A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[frederick184]

Sorry to take things back to basics, but I’m looking for some advice.  I read some of this thread, and was interested in seeing how I might improve the quality of my streaming.  I have a purpose built computer that I put together some time ago for using with Roon and HQ Player.  It’s used for music and nothing else.  So, Roon core is installed along with HQ Player and my music files reside in my Synology NAS.

 

The computer has a fiber NIC connected to a fiber switch, as is my NAS and my wireless router.  From the switch, the connections to the NAS and the router are via FMC’s.  From the router I’m streaming to an Auralic Altair in a downstairs room, and from there to my amp and speakers.  Is it worth my while to add a second (Ethernet) NIC to the PC and direct connect the PC to the Auralic, or is there more to be gained elsewhere?  I know the Auralic isn’t the greatest, but it’s very good what it is, I think ?

 

Thanks

Colin

[frederick184]

2 hours ago, lmitche said:

Hi Elvia,

 

I flipped the turbo switch as I stumbled into it doing something else. I had recently read several posts on CA about both AO on intel and in a separate threadripper thread that SQ improved with turbo mode disabled. My i7-6700k runs at 4 GHz at base speeds so there is no need for more. Prior to disablement task manager showed the clock at 4.19ghz, so the turbo switch disablement worked and lowered the frequency to 3.99ghz now. With the turbo switch staring me in the face, I thought I'd give it a try. So far so good.

 

I am not sure why this should sound better. My guess is that like any engine, running at full throttle strains things, so why should a cpu chip be different? I had previosuly set the bios to all core sync so the frequency across cores should have been the same prior to this change.

 

As to your emi/rfi idea, that could be true as well. My guess is the emi/rfi signature of these machines changes with software and music content in real time during playback. That likely creates a kind of feedback loop that echoes, literally, throughout the system. It also explains why cable shielding and powering things from multiple segregated power supplies makes such a huge difference. I have seven separate power sources in use today. I can easily think of places to add two to five more. That would be pretty crazy, but would likely divide and conquer the SQ beast in a positive way.

 

I am less enamored with clock changes, at least until I know I've got the cleanest possible power flowing into the existing clocks.

 

Anyway that's my two cents worth.

 

Best,

Larry

 

 

Off topic, but I hope you had better luck than I did.  I turned off turbo boost and my PC would no longer boot.  I7-6700k on a Gigabyte motherboard.

 

Colin

[frederick184]

Here's another glowing report on the Apacer ram.  Thanks, Nenon!  I purchased two 4GB sticks of non-ECC Apacer ram for my i7 DNBE NUC and two 8 GB sticks of ECC Apacer ram for my Asus B450m/Ryzen 2700 server.  I previously had Hyper X Fury ram in the NUC and Corsair Dominator Platinum in the server.  

 

I swapped out the ram in the NUC first and I had no idea it would make such a difference.  The improvements were pretty much as Bricki described above.  More air around instruments and voices, and just a general uptick in realism.  I waited a few days for it to settle in, then changed the ram in my server.  I really did not expect a difference on the server.  The Corsair Dominator Platinum ram has Samsung chips also.  What I got was more of the same, in fact there was a bigger improvement on the server than there was on the NUC.

 

This change was well worth it.  There was no wondering if I was imagining the change or not.  It came through loud and clear. 

 

Colin

[frederick184]

1 hour ago, lwr said:

 

Add me to the list of very pleased beneficiaries of having upgraded i7DNBE NUC ram from Hyper X Fury ram to Apacer ram.  Highly recommended. 

 

 In your Asus B450m/Ryzen 2700 server ram upgrade, are you comparing Corsair Dominator Platinum ram non-ECC ram to ECC Apacer ram?

 

Wayne

Yes, Corsair Dominator Platinum non-ECC ram vs Apacer ECC ram in server.

 

Colin

[frederick184]

I've read various posts on here recommending the HDPLEX 800W DC-ATX supply.  I replaced my HDPLEX 400W DC-ATX supply for one of these recently but can hear zero difference.  I am powering it from the 19V/10A rail of my HDPLEX 200W LPS.  I tried powering both ATX and EPS from the 800W DC-ATX supply and thought this sounded worse than powering the ATX from the 800W DC-ATX supply and the EPS from the 12V/10A rail of the 200W LPS directly.  

 

I know it's early days and we are still finding our way with regard to the ideal power supply for our servers, but perhaps a change of LPS might improve matters?  Or a combination of LPS's dedicated to both ATX and EPS? For information, I am powering an Asus B450m motherboard with AMD Ryzen 2700 and 16GB of Apacer ECC ram.  Also on board is an Intel Optane 260GB SSD.  Wondering where to go next.

 

Thanks

Colin