Building a DIY Music Server

[elan120]

 

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

 

[elan120]

10 minutes ago, dminches said:

Can you explain the advantage of using the voltage regulators vs something like the HDPlex 800W DC-ATX module?

I am not OP, but some information might be useful...

 

A DC-ATX converter is using switched-mode DC-to-DC converters converting one DC voltage level to another, which may be higher or lower, by storing the input energy temporarily and then releasing that energy to the output at a different voltage, where voltage regulators show in this build is a high quality linear power supply setup.

 

Switching conversion is more power-efficient (typical efficiency is 75% to 98%) than linear voltage regulation, generates less heat, so they are smaller in physical size, to make them simpler to install, but they also generates more electrical noise then linear power supply.

[elan120]

13 minutes ago, basillus said:

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

Here is another diagram with the same 20 pin ATX pin orientation shown in the build.

[elan120]

7 minutes ago, Nenon said:

In the meantime I need to do more RAM tests

I am curious whether ECC RAM that you used on Intel i9900K CPU for testing done earlier, is that CPU dependant or Motherboard dependant.  I am also tempted to try the ECC RAMs on my server with a different Motherboard but sibling CPU (i9900KS).

[elan120]

7 minutes ago, Nenon said:

The ECC RAM works fine on both Z390 motherboards I have - ASRock and ASUS. It just works as non-ECC RAM. I suspect it would work on many motherboards.

Thank you, that is what I am suspecting.  I will find some time over the weekend and see if I can get them to work in my server.

[elan120]

Another basic question, what is the EPS power supply rating?

[elan120]

On 2/15/2020 at 3:16 AM, Solstice380 said:

I have an i9-9900KS arriving early next week.  I’ll be using the ROG RTX2080 that’s in my current build.

Nice high power build.  What power supply would you be using in this server?

[elan120]

5 minutes ago, Solstice380 said:

@elan120  Not ready to piece together LPS for everything so will stick with a Seasonic Titanium 850W or 1000W as it may get another PCI-e card eventually.  With the highest efficiency for those at ~50% load this should be good.   Will use a Noctua CPU cooler this time instead of liquid cooling.   The case I’m looking at (HTPC type) won’t fit the radiator.  It will have 3 - 120mm filtered fans for positive pressure and there is room for another if needed.   

That sounds like a good place to start.  I ran mine with Seasonic Titanium 850W on mine to get it going at first before moving to a pair of Keces P8's using the same CPU without graphic card at the moment, but does have JCAT net card, running AL/HQPe.

 

I experimented using just a single P8 to CPU with Seasonic on ATX, and the SQ improvement over just Seasonic is very evident.

[elan120]

1 hour ago, ASRMichael said:

Am I now finished? simple answer is NO!!, so what's next??

•  I'm currently running an i7 7700T in turbo mode, this processor is not fast enough for running HQplayer with the settings I want to use. I can run in DSD 64 but 128. So I would like to upgrade my Mobo and CPU at some stage, to be honest I am awaiting Nenon new build later in the year running dual Xeon, failing that an i9 9900k 
•  The above will require a dedicated 12V 10A Linear power supply
•  OCXO Ultra for MOBO? again awaiting to see how Nenon gets on
•  Planning replacing my HDPlex case with Turemetal UP10

That case look promising.  Do you have more information about it?

 

I am also been looking at different possibilities in fanless case for my HQPe server, and this case appears to be able to dissipate the higher power from HQP running EC7/DSD256.

[elan120]

9 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

https://www.fanlesspro.com/shop/product/fanless-cases/turemetal-up10-fanless-case/

Thank you, I have seen that, but wonder if there are more information available.  I did read one review where they use AMD EPYC 7551 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card, and that is more than 355W of TDP that show a CPU temp of 76C and GPU at 88C, so with their 2.5kg of radiator weight, I think my i9900KS will survive fine.

 

Btw...as another data point, when running EC7/DSD256 on HQPlayer, i9900KS pulls about 85W and 25W to ATX, where CPU will have an inrush of about 140W during bootup.

[elan120]

12 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

That’s very useful info...any idea or are you able to test running DSD128?

When running EC7/DSD64, i9900KS consumption dropped to about 65W.  I can run EC7/DSD128 later when I get home, but will assume it will likely be between the 85W with EC7/DSD256 and EC7/DSD64 of 65W.

[elan120]

11 hours ago, ASRMichael said:

are you able to test running DSD128?

