DIY Project High Performance Audio PC with high quality wiring

[WilliamWykeham]

Extremely high-value thread which has motivated me to try building my own server with these exact parts.  I am coming from a background of very little technical knowledge about the operation or assembly of computers and electronics.  The only area where I plan to diverge from what's here is to use a single linear power supply, the Keces P8, 20V/8A.  I'll also add the JCAT USB bridge at a later date.  Two questions:

 

1) I'll use the wiring diagram on page 2, but with only 1 Keces P8, where/what do I connect the 4-pin, EAT12V_2 input to?

2) Any recommendations for upgraded PC/DC cables that won't break the bank?  

 

If anyone has advice about common areas where things go wrong for first-time assemblers I'd love to hear.    

 

[WilliamWykeham]

4 hours ago, elan120 said:

With one P8, you will connect just the 8 pin EPS and leave the 4 pin EPS not connected.  If you can make your own EPS cables or have one build, you can have the 4 pin EPS wired in parallel to 4 of the 8 pin EPS connector.

Just bought all the parts.  What’s the advantage of the two wires in parallel vs. just the 8 pin EPS? 

[WilliamWykeham]

All parts have arrived and I’m nearing completion.  I plan a full recap of the assembly process and a review once done but am stuck on two things:

 

1 - How to connect the Keces P8 to the 6 pin DC power intake on the HDPlex 400W DC-ATX.  Imagine I need a cable or an adapter, however I can’t find anything online.  Am trying to avoid having to make any cables myself as I have no experience.  Once I do get the correct cable or adapter, how should I route this into the computer? Should I send it through the back plate where the AC cable plug would otherwise go?

 

 2 - (less important) Looks like the plate in the back that holds the AC plug may not have correct sized holes, although possible I am doing something incorrectly.  All other parts have matches perfectly so far. I am using the screws with attached washers all of which are a different color than those in the manual.  Do I even need this plate if I’m using the Keces? 
 

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

8 minutes ago, motberg said:

I am pretty sure Ghent can make that for you.... just send him an email...

http://www.ghentaudio.com/pc/hg01.html

 

 

 

I will likely go this route particularly for internal connections, however if anyone has a domestic supplier for a dc cable that would help me to get up and running faster - looks like long wait from Ghent Audio. 

[WilliamWykeham]

My build is complete but before writing up my experience and impressions, I’m wondering if StreamFidelity or others can help identify whether I’ve done something wrong while assembling the case.  Posting publicly in case this is helpful to other first time assemblers.

 

I followed StreamFidelity’s postings in almost all details except that the motherboard is the cheaper Asus Hero WiFi version.  Also my build is Roon Core plus HQplayer on a single device which is sent to a SMS200.

 

My issue is that my CPU temperature is pushing 95C when upsampling to DSD256, ASDM7EC, while StreamFidelity’s temp was reported in the low 50s.  Filter is poly sinc ext2.  I also tried the mp filter in StreamFidelity’s image a few pages back.  I used the thermal paste that came with the case.  I tried to apply just a thin layer in the case’s grooves per the manual, as well as in the heatsink’s grooves where the copper piping rests.  I used a pea sized drop for the CPU.

 

Anything jump out in images below?

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

3 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

 

Was the thermal paste compound also applied to the solid copper block? I didn't use the paste from HDPLEX. 

 

Maybe it is not a problem of assemblings, but of the settings in BIOS? My overclocking ends at 4.1GHz. Which consumers are still active on maindboard? SATA drives for example draw a lot of power. I have deactivated this. 

 

Such a remote diagnosis is difficult. The temperature should not go that high. 

 

I applied thermal paste only to the CPU and not to the solid surface of the heat sink - this is the only instance where I departed from the manual, and was based on tutorials I watched online about applying thermal paste.

 

After thinking about this some more, I believe the issue is that I did not apply enough thermal paste to the CPU.  It was several weeks ago, but I think I may have allowed the guidance against applying too much to have led to apply not enough.

 

I will likely order some high quality paste and disassemble the heat sink in the next week or so to redo.  In the meantime I’ll upsample to 128.  

