Building a DIY Music Server

[bit01]

On 9/17/2020 at 2:45 PM, Darryl R said:

Has anyone built with a new Z490 mobo and 10th gen Intel Core?

 I have a Gigabyte Z490 AORUS Master with an i9-10900K recently installed in an HDPLEX H5 2nd Gen. fanless case. The BIOS reports CPU at 75 C during boot!. Audiolinux reports CPU core temps of 32-35 C when playing music.

 

This MOBO has a bottom plate- it needs taller standoffs (10mm) to fit the back cover of the H5. This might cause other assembly issues if more accesories are fitted but I have not studied or required any as yet.

 

I am using the HDPLEX 800W DC-ATX converter fed by a PHD SR7/T 19VDC rail. This DC-ATX can fit the 2 pre-tapped holes but needs another hole drilled for the 3rd screw. The 4th screw locates in a cooling slot. When mounted this way, it is a bit of a tight fit as can be seen in the pic and may interfere with the MOBO in some cases- mine just makes it, but as can be seen in the pic the ATX cable clips are too close together. If I keep it in this case then I will drill holes for it to space it out a bit.

 

It is early days (some tweaking to do) but I am already getting a more hefty dynamic sound compared to the Intel NUC7I7DNH1E.

 

 

 

[bit01]

2 minutes ago, Darryl R said:

 

bit01,

 

What are you using to supply the DC?

I am currently using one  19VDC/10A rail of the Paul Hynes Designs SR7/T (Turbo) to supply the HDPlex 800W DC-ATX.

ATB

b.

[bit01]

Talking about Mundorf Silver/Gold wire - Is it possible that this formulation acts as a filter somehow dissipating HF energy that may be riding the DC? The sound with it in just a section in a chain has been considerably affected - lost  the residual  'metal hardness' in favor of more natural tones but with what subjectively appears as an HF rolloff or 'softness'.

 

I installed just a foot and a half of it between the PHD SR7T DC power supply and the HDPLEX 800 DC-ATX converter. It replaces a custom (16AWG) GOTHAM HG01 by Ghent Audio. Unfortunately there were associated changes (cables, connectors)  but I believe that I am familiar with their characteristics. It is my first time using the Mundorf!

My setup was as per the post here:

 

So the change:

Setup 1

SR7T (4P XLR)-->CUSTOM Ghent Audio HG01-->800 DC-ATX (MOLEX 6P)

Setup 2

SR7T (4P XLR)-->DIY MIL-W-16878D--> (6P XLR)-->Mundorf Au/Ag-->800 DC-ATX (MOLEX 6P)

The ATX and EPS to MOBO are the same in both cases (Ghent Audio NEOTECH UPOCC wire)

I wish it was a dial I could set to somewhere between 50% to 90% of the SQ change between setup 1 to 2!

[bit01]

31 minutes ago, Nenon said:

Just curious if you have given it enough time for proper burn-in. Those cables go through some ups and downs the first 3 weeks. 

 

 

Interesting. Thanks for mentioning burn-in. I will certainly pay attention to it. I only have a few days on it- since this past weekend.

 

34 minutes ago, Exocer said:

Thanks for sharing @bit01

Speaking of DC cable - I am thinking to build a very short unshielded Mundorf Silver/Gold 20(or 24) pin ATX to ATX cable to connect the HDPlex 800W DC-ATX adapter to the motherboard.

 

If the cable were under 6", is there still a benefit to JSSG? I was thinking to do point to point connections for the sake of simplicity.

As Nenon notes, JSSG over that length may not be worth it. It would add considerable stiffness to the cable (resistance to making the short bend from one connector to the other). I will be very interested in any SQ observations you may have. 

[bit01]

Wouldn't the motherboard traces pick up considerable more noise? I have a Ghent Audio JSSG ATX/ATX but I do not have a similar non shielded one to compare to.

Keep in mind that the JSSG on the short cable would only cover a relatively small portion of it as the wires need to fan out over the ATX connector.

