beautiful music Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 56 minutes ago, Gato said: 120 hours now that the JCAT Optima ATX is powered up and powering the i9-12900K+JCAT NET Card XE+SOtM tX-USBexp. What can I say... Whouahhhh: timbre accuracy, warmth, details, realistic soundstage (no, no, no more than that). I had dreamed of it, I really needed it, it's done: a pure delight! Congratulations @Gato Link to comment
Marcin_gps Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 6 hours ago, Gato said: 120 hours now that the JCAT Optima ATX is powered up and powering the i9-12900K+JCAT NET Card XE+SOtM tX-USBexp. What can I say... Whouahhhh: timbre accuracy, warmth, details, realistic soundstage (no, no, no more than that). I had dreamed of it, I really needed it, it's done: a pure delight! Thanks a lot for the report and enjoy! :) Best regards, Marcin JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Popular Post Marcin_gps Posted December 28, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 28, 2021 I would like to elaborate on TDP topic. Intel's and AMD's definition of TDP is different which can be confusing. According to Intel, TDP is the power that the processor gives back in the form of heat when loaded with real applications. According to AMD, TDP is the theoretical power that a computer processor could draw. In reality it means AMD TDP is very close to actual power draw: AMD Ryzen 3955WX rated at 280W draws 280W However Intel CPU rated 95W - intel i9-11900K - can draw 240W! See the ilustration below: (source: Anandtech) The conclusion is, in short, that the OPTIMO S ATX can be used with Intel CPUs rated 95W TDP and AMD CPUs rated 280W TDP. @Gato & @StreamFidelity power their intel i9-11900K CPU based PCs with the OPTIMO S ATX without issues. @StreamFidelityextensive report can be found on this forum here: Regards, Marcin beautiful music, Patatorz, lwr and 1 other 1 3 JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Vladimir61 Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 I use my new OPTIMO ATX about two weeks. Works stable and powerful, without any distortion. As result I have more clear sound with more dynamic and information. I used TERADAK ATX and Teddy Pardo for the JCAT USB and Network cards before. Now I use only one OPTIMO. Link to comment
Gato Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Some more information about a Windows Server 2019 Standard VHD loaded in RAM using HQPlayer 4 Desktop 4.15.1 running on: JCAT Optimo ATX powering: Gigabyte Z690 Gaming X DDR4 i9-12900K Corsair Vengeance LPX, DDR4, 32GB (2 x 16GB), 3200MHz Asus GT710 SL 1GD5 JCAT NET Card XE using SOtM tX-USBexp (externaly powered) linked to a T+A DAC 8 DSD: To the audio system… Link to comment
Popular Post Mellowman Posted December 29, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted December 29, 2021 For many years now, Marcin Ostapowicz, the JCAT founder, has been patiently and methodically offering computer music reproduction equipments to enthusiasts all over the world. It is even a pioneer in this field! Each new product is part of a logic of mastery of the point addressed, trying to establish a new reference in terms of sound result, with a will of controlled pricing. As time went by, the main pitfall of all these PC-based configurations remained: the power supply to the heart of these machines, namely the motherboard. Of course, we have all used solutions proposed by other market players, or even built our own solutions. But all of them are more or less based on OEM sub-assemblies that are far from the theoretical ideal of the full linear ATX power supply! Aware of this weakness, Marcin has been working for many months on this ambitious project, with the seriousness and experience that characterise him. At the end of this year, the first batch of the OPTIMO S ATX is finally available for sale, and the success is already there, since all the pieces have been pre ordered. I had the privilege to be one of the first beneficiaries of this brand new product, so much awaited by the community of enthusiastic audiophiles. In order to be as complete as possible, I decided to test this OPTIMO S ATX in several stages, to better understand the level of performance in the various configurations that I have at my disposal. So, first of all, the OPTIMO S ATX is used on a PC optimized for audio, with a very accomplished realization, whose power supplies are based on models very widespread in our community. This set up was made available by a friend of mine, whose advanced skills have resulted in a very balanced and musical system, for a budget that remains reasonable. In this test, we only focus on the CPU and server motherboard power supply, the JCAT USB and NET cards being powered by their own 5V linear power supplies. Under these conditions, an immediate implementation out of the box allows to realize with astonishment that the sound quality provided by the OPTIMO S ATX is already very good. Almost beyond expectations for a brand new power supply and cables. Especially since JCAT recommends between 100 and 200 hours of use to really benefit from it. In a few minutes, the comparison with the "linear" HDPLEX 400W PSU is already very much in favour of the OPTIMO S ATX. We also used the HDPLEX 200W + DC-ATX 40W converter combo to power the 24-pin ATX connector and a Paul Pang 12V power supply dedicated to the CPU. Here again, the results are clear: the OPTIMO S ATX dominates! With the equipment available for this first test session, here is the ranking we have established in terms of sound quality (all other elements are identical): 1 - far, far ahead, OPTIMO S ATX and its cables, even without any burn in 2 - nothing for the moment as the gap is so large 3 - HDPLEX 200W + HDPLEX 400W HiFi DC-ATX (motherboard) + Paul Pang 12V (CPU). 