Building a DIY Music Server

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3 hours ago, bit01 said:

@Downtheline - I find the JCAT USB sensitive to its power supply. You can change levels of PRaT, body of the music, bass level etc by changing how you power it. I can change the bass level from light to overwhelming by changing the power cord to its LPS. I am not familiar with the Farad but if you have experimented and you may already know this.

My current favorite LPS is described in the link below (I have a heavy gauge DIY Furutech PC on it and a DIY DC lead with the same Sablon cable on the JCAT) :

 

 

Really cool power supply. Will have to compare this with the DC4 i’m using. Super reasonably priced.

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7 minutes ago, Downtheline said:

I'm also using a diy DC lead, made with mundorf silver gold wire. I think the Farad is decent, but I haven't experimented with others actually. I have an Uptone js2 on hand. And a Keces p3 I could play around with though. 

I use mostly SG DIY leads everywhere, except for the Opto USB, where I use Mundorf Angelique (ran out of SG).

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1 hour ago, bit01 said:

Very opposite ends of the price scale, especially if you find a used one on ebay (should be some as it is an old widely used industrial design)! 

Please report back when/if you ever do compare.

 

ATB

b.

I couldn't resist at that price. I bought one pre-owned from Ebay for ~$25. I happen to have a small Galaxy 2U chassis laying around unused, already cut out for FI-09 IEC inlet with two GX-16 cutouts. Will need to pick up a fuse holder and IEC. I've got the wire on hand as well. I am really happy with what I have but when cheap solutions like this come along I have to hear how they sound. Count me in! Once I get everything built up, I will run some tests and post feedback here. 

 

Aside from that, you're 100% spot on with your description of how the JCAT USB XE is very much reactive to the power you feed it. It is the card that ultimately made me understand that I had to move on from my beloved MPAudio ALS-HPULN, which sounded very very good if you don't get to hear it next to a DC4 in the same exact chain.

 

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27 minutes ago, ASRMichael said:

4 days to shoot out! Looking forward to hearing @Gavin1977 PSU! 👍👍

While you’re gearing up for this, (Might I add, I am very excited to hear the results of your testing) I am gearing up for this test:

I had always wanted to try this IEC inlet so I’ll use this test as an excuse to justify the purchase :). 
 

The SLS will be used on at least two devices in my chain requiring 5v. There are also 12v and 24v solutions in the SLS series, one of them providing up to 7.2A supposedly. I doubt these are as efficient as the designs discussed here but the prices are hard to ignore. I also cannot validate if the other options are safe to try so please do so at your own risk. @bit01 has been incredibly helpful! Thanks.

 

If things go as planned, I may have some feedback as early as this evening. My system is in flux at the moment with lots of Mundorf AG caps/SG wire breaking in so any feedback will have to be taken with a grain of salt until everything settles. The test will be revisited in a few months.

 

Moderately high hopes for the results.

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19 minutes ago, Gavin1977 said:

How long does it take Nenon v3 to warm up, do people leave theirs powered 24/7?

I leave mine on 24/7.

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Some initial updates to share:

 

The sls-05-030-1t sounded much better than expected powering the Opto USB. I will test it out in other areas as well, but, fairly confident that those seeking way above average sound quality will be satisfied with this nifty lps. Total cost for me was really low because I had scraps of wire laying around but I did have to buy an IEC inlet.

 

Total cost to me:

 

$25 - sls-05-030-1t

$70 - Oyaide PP IEC inlet

 

I had a chassis, mundorf AG and SG scraps laying around so didnt include that in my total cost. This is not my best fit and finish work but hey, this was just a small test and I wanted to keep things safe(and CHEAP):

 

So yeah, I really like what this thing does. It doesn’t soar to the high skies like the DC4, it isn’t as refined, but for the price you get a really good sounding lps and really good PRAT as @bit01 mentioned.

 

I will be sticking with my DC4 but don’t be surprised if this ends up in the classifieds. It’s completely sealed, and safely chassis grounded and sounds awesome.

 

The 220,000uf cap arrived, along with the rectifier. Fortunately everything went together quite easily and I’m thrilled with the space savings. The 220,000uf 40v Taiko cap is exactly the same size as 47,000uf 100v Mundorf HC caps. 

