Building a DIY Music Server

[Tatomek7]

30 minutes ago, BCRich said:

My V3 of the ULPS!

Congrats. I see a lot of effort. 
Let us know, if you miss V2 :).
Did you reverse 2 Odams intentionally?  V letter is not connected to plus. 

[BCRich]

2 minutes ago, Tatomek7 said:

Did you reverse 2 Odams intentionally?  V letter is not connected to plus. 

@Tatomek7 I wasn’t aware that there was polarity on the VCaps. I’ll have to correct that.

Thanks….Mike

 

PS…I loved how V3 sounded right off the bat, I’m sure it’s just gonna get better and better. I pretty much had V2 playing 24/7 to help break things in. It definitely had improved quite a bit. I’m expecting the same for V3.

[Tatomek7]

Here is installation note:

http://www.v-cap.com/installation-notes.php

 

[Soul Analogue]

On 9/25/2021 at 4:41 AM, Tatomek7 said:

Correction, I did it with 16AWG, sorry for mistake. I really wonder, if it’s possible to fit 14AWG.

 

its ok with 14awg... a bit tricky... but still fits😄

[Dev]

Did anyone find sound improvements by decoupling the Wifi from the router functionality for locally sourced playback files ? I currently have a simple home network where the Arris SB8200 modem connects to a Netgear Orbi Wifi router and from there all downstream devices are either connected to the wifi or wired through other switches. The music server also connects to the Orbi through a Buffalo switch using a Fiber connection. I don't stream Tidal or Qobuz and all music files reside in a 2x2Tb M.2 drive in the music server itself. I know a lot of folks are using EdgeRouter X for the router functionality and a separate wifi access point for sq improvements but are those done for streaming Tidal/Qobuz ? do you also hear improvements for locally (local to the music server itself) sourced files as well ? I have an EdgeRouter X SFP collecting dust and was thinking how to use it effectively.

[gererick]

For instance, if I decouple my router by using a Sonore Optical Module between my router and my first Buffalo, it should make my local files sound better.  It doesn’t.  It leans the music out and is more piercing, even though I am not even streaming.  Based on this and based on Nenon’s 10/13/20 post here and similar Nenon posts on WBF, I expect the best answer is try it out (i.e. separating the WiFi) and see.  Nenon is using an LPS on his edge router x sfp, which he said was important.

[jacky5555]

Hi, 

May I know if there is any case out there with passive cooling solution effective enough for z590 and i9 11900K? As I read, the Hdplex H5 can only suitable to the chipset which is up to 95w TDP, while the 11900K has a 125w TDP.

Not to mention the H5 is still out of stock now. Any help is appreciated!

[Boomboy]

@jacky5555 I think I just read on another post that a newer hdplex case is being made to suit a higher TDP .. I'm interested  too

[gererick]

14 hours ago, Dev said:

Did anyone find sound improvements by decoupling the Wifi from the router functionality for locally sourced playback files ? I currently have a simple home network where the Arris SB8200 modem connects to a Netgear Orbi Wifi router and from there all downstream devices are either connected to the wifi or wired through other switches. The music server also connects to the Orbi through a Buffalo switch using a Fiber connection. I don't stream Tidal or Qobuz and all music files reside in a 2x2Tb M.2 drive in the music server itself. I know a lot of folks are using EdgeRouter X for the router functionality and a separate wifi access point for sq improvements but are those done for streaming Tidal/Qobuz ? do you also hear improvements for locally (local to the music server itself) sourced files as well ? I have an EdgeRouter X SFP collecting dust and was thinking how to use it effectively.

Nenon's post is on page 36.

[Dev]

19 hours ago, gererick said:

For instance, if I decouple my router by using a Sonore Optical Module between my router and my first Buffalo, it should make my local files sound better.  It doesn’t.  It leans the music out and is more piercing, even though I am not even streaming.

 

If I get this correctly, you are saying that by introducing Sonore Optical module between the router and first Buffalo (which the music server gets connected to) did not help with the SQ with locally sourced files ? How did the Buffalo get connected to the router before ? And how is the music server connects to the Buffalo - fiber or copper ?

 

I was more interested on the separating out the router/wifi combo into separate units and the benefits of SQ on local playback files.

[gererick]

Yes, you read correctly.  But my guess is that my experience is at odds with what others heard in their systems, with respect to locally sourced files (in my case, a Synology NAS).  So you have to try.  Fortunately the equipment you are asking about is inexpensive.

 

Re your second question, I was swapping a Cardas Ethernet cable and the fiber / Sonore back and forth in the router-to-first-Buffalo connection.

 

My music server actually gets connected to the second Buffalo, as I have two back to back.   The 2nd one goes to the server, the first takes inputs from the Synology and the Verizon router and sends them to the second Buffalo. I have also tried fiber instead of copper between the two Buffaloes, and in my system the copper Cardas Ethernet cable sounds better when playing local files, though not necessarily better when streaming (same characteristics described in my earlier reply).

 

The 2nd Buffalo, which is a Nenon-modded Pink Faun Buffalo, is connected to the server via a JCAT Signature Gold Ethernet cable.  The first Buffalo is modded to use an external power supply and modded with a Nenon capacitor board, but doesn’t have a PF ultra OCXO clock yet.

 

I will be separating out my Verizon router from a Ubiquiti router that I have ordered but not yet received.  Nenon has already done that per his post on page 36 , but not with a Verizon router and I don’t believe he discussed the impact of doing so on local files.  I do know, at that time before he changed the storage of his local files (NAS at the time) to whatever he has now, that he said his streaming service (Tidal or Qobuz) sounded better than his local files, not necessarily in a subtle way.

