, heat sink and CPU were sourced by Glenn Lirhus of A-Tech Fabrications. Audio grade components were from Paul Pang Kai-Yu of PPA Studio. Since I proved to be too good a technical builder, Audio Phil introduced Leon Motta (AKA "PC Doctor" and "Audio Doc") who was actually going to build it for me.

 

Orders were placed, payments were transferred, and the process started. Leon worked closely with Glenn and Paul making sure the case and associated components would be ready for his final putting all together. There were several occasions Leon specifically requested Glenn and Paul to change physical specs or dimensions of the case and/or components to make sure everything fit. Once, Leon had to go extra mile, driving to his machinist friend to have a quick modification quickly made. During the build, Phil's second baby was born but somehow he managed to stay on top of the process, calmly and confidently. Glenn and Paul were cooperative, promptly made changes per Leon's requests and shipped the items right back to Floria where Leon is located. Me, I panicked a few times, lost faith and sleeps several times. The process took 3 months, but Leon proved to be a technical master, an experienced builder, and a passionate audiophile.

 

Long story short, the complete music server arrived in the 1st week of August, and my learning curve started. I'd never encountered a dedicated headless music server (which I asked Leon to name LPT-PC, as in Leon Phil Thuan - PC) prior, so you can imagine how awkward and clumsy I felt around this new monster toy. At the time, my workload was overwhelming, so I didn't really get a chance to play music on it. On the other hand, Leon kept asking me to turn it on and play some music on it just to make sure it would work fine. Even though, I had asked him to keep it a week longer just to listen to it before shipping to the West Coast where yours truly is located. And he liked it to the extent he called it the super server. In a sense he was right, the components Phil hand-picked for me were superb and promised a very good sounding server.

 

Anyway, after struggling a bit with driver installation (Leon's DAC driver was different from mine, let alone that I was using a USB-SPDIF converter whereas he didn't), I got the server to play music. The minute it started playing Red Book tunes (my library mostly consists of 44.1/16 format), I decided not to go back to the laptop dual PC setup, which I thought was pretty good. Now that the monster has been in my room for about 3 months, I begin to think of another comparable server to enjoy the Streamer mode that I used to have. Nonetheless, this single PC is my dream come true, and I have Audio Phil as well as Leon to thank. Glenn and Paul were also appreciated. Thank you guys.

WS2019 Core Datacenter, dualPC, JPLAY Femto, AO3, Fidelizer Pro 8.8, MC2XY, IOS app.

 

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I have been working with Phil (aka AudioPhil) for several years as a dedicated builder for his clients who need best of breed music servers that will have flawless operation with his Audiophile Optimizer software.

I was contacted by Phil to build what would turn out to be the Ultimate of all the servers that I have worked with after viewing the parts list.

A - Tech Fabrication MC-2800 chassis

A- Tech LN150 Ultra-low-noise Power Supply

Gigabyte H97M-D3H Motherboard (PPA Studio Motherboard Clock Upgrade)

Intel i7 4770T

PPA Studio Custom SSD O/S Hard drive with OCXO clock

PPA Studio Custom SSD Music Files with TCXO clock

PPA Studio Custom RAM (4 x 4 GB)

PPA Studio Custom 160 watts Pico

PPA Studio Black SATA cables

PPA Studio Custom internal cabling

After receiving the chassis and the parts I knew this was going to be a work of art when the build is finished.

The A - Tech chassis is truly a wonderful and gorgeous looking piece as you will see from the attached pictures.

The build was completed, BIOS optimized and I connected it to my system, the first thing that amazed me was the boot up time for the Windows 2012 R2 Standard operating system, it literally took less than 10 seconds from power on to get to the Ctrl+Alt+Del screen.

Next step was to optimize the operating system for playing music.

After the optimization I loaded some Red Book and DSD files to take it for a spin, from the first note I was floored by the pristine sound. I knew it would only get better with time, so I left the music playing 24 x 7 for more than one week, to burn-in the components.

I invited some friends over to listen to what this amazing music server was producing and they all agreed that it was the best sound they have ever heard from any system, next was a shootout with an Aurender music server, using the same DAC, power cable, and USB cable, the LPT-PC blew the Aurender "out of the water".

