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Building a DIY Music Server


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Hello,

 

I would like to ask for your kind advice, which scenario would be the best solution for me in case of building a music server/control PC (as Roon Core).

 

System:

The dac to be used is an Ayre QX-5 Twenty (via USB input), which synergize well with my endpoint SOtM SMS-200ultra (with SPS-500).

According to one of our very knowledgeable forum members (who knows both products very well), the Ayre QX-5 Twenty is not a DAC that can be transformed by HQPlayer (with heavy PCM to DSD conversion). Therefore only PCM upsampling is needed to 352/384 kHz, so heavy computing power is not really necessary.

OS would be Audiolinux (with Roon Core + HQPlayer, if needed) or Roon Rock.

 

1st scenario

Cirrus7 fanless case with NUC 7i7DNBE

PSU: I would allocate my existing SOtM SPS-500 for this purpose (and my SMS-200ultra would get a new PSU, e.g. Farad Super3 12v)

 

2nd scenario

HDPlex H3

Intel i7-8700K (or similar Intel i7)

PSU: Keces P8 (and my SMS-200 ultra would remain with SPS-500)

 

For the sake of simplicity (especially for PSU), I am leaning toward the NUC scenario, but the 2nd scenario would add higher flexibility (for future upgrades) and CPU power is higher.

 

Thank you very much for your advice(s) in advance.

 

Regards,

Csaba

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  • 3 weeks later...

The configuration of my new Control PC is shaping nicely and I have been thinking about the following build:

 

Morherboard:  

ASUS Z390-I ROG Strix Gaming mini ITX (familiar to many of you as I am following some recommendations regarding previous builds)

 

CPU:

i9-9900 (not the K version, as I am a little bit afraid of overheating in Streacom FC-10 case)

 

RAM:

2 x 8Gb Apacer ECC RAM (D31.23245S.001) Hope it will be compatible with the motherboard.

Any experience with this specific RAM under the mentioned item number?

 

Boot drive for OS and Roon Core:

Could you please advice a new Optane model, as MEMPEK1W032GAXT is not available anymore?

 

Storage drive:

Would need 1Tb or 2Tb internal storage.

Your kind advice would be highly appreciated and were thinking about M2 SSD. There are cheaper solutions but concerned those will generate more noise.

 

Thank you very much in advance for your advice.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Has anyone tried the i7-9700t?

 

It is more or less the same price as i7-8700t, but has 2 more cores (vs. 8700t).

However, the number of threads is only 8 (vs. 12 of 8700t).

The 9700t goes up to 4.3 Ghz,while 8700t to 4.0 Ghz.

 

Which CPU would be your choice, in case of very similar prices?

 

I would be using Audiolinux, Roon and HQPlayer.

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2 hours ago, dctom said:

 

I have been using an i7 9700t in a mini itx board, AL, and HQp HDplex running turbo on in AL. Sounded very good no problem with over heating unfortunately the board malfunctioned, under warranty but am still waiting for replacement. 

In the meantime purchased an msi msg on offer and i9700k. This combination sounds better than the original uspsamples to DSDx2 with ASDM7EC and still runs slightly cooler than the T version on turbo. My advice would be to go with the i9700k as long as you have a decent cooling implementation (95w).

 

Sounds very promising, however my Streacom FC-10 case is specified for max. 65W TDP processors.

Therefore, maybe I should stay with i7-9700T.

 

Is there a big difference in sound between "K" and "T" versions or only subtle?

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