4 - HDPLEX 400W "linear" PSU 5 - HDPLEX 200W + HDPLEX 400W HiFi DC-ATX There is no need to procrastinate, the OPTIMO S ATX (although without any burn in) offers a formidable soundstage, with a very clear reduction in background noise. It is so striking that one has the impression that the system is playing softer. You can turn up the volume without worrying about all those mini distortions that are usually present (and which you now realise are absent with the OPTIMO S ATX). In fact, you gain in dynamics, but by reducing the background noise and not by increasing the maximum level. The soundstage is very wide, with a lot of relief and precision. It is really not difficult to locate the different sections in the case of an orchestra, both in width, height and depth. The timbres are magnified, the voices sublime and already incredibly true. The basses are totally mastered and very present, powerful when necessary. New details are revealed, well in place. You sit down and listen to a track to try it out, and then you listen to the whole album! My friend knew he had a very accomplished system, but this OPTIMO S ATX brings him even closer to the top! To find out how far the OPTIMO S ATX can go, we'll have to wait a little longer until it's fully operational. We will then compare it to the best solution I have heard before, (Custom triple PSU & Taiko Audio DC-ATX Converter, on my personal server). To be continued... Le dom, 87mpi, RickyV and 2 others 5 Link to comment
Popular Post Mellowman Posted January 18, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted January 18, 2022 As promised, here are the next tests of the OPTIMO S ATX: SESSION 2: Now that the break-in of the OPTIMO S ATX and its dedicated cables is over, session session 2 was an opportunity to compare the OPTIMO S ATX with the one fitted to my personal "CARUSO" server, completed at the end of 2019. The aim at the time was to go significantly further than with any linear power supply available on the market. In order to enlighten the reader of this comparison, here is the description: Caruso is a "Single PC" but in 2 chassis. The first includes transformers and regulation, the second the filter cells and the purely IT part. On the IT side, and taking advantage of the feedback from the most enthusiastic members of this forum, I am now moving to dedicated server hardware: SuperMicro X11SSM-F motherboard Xéon E3-1225v6 processor 32 GB of RAM ECC Unbuffered Hynix NVMe SSD connected in PCI Express (SATA disabled) 2 x 2 TB. And of course, JCAT USB and Ethernet XE cards Each JCAT card has its own regulated 5v power supply (common transformer for both) The Processor benefits from a dedicated 12v power supply (transformer included). The Motherboard is powered via the TAIKO AUDIO DC / ATX converter, itself powered by a dedicated 19v power supply (transformer included). This choice, which may seem surprising, is dictated by reasons of bulk associated with the sizing of the discrete components implemented by my technician, who works in an old school style. An implementation of this card in conditions upstream of identical philosophy (although less advanced than here) has already given excellent results. The AC internal wiring is carried out by Absolue Créations (with whom I have very privileged relationships). The internal IT cabling is provided by FIS AUDIO. The connection between the two chassis is of the "military aviation" type and will only be removable on the server side. A common ground cable is added between the two chassis. Considering the inherent limits (in my opinion) of the connections and wiring of an external LPSU, one of the aims of this project is to get rid of this type of limit. The 4 large filter cells benefit from a Polypropylene decoupling which is located "underground", the cards being double-sided. For each power supply, a first filtering (silver capacitors) and the regulation are placed in the box containing the transformers. The computer unit only includes the second level of filtering to limit the risk of pollution. The copper shields are rather there to prevent computer components from polluting these filter cells. I specify that the adjustment of all the regulators has been made "on load" in order to take into account the losses linked to the resistivity of the wiring of the internal links. The different levels, the dimensioning and the speed of the capacitors are provided to cope with the speed of the pulses of current draws so that the quality thereof is always optimal. We must not forget that these capacitors are not on the path of the musical signal, so it is