 

SATA is disabled.  I had forgotten that I boosted the CPU frequency to 4.4 as I was getting dropouts at 256 with the EC modulator.  Nevertheless, when I was listening to 128 with the CPU at 4.1 and not getting dropouts, the CPU temperature was in the mid-70s, so still too hot relative to your build.  128 sounded so good, I just had to hear 256!

[WilliamWykeham]

Just a quick update - I discovered that the dropouts were occurring because of Roon.  I noticed in Task Manger that while a Roon window was active, the “3D” GPU graph would show 50%.  Minimize the window, usage goes to zero and the dropouts stop.   I’ve been listening for the last 20 minutes, a 44.1khz, 16bit file upsampled to DSD 256, poly-sinc-ext2, ASDM7EC (Zhu Xiao-Mei).  Amperage on the Keces fluctuates anywhere between 3.0 and 4.0.  Temperature ranges between 70-75 C at 4.1GHz.  Not high enough I think for me to redo the heatsink.  Maybe I’ll investigate Bios some more.  

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

10 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

Is the graphics driver up-to-date? How many processes are displayed in the Task Manager? Check Latencymon to see if audio can be executed without interference. 😉

 

Interestingly Task Manager said the graphics driver was the most recent, but Intel’s website said it was 6 months outdated.  So I’ve updated but Roon still sucks up GPU resources, only when viewing albums (not when I’m in Settings for instance).

 

But my bigger issue now is that in my one-box implementation direct to the dac, I need a replacement for Wasapi but AISO is taken by the dac.  I’m trying to compare PCM to DSD in the same implementation.  In a 2 box implementation, I can get DSD working optimally and in a one box implementation I can get PCM optimally (poly-sinc-long-lp upsampled to 1411.2 Mhz, minimal processor usage, temp stable at 55 C).  

 

I have 70 processes running after AO and your recommendations.  

 

 

 

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

Actually I could not get EC modulators to function earlier today; I was not able to see tiny settings in windows Remote Desktop on a Mac and didn’t have the EC filter selected.

 

Im leaning toward a fresh install from the start with Windows, I’m not sure what to do about my latency problem otherwise, and I can’t repair a windows in AO making the interface impossible.  

[WilliamWykeham]

On 4/20/2020 at 9:03 AM, StreamFidelity said:

 

You have big problems. NT Kernel can be anything. I'm afraid you'll have to reinstall if you don't want to spend hours looking for the problem. Then try it first without AO.

 

Are there still temperature problems? Does the CPU really sit firmly in the socket? I would go through that again and above all distribute the heat paste correctly.

Reinstalled windows.  Problem is caused by AO even with Express and is not reversible, required a 3rd windows install, works great otherwise.  Will probably redo heat sink anyway.   70-75C with ASDM7EC 256 poly sinc ext2, all cores synced at 4.1.   I’ve just started using closed form 16M; now this is the filter for me.  Followed by poly sinc long lp.

[WilliamWykeham]

20 minutes ago, Nenon said:

This is turning out really nice. 

 

YES!!! I guess I am not the only the one thinking that removable back plate is the worst part of this otherwise excellent H5 case. 

I had an impossible time with it too.  Still not sure if the PCIe card is seated correctly.  

[WilliamWykeham]

Review Part 1: Hardware 

I used the exact same parts as @StreamFidelity, with the exception of (1) the cheaper wi-fi, Hero motherboard, (2) I was not able to find RAM at the frequency he listed, so purchased 3000hz Corsair Dominator RAM instead, and (3) power cables from Ghent Audio.  This build would have been impossible for me to do myself without thorough instrucitons like StreamFidelity’s. 

 

The HDPlex case is very high quality, and a good value.  There are no plastic parts anywhere that I can recall and the construction feels built to last.  I appreciated that the case comes with many extra screws, so you will not be in a difficult situation if you happen to misplace a few.  The attention to quality extends down to the screws - you will not be at risk of stripping any of them.  However, there is some low-hanging fruit for HDPlex around improvements to the manual, which through precise, is extremely difficult to follow, particularly for a first-time computer builder. 

 

Installing the CPU was somewhat more confusing than I had expected; luckily I had some tech help from my family. After completing the case assembly I pulled out the stock power cables, and discovered that they were all too short.  This was disappointing.  Why ship the case with cables, even if temporary ones that will be replaced, that are shorter than longer?   

