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Building a DIY Music Server


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Thanks for posting this, your attention to detail inspires! 

 

Would you consider less powerful hardware if the only purpose was Roon without any additional processing?

 

In my case all the heavy lifting is at the end of the line, resampling by the network DAC and DSP by the Preamp. I currently use ROCK on a NUC7i5 and am wondering if a new server with AL in Ramroot and netcard bridged to DAC will lift my boat.

 

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9 hours ago, Nenon said:

I started doing the ATX connector wiring.

ATX1.thumb.jpg.103d415a9d3e5ce92f5f4bbcdaf6f572.jpg

 

But the OCD in me really wanted to apply JSSG360 shielding. So here it is with JSSG360.
ATX2.jpg.47b5f8863794da58c7522b6b94979adc.jpg

 

Here is the pinout of a 20-pin connector:

20pin.jpg.097122db6f1dcc020f7dd2fe98805c5b.jpg

 

I connected it this way:

3.3V --> pin 1

5.0V --> pin 4, pin 8, and pin 9

12V --> pin 10

Ground --> pin 3

 

ATX connector done.

ATX-done.thumb.jpg.8ec56c8ea6a55c7ad410b2c1d53d8b9b.jpg

 

This M.2 to PCIe convertor is another compromise. It would have been better to have a second PCIe slot. But I have tested bigger motherboards with second PCIe slot, and they did not sound better. That's why I am sticking to this well tested recipe. 

 

Apacer RAM, JCAT Femto Net card and Pink Faun USB bridge with ultra OCXO clock installed.

CardsInstalled.thumb.jpg.61ee7c0b4192b9e703163669f43217e0.jpg

 

BackSide.jpg.0ab62d3c07d331392249cc51655705e3.jpg

 

Almost done with this chassis... need to install the EPS connector, connect the power button and do some finishing touches. More about the latter at the end of the build.

 

Next, I will be moving to the second chassis. A big custom state of the art 400VA toroidal is waiting to be installed in the second chassis. 

 

Toroidal.jpg.71ca4e8a6a05544dbc1d734e0286a392.jpg


Where did you get the transformer from and curious about it’s casing. 
Do you have a close up picture of the regulator? Would have expected bigger capacitors, at least on the 5A one.

Meitner ma1 v2 dac,  Sovereign preamp and power amp,

DIY speakers, scan speak illuminator.

Raal Requisite VM-1a -> SR-1a with Accurate Sound convolution.

Under development:

NUC7i7dnbe, Euphony Stylus, Qobuz.

Modded Buffalo-fiber-EtherRegen, DC3- Isoregen, Lush^2

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Hi, thanks for this informative and terrific thread. Maybe I am wrong, but if I look at your picture at the atx 20-pin connector and you are wiring pin 8,9 and 10, then these have to be at the atx socket nearest the external regulator boards and not in the other end at the atx socket. I hope it is understandable, what I mean 😉

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Looking great.

 

Can you explain the advantage of using the voltage regulators vs something like the HDPlex 800W DC-ATX module?  I haven't seen another build using those regulators before.

 

Speakers: Vandersteen Model 7s, 4 M&K ST-150Ts, 1 VCC-5; Amplification: 2 Vandersteen M7-HPAs, CI Audio D200 MKII, Ayre V-6xe; Preamp: Doshi Audio Line Stage v3.0; Phono Pre: Doshi Audio Phono Pre; Analog: Wave Kinetics NVS with Durand Telos composite arm; SME 3012R arm, Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement v2; Reel to Reel:  Technics RS-1500; Doshi Tape Pre-Amp; Studer A810, Studer A812, Tascam BR-20; Multi-channel: Bryston SP-3; Digital: Custom PC (Sean Jacobs DC4/Euphony/Stylus)> Lampizator Pacific

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Thank you for posting the info of your build😀

Its great to see how tidy, and well every little detail is made.  
Great inspiration, and makes me want to change some things on my own build.
We surely need more like this. 😊


 

Asus Prime-P z590 MB. Intel Core  i5 11400 , Jcat usb XE Pci-usb card. Intel Optane m2 with Euphony Stylus software. And running Ramrod.

Jcat Femto Netcard. HDPlex linear w300, HDPlex 400 atx, HDPlex H5 case. MPAudio SLS-hpuln with JCat Optimo Nano Powering the Jcat XE pcie-usb card. Farad 3 lpsu powering the Netcard femto. 2 Buffalo 2008 switch. One stock, and one Buffalo 2008 switch with NewclassD Neutron star Clock powered by MPAudio SLS-hpuln,

Voltcraft fps_1132 lpsu Powering the fibernet box, and first Buffalo 2008 switch. With a Idovr regulator. 

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27 minutes ago, basillus said:

Maybe I am wrong, but if I look at your picture at the atx 20-pin connector and you are wiring pin 8,9 and 10, then these have to be at the atx socket nearest the external regulator boards and not in the other end at the atx socket.

 

 

OP did say the wiring connections are as follows.