[bit01]

@Darryl R it could be you need more juice -See PM

[bit01]

@dctomIt will of course depend on what you are using it for. I have an i9-10900K in one currently. I would not dare do heavy graphics or computations that would drive it to capacity. I will be looking for a better cooling solution if I end up using it as a general purpose design.

Playing music files (JRiver, AL OS in 16GB RAM) the cores are hardly working and the cpu remains quite cool. However I have seen  a 12A current spike when graphics are flashed on the screen.  I dont think the HD5 passive cooling is going to deal with this effectively in continuos duty.

ATB.

b.

[bit01]

@Dev Happy Thaanksgiving! FYI

 

On 10/24/2020 at 2:14 PM, bit01 said:

@dctomIt will of course depend on what you are using it for. I have an i9-10900K in one currently. I would not dare do heavy graphics or computations that would drive it to capacity. I will be looking for a better cooling solution if I end up using it as a general purpose design.

Playing music files (JRiver, AL OS in 16GB RAM) the cores are hardly working and the cpu remains quite cool. However I have seen  a 12A current spike when graphics are flashed on the screen.  I dont think the HD5 passive cooling is going to deal with this effectively in continuos duty.

ATB.

b.

 

On 9/18/2020 at 7:14 PM, bit01 said:

 I have a Gigabyte Z490 AORUS Master with an i9-10900K recently installed in an HDPLEX H5 2nd Gen. fanless case. The BIOS reports CPU at 75 C during boot!. Audiolinux reports CPU core temps of 32-35 C when playing music.

 

This MOBO has a bottom plate- it needs taller standoffs (10mm) to fit the back cover of the H5. This might cause other assembly issues if more accesories are fitted but I have not studied or required any as yet.

 

I am using the HDPLEX 800W DC-ATX converter fed by a PHD SR7/T 19VDC rail. This DC-ATX can fit the 2 pre-tapped holes but needs another hole drilled for the 3rd screw. The 4th screw locates in a cooling slot. When mounted this way, it is a bit of a tight fit as can be seen in the pic and may interfere with the MOBO in some cases- mine just makes it, but as can be seen in the pic the ATX cable clips are too close together. If I keep it in this case then I will drill holes for it to space it out a bit.

 

It is early days (some tweaking to do) but I am already getting a more hefty dynamic sound compared to the Intel NUC7I7DNH1E.

 

 

 

 

[bit01]

 I would like to imagine the perfect DAC! It would take the digital signal. filter or mitigate all noise and its effects without generating any of its own adverse effects and reconstruct the perfect analogue output.- i.e. have the 100% performance result at the output. Such a super DAC could be used with any digital source with the same 100% result. A+

 

Now imagine the perfect server - generates only the bit perfect signal and no noise modulation, radiation or otherwise. If we do not use the super DAC with it - we still shall not get the perfect 100% result. The DAC itself will still be unable to generate a clean analogue output because of its own imperfections. It might generate noise  within itself and may not be able to reject other spurious EMI/RFI that would affect the output- (i.e. less than 100% result always). So yes - the DAC should be more critical than the digital source IMO... but where is that super DAC, and can it even exist affordably?

 

Even though I now have a powerful server (i9-10900K/PHD SR7T, SJ reg, etc) and love the SQ  in combination with my modest DAC (NAIM DAC-V1) I cannot help but think it reeks of poor system design for music playback. I love the sound (dynamic, clear soundscape, extended powerful well defined bass, low noise, great attack and full decays etc) yet I am not fully convinced it is the way to go! However I watch and try to follow these amazing threads with the hope that a better solution will eventually be found. I keep hoping (naively perhaps) that better and cost effective DAC designs and/or streamers will appear. .

[bit01]

Mouser has some (4) D31s as of today.

 

New one from Apacer (3200 MHz)?