Here it is peacefully discharging with the Saligny standard:

 

 

The icing on the cake? My tube amp needs to go in for repair suddenly!! Turn around should be a few days….. So my audio nirvana plans have been cancelled for this weekend, but, hopefully that gives me more reason to get out there and enjoy this weather 😎. More updates to come.

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25 minutes ago, bit01 said:

@ExocerThanks for the feedback on he SLS ps. I personally do not have experience with the Opto USB. As you know I have it powering the JCAT USB XE and find the  combo addictive  when used with the GND scheme as discussed in PM.

 

cheers,

b.

I have removed the Opto from my chain (I do this most of the time TBH, as JCAT direct is starting to sound best, even if feeding the Opto its own dedicated DC4 rail. Also, my new DC4 has a ton lf break-in left to really peak. My first DC4 took a while too.

 

I fixed my amp, so I’m listening again without the need to ship it out!

 

Listening with just the JCAT USB XE at this moment (DC4 powered). I will swap the SLS back in today at some point. @bit01I believe you when you say its addictive 😎. I have a new iec inlet and new AC wires on that build so will need to be more patient to draw final conclusions since my entire system is in flux right now. Need to try the grounding scheme we discussed as well.

 

The big Taiko cap sounds really really good ! I am confident I’m nowhere near its full potential. It will probably take months to break in. I still need to install the Taiko rectifier too.

 

 

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3 hours ago, oneguy said:

Did anyone receive a wiring diagram with their Taiko rectifiers? I would assume the Mundorf AG goes to C2 and VCAP to C1 but that is just an assumption. I’m not sure what the intent is for wiring AC in and DC out. 

No wiring diagram but mine is installed and running.

 

MH1 and MH2 are AC inputs.

 

The cap fits in C2.

C1 is where you can place the odam.

 

After the C2 cap, 1 is + and 2 is - dc output.

 

Enjoy!

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23 minutes ago, bit01 said:

The power cord to the SLS and DC lead to the JCAT USB XE affect the SQ as well. I am using a DIY Furutech PC and this VDH cable for DC (>1ft):

 

I am using an el cheapo cord, but, that same el cheapo cord is what I happily use with my DC4. Its the Viborg Vp1501 with unplated copper aluminum shell connectors. I have a Furutech DPS 4.1 with fi-50 connectors and tried it here. I felt the Furutech was thicker and slower than the Viborg in this usecase. I also have the Furutech with Oyaide Armored 004 connectors. That sounded good as well, but, I preferred the Viborg here, those other cables work better elsewhere in my system. DC lead is made of Mundorf CAW 15.5awg wire. Unshielded though.

 

I haven’t tried the SLS with the jcat yet but that DC lead is Mundorf SG.

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Lots of updates to share folks:

 

1. @Marcin_gpswas generous enough to add me to a US demo tour of the Optimo S ATX LPS. I have had the opportunity to compare it to several iterations of the ULPS. More on that later. Worth noting that the brand new 220,000uf cap and/or brand new 22,000uf Mundorf AG were used for these comparisons.

 

2. I received the Taiko rectifier and large 220,000uf Mundorf HC cap. The goal was to compare it to the Saligny Power rectifier. I unfortunately have not yet done that test, but I know someone else who will. I am able to compare the Saligny standard to the Taiko rectifier.

 

3. I have replaced the first cap after the rectifier, the Mundorf HC with a Mundorf AG cap. This turned out to be immediately impactful.

 

4. I compared my DIY Mundorf SG ATX cable + Duelund Cotton oil insulated 20awg solid core copper EPS cables to the cables that come with the Optimo ATX while powering the server with the ULPS.

 

Here are the conclusions ( numbered in accordance with the above numbers):

1. The Optimo S ATX is really good. Definitely worth building a system around. Anyone with a normal set of ears can distinguish it from the ULPS powering the server. Each will have a rather large impact on the system, all else equal. It is substantially better than my ordinary corsair atx smps gaming power supply.
 

Strengths:

- It’s exciting, with very good PRAT.

- Clarity and resolution are top notch.

- Low temps with my i9 9900k.

- Easy and straight forward to use. Plenty of outputs. ( I didnt have the proper cable to try the auxiliary outputs).

- Good soundstage width.

- Great imaging and dynamics.

