Article: SOtM Launches sMB-Q370 Motherboard

[R1200CL]

On 12/18/2021 at 8:31 AM, firedog said:

How long will it be till a vendor comes out with an audiophile server based on this board?

Lots of people don't want to build a pc from scratch.

Like a Sonictransporter ? 
 

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I can't wait to see this one in the wild and to start getting feedback from the Audiophile Style community as more people integrate this motherboard into their systems.

 

Any suggestions what this motherboard can replace ? And improve ?

I expect HQplayer isn’t where one like to use such a motherboard. 

[R1200CL]

The idea of external clock has been discussed before. 
 

 

[One and a half]

2 hours ago, Patatorz said:

 

I assume it is something possible with a FW upgrade like with Supermicro : the LG 1151v2 are compatible with Xeon 2100 and 2200 series. For OS support should not be a big issue to use also some Windows server versions…i doubt that SOtM created specific components with specific drivers

😗 I'll wait to see support for the xeon then 

 

Just gone through nightmare of blue screens saga on two computers about 3 years old, server boards, xeon, Windows 10 page faults. Tried win11 worse, crashed half way into install 

 

 ZorinOs installed ok, but too hard to learn new tricks and setups.

 

Finally tried again with win10  LTSC and no faults, sailed through and still running for 3 weeks now.

 

Over the last few days, the daily driver PC is reporting pointer blue screens every few hours on Win 11. This machine has win10 when shipped, worked ok, Win11 not ready and is only cosmetic changes, fairly useless ones at that. Am considering to use Win 10 LTSC on this one or roll back to plain Win10 21H2 something. 

[seeteeyou]

Be prepared to wait for a VERY long time, Xeon E-2100 and E-2200 processor product family could only be supported by C246 chipset

 

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/191043/intel-xeon-e2246g-processor-12m-cache-3-60-ghz.html#tab-blade-1-1

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/docs/processors/xeon/xeon-e-2100-processor-brief.html

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Intel® C246 Chipset

 

https://www.kontron.com/mITX-CFLS-article-201911

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Intel® Q370 Chipset (paired with Core™)

Intel® C246 Chipset (paired with Xeon® recommended, Core™ compatible as well)

 

BTW, it ain't really just about any Xeon processors since we're going after something that could handle either single-socket with Sub-NUMA Clustering or dual-socket with LGA 3647

 

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

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As for the stock server-grade ASUS motherboard used in the Extreme, I have often wondered why Emile didn't design his own motherboard like Antipodes and Innuos have and it turns out Emile has. As I have a background heavily entrenched in DIY, I have explored motherboard design myself and if one has the capital, any of these motherboard manufacturers will gladly build you one. What Emile found, however, was the motherboard he designed didn't sound better. In fact, he tested dozens of boards and I was able to witness for myself some of these boards that failed to make the cut including several that were in active prototype form.

 

It's gotta be a "miracle of the century" if anyone were able to design a superior Q370-based motherboard that won't cost (much?) more than that Asus WS C621E SAGE mentioned above

 

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-100#post-616762

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"Well RAM is a topic on its own, to start with, the 2 cpu’s are split into domains (NUMA / SNC), so you really have 2 x 6 dimms, 6 for each CPU, they are not shared. Music services have their own cpu/dimms and the OS has its own cpu/dims. So its sort of a core and endpoint into a single machine going beyond just core allocations for individual processes.

 

Similarly, OPTIMO S ATX might be pretty much DoA unless that could actually beat Taiko Audio DC DC-ATX with an unregulated LPS if we're going for dual Xeon 4114 / 4210 + Asus WS C621E SAGE.

[Patatorz]

Thanks, Yes you are right. Xeon are also supported by C242 chipset like on Supermicro X11SCL-F.

 

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=147326,147324

[Rcanoe]

Interesting comments!   My background is not in I.T. so I won't go there.

 

Not too many companies are making their own PC-like motherboard with audio prioritized.    Is this direction driven by creating something proprietary or are there real benefits to designing the entire audio chain?    For example Bryston uses modified PIs for their streaming.   What are they missing out on by going to third party processors?   Like I said software/hardware is not my forte.

 

Cheers!

[The Computer Audiophile]

MSRP is $500

[Boomboy]

Yep. just got an email from may ..

In us dollars I guess?

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, Boomboy said:

Yep. just got an email from may ..

In us dollars I guess?

 

 

 

Yes

[R1200CL]

17 hours ago, seeteeyou said:

It's gotta be a "miracle of the century" if anyone were able to design a superior Q370-based motherboard that won't cost (much?) more than that Asus WS C621E SAGE mentioned above

Those that like to try, can contact this company. Maybe it’s same as SOtM use. 
https://www.bcmcom.com/custom_motherboard_design.html#designtype
https://www.bcmcom.com/bcm_product_RX370Q.html

[tedwoods]

10 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

MSRP is $500

The price seems very good.

Thanks for the heads up!

[The Computer Audiophile]

32 minutes ago, tedwoods said:

The price seems very good.

That's what I thought as well. I'm surprised it isn't much more. 

[Boomboy]

The clock input might put it up a bit 

[R1200CL]

Well, i think If we could specify a audiophile motherboard ourselves would be better. 
 

A lot of separate inputs for external power supply. No graphics. KVM controlled. And of cause a nice FPGA for clocks with a nice clock, and optional external clock input. Audiophile USB. Possible USB by fiber. Dual SFP interface. No RJ45, except for KVM interface that you could totally switch off. 
 