 

https://industrial.apacer.com/en-ww/DRAM/DDR4-ECC-UDIMM

 

PS: from last year (according to Mouser)

 

[bit01]

Wide temp one (new)?

https://industrial.apacer.com/en-ww/DRAM/DDR4-Wide-Temp.-ECC-UDIMM

[bit01]

Thumbs up to the Furutech FP-S55N mentioned above. I have tried it in JSSG and the FP-S032N on the PHD SR7T dual rail. They both offered similar performance but were better than a bunch of others I tried.

I believe the connectors (Wattgate EVOs) I have on the FP-S55N can be improved. I noticed a slightly better SQ when I removed the plastic backshells (please do not try this for safety reasons -your own and others in your home!! )

[bit01]

I have tried the Mundorf Ag/Au 15.5 AWG DIY DC cable as follows:

 

SR7T -> HDPlex 800W DC-ATX

Reference - 1 M Gotham OFC 16AWG (Ghent Audio Custom HG01) JSSG

 

1. 1 ft Au/Ag unshielded-> XLR at PC -> 1 ft Au/Ag (JSSG)

2. 1 ft SPC  shielded -> XLR at PC -> 1 ft Au/Ag (JSSG)

 

Even though the tonality of 1 & 2 is similar, I much prefer 2. for PRaT.  

 

My conclusion - Au/Ag may be better in 1 ft than in 2 ft lengths for PRaT in this leg. I cannot be 100% certain until I try a shielded version in 1. Nevertheless the PRaT loss perceived in 1. is quite significant.

 

I have also tried the same Au/Ag as above, for the CPU in 1 ft segments (SR7T -> SJ reg box -> PC EPS 8P Molex).

The order is reversed here.  I would recommended 1. over 2. in this loop for increased low level detail and tonality, without the adverse effects on PRaT.

 

My conclusion - Au/Ag is excellent in the CPU DC feed and 2 ft has no effect to talk about on PRaT.

 

Notes:

1. PC - i9-10900K/ Gigabyte Aorus Master/ AL/J River MC25/HDplex H5 v2

2. SPC - Alpha Wire 2827/6. 6C- 20 AWG (19/32) Silver Plated Copper wired 3C  for each +/- (15 AWG equivalent) . Overall SPC braided shield connected at PS ground only.

 

YMMV

ATB

b.

[bit01]

On 2/8/2021 at 4:42 PM, bit01 said:

I have tried the Mundorf Ag/Au 15.5 AWG DIY DC cable as follows:

 

SR7T -> HDPlex 800W DC-ATX

Reference - 1 M Gotham OFC 16AWG (Ghent Audio Custom HG01) JSSG

 

1. 1 ft Au/Ag unshielded-> XLR at PC -> 1 ft Au/Ag (JSSG)

2. 1 ft SPC  shielded -> XLR at PC -> 1 ft Au/Ag (JSSG)

 

Even though the tonality of 1 & 2 is similar, I much prefer 2. for PRaT.  

 

My conclusion - Au/Ag may be better in 1 ft than in 2 ft lengths for PRaT in this leg. I cannot be 100% certain until I try a shielded version in 1. Nevertheless the PRaT loss perceived in 1. is quite significant.

 

 

I have a correction to make - I take back the PRaT loss observation mentioned in that post. I double checked the Mundorf cable and found a ground pin error in the soldered connector that was causing a ground loop instead of a 'through connection' for the star grounding to the SR7T. I use four ground pins (two for EPS and two for the DC-ATX) and  had crossed two of them. After correcting that the music really is grabbing my attention. So connection as in 1. is quite fine. Apologies.

The final step will be to get rid of the case XLR connector altogether and run shielded cables straight into the Molexs

 

ATB

b.

[bit01]

2 hours ago, mikicasellas said:

Good Day Gentlemen,

 

Has anyone had any trouble with Intel i7-10700k (125w TDP) or alike in a fanless case HDPLEX H5 ?

 

I built a new server with this CPU and yesterday when my SR7T arrived and connected to it, the first one hour while in BIOS, temp was very good 38 to 40 Celsius and then up to 75 to 80 C ( Red Numbers ).