not necessarily necessary to stick Duelund everywhere The two JCAT cards having different current needs, it was chosen to supply one for each. This also allows you to still have a good margin on these 5v power supplies (at least 2 amps each) in order to be able to eventually power additional SSDs. Softwares are: WS 2022 Data Center, JPLAY Femto, Minimserver 2.1, Process Lasso, Fidelizer 8.7, MajorityClean 262, LemonadeElitest 26. In order to best evaluate the OPTIMO S ATX, the scope of the comparisons was limited to the power supply of the motherboard and the CPU. The JCAT NET XE board was powered by an external power supply of the same quality as the OPTIMO DUO. The link to the LUCIA (target Diretta) is done in SFP. The volume of the amplifier remained the same throughout all the listening session. Listening system : DAC W4S DAC2 v2se 10th Anniversary Integrated Amp: Mimetism AL-432D Loudspeakers: Audio Phisic Cardeas v4 Wiring: hi-end DYI, AC Absolue Creations Tim Signature for CARUSO and the OPTIMO S ATX Playlist: Ravel : Alborada del gracioso, Emmanuel Krivine, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg Liszt: 12 études d’éxécution transcendantes, tracks #1 & 2, Daniil Trifonov Shostakovich : String quartet #9, allegretto, Pacifica quartet Saint Saëns: "le carnaval des animaux", tracks # 5 to 10, Gennady Rojdestvenski Rain Tree Crow : track: Big wheels in Shanty Town Brian Eno: Apollo, Atmospheres & soundtracks, Track: the secret place Joji Hirota: Japanese Drums, Track: Kannabi [Oh Daiko Solo] Stanley Clarke Band: the Message, Track: And Ya Know We're Missing You Auditor #1: "LeDom" (a.k.a DC on this forum) So I was with Mellowman to do a listening of its CARUSO server, first powered by its own very high level power supply and then powered by the JCAT OPTIMO S ATX LPSU. The first listening was done with the already very elaborate power supply that usually powers this CARUSO server. I might as well say it already, the sound reproduction is top notch. Everything is there, the sound image is both very ample and in relief with depth, it is correctly focused. The details and micro details are there. The attacks are frank, the timbres are beautiful and realistic. We can also note an excellent dynamic. We are captivated by the different pieces played. It is clear that it will be difficult to do better. The OPTIMO S ATX will have to deliver. We then fed CARUSO with the OPTIMO S ATX: From the very first notes of the Alborada del gracioso we felt that something was happening, with an additional retreat of the soundstage, an increased silence, even more beautiful, subtle and realistic timbres. The woodiness of the string instruments' sounding boards, for example, is better heard. As the playlist unfolds, we can only note that everything goes even further, even if it seemed difficult during the first listening session with the CARUSO power supply. The attacks are even more pronounced, the dynamic differences even greater. One can have the impression that the system plays less loudly in the pianissimos although the volume is strictly the same for the two listening sessions. On the other hand, the rise in sound power towards the fortissimos is astonishing. We gain in speed and fluidity. We are really involved in the music. It was a very high level listening experience. Bravo Marcin, this OPTIMO S ATX power supply is simply exceptional. Auditor #2: Mellowman It didn't take long for the superiority of the OPTIMO S ATX to become apparent. On orchestral music, the perception of the size of the concert hall is better, especially in terms of precision and airiness. The timbres are exceptional, especially on the solo bassoon. The pizzicati of the violins, the precision of the double basses in their placement and modulation make the music more alive. On Trifonov's piano, the left hand is a little less heavy, but more realistic thanks to the extra air around the instrument. The same impression can be gained from the double bass in "L'éléphant" (Saint-Saëns): the coherence of the whole register of the instrument is better, with a slightly lower register (by comparison). The timbres and attacks of the violins are more realistic. The better legibility of the low register is even more evident in the modern music of Rain Tree Crow. All the effects of the mix are exacerbated, the weight of the notes is better perceived. Brian Eno's electronic and spatial music again takes the spatialization and differentiation of the artificial timbres of these synthetic sounds to a new level, revealing many subtleties. The traditional Japanese drums provide a fantastic impact, never before heard. The larger ones do not mask the smaller ones, the placement is diabolical. The impact of the mallets on the skin is even more noticeable, as are the resonances. Total absence of drag. We have one last pleasure with Stanley Clarke's basses. The speed is confounding. The different bass lines are perfectly in place: no risk of confusion between them. The intermittent buzzing of the amp head (?) is perfectly perceived, without any loupe effect. Like DC, I find that the overall decrease in background noise gives the impression that the volume is lower. As a result, one can listen