Building a DIY Music Server

[guiltyboxswapper]

3 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

using capacitance where it is pulled from the earliest in a transient is a bit more elegant and faster you still need a large container to fill up but I'm thinking that the transients caused by the CPU are filled by the MB, so we need to find out what transients the MB is drawing, then what the taiko ATX can deliver and what the ATX itself is capable of drawing.

 

Yes, but by the sounds of things doing your thing may destroy the taiko DC DC?  Again repeating my point - great, caps are nearby, but the PSU still has to fill them....

 

3 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

That we need large capacitance and choke(s) to adequately filter ripple is clear looking at the current drawn. I'm just trying to establish what capacitance needs to go where max SQ. I seriously think that a little capacitance at the MB will do a lot, it'll help overcome the cable resistance/ which creates lag and a nice bypass will also help removing crud being picked up on it's way to the MB.

TBH its all of a bit of an accidental shit-show IMHO, but by all means try try try. 

 

We couldn't believe how much noise (measurable and subjective) was removed by taking this out of the equation and placing it all in one PCB (and for the record I had <10cm cable feeding this bank, and <15cm (eventually 8cm) on the output of the bank too: 

 

[MarcelNL]

I am going to contact Taiko, their website shows max capacitance the ATX module can handle, I doubt that is without reason...it's fairly common practice to add capacitance as close as possible to where power is needed, surely they have thought about that.

If we stay under those max values nothing should break, 'only' to find out what capacity is located on the MB.....(I doubt a MB manufacturer will respond) 

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 hours ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I just finished my second DIY Audiio Server and I would like to share some impressions.

 

I'm running a Aaeon Mini-ITX board with 16GB Apacer Ram, a 250GB Samsung 980Pro M.2 SSD and a Intel i7 9700T CPU.

For the connections I use JCAT FEMTO cards: USB and NET.

The operating system is Euphony OS running ROON.

 

The server is built into two cases:

- One external PSU regulating 16V + 16V + 9V + 7V from a custom 400 VA toroid

- The main case containing the local PSU (regulating 12V + 12V + 5V + 3,3V) and the computer components

 

Both cases have the same shape and dimensions, only the button in the front is missing in the PSU case.

 

What dio you think?

Ben

 

What case are you using?

[derBen]

Hi,

 

I created the cases in my CAD software and ordered the material from a laser cutting company.

Then I got the parts eloxated in black.

So it's kind of DIY cases...

 

Best

Ben

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I created the cases in my CAD software and ordered the material from a laser cutting company.

Then I got the parts eloxated in black.

So it's kind of DIY cases...

 

Best

Ben

Amazing.

[Egill23]

Yes, very clean and beautiful build. It seems a bit crowded though, there are no problems with temperatures?

[RickyV]

21 minutes ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I created the cases in my CAD software and ordered the material from a laser cutting company.

Then I got the parts eloxated in black.

So it's kind of DIY cases...

 

Best

Ben

Looks like a real professional product. Out of curiosity what does such case work cost, laser cutter?

[derBen]

Hi, are you referring to my build?

 

I don't have any thermal issues. The CPU cores reach about 35°C in idle and about 65°C doing the Euphony CPU stress test.

The whole case works as heatsink and is connected to the CPU as well as the chipset by heatpipes, there is thermal compound between the layers of the case...it works quite well.

 

 

[derBen]

3 minutes ago, RickyV said:

Looks like a real professional product. Out of curiosity what does such case work cost, laser cutter?

 

Cutting the parts for the case was about 500 EUR, the black surface finish was 350 EUR on top...

[MarcelNL]

that case looks stunning, totally profesional!

Personally I'd go for something bigger to allow some more room for EMI shielding etc but it's all a matter of goals & objectives.

[derBen]

6 minutes ago, MarcelNL said:

that case looks stunning, totally profesional!

Personally I'd go for something bigger to allow some more room for EMI shielding etc but it's all a matter of goals & objectives.

Hi,

 

there are separate chambers for the

1. local PSU (separated by a grounded 5mm vertical panel sheet, you can see how it is arranged in the attached photo of my earlier build.

