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

[octaviars]

Just now, austinpop said:

 

No it does not buffer the song.

 

Ok, so the playback stops directly if you remove the LAN cable?

[octaviars]

Just now, austinpop said:

 

No it does not buffer the song.

 

Ok, so the playback of Tidal stops directly if you remove the LAN cable?

[octaviars]

26 minutes ago, austinpop said:

I tried a test with a Tidal track of length ~20 minutes. About 10 seconds into playback, I pulled the LAN cable from the switch. The music continued playback for about 5 mins before finally stopping. This interval depends on many things - the speed of the network, the logic of Roon's system calls, the tuning of the FS cache in the OS. I must say, I was surprised that the cache was so deep (5 mins).

 

However, let's not get sidetracked from the fact the experiment I was trying was comparing DC cables in a known location in the system.

 

Perhaps a side track but did the music sound different during the 5 minutes it was playing without the LAN cable connected compared to when it was connected?

[octaviars]

2 hours ago, austinpop said:

Because of this, can you think of a methodology to test what you're asking?

 

No I dont have any good methodology to do a test of this as my system needs a switch between server and endpoint so I can only disconnect the LAN from router so ethernet will perhaps still have som sort of effect on things in my system.

 

The question is when you use a server that is directly connected to a DAC that to me in most cases with Roon seems to buffer the Tidal stream (I have tested and my NUC with ROCK buffer the whole song even if they are more than 10 minutes) and plays from the buffer how anything upstream the LAN connection can/will affect the outcome from the server to the DAC when music (that is streamed) still plays without the LAN connection?

 

Much of the talk regarding LAN is related to groundloops, leakage, clocks and so on that perhaps affects the outcome in different ways but that is only when the LAN cable is connected.

[octaviars]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Not to worry, I mis-spoke.  John is laying out the board with BNC for the clock input. So carry on... 

 

Do you have the layout ready so you could perhaps share how the different contacts are placed on the switch?

 

 

[octaviars]

22 minutes ago, Superdad said:

The above is my long-winded way of saying that if your device or cable needs earth ground for some reason, you’d best run a wire or something.  Don’t look to the output of a JS-2 for your ground! 

 

Paul Hynes also thinks that grounding the output of a PSU is a bad thing so perhaps it is best to keep a linear PSU that way.

 

But in a system it might be more difficult to keep it that way. For example on SOtM the -0V input is connected to the chassi and the USB connector shell so there is a way for ground to travel that way from a DAC that have the chassi grounded to mains. So even if you have a multirail PSU with seperate grounds they might end up being connected togheter via cables that goes between components.

 

 

[octaviars]

5 hours ago, Em2016 said:

I asked him last year but his custom made USB cables are not spec compliant. 

 

Do you know what was not up to spec!

 

I use Ghent USB cables without any problems between SOtM sMS-200ultra -> SOtM tX-USBultra -> TAD D1000mk2 DAC

[octaviars]

10 hours ago, beerandmusic said:

 

if you start with a spec compliant cable and then just put the two sleeve shields over it, that would not make the cable non-spec compliant would it? 

 

Adding more sleeves and shields might change the capacitans of the cable. Higher capacitance on a USB cable can affect the signal integrity but I dont know if adding shields and so on will do this to a spec USB cable.

 

 

[octaviars]

Are these test done right to see how sheilding works with and without JSSG? 

 

https://www.usaudiomart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1469

 

 

[octaviars]

Seems like I am late to the party @auricgoldfinger and you got the answers. Might I ask what type of wire you are going to use?

[octaviars]

37 minutes ago, Chopin75 said:

Ok, noted, I will keep that in mind. BTW, I don't think the HdPlex 200W LPS can drive 2 devices that need 19V at the same time? 

 

I use all four outputs on my 200W HD Plex. 

 

5V ISP fiberconverter. 

19V router (5-19V)

12V switch 

19V NUC with Roon ROCK 

 

But it gets hot and I mean really hot so I have a speedcontroled 120mm fan cooling it (all my equipment is in a cabinet so that will of course affect the heat)

[octaviars]

I measured my NUC7i5BNH it has M.2 SSD for ROCK OS and second SSD for music.

This is with regular 44.1/16 no DSP

19Vdc average 0.57A (10.83W) and peak 1.5A
15Vdc average 0.69A (10.35W) and peak 2.1A
12Vdc average 0.81A (9.72W) and peak 2.8A

Average is during play to Roon endpoint. Peak was during start up.