 

So I ordered on Ghent Audio.  For those building with a full size Asus Hero ATX motherboard, the cables I purchased are these sizes:

 

8pin cable – 0.5m

24pin cable – 0.3m

DC cable to molex 6pin – 1.0m.  If using a Keces, be careful to order 5.5/2.5 type; I accidently purchased 5.5/2.1 and now have to use an adapter.  Although Ghent’s website warns about waits up to 70 days, I was happy to find that the cables had been shipped to me after only a few weeks. 

 

The 24-pin power cable appeared almost too short at first, but I was ultimately able to get it seated, and now think it is ideal since the cable has much less flexibility than the stock cables, and longer cables might be problematic with the case lid.  The 8 pin cable from Ghent extended too far to the side, prohibiting correct installation of the case’s side panel.  I simply twisted off the latch on molex connector with pliers and it fit. 

 

 

I ran into trouble with the back panel.  The first issue is that I could not attach the plate which holds the AC outlet with the indicated screws (see image in prior post).  Luckily I am using the external Keces power supply and plate attachment was not essential. The more important issue is that I ran into difficulty with seating my ethernet PCIe card, finding insufficient clearage at the bottom of the case for both the network card and the back panel.  So I have done my best, but I’m unable to tell if the network card is installed correctly, since I am awaiting a power cable from Ghent. 

 

I made a few other beginner mistakes like not pushing the RAM in with sufficient force, but when I eventually got everything working, the motherboard lit up in various colors, as did the RAM, impressing me initially but later appearing slightly gaudy. All in all, not too challenging.  I could probably do this now in 1/5 the time, and it was a fun project.  

 

 

My initial cooling results did not match StreamFidelity's, so I went back and redid the heat sink, applying more pressure this time (the manual warns against over tightening) and using a bit more thermal paste where the copper block contacts the cpu.  Perhaps more importantly, I applied much more paste directly to the grooves in the copper heatsink, and to the grooves in the aluminum cap, instead of tediously thinning this out as I had during my first attempt.  I also cleaned off all the thermal paste on the case, and left this bare, contra manual instructions.  The temperature reading for the CPU through the motherboard is now in the upper 50s C for a 44.1/16 file, poly-sinc-ext2, ASDM7EC, DSD 256, so approximately that of StreamFidelity's build.  Temperatures can push just above 80 C when upsampling to DSD 1024.  

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

Review Part 2: Software and Sound

 

The hardware side of this build was a breeze compared to the software.  The first frustration I faced is that I was not able to register my copy of Windows 10 Pro, requiring a call to Microsoft customer service and about an hour of my time to resolve.  In the end, the rep had to give me a new product key since the digital license didn’t work.  There are apparently two ways of registering Windows 10 that are determined based on the distribution channel through which you’ve acquired Windows.  The entire approach is madness.

 

The second frustration was around optimizing the computer.  I familiarized myself with bios and applied @StreamFidelity's settings (thanks again!), and then downloaded Audiophile Optimizer, Roon, HQPlayer.  I had downloaded AO to my computer, not to a USB stick as recommended in the manual, and ran the Advanced configuration, and then changed registry settings based on StreamFidelity’s list.  All this took quite some time, and finally I sat back ready to enjoy some sweet sounds and heard terrible stuttering, confirmed with LatencyMon.  Maybe I goofed in the Advanced AO settings, I thought, or erred in the registry.  So I ran a fresh install of Windows and downloaded everything again.  I confirmed that the computer was working - it sounded good, and ran AO in its basic setting, after which I immediately found that the latency issues had returned.  I couldn’t reverse this with the tools in AO, so did a 3rd install.  I’m engaged in correspondence with Phil and hopefully we can figure out what’s going on; I seem to be an outlier with regard to this issue.

 

My JCAT USB XE hasn’t arrived yet, and I’m still waiting for a power cable for the JCAT network card which I do have, so I’m using the motherboard’s ethernet and USB ports.  Initially I was going directly into the dac with USB, using a Curious Evolved cable, and I labored over the various HQPlayer filters.  Sounded OK, I thought.  Then I started messing around with 2-box implementations, starting with my SMS-200.  Sounded OK, I thought.  I next tried my DigiOne Signature with Shanti LPS, which I had written off several months previously when I was using my 2015 MacBook Pro as a Roon Core.  With this new computer, the DigiOne Signature completely transformed my system.  I was astounded at the degree of clarity I was hearing.  Importantly for me, the DigiOne shines regardless of volume; I've learned from past experience that low-volume listening can be an excellent test of the extent to which my system is dialed in.  Much of the phenomenal sound is also likely attributable to this excellent silver digital cable from Requisite Audio that I had made.

