audio pc Audio PC Build - Streacom FC9 Fanless, Intel Z370, SOtM tX-USBexp, HDPLEX 200W Linear Power Supply + 400W DC-ATX

[LTG2010]

15 hours ago, zachary said:

I wanted to share and hear all thoughts / suggestions / concerns before I pull the trigger—it's not the cheapest build (approx. $2650).

Have a read of the audiolinux /nuc thread and the last few pages of the "a novel way...... " thread. A lot of us have moved to 2 box solutions server - renderer, to achieve better sound quality.

With your budget I would suggest, 2 x nuc7i7dnbe/ dnhe NUC"s both running audiolinux. One as roonserver one as roonbridge.

These can be powered by 2 rails from the new 200W hdplex. Your ssd can connect to the server, and be powered separately from a 5v hdplex rail.

You can put these in Akasa fanless cases.

Both booting into 8gb ram.

If you really wanted a dedicated graphics card then a hades canyon as server in Akasa case.

This will beat a one box setup.

From the list you provided I would still run the machine with audiolinux, but switch USB cards to ocxo clocked pink faun or the linear solution PCIE USB. I would not use jitterbug or elfidelty filters.

[LTG2010]

To much filtration will flatten the sound. If using linear power supplies, then I think these are redundant.

The last clock before the DAC is important. Both USB cards mentioned have OCXO clocks and both are used in their respective top of the line PC servers. Both running Audiolinux.

The JCAT looks good on paper a very good femto clock, but I have no experience with it.

I have SOTM PCIE USB with sCLK -EX board and txUSBHUBin reclocker.

With audiolinux I found it reduced dynamics and space, compared to to motherboard USB out to reclocker.

On my windows single box set up it sounded great. My PC build with reclocker is on par or maybe slightly better than the NUC but at 4 x the price. 

 Jitterbug will degrade the sound, some users have kept their txUSBultra reclockers (I have the equivalent) tested after the NUC endpoint, the improvement was very small.