2. SSD compartment

3. Mainboard including M.2 SSD including JCAT cards (which are also mounted on a grounded 5mm horizontah panel sheet

 

Would you prefer even more shielding or separation?

[MarcelNL]

@derBen I prefer shielding from non ferrous material, and I usually audition the layout of a PSU etc... but that is a completely different topic. 

Given the material used and the choices made it looks to me like you have maxxed out on all aspects ! Inspiring to see someone following his dreams!

 

[derBen]

@MarcelNL

 

Thanks for your reply I also prefer non ferrous shielding. The whole enclosures are made of solid aluminium sheets. The chamber of the local PSU in the server case is additionally treated with a copper foil. But I must admit: I did no critic auditioning of different layouts.

 

In my previous server build, i hat a much simpler PSU, which lead me to the decusion to do one more extended build with better PSU.

I hat some support of Sean Jacobs for the supply and I am pretty happy with the result. But I can only compare to my previous build and to the Antipodes CX which I had earlier...and it's a clear advance...

[guiltyboxswapper]

17 minutes ago, derBen said:

Would you prefer even more shielding or separation?

 

I would suggest if you have some copper nearby, to try replacing the baseplate with a temporary copper sheet (with holes if you can).  I am using copper between components in my own chassis (much like Taiko's copper firewalls) and the improvement for the little spent is ... considerable. 

[MarcelNL]

Oh eerrr I made a misstake saying non ferrous, I was pointing at other than metal enclosures/shielding...copper is the IME the best metallic choice.

[Nenon]

8 hours ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I just finished my second DIY Audiio Server and I would like to share some impressions.

 

I'm running a Aaeon Mini-ITX board with 16GB Apacer Ram, a 250GB Samsung 980Pro M.2 SSD and a Intel i7 9700T CPU.

For the connections I use JCAT FEMTO cards: USB and NET.

The operating system is Euphony OS running ROON.

 

The server is built into two cases:

- One external PSU regulating 16V + 16V + 9V + 7V from a custom 400 VA toroid

- The main case containing the local PSU (regulating 12V + 12V + 5V + 3,3V) and the computer components

 

Both cases have the same shape and dimensions, only the button in the front is missing in the PSU case.

 

What dio you think?

Ben

 

Very cool design. Better than many commercial products. 

Have you considered making it a commercial product? 

[Nenon]

8 hours ago, MarcelNL said:

anyone here who added some capacitance after the ATX? 

IMO, this is a bad idea. 

You will get the best results by keeping the Taiko ATX close to the motherboard with short cables and utilizing all Molex PINs (46 in my case) with 16 AWG wire.

 

8 hours ago, MarcelNL said:

I am hard pressed to pick another route than 'tinker to the max'

Bigger is not always better. Not in this case at least.

I saw the biggest Toroidal in the Taiko's parts room. It was several thousand VAs! Should have taken a photo of it. There is a good reason it's sitting in that room and not on the Extreme. 

But if you believe you will max out the design with 800VA toroidal, give it a try. I've tried it already. 

 

8 hours ago, guiltyboxswapper said:

Going from 60,000uf to 165,000uf (both Mundorf AG) has proven to be a dramatic difference with the audio grade SMPS I helped put together, and its not even been a week yet (still breaking in).  Much extended (subsonic) bass response at even normal listening levels, with transient response (including gut wrenching impact) stepped up quite a notch in the process. 

For sure. But there is a point at which things start to sound not so good. That point with the v3 ULPS is probably around 300,000 uF. BTW, speaking of deep bass - try the Mundorf HC equivalent capacitance. 

 

7 hours ago, Audiomaster said:

 

I think that it was not in vain that Taiko installed such an array of capacitors in the last ripple smoothing cascade C5 - C16 - 564000 mKf. As my experience in other DIY designs shows, the large amount of energy in the capacitors makes the sound bigger and more dynamic.

Just pointing out that this is NOT the Taiko schematics (confirmed by Emile). Let's not refer to this diagram as the Taiko Extreme as people might get confused. However, we do know from the pictures that the Extreme uses a lot of capacitance.