 

Other observations:

- My system was built around the ULPS so the balance of my system changed in a way I did not prefer. 
- I couldn’t listen as long. I couldn’t engage the way I normally do with the ULPS. This is likely system dependent.
- I didnt notice this until re-installing the ULPS but the soundstage depth with the Optimo was lacking in comparison.

- I dont know how to describe this last one in audiophile terminology, but, I think Gavin nailed it when he said the character of the Optimo was tilted more towards the hi-fi sound. I can see some preferring this approach.

- With all Mundorf Hc caps in the ULPS, the Optimo had a slight edge in clarity. Swapping the Mundorf AG into C1 improved clarity of the ULPS to the point that I now consider them a tie in the area of clarity. Mind you, the Mundorf cap only has a single day of use so there are some surprises to come. 

- I wish vocals had more body and naturalness.

- Its longer than any of my other AV components, including the ulps (which ks taller.
 

In summary:

The optimo s atx is very good! I will continue to swap it with the ULPS over the next few days. I prefer the sound of the ULPS because it sounds a bit bigger, more authoritative and more natural. The two are very different sq wise. If you get the chance to hear both, take it! I am trying to be as unbiased as possible. I did feel like something was missing until I re inserted the ULPS. 
 

The cables are also high quality and well made. I preferred my cables. They’re much shorter and unshielded. I dont use shielded cables into the motherboard and this test reminded me of why. They sounded slightly dry in comparison to mine. 

 

Great job on this Marcin! I’m sure many will be happy with this LPS.

 

2. My first impression after installing the Taiko rectifier was noticeably improved “slam”, and some improved resolution compared to the Saligny Standard. Instruments had more texture, but with no added harshness. If you were able to pick one up, ENJOY! The large cap is also settling in nicely! It was less noticeable than the rectifier. Almost unnoticeable for the first few hours. The only way I can describe the impact of the large cap is that it just sounds better, everything you love about the ULPS, but improved across the board.

 

3. Replacing the first Mundorf HC cap with the Mundorf AG improved clarity quite a bit. This unexpected and exciting. I think I can almost sense the reduction of lugs and wire. The sound is more free and open. I have a long way to go in terms of break in with a brand new rectifier and two brand new caps but if the ULPS stayed the way it sounds now I’d be absolutely thrilled. I am not using a bypass cap the AG but hope to test a repurposed ODAM soon. There are plans to try more exotic bypass caps when funds allow.
 

4. Covered wire comparisons earlier on. I preferred my cables. Test conducted only with the ULPS due to cable length limitations.

 

Overall - I am absolutely thrilled with the recent changes to my system. Happy listening all!

 

Cheers,

-Rob

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Gavin1977 said:

I’m definitely looking forward to trying out the Mundorf AG and bypass caps for the Taiko rectifier.  What size bypass caps are Taiko promoting?

@Tatomek7s suggestion is good as well but Taiko offers a 40V rated 22,000uF Mundorf AG and thats what I am currently using. I also have a 63v 22,000uf Mundorf AG to try. I had a 47,000uF Mundorf HC rated at 100v but was told it would be possible to reduce the life of some components by using it, so I haven’t tried it. @Gavin1977it would probably be best to  max out around 33,000uF.  Please share your thoughts with us after your test.

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1 hour ago, baconbrain said:

 

Mine is still work in progress. With a few other things also going on in parallel, will probably need another week or two.

Very cool. Which ram (if any) did you go with?

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4 hours ago, Marcin_gps said:

Sth new for DIY crowd from JCAT:

 

BUILD YOUR OWN OPTIMO POWER SUPPLY.

The linear power supply module that is used in our award-winning OPTIMO 3 DUO power supply now availalble to skilled DIY audiophiles.

 

https://jcat.eu/product/optimo-diy/

 

 

 

This looks particularly nice for those who need smaller builds. I’m looking to replace my Keces P3 (on router and modem duty) and this may very well be what I go with. Will sync up with you about which transformer you recommend.

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I had been talking to another forum member about these Apacer drives. @Marcel, the one you linked is definitely on my to-try list but they also have a wide-temp version similarly priced which “may” sound even better (closer to the top of my list): https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Apacer/A52255LHB00246?qs=Rp5uXu7WBW%2FKJ0GcrWIWGw%3D%3D&mgh=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyaWZBhBGEiwACslQo-YgEPHNxpz7BYdCXkIlM9e2FMs8jn2zCNDBnyQCJd25_4xCKPGcHBoC-3IQAvD_BwE

 

The SLC actually may sound better. As the one I linked to may not be. Need to get to a PC to confirm 😎.

