Building a DIY Music Server

[MarcelNL]

I did use both outputs, my version was a dual output...one R Core rectifier caps and regulator per output.

[MarcelNL]

to be transparent, it was not the same seller as the listing earleir shown...so YMMV

[MarcelNL]

it;s not the exact same yet it looks quite similar, anyway....beware of stuff that comes without proper certification/testing.

 

It might have been the R-Core it may have been the circuit....final result is the same, it almost caused a fire....the casing was too hot to handle and we partly inhaled the transformer 

[MarcelNL]

a decent tap and die set will have markings indicating for what size and thread they are and usually some info on what drill to use.

 

My experience is that a drill press and GOOD drill and drill bit are paramount to get a straight hole in the place you want it, use a center point tool to position the holes and cutting oil for drilling AND tapping.  Do not get cocky and twist too far in one movement, always twist back to allow cuttings to remove or find yourself facing a broken tap in the hole....

 

Likely YT has video's on how to do this, it's not difficult but can be tricky so doing some practice runs as mentioned is a great idea.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

I would even go further;  audition the assembly and move parts around listening to the result before doing the final fit.

 

 

[MarcelNL]

I still plan on delidding the Xeons once all the parts have arrived and I can start building...still waiting for a crucial bit.

I reckon a non soldered CPU case will benefit more from delidding than a soldered version, still the actual temp drop will be significant for sound quality to be worth the hassle. Delidding the Xeon seems pretty straight forward with the right kit.

[MarcelNL]

2 hours ago, Exocer said:

I mirror this sentiment. I swapped from the Taiko rectifier to the GaN all else equal and it was an across the board improvement. Initially there was slightly less body than the Taiko rectifier (no longer an issue) but after several weeks of break-in I get the sense that the noise floor is lower, there is more transparency and more control in the bass region without sounding “dry” or overdamped. A worthwhile purchase for sure.

ordered, somehow missed this one...

[MarcelNL]

 

Just guess what NO fuse does ;-) (disclaimer; don't try this at home, parental guidance advised)

(a bit like getting rid of the Hypex softstart)

 

That Isodamp stuff looks a bit like good old sorbothane, I've not seen it yet.

[MarcelNL]

26 minutes ago, seeteeyou said:

 

Actually that's what the owners of Taiko Audio SGM Extreme would get in the first place, then some of us found out how to purchase the license on our own

 

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-141#post-628443

 

Personally I don't think any kinda "stock" flavor of Windows would be compact enough to match something like this

 

https://reboot.pro/index.php?showtopic=22621&page=6#entry221546

 

When it comes to the upcoming Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, it's just under 10GB (that's HUGE) right after the installation was done

 

https://betawiki.net/wiki/Windows_11_build_25370

 

FYI - Insider Preview could be found online with ease

 

https://archive.org/download/wip-25967-iotenterprisek

https://archive.org/download/windows-gallium-archive

https://archive.org/download/windows-11-zinc-archive

 

And then 25967 seemed to be even more interesting

 

https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/10/05/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25967-canary-channel/

https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/discussion-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25967-1000-pc-canary-channel-rs_prerelease.87545/

 

I guess that Taiko Audio might upgrade the OS of SGM Extreme to that version in 2024 / 2025 then?

 

---

 

Finally I've gotta clarify that I wasn't talking about IoT Enterprise at all, in reality it's Windows 11 Preinstallation Environment as follows

 

http://jplay.eu/forum/index.php?/topic/4410-windows-11-pe-audiophile-creation-guide/?p=64022

 

There are certain things that couldn't be done with IoT Enterprise LTSC or even MinWin as mentioned above. Some processes / services etc. could only be killed or suspended with Win11PE and IMHO that's the whole point of messing with a totally different beast.

 

In the end it's all about reducing the latency and we could take a look at this post here

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/66143-windows-11-vs-10/page/2/#comment-1204134

 

Just a matter of getting rid all the junk that we don't even need. Quite a few of us already figured out how to get things done, now the question is are you ready to dive right in and join us?

I will be ready once the dual xeon build is ready, yet my whole issue with most audio OS is that the burden of involvement is too high and the documentation is lacking....all understandable but it killed my appetite for f.e. Audiolinux and made me appreciate Daphile much more. 

On the dual Xeon build I'll start with a pre cooked W10 lean audio version but plan to compare against Daphile and hope to test W IoT. 

[MarcelNL]

59 minutes ago, drjimwillie said:

Once I finish the hardware part of the projects, I am working on, the software will be the final frontier.  
knowing that this is the software that is on the extreme, and the fact that I am building an extreme clone, I would like to be able to make this software work.

 

we are not just getting rid of the junk that we don’t need.
The Sage motherboard has two CPU. The end goal is to separate and assign the player processes to its own CPU.  
How is that done with this software and is it extremely difficult?

process lasso does that part, I guess I'm at the same point as you!