As I mentioned here, we would need more capacitance with other chokes:

On 9/13/2021 at 10:20 AM, Nenon said:

For those who want to play with the Hammond 195J10 or the even bigger Hammond 195K12 choke, here is what you need to do:

• 22000uF - Hammond 195J10 - 22000uF - Hammond 195J10 - 220000uF; or
• 22000uF - Hammond 195K12 - 22000uF - Hammond 195K12 - 330000uF

 

[MarcelNL]

I had to know, so I strapped a 200nF (yes NANO) capacitor to the EPS wire as close as possible to the MB.

Recommended to give it a try!

Edit; let me rephrase ; Highly recommended.

 

Disclaimer; this is using a standard PSU, the Corsair AX1200i, NOT the Taiko ATX that someone seemingly is going to walk to my house

 

[derBen]

@Nenon

 

Hi, I'm glad you like the design.

I already built different DIY equipment like speakers, amplifiers, turntables... Keeping my hands busy during my spare time makes me happy ;-)

I never thought about doing a commercial product. I think, it's better for me to separate hobbies and business.

[Nenon]

14 hours ago, Soul Analogue said:

I have been repeatedly saying my design is NOT a choke input ULPS...

Sorry about that @Soul Analogue. I was mislead by some of your comments, such as:

On 8/16/2021 at 7:38 AM, Soul Analogue said:

In my diy venture… i first started with cap input… and later tried on choke input and could never go back….so L input for me as far as practicable

 

On 8/15/2021 at 10:02 PM, Soul Analogue said:

I am also into Choke input PSU..

 

Noted that it's not a choke input ULPS. Good to know that. 

[MarcelNL]

@Nenon ; I understand what you say, when I wrote ; tinker to the max I did not mean maxx out on VA for a transformer but try out all possible scenarois to understand what makes the PSU sing.

[MarkusBarkus]

4 hours ago, derBen said:

So it's kind of DIY cases...

...kind of awesome DIY cases!

[ted_b]

5 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Amazing.

+10

[Dev]

12 hours ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I just finished my second DIY Audiio Server and I would like to share some impressions.

 

I'm running a Aaeon Mini-ITX board with 16GB Apacer Ram, a 250GB Samsung 980Pro M.2 SSD and a Intel i7 9700T CPU.

For the connections I use JCAT FEMTO cards: USB and NET.

The operating system is Euphony OS running ROON.

 

The server is built into two cases:

- One external PSU regulating 16V + 16V + 9V + 7V from a custom 400 VA toroid

- The main case containing the local PSU (regulating 12V + 12V + 5V + 3,3V) and the computer components

 

Both cases have the same shape and dimensions, only the button in the front is missing in the PSU case.

 

What dio you think?

Ben

 

Truly amazing. You have an incredible DIY talent. I noticed you have a heat pipe for the chipset - not many will plan for this.

 

I wish the community here could use your help in designing a dual Xeon passively cooled chassis. Many of us would be highly interested in it.

[Exocer]

16 hours ago, derBen said:

Hi,

 

I just finished my second DIY Audiio Server and I would like to share some impressions.

 

I'm running a Aaeon Mini-ITX board with 16GB Apacer Ram, a 250GB Samsung 980Pro M.2 SSD and a Intel i7 9700T CPU.

For the connections I use JCAT FEMTO cards: USB and NET.

The operating system is Euphony OS running ROON.

 

The server is built into two cases:

- One external PSU regulating 16V + 16V + 9V + 7V from a custom 400 VA toroid

- The main case containing the local PSU (regulating 12V + 12V + 5V + 3,3V) and the computer components

 

Both cases have the same shape and dimensions, only the button in the front is missing in the PSU case.

 

What dio you think?

Ben

This is just awesome on a whole new level. Great work! I was proud of my CAD work on the rear panel of my Slimline 3u but this is in another league entirely. Kudos.

 

We have the Taiko chassis coming (which I do not know if I can afford), but having other options for dual Xeon builds would be phenomenal. Would you have any interest in working on a larger chassis? I would be willing to chip in any way I can...

 

Cheers,

-Rob