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3 minutes ago, SK8 said:

I started working on my DIY PC chassis for a couple of months now, my objective is to put C621E and Nenon V3 ULPS in the same box. I learned Adobe Fusion 360 and tried a few CNC small factories in China. The quality of their output is not at a high standard, but they can accept my 3D drawings and produce the metal works in a week time at reasonable costs. Here are some of the pictures of my work in progress. I will put in more copper walls and Permali wood to support the big capacitors and chokes.

Wow this looks amazing! Well done @SK8. Aside from the time spent learning Adobe Fusion 360 and designing this (I learned CAD to draft out rear panels only… this is on a whole new level), how much was the cost to build this?

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13 hours ago, GUTB said:

I will respond to you guys in detail later; I don't mean to ignore you. However I just wanted to report that I do NOT have an HDPlex. It's actually a TeraDak I picked up off of Aliexpress as being the cheapest linear ATX PSU I could find. So, the next question is: What is a good ATX linear power supply?

If you need an ATX LPS, the Optimo S ATX is really good. I’ve heard it in my system and if I hadn’t gone the diy route this is probably what I would have gotten. 
 

My system took on a different character with this LPS. If you search my previous posts you’ll find my write-up. In the end, I did prefer the ULPS V3 + Taiko dc-atx though, and this was before making a major improvement to the ULPS (swapping the first cap after rectification from a bypassed Mundorf Hc to unbipassed Mundorf AG, wow).

 

I have not heard the Teradak but the Optimo is substantially better than my gaming smps. This comparison was done with a Sean Jacobs DC4 powering my JCAT USB XE and Revelation Femto NVMe . 
 

The quality of power to ATX and EPS is critical to system performance, even if you have amazing power directly to the device connecting directly to your DAC.

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On 10/21/2022 at 9:50 AM, JackJohnson316 said:

I ordered JSSG 360 shielded ATX and EPS cables from Ghent Audio. They are very well made and use great quality (OCC) materials. They offer 18 gauge on their website, but I contacted them and asked if they could do 16 gauge, and they did for a little extra. I'm not sure if they can do solid core or not, but I went with stranded. I also sent them photos of the ATX and motherboard orientations so that the molex pins match up properly on the cables. 

 

For the ATX cable, because it was so short, I ended up cutting off the 360 JSSG shielding to make it bendable enough to reach my ATX. It was very much too stiff and probably would have damaged my motherboard or ATX if I somehow did manage to get it to fit without removing the shielding. I kept the shielding on the EPS cable though. Removing the shielding was not too challenging. No glue was used. I've attached photos to show. 

When I used Ghent Audio cables, i ended up removing the jssg360 shielding on my ATX cable as well and I thought it sounded better. From that day forward, I built my own ATX, EPS and DC input cables without JSSG360 shielding.

 

For my two EPS cables, I use relatively thin wire but I think it sounds great and I haven’t moved away from it:

https://www.partsconnexion.com/DUELUND-81388.html

 

Mundorf SG for ATX

Mundorf Angelique for DC Input

 

The SG is from before I discovered uninsulated wire (lol), but if I were to build my ATX cable again I would go with oversized teflon tube and uninsulated SG wire. Another member on the forum has introduced me to this method and it sounds wonderful. I have not tried silk so perhaps that is even better.

 

For anyone who’s on the fence with wire, try 15.5awg Angelique. I’ve even used it to build Helix XLRs (1.5mm for signal wires) and I’m astonished at how good these ICs sound. It is equally good for DC wiring but SG still takes the crown for DC (imho).

 

Lets get back to having fun and experimenting.

 

Cheers,

-Rob

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5 hours ago, basillus said:

The Mundorf SG wire for ATX You use, is it the 1mm or 1.5mm? 

It is 1.5mm but I don’t use all of the inputs 😂. 

 

5 hours ago, basillus said:

I am thinking about to use  Mundorf Angelique 1.5mm or 2mm bare wire to the EPS cables and maybe ATX, but I haven`t find the bare wire in Europe yet…

I think Angelique will work great. Have you checked Audiophonics or Hificollective ? They both typically sell bare SG and Angelque. In fact, I am in the US and have purchased from both.

