Building a DIY Music Server

[MarcelNL]

8 hours ago, Dev said:

@MarcelNL, you mount these chokes on which side ? L, W or H ?

 

If they are mounted like it is in the picture, can you check with the choke designer if they can be made taller in height (Taiko case is probably 6" tall inside ?) to reduce length/width footprint ? That might be the only option to fit a pair inside the Taiko.

I have mounted  them on their 'feet' at a 90'angle but I have less constraint since I'll be building a non ferrous case when the LPSU is final. One more step to go; adding a second Taiko ATX (to split 12V and all other supply voltages), will be the end game.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

pics are impossible as mine are enclosed below the MB, but every choke has a mount...or 'feet' ;-)

 

I have placed them like in the picture posted last (the one with the dimensions of the choke)

[MarcelNL]

I wish I had the patience to make such nice and tight cable runs! You may just want to try remove the slow start and replace it with some power resistors with a bypass switch for some additional sound quality improvement!

 

[MarcelNL]

8 minutes ago, Rovo said:

 

Why the resistor (if I am correct) parallel to the V-Cap bypass capacitor? Can someone explain?

to bleed the capacitor empty when switching off the LPSU to ensure no arcing happens...just give it a try and short a filled 220.000 cap....make sure you wear welding goggles ;-)

[MarcelNL]

easy enough to add a switch with a bleed resistor and listen in open and closed position...I'm using a manual bleed resistor...the trouble is ease of use.

[MarcelNL]

1 hour ago, Rovo said:

I also use a manual bleed resistor. Quite easy when you are used to it. And always double check with the multi meter. 

I love the crackle of making a connection when I forgot to bleed the caps every now and then...reminds me of the HUGE LPSU of the Le Monstre Amp many moons ago 

 

[MarcelNL]

I'm interested but no way that I'll replace my 2.5Gbit switch and Solarflare x2522 with Finisar 1475BTL and corning fiber for a 3+Keuro option without audtitioning some time this spring.

I plan to do a visit to Oldenzaal, easy enough for me...

 

With ultra high end audio (if that is not a weird name) it's exposure that sells, not messaging...at least with me.

I have pondered buying an extreme and be done tinkering, probably at close to the cost of my DIY path but the DIY is so much fun I'll not go that route.

[MarcelNL]

BTW: I attended Currentzis conducting Mahler 4th at RCO yesterday....loads of work to be done for audio at home....what an acoustic, what a performance....we did not dare play any music afterwards....colors, overtones, high and low freq definition in spades, what a room it is, and what an orchestre and what a conductor, a true once in a lfetime event!

[MarcelNL]

2 hours ago, Rubberduck said:

I hope this fits here as I didn't think it would warrant a new topic;

Looking into rebuilding my music server and was already considering upgrading to I2S at some point.

 

However, there's several I2S to HDMI modules around and looking up the schematic (was considering using a EngineeredRed XU2S, rather than the Amanero) I find the pin layouts confusing. They don't seem to match up 1:1, the labels seem different. Is there a quick guide out there or even a best pick? Would be nice if there were such a module which could be plugged onto the connector itself.

please explain what your goal is? I2S can be connected without conversion so if I2S output is available you do not need this convertor, if I2S is not available you need something like the Pink Faun HEA bridge.

 

[MarcelNL]

If I understand you correctly (correct me if I'm wrong)  you plan on using an existing output format and convert that to LVDS I2S? What I2S format you need will be dictated by the DAC you are using. I2S over HDMi if frequently being used but also not standardized (yet), you might run  into a DAC using I2S over RJ45 (ethernet)

 

(the Audiophonics website appears to be down)

 

[MarcelNL]

1 minute ago, Rubberduck said:

 

I'm planning to use my current amplifier with coax in, if I get you right. Not converting anything.

 

For the future streamer I want to rip my SACD collection to DSF (which is DSD as I understand it) and pass that on 1:1.

Maybe it's better for me to wait till i2s gets finalised then? will be using Neutrik sockets so I could just blank it for now.

 

Ziggo connect wel trouwens

I2S may never be finalized/standardized...

 

Coax is just a cable geometry, not the holy grail IMO...I'd focus on the data format and see what cable you can use for that.

What inputs does your amp have, what amp is it?

 

I2S in native format is IME a nice step in SQ, but amps typically do not accept I2S unless it's an amp with integrated DAC (and in that case I doubt the benefit will be interesting enough to invest any money and effort in since most integrated DAC's are an afterthought)

[MarcelNL]

I won't laugh, Cambridge makes nice gear! Just get going an build a streamer, you'll need a dedicated DAC at some point to lift SQ to the next level but until then I'd use whatever input format your amp can handle.

