Does a desktop need a break-in/burn-in period?

[Dean Shias]

Does a desktop (used for audio/HT) also need a break-in/burn-in period? For those that use a computer>USB/Network>DAC. Using a newer desktop and it doesnt sound as good as my older desktop. JRiver>Matrix Audio Element H USB Card>Modwright Oppo 205.

[The Computer Audiophile]

7 minutes ago, Dean Shias said:

Does a desktop (used for audio/HT) also need a break-in/burn-in period? For those that use a computer>USB/Network>DAC. Using a newer desktop and it doesnt sound as good as my older desktop. JRiver>Matrix Audio Element H USB Card>Modwright Oppo 205.

A desktop computer? An actual desktop? I’m not sure what you’re asking. 

[Dean Shias]

Actual Desktop. Basically my old desktop that I transferred some components over (audiophile USB card, Hard drives, Audiophile Optimizer, Fidelizer, etc) to my new desktop. It doesnt sound as good as the old desktop. Wondering if new desktop needs some time to burn in to open up. Just bought this desktop a few days ago.

[Kal Rubinson]

38 minutes ago, Dean Shias said:

Actual Desktop.

Not a computer??

[sandyk]

1 hour ago, Dean Shias said:

Actual Desktop. Basically my old desktop that I transferred some components over (audiophile USB card, Hard drives, Audiophile Optimizer, Fidelizer, etc) to my new desktop. It doesnt sound as good as the old desktop. Wondering if new desktop needs some time to burn in to open up. Just bought this desktop a few days ago.

Were your SSD/HDD screwed into the metalwork in the previous one, but only retained by plastic clips in the new one ?

 The metal cases of SSD/HDD should be securely connected to the Earth of the PSU via the metalwork, as their 0 volts/earth is internally connected to their metal cases.  This enables a much lower resistance Earth connection back to the PSU, as well as screening them. SSDs especially, can radiate a lot of RF/EMI into more sensitive components, even affecting WiFi and GPS.

 

See also  https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/60381-hdd-to-case-bonding-uptick-in-sq/?tab=comments#comment-1084599

 

 

14A2-B4.pdf

[GregWormald]

Going from a wooden desktop to an artificial substance will lose the natural, organic sound. I doubt if ageing it will help.

[ted_b]

Could you explain what you are referring to with the term "desktop".  An actual top of a desk, not the whole desk?  A desktop computer?  C'mon this feels like spam, but maybe it's just a language thing.  Or an eggnog thing.  🙂

[AudioDoctor]

My desktop is solid black walnut, and I feel that after a while of having my computer and external HDDs on it, the sound really opened up and came into focus... I think it just took a while to sync the vibrational energies of the various components.

[Dean Shias]

sandyk: actually its the other way around. hard drives previously were in a plastic brackets. So is the new computer, but there seems to be a little metal contact. Again.. its not that the sound is bad.. just didnt expect the other computer to sound that much better.

 

(Desktop = Windows 10 regular computer)

 

[Dean Shias]

AudioDoctor: are you saying all your hard drives were external? and you noticed a difference playing audio from an external HD than internal HD?

 

[AudioDoctor]

1 hour ago, Dean Shias said:

AudioDoctor: are you saying all your hard drives were external? and you noticed a difference playing audio from an external HD than internal HD?

 

 

No...

[sandyk]

2 hours ago, Dean Shias said:

sandyk: actually its the other way around. hard drives previously were in a plastic brackets. So is the new computer, but there seems to be a little metal contact. Again.. its not that the sound is bad.. just didnt expect the other computer to sound that much better.

 

(Desktop = Windows 10 regular computer)

 

If you have a DMM  try what Gary suggested in the link I provided. For both of us, the noise level appeared to be lower and there was a very worthwhile improvement in the soundstage. (W10/64)

[Dean Shias]

Im wondering if the difference in power supply configurations can make such a difference. Dell Precision T7610 vs PowerSpec B745 Desktop. I just put all the hardware back into my older Dell and its a big difference in sound quality. Numbers are not just numbers.