We knew we had a winner from the first note that came from the server, one of the folks who listened to the server, commented that it was "Show ready" and should be taken to RAMF and other shows.

This could not be achieved without the cooperation with Glen from A - Tech Fabrication, Phil from HighEnd-AudioPC, Paul Pang from PPA Studio, and Thuan the owner of the ultimate super server, we all worked as close knit team for this achievement.

The pictures below are definitely worth more than a 1000 words

LPT-PC_Completed.jpg

LPT-PC_Interior.jpg

LPT-PC_Paul Pang TZ YUN Black SATA.jpg

Paul Pang TZ YUN Black SATA-Rignt_Angle.jpg

Music Server: Streacom ST-FC5WS-Evo chassis, ASUS H87M-E, modified with PPA Studio MoBo Clock Upgrade, Intel Core I7-4770t, 16 GB G.SKILL F3-10666CL7D, SOtM tX-USBexp, sCLK-EX, Audiophile Optimizer 3.0 (Final), JPlay, Fidelizer 8.x, Windows Server 2019 Core mode

Digital to Analog Converter: Mutec MC-3+ USB, B.M.C. UltraDAC

Amplifier:Sanders Magtech Monoblocks; Loudspeakers: Magneplanar 3.6R, Vandersteen 2Wq Subwoffers

Music player: Roon

 

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What is an "in the range" cost of a server build like this?

TIA

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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Thanks, That CPU cooling system is a a work of art!

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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Phil, what is the cost please?

Ambassador for Sound Galleries Monaco and Taiko Audio The Netherlands 

Sound Test USA

[email protected]

 

Sound Galleries SGM 2015 Music Server>ROON-all rates up-sampled to DSD512 by HQ Player>Sablon Reserva 2017 USB>T+A DAC 8 DSD>Merrill Audio Veritas Ncore NC1200 Mono Amps>B&W 802D>High Fidelity Cables Interconnect, Speaker & Power Cords for Amps & SGM & T+A>Power Conditioning High Fidelity MC-6 Hemisphere>T+A & Hemisphere supported by Stillpoints Ultra Mini - B&W 802D & Veritas supported by Stillpoints Ultra SS>All sitting on IKEA Aptitlig bamboo butcher blocks - Taiko Audio Setchi active grounding on SGM & T+A

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Phil,

 

Can you please also send me the pricing and shipping information? Thanks.

 

Hi

 

We'll get in contact with you via email shorty. Thanks a lot for your interest.

 

Best,

Phil

ıllıllı [  ...AO 4.00 BETA... ] ıllıllı
____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Shop | Reviews | Reference System | AudiophileOptimizer 3.00 | PDF Guide

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Phil,

I'm very interested in building my first music server so can you shoot me an email when you find some time. I'd like to throw in some things like chipset cooling system and there is some elements that I already have like OS...

 

Regards,

Marko

 

P.S. I'm using my AudioPC in CORE mode for quite some time and I must say that I'm very pleased with the sound I get. It is MUCH better than GUI and minimal server mode... Thank you for the kind advice you gave me.

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It's H97M-D3H

 

Thanks, missed that in the earlier post. Looks like you also have PPA RAM as well, is that correct? So was this board sourced from PPA with the clock mod already done?

 

Asking only because your build is quite inspirational, I was about to begin a new build using many PPA parts and might follow your lead. Although I will build this myself, and use a different case.

 

Paul does not have that board listed as available on his website right now. Wonder if anyone might chime in if there was any particular reason for using that particular board.

 

Thanks.

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Thanks, missed that in the earlier post. Looks like you also have PPA RAM as well, is that correct? So was this board sourced from PPA with the clock mod already done?

 

Asking only because your build is quite inspirational, I was about to begin a new build using many PPA parts and might follow your lead. Although I will build this myself, and use a different case.

 

Paul does not have that board listed as available on his website right now. Wonder if anyone might chime in if there was any particular reason for using that particular board.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi

 

Yes that build is equipped with PPA RAM's as well. We used a board which was available at that time and fitted the case. As of today there are already other boards available from PPA. If you plan to build your own PPA build, then hesitate to get in contact with us through [email protected]. I'm pretty sure we can make a very nice bundle price for all your new equippment (even if you can't see it in our shop!)