 

This morning i dissemble the copper block, CPU and pipes and cleaned it very well so i could put some new Thermal paste, perhaps i put a little more on CPU and on Pipes, but it was worst, Temp when to 70 Celsius in a heartbeat, i had to turn it off.

 

I have been using the same thermal paste that i used on a NUC, and an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (65 TDP)

 

Any experience on this ?, Thanks

I have one  (i9-10900K, sorry) running in the HDplex H5 - yes if you dwell in BIOS setup more than a few minutes the CPU temp will shoot up.  The H5 passive cooling is undersized for this CPU in general applications. However for playing music (no fancy DSP, upsampling etc, in my case) the CPU heatsink/pipes remain cool to the touch - CPU core temps reported by Audiolinux are normally under 40C.

 

BTW - it sounds fantastic in my setup!

 

Hope you get it sorted & enjoy it as much as I !

 

ATB,

b

[bit01]

Apacer has 3200MHz DDR4 industrial wide temp modules out now. I have just received a 16GB one! In due time I will compare it to the G. Skill Ripjaws V (3200MHz). The Ripjaws produced a 'bigger' sonic  in my setup than the Apacer standard temperature 2666MHz modules, but not as 'sweetly polished'.

[bit01]

17 minutes ago, Topk said:

Wow interesting!! Looking forward to your review! Where did you buy?

 

...

Hi,

I ordered it via one of the e-mail links that was posted in these forums earlier:

Vincent Chen (Apacer Memory America)

[email protected]

 

1x16GB:  p/n D31.27261S.002

 

ATB

b.

[bit01]

@ASRMichael - the peak current capacity of your 10A LPS that is supplying the i9-10900K should be in consideration - I cannot give the exact requirement but the higher the better? 

[bit01]

My previous notes on using the i9-10900K in the GB Aorus Master- no comparison to another MOBO (yet).

I should add that both CPU and DC-ATX supply 0V wire (GND) run  straight through back to the SR7T to minimize loops.

 

 

[bit01]

1 hour ago, Topk said:

Would be really interested if you compare with a high end Asus MB!
 

Such a test is a huge pain to do (even worse if you have a fanless case)...

 

 

I will agree with that! No rush at all  at the moment. The nice weather is on the way here hopefully. It would probably be a bit later on (likely in early autumn).

[bit01]

@Exocer - I thought I had signed up for the Taiko DC DC-ATX but have not heard anything about it since - are they taking orders now and how does that work - or was yours a special case?

 

Thanks.

b.

[bit01]

@JayM -thank you for introducing yourself. I please have a query in a PM that I have invited you to.

 

ATB

b.

[bit01]

On 2/8/2021 at 2:28 PM, bit01 said:

Thumbs up to the Furutech FP-S55N mentioned above. I have tried it in JSSG and the FP-S032N on the PHD SR7T dual rail. They both offered similar performance but were better than a bunch of others I tried.

I believe the connectors (Wattgate EVOs) I have on the FP-S55N can be improved. I noticed a slightly better SQ when I removed the plastic backshells (please do not try this for safety reasons -your own and others in your home!! )

 

On 2/8/2021 at 2:34 PM, ASRMichael said:

That’s my findings also. I used to use wattgate but then moved to Furutech NCF type connectors. Also my final connectors. There’s no need to change again. 
 

Add Furutech nano liquid once or twice a year. Job done. 

I switched out the Wattgate EVOs for the Furutechs FI-46 NCF (G) and I am quite happy with  these on their FP-S55N bulk wire. I perceive a more relaxed 'free flow' to the  music and a robust detailed extended low end! Lovely.

[bit01]

@Marcin_gps- Do you please have a target price for this OPTIMO ATX ?

 

Thanks.

b.

[bit01]

I glanced over at the PLITRON website, as it has been a while - oh dear!

 

quote:

 

We are excited to communicate that our company name changed from Plitron Manufacturing Inc., effective April 2021 to Noratel Canada Inc.

 

 

I hope (pray) that is good news. Most of my past DIY power supply for audio amps used a Plitron transformer! They made some truly excellent ones.

 

b.