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

[Iving]

1 minute ago, dminches said:

 

I don't know what Dante is but I get your point.

 

I am not using any of the PCIe lanes since I am using the onboard ethernet controller.  Thus, I could use the Optane but I would need a ribbon cable since I am using a Streacom FC10 case.

 

 

Dante = network/ethernet playback (in contrast to USB) - I use a Focusrite D16 AES

 

If you can use a PCIe Optane AIC I can recommend - I am very very happy with mine

[Iving]

3 minutes ago, dminches said:

 

 Streacom FC10 case.

 

 

Mine is a Streacom F12C

Is the FC10 tall enough I wonder

[dminches]

Just now, Iving said:

 

Mine is a Streacom F12C

Is the FC10 tall enough I wonder

 

it isn't.  I would have to mount it sideways and use a ribbon cable to connect it to the PCIe connector.  I have done that in the past when I used a USB card.

 

[Iving]

OK - I don't know what effect if any an intervening ribbon cable might have ...

 

[Chopin75]

5 hours ago, dminches said:

 

I should have phrased my question better.  Is using an Optane PCIe instead of an Optane M.2 preferable? It seems like @Iving does this.

 

I am confused as to what u are trying to compare. M.2 is a form factor that looks like a very small thin piece of metal which can be connected as a PCLe or SATA. It can be directly connected to the MB without external wire. The PCle uses four lane to work and so is faster than the 2 lane used by SATA. So an Optane M.2.  can also be a PCle. Do u have a link of what SSD u are comparing.

[dminches]

I currently have an Optane M.2.

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1392905-REG/intel_mempek1j032ga01_optane_32gb_ssd_pci.html

 

I was comparing it to:

 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1392630-REG/intel_ssdped1d280gasx_optane_900p_280_gb.html

 

[mikicasellas]

Want to share with all of you my initial experience with my just arrived SR4 19V to power my NUC7PYHC replacing this duties from the HDPLEX 200W, it is important to say that after reading all the buzz about the SR4 and that it is so much better than the HDPLEX200 even from the beginning with no warm up enough to make a good criticism, i have to disagree:

 

HDPLEX is smoother, blacker and bigger with no hint of harshness, SR4 is more harsh the image is narrower, i know it only has some 36 hours aprox since it has been connected...but disappointed of listening to it expecting so much from it since the beginning at least compared to the HDPLEX...perhaps the silver DC cable that came with it, could be too much of a good thing in my revealing system (speakers, amp and DAC), perhaps after the 150 hours if things keep the same a Ghent copper cable would suit better.

 

Did anyone with this PSU have a similar experience ?

 

 

[Chopin75]

24 minutes ago, mikicasellas said:

Want to share with all of you my initial experience with my just arrived SR4 19V to power my NUC7PYHC replacing this duties from the HDPLEX 200W, it is important to say that after reading all the buzz about the SR4 and that it is so much better than the HDPLEX200 even from the beginning with no warm up enough to make a good criticism, i have to disagree:

 

HDPLEX is smoother, blacker and bigger with no hint of harshness, SR4 is more harsh the image is narrower, i know it only has some 36 hours aprox since it has been connected...but disappointed of listening to it expecting so much from it since the beginning at least compared to the HDPLEX...perhaps the silver DC cable that came with it, could be too much of a good thing in my revealing system (speakers, amp and DAC), perhaps after the 150 hours if things keep the same a Ghent copper cable would suit better.

 

Did anyone with this PSU have a similar experience ?

 

 

I think if u have a silver DC cable coming with it the silver needs to burn in a bit. Though it depends on shielding as well. But fresh silver takes about 1-3 weeks to burn in to get the warmth back. It is much less forgiving for crappy recordings so don't test with those. I suppose the toroidal wiring or the SR needs a longer burning in time too? 

[Blackmorec]

In my experience with low power DC power supplies you have to give them between 100 and 200 hours of playing music under a dynamic load before seriously judging their performance. During that time they’ll change for both the better and worse. Just when you think your done and it sounds really good, it’ll take a large step backwards and really rattle your confidence. The better and more revealing your system becomes, the more disrupting this running in period. Because of the low voltage, cables often take quite a while to settle....just a cable on its own is bad enough....cable + ps 😫

[sandyk]

22 minutes ago, Blackmorec said:

In my experience with low power DC power supplies you have to give them between 100 and 200 hours of playing music under a dynamic load before seriously judging their performance. During that time they’ll change for both the better and worse. Just when you think your done and it sounds really good, it’ll take a large step backwards and really rattle your confidence. The better and more revealing your system becomes, the more disrupting this running in period. Because of the low voltage, cables often take quite a while to settle....just a cable on its own is bad enough....cable + ps 😫

Blackmorec

 This is due to the additional forming time of the large value electrolytic capacitors .Numerous constructors of the John Linsley Hood designed PSU add-on reported the exact same cycling symptoms as you are reporting here, with the smaller value 4,700uFelectros in the capacitance multiplier area. It took about 72 hours of continuous use to fully stabilise. At one stage it sounded like there was something seriously wrong with it.