 

Bios settings is another area of interest .....that and the OS tweaks...

[MarcelNL]

9 hours ago, drjimwillie said:

You guys are extremely convincing. 😉

I just purchased the Saligny Power GaN. 
 

It looks like now I’m going to need a board to mount the cap that goes with the Rectifier.

it looks like all the cool guys are doing it. 
 

rob and Mike, will you please give me advice on how to order a PCB board?
 

Marce - are you going make a board to mount yours with your Cap?  maybe I can order one with you?

 

although, I know nothing about this, so I don’t know if it’s prudent to order a board locally?

 

thank you, Will

 I am a non PCB 'hardired' believer,  when I look at PCB's I always am worried the conductive traces are too thin and will restrict power...so it'll be hardwired using my fave UPOCC 

[MarcelNL]

All my PSUs are in a difficult position to reach....but what you describe is basically what I've been doing (many years) and it works well provided you are not shipping/transporting the PSU...

 

The aim is to get a good mecanical connection before soldering, using solder as glue is a method that eventually will fail.

 

strapping caps together will work, try dampen the caps cases for even better sound. I've grown quite fond of nano tape, it holds well and does vibration absorption at the same time.. Try have a s short a distance as possible for the caps after the rectifier and chokes and try adding the bypasses as close. Lead length after the cap t the next choke is less critical (but don't overdo it)

 

 

pic below is in the early stage of the LPSU build for my router and switch, I'm using the 4 pole Mundorg AG caps here , n bypass in place yet

 

 

[MarcelNL]

for nano tape it's Aliexpress, I doubt there are brands that make their own...

 

For this connection it's difficult to get a sound mechanical connection, often I use a thin piece of wire to wrap the lead and the wire together, here I think I did not even did that but I added some shrink sleeve later on after POC was positive.

[MarcelNL]

there is a top too, you could mount the rectifier at an angle so it sits over the cap and bypass, or you put the rectifier flat on the floor and the caps over it.

[MarcelNL]

11 minutes ago, SK8 said:

If anyone wants to try a higher grade CPU than Xeon Silver 4210 on the Asus Sage motherboard, you can consider Xeon Gold 6133 which is now widely available in Taobao and AliExpress at a very low cost. I just bought 2 Xeon Gold 6133 processors at USD25 each, delidded and replaced the two 4210s, and they worked. Xeon 6133 is a CPU Intel custom-made for Tencent Cloud data centre servers around 2017, which are now retired and a lot of such used CPUs are available in the second hand market. Xeon 6133 is  very similar to Xeon 6148 @littlej0e tried before. It has 20 cores (40 threads) with a base frequency of 2.5GHz (a bit higher than 2.4GHz of 6148). 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Xeon_processors_(Skylake-based)

interesting stuff, yet how do they sound when compared to the 4210? (that was picked for it's sonic benefits)

 

also the 6113 is showing a TDP almost twice as high at 150W

[MarcelNL]

I'm not holdin g my breath for that, at least not until many years from now....by then we're listening to quantum computers though...

[MarcelNL]

9 hours ago, seeteeyou said:

At least for SSDs, both power and clock seemed to trump latency

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/62753-nvme-ssd-designed-for-audiophiles/page/10/#comment-1248551  

On 7/16/2023 at 10:28 PM, MarcelNL said:

I do not see what version it was, pSLC or TLC, and an Sbooster is IMO not a worthwile upgrade for external power...this thing starts to sing with a great PSU, but even so on internal power it outperformed Optane and all NVME I had in stock easily when used as file storage disc but even more clearly when used as OS disc.

 It may well all be important, the difference between the 970evo pro Samsung SSD and the newer 990 is mainly in latency since both draw power from the main bord, still the 990 sounds better.

 

The difference between (p) SLC and TLC could IMHO be the number of electrical connections, each junction will incur resistance which means noise. SLC likely has less connections than 3D TLC has.

[MarcelNL]

5 minutes ago, ciccio1112 said:

Good morning. Have any of you tried to update the firmware of the ASM 3142 USB controller of the Asus Sage C621 motherboard?

update from what to what?

 

the support page does not show a whole lot, besides, do you use the MB USB for audio? (I typically switch off USB in BIOS, but haven't gotten around to build the Sage server, but I finally received the last parts I need)

 

https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/workstation/ws-c621e-sage/helpdesk_bios/?model2Name=WS-C621E-SAGE

[MarcelNL]

1 minute ago, ciccio1112 said:

The USB that Taiko Audio initially used before the release of their USB card, in my opinion, is excellent.
While waiting for Emile to decide to market their USB card for DIY enthusiasts like us.

that card is not just any USB card, TACDA will have a USB output option...I keep my eyes peeled for it too in the I2S output format but dread it's sticker price.