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20 minutes ago, TimF said:

Still not clear how the cable is clamped. 

I use this:

IWISS Non-Insulated Terminal Crimping Tool, Ratchet Wire Crimper Tool, from AWG 22-6,Copper Butt Connector,Splice Wire Connectors,Open Barrel Terminals https://a.co/d/9UVilym

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50 minutes ago, TimF said:

So here’s the pic. Top is Ghent, below is mine. I rebuilt for a third time. It’s clear that the pins don’t go down far enough, so I think that’s the issue. I’m wondering if this is simply the width of the Mundorf SGW115. Perhaps it’s too wide to let the pins go deeper… Let me know what you think. 

 

This happened to me as well at one point. Typically the pins will snap into place when inserted properly. Double check that you do not require too force to position them properly in the molex connector. If they get stuck on the way down, try a different position.

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2 hours ago, Toymanmark said:

Hello Tim, I just completed my 24 pin as well with the Mundorf 15.5awg cable. You will need to pre form each cable to the 24 pin connector and make sure the pins are soldered with the wings pointing toward the latch side of the connector. The 2 small wings sticking up on the pin side of the connector slide into grooves in the Molex connector. With the short cables I made, it was a PITA! Now I still need to complete the other 8 pin EPS with the Mundorf 2.0mm CAW. Good luck, hope this helps.

 

The server put up a good fight though!

I did not curse Nenon’s name more than ten times, throughout this project! 

 

I actually wanted to thank all who are contributing to this thread. I would have never attempted this without you guys!

 

I think we need to take that Taiko Extreme Server from Nenon so he gets back on this thread he created here. We miss you Nenon and the awesome knowledge you impart.

 

Mark

Fantastic work! I cant wait to have my Taiko chassis in-hand.

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4 minutes ago, tiggerkater55 said:

good evening everyone again,

the last days i made my way through the whole thread.

what a knowledgebase! thanks!

 

as i said i want to upgrade from my (very old) audio pc.

 

it seems that the „reference“ builds here were mainly based on i9900 cpus.

 

if i want to invest in newer cores, i am still not sure, whats the best way to go:

 

better a less demanding cpu like i5 12400/12500, or i5 13600 and perhaps easier to cool passivly, or „the more cores, the better“ like i7 12700?

 

any hints appreciated! (and as you could figure already, i am on a tight budget)

 

 thanks a lot, kind regards!

As someone who happily uses an i9 9900k based source, I am still very happy with its performance. Do you plan to upsample using something like HQ player? If so, there may be better options these days. The latest generation of i9 has proven to provide solid performance with good power usage capabilities.  If upsampling, I would defer to the expertise of @StreamFidelity or others.

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4 minutes ago, tiggerkater55 said:

thanks exocer,

i think @StreamFidelity uses modern high powered cpus.

i am afraid of not being able to cool them properly…

Legitimate concern. Do you intend to upsample? If not, passively cooling the cpu shouldn’t be a problem. I will let those with more experience with upsampling chime in.

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16 hours ago, Cazzesman said:

 

Is there other Options that won't mess with the SQ.

I really like the sound of the Intel 900P (PCIE formfactor) and NVME 800p, both for OS. The 900p as an OS drive was a clear upgrade over the 800p in my system. If converting from nvme to pci-e via adapter, then the adapter will also impact SQ (more than id like to admit).

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25 minutes ago, di-fi said:

Could you elaborate? Did you compare to other NVMe.? And why do they stand out? I tried the Intel Optane M10 and like it very much, better than Intel670p and Intel665p. Optane M10 up to par with Samsung 970PRO.

 

900p > 800p : better bass control, lower noise floor, more transparency, more refined all to a noticeable and worthwhile degree.

 

I haven’t tried the M10 although I have 5 of them just sitting around.

 

The 800p bested a sata drive I used earlier on in a similar way. I cannot for the life of me remember what staa drive that was but I never went sata again. After hearing the 800p.

 

I have no experience with the 970 pro but I’m glad you like it.

 

@Nenon may have some genuine 900p drives he can sell. I mention the word genuine because it can be very difficult to determine whether your 900p is a real Intel product from ebay sources these days. If you’re buying from him, that will be one less thing to worry about.