 

Best,

Phil

 

P.S. Indeed, Core mode is the way to go in most cases.

ıllıllı [  ...AO 4.00 BETA... ] ıllıllı
____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Shop | Reviews | Reference System | AudiophileOptimizer 3.00 | PDF Guide

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Phil,

 

I doubted what you said a while earlier about dual PC in core mode being ultimate music server. How wrong I was. At the time I was running two laptops in dual PC, audio in core mode while control in GUI would produce better SQ. Fastforwarding to today, I'm running both PPA servers in core mode, and surprisingly the SQ is just awesome: no trace of harshness that would have plagued the laptop dual PC in core. Thank you.

WS2019 Core Datacenter, dualPC, JPLAY Femto, AO3, Fidelizer Pro 8.8, MC2XY, IOS app.

 

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I see relativelty large heatsinks on the MC-2800 chassis.

 

I know that the CPU can become quite hot when playing DSD files or multichannel.

 

I wonder if 3 heatpipes can dissipate the heat in this case?

 


UbuntuFileServer > CAPS like Music Server + WS2012 R2 Core Mode + Jriver MC21 + HDplex 100W LPS > exaSound e28 > power amp.
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  • 5 months later...
Hi Tom

 

you should have an email from highend-pcdoctor in your inbox! :-)

 

best,

Phil

 

Very interesting and cool looking. I am so new to all of this that it makes my head spin. I have a Mac Mini that was a completely rebuilt by Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio. It was his show server for a few years until he went with Antipodes. I kept getting told that I don't want one based on a Windows board or Mac board. I do trust what I've been told about this server though. What is the best sounding output? I'll be getting the Ayre QX-5/Twenty in a few weeks and it has every input. I was told that the balanced AES input is best or the Ethernet port depending on what the designer has focused on. Are folks running Roon on this? What about up sampling with HQplayer? Have heard many mixed results in up sampling though. I'm already regretting selling my Empirical ODSE, but Ayre makes some great digital gear so I'm sure it will sound musical. I stream Tidal and have a lot of CD's I'll need to burn onto any server I get. It seems like Digital can be had for lower costs via specialists rather than some of the larger companies. I just need something that is very easy to use via a pad. I am an Apple guy as it's easier for me to synch and use on all my platforms. What pad do I need to run a unit like this? I assume it's easy to get an external blue ray drive to bring my CDs over? Lot's of questions and I wish I could hear one. Which Aurender does this one beat out according to the poster above? Thanks all. I would love a PM on cost also. Thanks.

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Very interesting and cool looking. I am so new to all of this that it makes my head spin. I have a Mac Mini that was a completely rebuilt by Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio. It was his show server for a few years until he went with Antipodes. I kept getting told that I don't want one based on a Windows board or Mac board. I do trust what I've been told about this server though. What is the best sounding output? I'll be getting the Ayre QX-5/Twenty in a few weeks and it has every input. I was told that the balanced AES input is best or the Ethernet port depending on what the designer has focused on. Are folks running Roon on this? What about up sampling with HQplayer? Have heard many mixed results in up sampling though. I'm already regretting selling my Empirical ODSE, but Ayre makes some great digital gear so I'm sure it will sound musical. I stream Tidal and have a lot of CD's I'll need to burn onto any server I get. It seems like Digital can be had for lower costs via specialists rather than some of the larger companies. I just need something that is very easy to use via a pad. I am an Apple guy as it's easier for me to synch and use on all my platforms. What pad do I need to run a unit like this? I assume it's easy to get an external blue ray drive to bring my CDs over? Lot's of questions and I wish I could hear one. Which Aurender does this one beat out according to the poster above? Thanks all. I would love a PM on cost also. Thanks.

 

 

Hi

 

You'll get your PM and treatment soon :)

 

Very best,

Phil

ıllıllı [  ...AO 4.00 BETA... ] ıllıllı
____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Shop | Reviews | Reference System | AudiophileOptimizer 3.00 | PDF Guide

 

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