 

On 1/10/2020 at 11:08 PM, Nenon said:

I connected it this way:

3.3V --> pin 1

5.0V --> pin 4, pin 8, and pin 9

12V --> pin 10

Ground --> pin 3

 

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elan120 wrote:

OP did say the wiring connections are as follows.

 

   On 1/11/2020 at 8:08 AM,  Nenon said: 

I connected it this way:

3.3V --> pin 1

5.0V --> pin 4, pin 8, and pin 9

12V --> pin 10

Ground --> pin 3

Yes I know, but according this:

image.jpeg.d5ab8a86fc75dbe14f932cc300e655b4.jpeg

and this there is a mismatch where the wires are placed...

 

image.jpeg.1ae5e092071a8771d30afe19be106b4e.jpeg

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1 minute ago, basillus said:

elan120 wrote:

OP did say the wiring connections are as follows.

 

   On 1/11/2020 at 8:08 AM,  Nenon said: 

I connected it this way:

3.3V --> pin 1

5.0V --> pin 4, pin 8, and pin 9

12V --> pin 10

Ground --> pin 3

Read more  

Yes I know, but according this:

image.jpeg.d5ab8a86fc75dbe14f932cc300e655b4.jpeg

and this there is a mismatch where the wires are placed...

 

image.jpeg.1ae5e092071a8771d30afe19be106b4e.jpeg

 

The pinout diagram shows the bottom side of the connector.

My picture shows the top side of the connector. Hope that makes sense. 

Industry disclosure: 

Dealer for: Taiko Audio, Aries Cerat, Audio Mirror, Sean Jacobs

https://chicagohifi.com 

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17 hours ago, Nenon said:

Starting on the second chassis.

 

First I had to drill a lot of holes - 4 holes for the Gaia feet, 8 holes for the power supply boards, 4 holes for the transformer. Those were the easy ones.

The tricky ones are the holes for the GX16 connectors. One can remove the back panel and use a drill press. This is probably what I would do next time. The best way I have found to make these holes is using a forstner drill bit. It looks like this:

36RF07_AS02.jpeg.f855d095c0e2e554837b2a2edb426ae7.jpeg

 

And no, a tiny cordless drill is not the way to do it. I use a powerful AC powered drill. It's a lot easier if you don't have a drill press. 

I drilled 3 holes for the GX16 connectors and one hole for the fuse holder.

 

Here is a little hint. A GX16 connector can snugly fit into the channel for PCIe cards. You have to use some force, but it fits. No need to drill holes if you can use those. That's where I put the fourth connector. 

IMG_2449.jpg.cf239547c4a844cb03636f41a8b3ea96.jpg

 

I bought one of these plates to cover the motherboard opening:

s-l500.jpg.ee432131073a52fc4852a4055c6b42d0.jpg

 

And I installed a medical grade IEC filter / inlet. I go back and forth between a Furutech NCF IEC inlet (no filtering) and those filters. Both are great options. I spent some time comparing, and heard the difference, but I can't make up my mind which one I like better. I just happened to have one of these filters around, and that's what I used. 

 

Transformer installed. Fuse holder installed and wired. IEC filter installed and wired. Grounding completed. Heatshrink all around the high voltage. 

IMG_2454.thumb.jpg.f53bd4feaf32c14ab9da13df15a672df.jpg

 

The next steps were difficult to document. I installed the rectifier/caps modules. I also installed the regulators for the fourth rail. It took a while to get the wiring done right (neat I mean), but I think the end result is not bad.

 

426146066_IMG_24752.thumb.jpg.3a925af61710386c39c054501f4c4ae0.jpg

 

All voltages tested good! Time to make some DC cables. Stay tuned. 

 


These might be a good alternative. http://www.thel-audioworld.de/module/Netzfilter/Netzfilter.htm
Or use these https://www.ringkerntrafo.nl/shop/high-end-audio/scheidingstrafo-audio.html in a box near the power strip.

 

edit: what’s the price of the those regulators

Meitner ma1 v2 dac,  Sovereign preamp and power amp,

DIY speakers, scan speak illuminator.

Raal Requisite VM-1a -> SR-1a with Accurate Sound convolution.

Under development:

NUC7i7dnbe, Euphony Stylus, Qobuz.

Modded Buffalo-fiber-EtherRegen, DC3- Isoregen, Lush^2

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56 minutes ago, marce said:

The DC to the motherboard would be far better with a separate 0V wire for each voltage from the regulators, one wire is a compromise and not a good idea.


That is actually on my list to change at the end. I’ve done it both ways and haven’t noticed a difference in the sound quality, but it’s a good practice.

The key of this build is the power isolation between the CPU, ATX, Usb, and network card. That’s what improves the sound the most as well as the excellent quality of the Sean Jacobs DC3 rails, the quality of the transformer, and the silver/gold wires.

But yes, I’ll do that at the end anyway. Attention to every detail is important.

Industry disclosure: 

Dealer for: Taiko Audio, Aries Cerat, Audio Mirror, Sean Jacobs

https://chicagohifi.com 

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