 

With Verizon FIOS, for TV, I have to keep my Verizon router and can’t use a modem like you can.

[Dev]

22 minutes ago, gererick said:

Yes, you read correctly.  But my guess is that my experience is at odds with what others heard in their systems, with respect to locally sourced files (in my case, a Synology NAS).

 

When you are sourcing your files from a NAS, you are still streaming - it just that the file server happens to be in your local network instead of remote places, like Tidal or Qobuz. I am not streaming, either from NAS or Tidal. All my music files resides locally in the M.2 drive in the server itself. There is no "network" involved for the playback - the only network activity is for controlling Roon. I guess my best bet, before I disrupt my network, is to disconnect the ethernet while playing and see if that benefits. If it does, there is a chance that further optimizing upstream might help. 

[gererick]

With Euphony, files from the NAS are brought into a cache internal to the server.  I believe I can disconnect the NAS and still play those local files.  Slight difference from streaming if correct, but a minor point.

[jacky5555]

9 hours ago, Boomboy said:

@jacky5555 I think I just read on another post that a newer hdplex case is being made to suit a higher TDP .. I'm interested  too

Tks for your info, is this reliable information?

[Boomboy]

3 hours ago, jacky5555 said:

Tks for your info, is this reliable information?

I'm planning to send an email over the weekend when I have time to ask .. will let u know the outcome 

[elan120]

12 minutes ago, Boomboy said:

I'm planning to send an email over the weekend when I have time to ask .. will let u know the outcome 

The new H5 V3 case scheduled to be available mid-October.  I plan to test it running HQPlayer with both i9-9900KS and i9-12900K CPU to see how well it will handle the heat.

[Boomboy]

@elan120 thnx for that .. won't bother with the email . I've been looking for cases all week online .. not as easy as I thought .

[elan120]

3 minutes ago, Boomboy said:

@elan120 thnx for that .. won't bother with the email . I've been looking for cases all week online .. not as easy as I thought .

I will also get their LGA3647 kit to help channel the heat to the other side of the case, and bracket to support the LGA1700.  I speculate the new V3 will work well with i9-12900K with no upsampling, and I will find out if LGA3647 kit can help with heavy upsampling use case.

[MarcelNL]

You should be able to DIY a case using a commercial heatsink, but beware and watch if the heatsink is made for forced convection (expectng a fan) or for passive convection. Get the shortest and fattest heatpipes you can find and add a heat buffer (on my to do list) on top of the CPU block to which the heatpipes are connected to buffer the heat bursts the CPU creates when doing burst jobs (loading a FLAC into WAV for example)

 

edit, I'm going to test drive a solution using a regular CPU cooler sans the fan assembly  (copper bottom plate with heatpipes going into a fin array)

[MarcelNL]

On the topic of AWG 14 in Molex pins I can say that it works, and is easier than I expected.

One minor issue, I bought EPS PCIe and ATX connectors and separate pins from Moddiy thinking the connectors came with molex pins (the item, says XXX female connector with gold pins) so I only ordered a few spares....so another set molex pins is on it's way.

 

Did anyone listen to the merits of AWG14 for the ATX cable ? My results so far indicate that the EPS benefits far more from better and thicker cable, but my n=1.

 

 

[jacky5555]

I have another consideration:

I have 4 rails as follows:

12V - 10A to CPU / EPS

5V - 3A to JCAT USB XE

5V - 3A to JCAT Net XE

19V - 10A to a DC to DC ATX that I’m considering between HDplex 800w and Hdplex 400w.

Server is being planned as z590 + 11900K.

what I’m thinking is: CPU is the most power hunger, and because I give it a dedicated rail, the DC to DC Atx does not play a crucial role as it should be, so hdplex 400w seems more suitable than 800w.

I’m still considering between the two.

Any thought?

[Soul Analogue]

On 10/1/2021 at 3:47 PM, MarcelNL said:

On the topic of AWG 14 in Molex pins I can say that it works, and is easier than I expected.

One minor issue, I bought EPS PCIe and ATX connectors and separate pins from Moddiy thinking the connectors came with molex pins (the item, says XXX female connector with gold pins) so I only ordered a few spares....so another set molex pins is on it's way.

 

Did anyone listen to the merits of AWG14 for the ATX cable ? My results so far indicate that the EPS benefits far more from better and thicker cable, but my n=1.

 

 

Thicker wires for PSU is always better due to less resistance 

 

[flkin]

On 10/1/2021 at 4:42 AM, gererick said:

With Euphony, files from the NAS are brought into a cache internal to the server.  I believe I can disconnect the NAS and still play those local files.  Slight difference from streaming if correct, but a minor point.

 

For streaming files like Tidal or Qobuz, Euphony also caches 2 tracks in advance into RAM. You can disconnect the network and still play those files also.

 

Actually Euphony plays files from RAM whether they are local, NAS or streamed.

[MarcelNL]

In lieu of getting delivery of the PSU parts I ordered a copper plate to test fly if I can stabilize the CPU temperatures a bit further.

The block now acts as clamp to heep the heat pipe adapter fixed tight to the CPU and it buffers heat.

 

Start up temperature increase is significantly slower, we'll see what it does bit an initial sound impression is that everything sounds a bit cleaner and tighter.

[MarcelNL]

Second impression is that the low end is tighter cleaner and has more push, a combination that is not common as more push usually means more smearing. CPU temp rate of rise is about half of what it was and appears to end slightly lower but the thermal paste needs to settle first. Last time around the thermal paste took 3 4 days to settle and the CPU temp dropped a few degrees during the process,