I assume someone has much better ideas than me how to specify an audiophile motherboard. 
 

Of cause we would need a clear understanding of where to use the MB. (No HQplayer). 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Well, i think If we could specify a audiophile motherboard ourselves would be better. 

 

Says the guy who them follows with this ...

 

3 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

I assume someone has much better ideas than me how to specify an audiophile motherboard. 

 

You crack me up :~)

 

[R1200CL]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

That's what I thought as well. I'm surprised it isn't much more. 

Well, it it happens to be a condensed version of this $335 board, I think it’s rather expensive. 
From pictures both MB’s has some similarities. 
 

I hope SOtM can come up with more information about what the audiophile parts actually is, and expected effect.

And we need to understand how this external clock input is implemented and price, and expected effect compared to an of the shelf MB.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, R1200CL said:

Well, it it happens to be a condensed version of this $335 board, I think it’s rather expensive. 
From pictures both MB’s has some similarities. 
 

I hope SOtM can come up with more information about what the audiophile parts actually is, and expected effect.

And we need to understand how this external clock input is implemented and price, and expected effect compared to an of the shelf MB.

 

 

You're really talking outside your area of expertise now. Building a motherboard with some similarities is actually building a different motherboard. 

 

Do you know what's involved with changing even the smallest of details on a motherboard and what's involved with making tiny bios adjustments?

[The Computer Audiophile]

P.S. @R1200CL I enjoy your enthusiasm for all this stuff, but I just disagree with some of your comments. 

[MarcelNL]

designing MB's is not my expertise either, yet I too fail to see the argument(s) for buying this MB as much as I applaud the effort to produce an audio oriented MB. Other than the designation 'for audio' there is not much to hold on to, yet.

 

Having heard the major differences between MB's and CPU;s ( I went through 5 MB and 5 CPUs on my quest) I tend to lean towards the conclusion that a.o. power to the CPU is king for Audio (as well as the nr of physical cores) so you'd expect special attention (and information) on that aspect in due time 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, MarcelNL said:

designing MB's is not my expertise either, yet I too fail to see the argument(s) for buying this MB as much as I applaud the effort to produce an audio oriented MB. Other than the designation 'for audio' there is not much to hold on to, yet.

 

Having heard the major differences between MB's and CPU;s ( I went through 5 MB and 5 CPUs on my quest) I tend to lean towards the conclusion that a.o. power to the CPU is king for Audio (as well as the nr of physical cores) so you'd expect special attention (and information) on that aspect in due time 

 

I hear you. I'm not arguing for or against buying this motherboard, I'm just trying to keep speculation from people who may not have any ideas, to a reasonable level. People (not you) saying that this motherboard should go to 11, just because 11 is higher than 10, are kind of missing the point. 

[Zauurx]

This is an excellent card for 8th gen cpus (like my excellent i5-8400). 
It's not bad because it doesn't go up to an i9-10900. The purpose is just different (and softwares used too).
If I want an i9-10900, no problem, I'll take this one (for example) which will do the essential job with all the guarantees of electrical control.

And for Win10 LTSC, reduced to the essential (less than 20 windows processes) will work very well.

The most important thing is to have optimized drivers... and the ability to implement them.

 

 

 

 

[rando]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

You're really talking outside your area of expertise now. Building a motherboard with some similarities is actually building a different motherboard. 

 

Do you know what's involved with changing even the smallest of details on a motherboard and what's involved with making tiny bios adjustments?

 

Are we entering yours?  Expertise or knowledge?

 

Where is the exposition of developed thought you imply will show his entry to be inferior?  

 

2 hours ago, MarcelNL said:

Other than the designation 'for audio' there is not much to hold on to, yet.

 

There is very little that is of use to anticipate performance or sound characteristics, i.e. not world class.   So far we have a few photos and expected MSRP (laughable designation in the PC world currently).  Thanks for contributing real world experience leading to comprehension what off the shelf parts can reasonably attain.  We are not IT managed or uninformed do-it-all customers.  Certainly not identical to gamers.    

 

What stands out to me is they actually had years to develop and manufacture.  Consumer training to expect the next level arrives every few months is largely BS falling apart at the seams in the prevailing climate.  This could be fantastic!  Nobody here has attacked SOtM for announcing an oddball right before Holiday sales are tallied.  A few  but no .  

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

17 minutes ago, rando said:

 

Are we entering yours?  Expertise or knowledge?

 

Where is the exposition of developed thought you imply will show his entry to be inferior?  

 

 

There is very little that is of use to anticipate performance or sound characteristics, i.e. not world class.   So far we have a few photos and expected MSRP (laughable designation in the PC world currently).  Thanks for contributing real world experience leading to comprehension what off the shelf parts can reasonably attain.  We are not IT managed or uninformed do-it-all customers.  Certainly not identical to gamers.    

 

What stands out to me is they actually had years to develop and manufacture.  Consumer training to expect the next level arrives every few months is largely BS falling apart at the seams in the prevailing climate.  This could be fantastic!  Nobody here has attacked SOtM for announcing an oddball right before Holiday sales are tallied.  A few  but no .  

 

 

 

I wish I got the gist of what you say, but I don’t. 

[Enosh]

If I need to choose between this motherboard and a nice linear power supply to upgrade the pc, which one would you recommend to upgrade first? 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Slight price adjustment. It’s $550.