 

 

https://www.microcenter.com/product/627304/powerspec-b745-desktop-computer

https://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/business/smb/merchandizing/en/Documents/Dell_Precision_T7610_Spec_Sheet.pdf

[bobbmd]

my desk top has an LG nonsmart 40" tv/monitor a new apple tv 4k and a REALLY burned in st lawrence university desk blotter circa 1965-1969 and IT makes all my streaming music sound better and personifies the adage "no st lawrence student works unless pressured" i am still 1-2 weeks behind in doing EMRs ! BTW it doesn't make MQA sound better-oops didn't mean to make that slip?

Happy Holidays to all and  @TheComputerphile set the tone for this inane  discourse right from the get go.

Spam or not it is quietly funny for this somber Christmas Eve.bobbmd

[Dean Shias]

Looks like there's a language barrier here.. I should of specified it better... For those that think that desktop in this post is about an actual desktop table... its not.. desktop means a computer/tower computer/PC/etc. 

[bobbmd]

@DeanShias alrighty then- it was fun while it lasted

[sandyk]

59 minutes ago, Dean Shias said:

Looks like there's a language barrier here.. I should of specified it better... For those that think that desktop in this post is about an actual desktop table... its not.. desktop means a computer/tower computer/PC/etc. 

 Dean

 They all knew that. Perhaps it's the Xmas season with too many sips of alcoholic beverages and not enough nibblies ? 😉

Being incarcerated at home due to Covid 19 doesn't help much either. 

[Dean Shias]

In that case... my table top DID!! change the sound of my setup!

[Kal Rubinson]

1 hour ago, Dean Shias said:

Looks like there's a language barrier here.. I should of specified it better... For those that think that desktop in this post is about an actual desktop table... its not.. desktop means a computer/tower computer/PC/etc. 

Oh.  Not as interesting.🙃

[Allan F]

23 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

My desktop is solid black walnut, and I feel that after a while of having my computer and external HDDs on it, the sound really opened up and came into focus... I think it just took a while to sync the vibrational energies of the various components.

 

The problematic contribution to the sound of a lot of desktops is the grain.

[AudioDoctor]

41 minutes ago, Allan F said:

 

The problematic contribution to the sound of a lot of desktops is the grain.

 

You have to take that into account when placing the items on the desktop, you want to place them perpendicular to the grain of the wood.

[Allan F]

15 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

You have to take that into account when placing the items on the desktop, you want to place them perpendicular to the grain of the wood.

Interesting. I would have thought that some components would benefit from going with the flow, i.e. with the wood's grain, but I admit that I have absolutely no experience in this branch of acoustics.

[AudioDoctor]

4 minutes ago, Allan F said:

Interesting. I would have thought that some components would benefit from going with the flow, i.e. with the grain, but I admit that I have absolutely no experience in this branch of acoustics.

 

I admit I am out on a limb as I don't have any logs of my research, it's all anecdotal.

[Dean Shias]

30 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

You have to take that into account when placing the items on the desktop, you want to place them perpendicular to the grain of the wood.

...thats what she said.

[AudioDoctor]

Just now, Dean Shias said:

...thats what she said.

 

Were talking about home decorating now, right?

[GregWormald]

22 hours ago, Dean Shias said:

Im wondering if the difference in power supply configurations can make such a difference. Dell Precision T7610 vs PowerSpec B745 Desktop. I just put all the hardware back into my older Dell and its a big difference in sound quality. Numbers are not just numbers.

 

 

https://www.microcenter.com/product/627304/powerspec-b745-desktop-computer

https://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/business/smb/merchandizing/en/Documents/Dell_Precision_T7610_Spec_Sheet.pdf

That means that you can use the old computer as a dedicated music server and gain further quality by shutting down all non-essential processes. Streaming music to a music system is not a difficult or power intensive task but competing demands on disks and processors has been shown to cause sound degradation.