Many larger value Audiophile grade capacitors can even take several months to fully stabilise.

 

Alex

[fas42]

Just to add, that the stabilising of smoothing electros in supplies are a major part of the battle, IME too. Capacitors are a large headache in audio, and why I used to run my first good rig 24/7 - including the power amp, which idled pretty hot - money to burn, back then! 😄

 

I have found a frequent characteristic from cold switch-on of audio stuff is that it's relatively pleasant at first, then goes through a trough of ugliness, of varying depth; and finally emerges to a reasonably stable level of decent quality. My technique at times has been to hammer the setup with high energy rock, to speed up the conditioning period.

[mikicasellas]

I knew from the beginning warm in time would be at least 150 hours and due to the silver DC cable perhaps even more, i am aware of that and i appreciate your feedbacks gentleman...just trying to find out about your experiences of your SR4s out of the box outperforming other PSU such as the HDPLEX 200, a situation that is not the case here and the addition of the Silver cable could also be an important thing here, all my cables are copper, due to my speakers , amp and DAC being revealing enough items, it is just that i had the impression that it would be leagues above the HDPLEX out of the box...

 

I will follow suggestions in order to warm things up here with this baby...

 

Thanks !!

[Chopin75]

3 hours ago, mikicasellas said:

I knew from the beginning warm in time would be at least 150 hours and due to the silver DC cable perhaps even more, i am aware of that and i appreciate your feedbacks gentleman...just trying to find out about your experiences of your SR4s out of the box outperforming other PSU such as the HDPLEX 200, a situation that is not the case here and the addition of the Silver cable could also be an important thing here, all my cables are copper, due to my speakers , amp and DAC being revealing enough items, it is just that i had the impression that it would be leagues above the HDPLEX out of the box...

 

I will follow suggestions in order to warm things up here with this baby...

 

Thanks !!

Yah, if your system is. genuinely great and even revealing, a great silver cable should not worsen it after fully burned in eventually . But can take a while to burn 

[Nenon]

18 hours ago, mikicasellas said:

I will follow suggestions in order to warm things up here with this baby...

 

 

Euphony has a "Stress CPU (to "break-in" your CPU, power cables/supply)" option in the expert settings. You may find it useful to speed up the process. 

[mikicasellas]

Just now, Nenon said:

 

Euphony has a "Stress CPU (to "break-in" your CPU, power cables/supply)" option in the expert settings. You may find it useful to speed up the process. 

Yes i am using it as we speak, i gave it 10 to 15 minutes, but watching it carefully so temp don't go to hot, even with 10 - 15 min temp have not raised more than 41 Celsius with 4 cores at 100%, should i leave out more time like 30 min to 1 hours periods or even more perhaps ?

 

Thank you !!

[Nenon]

1 minute ago, mikicasellas said:

Yes i am using it as we speak, i gave it 10 to 15 minutes, but watching it carefully so temp don't go to hot, even with 10 - 15 min temp have not raised more than 41 Celsius with 4 cores at 100%, should i leave out more time like 30 min to 1 hours periods or even more perhaps ?

 

Thank you !!

 

If the temp have not raised more than 41 Celsius, I don't see a problem to do longer runs. But do it at your own risk :). 

[mikicasellas]

39 minutes ago, Nenon said:

 

If the temp have not raised more than 41 Celsius, I don't see a problem to do longer runs. But do it at your own risk :). 

 

👌

[dctom]

I have an i7 NUC end point and i3 itx server - does anyone know of a source of apacer or similar ram in the UK?

[bodiebill]

49 minutes ago, dctom said:

I have an i7 NUC end point and i3 itx server - does anyone know of a source of apacer or similar ram in the UK?