 

So the lessons I’ve learned through this experience are as follows:

• Linear power supplies are essential.  I was 80% convinced of this before i started this project and I’m completely convinced now.  I wonder how much the SMS-200’s performance would be improved with a LPS - any event I have a DigiOne USBridge Signature on order and can use the Shanti LPS to power that for USB / coax comparisons with a LPS
• The inexpensive DigiOne Signature is a break-through item in my system.  I can’t wait to hear what the JCAT XE sounds like in comparison.
• The USB port on the Asus motherboard is really bad.  Don’t even bother.  I tried an ISO Regen - couldn’t get the galvanic isolation to work - and the ISO Regen didn’t really help in any event.  
• The ethernet port on the motherboard must be at least passible because I notice a significant improvement with this computer streaming to the DigiOne Signature compared to my MacBook Pro.
• PCM converted to DSD sounds better to me than PCM.  It just does.

 

I should have an update once the XE card and power cable for JCAT network card arrive, in a few months.  Impressions upon arrival.  BTW, my gear consists of the following:

 

Amp: Benchmark AHB2 in dual mono

Power Conditioner: PS Audio P5

Preamp: Cheap Nobsound for passive; Schiit Freya S for active.  Still not sure which I prefer after being a passive booster for some time, need to test some more

Dac: Denafrips Terminator

Balanced Cables: Benchmark cables, cheaper mid-grade Wireworld stuff; I don’t go crazy with this (yet)

Digital Cable: Requisite Audio digital silver cable.  I need to experiment to see how much of a difference is attributable to this excellent cable

Speakers: B&W 702s2 for regular listening - OK, yes, Best Buy speakers but I’m coming from headphones and didn’t have a year to go to audio shows and audition other speakers and I love these anyway.

Near-field Speakers: Ascend Sierra 2 for near-field listening.  The stereo imaging from these is mind-blowing.  These are life-time keepers.

 

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

Now that the last piece of the server has arrived, the JCAT USB XE card, I thought I would share my final impressions from the build after StreamFidelity's guide inspired me earlier this year.  

 

First, I was not able to get AudiophileOptimizer to work on my build at all.  This was odd because I used the exact same components as StreamFidelity, except for a slightly cheaper version of the motherboard, and a slight variant in the Corsair RAM.  I made sure all the drivers were updated, but nevertheless each time I ran Audiophile Optimizer I encountered severe latency issues that were irreversible and required a reinstallation of the operating system.  After my 5th time or so reinstalling Windows, I decided to cut my losses and instead download Windows Server 2019, which resulted in a bit of improvement in my sound quality.  With the trial period coming to an end soon, I will likely pay the exorbitant fee to keep it. 

 

While I waited for the JCAT I installed two dedicated 20A power lines with high quality outlets (worth it!).  Because of the poor sound quality from the motherboard's USB, I had decided instead to use an Allo Digione Signature plus Shanti, connecting to the coax input of the Terminator.  The non-upsampled sounds from this endpoint surpassed the mega upsampling from the computer server, and I liked the Allo so much, despite a bit of fatigue after an extended session, I was concerned that the JCAT would require too large of a gulf in sound quality to pass.  When the JCAT first arrived, I noticed immediately that the flabbiness and turgid impression left by my motherboard's USB were gone, although the sound wasn't quite engaging yet.  After burning in, it's just wonderful, and I can hear the effects of HQPlayer even more acutely. With this card, my preference in HQPlayer is for Sinc-L in PMC at 1.5Mhz (can any other dac do this?), but 1024 DSD is nice too. I decided to move the B&W 702s2s elsewhere, and replaced them with the Sierra 2 EXs, the best nearfield speaker I've ever heard.  

 

I'll add some footers to my dac and server, maybe check out a few power cords and USB cables, but for everything else, this is it.  Just sit back enjoy.  

 

Thanks again to StreamFidelity for helping me find endgame with this awesome server.