Running Redbook upsample to EC7/DSD128 pulls between 70 to 75W.  Not too bad at all.

[elan120]

6 hours ago, ASRMichael said:

Thanks really appreciate that. One last question, what HQ player filter are you using? I'm using XTR Filter, so suspect will be higher?

I am using poly-sinc-xtr-lp-2s filter, and all these readings were taken using this same filter.

[elan120]

5 minutes ago, dminches said:

Is there an ATX motherboard which uses ECC ram?  I would like to continue to use the Apacer RAM, if possible.

There are many, but for Intel CPU, most of them will not support ECC function, but ECC RAMs can still be used.

[elan120]

24 minutes ago, dctom said:

It runs fine with the SR4 at 2000mgz upsampling in HQP and will also work on turbo 4000mgz but does get quite warm.

What is the heaviest filter/modulator combo you are able to run with this CPU?

[elan120]

1 minute ago, dctom said:

 

HQP 4, ASDM7EC, poly-sinc- xtr-lp-2s - although I tend to use poly-sinc-ext2 - all running dsd 128 at 2000mgz on AL (Have described the build on p8 of the thread).

That is very good for such a low power setup.

[elan120]

6 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

Turemetal UP10 in stock here. Top model. 

https://www.fanlesspro.com/shop/product/fanless-cases/turemetal-up10-fanless-case/

My understanding is, Fanlesspro is a distributor for Turemetal based in China, but if there is any specific motherboard and/or CPU planned to use in the build, either discuss with Fanlesspro or send Mical Wong at Turemetal an email, Mical likely can customize the enclosure for the specific requirements.

[elan120]

1 hour ago, Nenon said:

I completed my tube SET monoblocks a couple of weeks ago. They sound amazing! Even better than they look. The Duelund Cast tinned copper caps are still breaking-in as well as all the Mundorf MTube and MLytic AG capacitors I used but they are 99% there. Add to that, the custom silver wires used throughout, Mundorf silver/gold wire for the power supply, custom transformers, custom chokes, Z-foil resistors, WBT silver connectors, NCF IEC inlets, Grade A Sophia Electric tubes, Grade A Shuguang WE6SN7 PLUS tubes, SR Orange fuses, etc. I used to love my Lundahl output transformers but those beat the shit out of the Lundahls! These monoblocks are something special. They really are a piece of art, and I am very proud of the end result. Sorry for the ugly photo, but that's the best I have at the moment.

Beautiful work indeed and outstanding selection of components.

 

What would you recommend for power switch and fuse holder?

[elan120]

1 hour ago, Downtheline said:

Can't. Wait. To hear what happens with improvements in network, power and OS optimization.

Based on my recent experience, I have a hunch the SQ will take a sizeable step up when the EPS gets fed by a greater quality power supply and quality cables as you continue to upgrade.

 

Enjoy, there is going to be lots fun ahead...

[elan120]

24 minutes ago, Nenon said:

Tried to replace the clock on one of my Buffalo switches, and the switch board is fried.

Ouch...that hurts...

 

If possible and not too much trouble, could you share a closer look at the clock solder pad section?

[elan120]

39 minutes ago, BCRich said:

Any thoughts?

I had similar setup as yours at one point, same everything except I was using two P8 feeding the HDPlex.  The improvement that I consider is sizeable came when I changed to one SJ power supply feeding directly to the EPS 8 pin input and later another notch forward when another SJ power supply feeding the 24 pin ATX input.  At this point, I don't feel the need to feed both EPS inputs.

[elan120]

36 minutes ago, Rovo said:

Would this be the diagram for the unregulated LPS v3:

 

While waiting for confirmation from @Nenon, your schematic is the same as mine from the written description earlier.

[elan120]

53 minutes ago, sakso136 said:

My current dac,is spdif input only.

 

53 minutes ago, sakso136 said:

What option will you choose?

Could a different DAC with USB input be a possible option?

[elan120]

1 hour ago, mrkoven said:

hesistated on a jcat xe usb due to 1.536mhz pcm compatibility concerns

JCAT XE USB card is capable of running PCM at 1.536MHz.  I ran it using HQPe with no issue.

 

[elan120]

9 minutes ago, mrkoven said:

 

into a Holo May? ive read some folks had issues getting jcat xe to run 1.536mhz specifically with May. maybe its resolved now, not sure

No, I have no experience with May, the DAC used is a Terminator, and that has no issue accepting 1.536MHz of PCM input signal.