IME the order of sound quality is USB-SPDIF-I2S, but ultimately it all comes down to the quality of implementation...so a poor i2S implementation can sound worse than a great USB....

 

 

[MarcelNL]

It's very hard to draw conclusions from comparing I2S and USB as it comes down to how good the implementation of BOTH systems is and also important you'll be comparing TWO devices so there are 4 levels of implementation that may differ.

 

I agree with Nenon (he disagreed with my post yet I think we agree on the fact that implementation is the key to success for SPDIF/USB/AES/I2S etc, that HIS best implementation was not better then his best USB implementation does not mean USB wins the overall game IMO).

 

I2S is a bit of an odd format, it's the result of Philips coming up with a 'language' to let various IC's within the CD player communicate, it was not designed for long distance.

Long ago I was modding my CD-player and discussed I2S with one of the few remaining Philips engineers who worked on I2S and he basically told me that contrary to common belief the format is not limited to inches but that it can easily travel approx 20cm but that longer stretches require some additional care.

 

I2S over HDMI using LVDS is IMO not the best implementation, IMO Metrum has a better I2S system which uses Ethernet cable and RJ45 connectors and allows impedance matching. 

 

I2S explained:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I²S

 

I'm eagerly awaiting more detail on Taiko Audio's new proprietary digital data format, and most of all; if and how manufacturers will be able to implement it....just having one end of a new hopefully great digital data stream is not enough.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

1 hour ago, Dev said:

do you know if it runs 2400Mhz or 2666Mhz or something else ?

it's supposedly this stuff, I got 4 but they seem incompatible with my MB

 

[MarcelNL]

40 minutes ago, Dev said:

 

Are you saying that is the exact RAM Taiko is using ? Or just replying to my question on the speed ?

 

What motherboard are you using ? This is a RDIMM and mostly works with server motherboards. For regular motherboards, you probably need UDIMM.

they were sold to me as the 'real deal'Taiko is using...unable to verify that but also no reason to question that.

 

My MB is in my signature, Aorus x570, indeed using UDIMM....

[MarcelNL]

Just now, RickyV said:

@MarcelNL could you please measure the choke’s exact dimensions in millimeters please? I am looking if I can fit two in my case, plans keep changing. Thanks 

Sorry I cannot, as mine sit within an enclosure and I have to switch the beast off and dismantle it to open the case, AND not uninmportant...the mounts may change with the new ordered cores.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

I did not compare the Mundorf with my Hi-B cut core chokes, but even with minimal power draw a better/larger choke is IMO well worth the investment in space. Design for sound quality first, form comes later ;-)

[MarcelNL]

The answer I expect when I extrapolate less CPU/system acitivity; A NAS running RAID over 1 used as source for streaming files will also sound less good than a NAS running lower RAID modes. 

[MarcelNL]

I suggest asking Taiko, I suspect the 12V and 5V are part of the rails used in the EPS and 24 pin but it's not specified...

 

 

[MarcelNL]

Samsung 980 Pro firmware news? Can you tell me more?

Never knew an NVME SSD had firmware that can be upgraded to begin with.

 

[MarcelNL]

hmmm, need to see how I can update that one...prettu sure that Magician cannot cope with Daphile (or vise versa)

 

edit; just checked and saw that I still have an 970 evo plus, at some point I bought the 980 pro but got the 970 going again and returned the 980 pro.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

43 minutes ago, flowcharts said:

If you have a spare m.2 slot in another (more standard) computer, that would be the way to go. In retrospect that's approach I should've taken. 

yeah, yet I don't have any computer with NVME slots just a bunch of laptops with regular SSD...I think I have a USB to NVME adapter lying around somewhere....problem is, after moving house the location is UNK and the next question is if that works for a firmware update. Will dig around and try...

[MarcelNL]

40 minutes ago, flowcharts said:

USB won't work for a firmware update unfortunately

thanks !! that allows me to stop looking!

Just found out that my Thinkpad has an M.2 slot...but just one...

 

forget it, should work on the server when i connect the keyboard mouse and screen....the process uses a bootable USB stick, so all I need to do is follow the steps and change boot order to USB and reboot.

 

 

 

[MarcelNL]

18 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

 

😲 I will definately need some time to digest that statement.

me too, and would like to see that replicated by someone with another extreme just to make sure nothing is wrong with that one. N=1 and all that

[MarcelNL]

32 F is the freezing point of water ;-) Pretty sure that are temps in Celsius.

 

IME lower is better, the sonic difference between 55'C and 40'C is real in my server.