slightly louder than usual, without causing hearing fatigue The considerable time and effort Marcin put into developing the OPTIMO S ATX has paid off handsomely! To date, I am convinced that no manufacturer has gone so far in the realization of power supplies dedicated to "computer" music, taking into account so many technical parameters to ensure so much coherence between the various sub-assemblies concerned (wiring, separation of the various voltages, grounding...). I found again the rarely heard qualities of very good power supplies whose regulation stages are based on MOSFET transistors and not on regulators (however good they may be). For our market of DIY enthusiasts & power users, the OPTIMO S ATX represents the last (?) link that will bring them closer to the grail. One of the last weak points of the commercial solutions available to us has just fallen, and in a big way! Having a small professional experience in the field of Hifi, I am moreover persuaded that in view of the technical means implemented, the price of the OPTIMO S ATX is very largely justified. A more traditional marketing (retailers, third party websites...)would lead to a very significant increase in the selling price! You must have this element in mind before making a purchase decision and when comparing it with competing products. Marcin_gps, RickyV, Exocer and 5 others 3 4 1 Link to comment
Marcin_gps Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Thank you for this report and for the compliments! BTW - Trifonov is my favorite young pianist ;) Regards, Marcin JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Gavin1977 Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Lovely set up @Mellowman! Also very encouraging that you also report the same traits that I heard with the Optimo 3 Duo. Link to comment
Exocer Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 @Mellowman - excellently written! Thanks for sharing your experiences. Link to comment
Popular Post Marcin_gps Posted February 8, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2022 Another award!!! The OPTIMO S ATX, the world's 1st truly 100% linear ATX power supply for high-end audiophiles and our most adanced product, received the 'Alpha-Audio Approved' award from Alpha Audio Full review is here: https://alpha-audio.net/review/review-jcat-optimo-s-atx-next-level-computer-power/ We are now accepting pre-orders for next batch: https://jcat.eu/product/optimo-s-atx/ Starting this month, it is also possible to order the PSU for Japanese market (AC voltage of 100V) Regards, Marcin Le dom, StreamFidelity, Exocer and 1 other 4 JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Popular Post Le dom Posted March 2, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted March 2, 2022 Hi, finally in despite power supply Optimo S ATX is better than the one fitted Mellowman's "CARUSO" Server, Mellowman has decided to keep its own power supplies for his "CARUSO" servers because he wants to keep the same design for the servers and the power supplies (red and silver and same dimensions cases). As the test has been made at my home I knew the sound quality ability of the Optimo S ATX on my system. So Mellowman proposed to me to buy him the Optimo. As it was an opportunity to get the Optimo S ATX promptly without having to wait for the next batch, of course I have said YESSSS!!!! I have decided to post a new comment because simply the sound quality has improved since the tests. We thoughts in January 18th that the breaking of the Optimo and its cables was finished but it wasn't the case apparently. Since I have definitively put the Optimo S ATX on my system the SQ is even better than during our tests. The sound stage is deeper and and larger. Sound is even more realist delicate, clear and beautiful. The most surprising are the low and sub-low frequencies. They are incredible, very powerful but tight, infrabasses are more readable. I've never heard my HIFI system sounding like that!!! I even more convinced that the Optimo S ATX is a must have for powering our DIY audio computers. Marcin_gps, RickyV and StreamFidelity 1 2 Link to comment
Marcin_gps Posted March 4, 2022 Author Share Posted March 4, 2022 Congrats and enjoy :) JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Audio_fiend Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 I've been trying to wrap my head around the use of a linear power supply for a PC and I'm very intrigued with the Optimo S ATX. I have a few questions if someone could help me: If the Optimo S ATX is designed for 95W TDP processors, does that mean it's not compatible with the new Intel Alder Lake i9-12900K chips (125W TDP)? Or would it work, but be slightly under powered? If the 12V 23A rail is for the CPU EPS and has only one 8pin connection from the power supply, what do you do if your motherboard has 2x 8pin EPS CPU connections? Just connect one? Exactly how many Volts/Amps is going to the ATX connection? Is the 5V 20A rail for the ATX? How much power should be fed to a typical Z690 motherboard through its ATX? Thanks! Link to comment