 

I suspect updating the firmware of the USB chip on the MB is not the same as using it on a properly designed and externally powered USB card with dedicated clock....

 

 

[MarcelNL]

48 minutes ago, flkin said:

 

 

Going to be an early Christmas hopefully 😄. I keep getting teaser pics of their Ultra USB but no release date from PF

is that going to cover two PCI slots? that might be a hard sell/fit for folks using a gaming MB, those tend to be low on PCI slots (you need one for a grapics card, one for network and one for digital output.

[MarcelNL]

24 minutes ago, seeteeyou said:

Lumafield Announces $35M Series B Funding, Major Product Upgrades and New Board Appointments

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lumafield-announces-35m-series-b-funding-major-product-upgrades-and-new-board-appointments-301619957.html

 

Lumafield Introduces Atlas, a Generative AI Tool That Solves Complex Engineering and Manufacturing Problems in Plain Language

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lumafield-introduces-atlas-a-generative-ai-tool-that-solves-complex-engineering-and-manufacturing-problems-in-plain-language-301927835.html

 

This new technology reveals classic iPods from the inside out
https://www.fastcompany.com/90751251/lumafield-ct-scanner-ipod-tony-fadell

 

 

Lumafield CT Shows How iPods Put 1,000 Songs in Your Pocket
https://www.scanofthemonth.com/scans/ipod-evolution

 

 

USB-C head-to-head comparison

https://www.lumafield.com/article/usb-c-cable-charger-head-to-head-comparison-apple-thunderbolt-amazon-basics

 

Before you judge me for drooling over these gorgeous 3D CT scans of USB cables I implore you to check them out yourself

https://www.pcgamer.com/before-you-judge-me-for-drooling-over-these-gorgeous-3d-ct-scans-of-usb-cables-i-implore-you-to-check-them-out-yourself/

 

 

I used an incredible X-ray machine to look inside my gadgets — let me show you

https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/18/23640484/lumafield-neptune-ct-scanner-3d-x-ray-hands-on-interview

 

Every gadget we’ve X-rayed with a Lumafield CT scanner

https://www.theverge.com/23691563/x-ray-vision-gadget-storystream

 

NVIDIA Expands Robotics Platform to Meet the Rise of Generative AI

https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2023/10/18/metropolis-jetson-isaac-robotics-edge-ai-developers/

 

FYI - here's a YouTube playlist for those of us who are interested

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUJxQGZB9bw69Y22ZmUmDsrCW19rT6cfG

 

---

 

(Since we've got a thread about DIY here, let's pick @Nenon's brain and see how it goes.)

 

I might be wrong but not too many companies would have the dough for investing in a CT scanner, and then a lot of them wouldn't have in-house production to begin with. Other than Taiko Audio, just wondering how many of them could justify the ROI?

 

Antipodes Audio worked with ASUS.

 

Innuos worked with Supermicro.

 

JCAT worked with Adnaco.

 

SOtM worked with MiTAC.

 

Taiko Audio attempted to design their own motherboard but ultimately they picked WS C621E SAGE

 

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-88#post-613373

 

Do you (guys) think that Generative AI Tool and CT scanner could help us designing even better components for music servers?

 

Besides, not sure if the likes of ChatGPT were able to generate code for a device driver or a software player by any chance?

interesting stuff! Likely material for a separate thread IMHO. The info in this thread is getting buried as it is.

 

[MarcelNL]

17 minutes ago, matthias said:

Are you sure?

TACDA is the internal DAC daughter board which fits on their new interface board.

AFAIK, no USB out option.

 

Matt

you are quite right, my bad!
 

[MarcelNL]

For those using a dual xeon what is the advise sa to which CPU carries the OS and which CPU the player etc?

 

I'm probably having to place both heatsinks above each other and think it's good to connect the CPU with the least heat generation to the upper heatsink but I wonder if there is a lot of difference.

(use case of simple WAV and FLAC streaming, 24bit at the highest, NO upsampling, no PGGB, no filtering no DSP)

 

[MarcelNL]

thanks @Nenon and @basillus

 

I now see that the NVME only connects through the chipset, and I planned that for OS storage....likely need a PCI>NVME if I want to keep the pseudo SLC femto clock NVME for OS.

 

so in my case 

CPU1-3 PCI with femto clock NVME 

 

CPU2-1 PF Ultra I2S 

CPU2- another PCI to Samsung 990 NVME for storage

CPU2- Solarflare NIC

 

will have to see if that fits as the PF card is quite big, and so it the femto NVME

[MarcelNL]

My theory is that everything digital needs instant power but good to see this confirmed by this...had not yet gotten around to tripling the power cord but sure will based on this.