 

https://www.mouser.co.uk/Apacer/Embedded-Solutions/Memory-Data-Storage/Memory-Modules-Memory-Cards/Memory-Modules/_/N-9pk2p?P=1yzu785

[dctom]

That’s great, thank you

[mourip]

4 hours ago, bodiebill said:

 

https://www.mouser.co.uk/Apacer/Embedded-Solutions/Memory-Data-Storage/Memory-Modules-Memory-Cards/Memory-Modules/_/N-9pk2p?P=1yzu785

 

@bodiebill. Thanks for the Mouser link. The US site lists the same choices now.

 

To All. I am interested in giving Apacer industrial memory a try. Given the large number of choices on Mouser I would appreciate any input for specs aside from the obvious: compatible type for system board, low voltage, and industrial. I have read through the posts here and this seems like a very good tweak but I would like my purchase to be a bit more informed since this memory costs a multiple of current consumer level prices.

 

I have two endpoints running Roon on AL: ASRock H87M-ITX (DDR3-1600) and a NUC 7i5 BNH (DDR4-2133)

 

Thanks for any help.

[davide256]

On 11/23/2019 at 7:47 PM, mikicasellas said:

I knew from the beginning warm in time would be at least 150 hours and due to the silver DC cable perhaps even more, i am aware of that and i appreciate your feedbacks gentleman...just trying to find out about your experiences of your SR4s out of the box outperforming other PSU such as the HDPLEX 200, a situation that is not the case here and the addition of the Silver cable could also be an important thing here, all my cables are copper, due to my speakers , amp and DAC being revealing enough items, it is just that i had the impression that it would be leagues above the HDPLEX out of the box...

 

I will follow suggestions in order to warm things up here with this baby...

 

Thanks !!

If it doesn't work out, should be easy to sell. Seems to me that the reviews did caution it was mains cable dependent for results... I'm surprised that they are supplying a silver cable since

IME silvers lends itself to better HF transmission which should not be a factor with DC and 60hz AC mains voltages.

[NanoSword]

On 11/24/2019 at 3:47 AM, mikicasellas said:

I knew from the beginning warm in time would be at least 150 hours and due to the silver DC cable perhaps even more, i am aware of that and i appreciate your feedbacks gentleman...just trying to find out about your experiences of your SR4s out of the box outperforming other PSU such as the HDPLEX 200, a situation that is not the case here and the addition of the Silver cable could also be an important thing here, all my cables are copper, due to my speakers , amp and DAC being revealing enough items, it is just that i had the impression that it would be leagues above the HDPLEX out of the box...

 

I will follow suggestions in order to warm things up here with this baby...

 

Thanks !!

I don't have SR4 but I read audiobacon review that SR4 take advantage from power cable.  I did try SR4 but with wireworld and I don't like the sound with this cable I prefer my lps1.2 using Ghent Neotech DC at that time I don't try my other power cable that I like with SR4 .

[mikicasellas]

14 hours ago, NanoSword said:

I don't have SR4 but I read audiobacon review that SR4 take advantage from power cable.  I did try SR4 but with wireworld and I don't like the sound with this cable I prefer my lps1.2 using Ghent Neotech DC at that time I don't try my other power cable that I like with SR4 .

 

Patience is All 😀

 

With the "Stress CPU" on Euphony, things have been going faster and SQ is starting to rise very good !! the silver cable is giving some very nice bloom on HF and MF too, i am guessing there is some good time left for this to come mature enough and I'm very happy where it is going...So far !!

[bobfa]

Observations from network “isolated” or “filtered” endpoints.

 

I have two endpoints that are designed to reduce or eliminate the effects on sound quality from upstream devices.  The Allo USBridge Sig and the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical.  I am currently listening to both of these devices using UPnP running MPD.  I am finding that the isolation and MPD protocol together dramatically reduce the audible indications of upstream interference.  I have been wondering if anyone else has tried this kind of configurations.

 

I have also done some similar testing using the Sonore opticalModule on my DIY Xeon based server.  The effect here was rather dramatic.  Note that the server is acting in the combined role of music server and endpoint.

 

As a point of mention.  My music is stored on a a QNAP NAS with no special thoughts to Audio.  I have been testing UPnP control points from multiple sources.  The most capable I have been using to date is Audirvana+.  

 

As an example: I have been trying to see if I can hear any difference between say playing a track using A+ running on a Mac in the basement vs using MoOde only running on the USBridge Sig.

 

 

NOTE:  I Am not comparing endpoints; just upstream effects.

NOTE 2:  MPD was selected out of a happy accident  due to the software issues on the Sonore and software availability on the Allo. Finding common working ground.

 

RJF