StreamFidelity Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 8 hours ago, Audio_fiend said: If the Optimo S ATX is designed for 95W TDP processors, does that mean it's not compatible with the new Intel Alder Lake i9-12900K chips (125W TDP)? Or would it work, but be slightly under powered? TDP (Thermal Design Power) is the maximum thermal power dissipation generated by a chip (like a CPU) based on which a cooling solution is designed. Important: This is a nominal value. The actual power dissipation may be higher or lower. If you buy a high-quality JCAT OPTOMO S ATX LPS, you should use passive cooling in my opinion. It follows that the Turbo performance must remain well below 5GHz per core, otherwise there is a risk of overheating. I therefore limit the clock rate to 4.40GHz. This works very well with the HQPlayer (PCM to 1024DSD conversion), for example. 8 hours ago, Audio_fiend said: If the 12V 23A rail is for the CPU EPS and has only one 8pin connection from the power supply, what do you do if your motherboard has 2x 8pin EPS CPU connections? Just connect one? That is also my point of criticism. I would like to connect two Molex CPU EPS with 12V, which would be possible. Of course one connector is enough, but the current is better distributed on the motherboard if two Molex 8 PIN can be connected. Maybe @Marcin_gps can say something about this. 8 hours ago, Audio_fiend said: Exactly how many Volts/Amps is going to the ATX connection? Is the 5V 20A rail for the ATX? Look at the ATX power specification. They are 3.3V, 5V and 12V. 8 hours ago, Audio_fiend said: How much power should be fed to a typical Z690 motherboard through its ATX? The OPTIMO S ATX only got hand-warm with this core load of an i9-12900K CPU. It sounds great. 87mpi 1 Grigg Audio Solutions Owner StreamFidelitys Setup: Sonus Faber Amati Futura | T+A M10 | T+A SDV 3100 HV | fis Audio PC & Server | GigaWatt PC4-EVO+ | JCAT OPTIMO S ATX | FARAD Super10 & Super3 | Keces P8 | Afterdark Buffalo Switch | fis Audio Cables | Solidsteel HJ-3 / HY-A Link to comment
Audio_fiend Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 1 hour ago, StreamFidelity said: Look at the ATX power specification. They are 3.3V, 5V and 12V. The OPTIMO S ATX only got hand-warm with this core load of an i9-12900K CPU. It sounds great. I guess what I meant was, exactly how much power (Volts/Amps) is needed through the 24pin connection to power a Z690 motherboard properly? Thanks StreamFidelity! I've read your thread with great enthusiasm! Link to comment
Marcin_gps Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 On 3/28/2022 at 4:40 PM, Audio_fiend said: I guess what I meant was, exactly how much power (Volts/Amps) is needed through the 24pin connection to power a Z690 motherboard properly? Thanks StreamFidelity! I've read your thread with great enthusiasm! This depends on many factors: CPU model, RAM, expansion cards. However, for OPTIMO S ATX this is no issue as it provides plenty of power. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Best regards, Marcin JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
Popular Post Marcin_gps Posted May 31, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted May 31, 2022 We are assembling second batch of OPTIMO S ATX. First units will ship this week. The Computer Audiophile, StreamFidelity, Patatorz and 1 other 1 3 JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
baconbrain Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 On 3/28/2022 at 3:22 PM, StreamFidelity said: That is also my point of criticism. I would like to connect two Molex CPU EPS with 12V, which would be possible. Of course one connector is enough, but the current is better distributed on the motherboard if two Molex 8 PIN can be connected. Maybe @Marcin_gps can say something about this. @Marcin_gps Curious if this question was ever addressed? Link to comment
Marcin_gps Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 On 9/16/2022 at 10:46 PM, baconbrain said: @Marcin_gps Curious if this question was ever addressed? Yes, it's a good question. Why do we include only a single 8PIN connector for the CPU with our OPTIMO S ATX? Simply, because it is enough. According to CPUs up to 95W TDP even 4-PIN CPU connector is enough. 8-PIN can withstand 36A which is more than OPTIMO S ATX can output and way above the requirements. Adding another CPU connector, so that it made any sense on our motherboard inside the OPTIMO S ATX is not possible. On top of that, it would open potential issues with ground loops. We considered this, but we don't see any benefits for SQ. I hope this answers your question. Should you need any further assistance please let me know. Best regards, Marcin JPLAY & JCAT Founder Link to comment
AudioDoctor Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 @Marcin_gps I just emailed this question to your website email but I suppose I can ask here as well. I run HQPlayer embedded on a machine that while fanless, also has a GPU to help with the upsampling HQP does. In a previous email conversation you did mention that you think your PSU would power this machine. I was just on your site looking again at the PSU and noticed there is only one PCI-e connector while my GPU requires two. Is there a way around that? No electron left behind. Link to comment
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