Dutch

I believe many of us were using DIY built computers using a range of components before trying the NUC’s. Many used LPS’s to power the whole computer or multiple to power separate parts. Some used high end clocks replacing the out of the box ones, low power CPU’s, SLC SSD’s, etc. etc. There’s no silver bullets I’m afraid. For us, end consumers, it’s a ‘hit or miss’ thing. Companies like Innuos have stated they’ve tested many different components and selected the best sounding. This is of course a (too?) time consuming and expensive venture for us. Perhaps the thing that got closest to centrally designed solution comparing different parts was the CAPS initiative by Computer Audiophile.

@austinpop, @elan120, both of you are using an optimized switch in the path music server - endpoint according to your diagrams. Did you try it without (not asking you to, just curious) or do you have the experience from a previous setup that the switch still helps things forward. I did see Romaz writing the same so it would not surprise me but I’d rather not make assumptions. Thanks for sharing your experiences BTW, very helpful and interesting!

This topic on Audiogon I suppose? https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/sell-your-cables-and-conditioners-affordable-lithium-is-here?highlight=Goal%2BYeti

It’s Audiophile Optimizer, https://www.highend-audiopc.com/audiophile-optimizer There’s a sponsored subforum here on AS for it as well: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/26-highend-audiopc-sponsored/ Threadripper is a series of CPU’s by AMD: https://www.amd.com/en/products/ryzen-threadripper JPlay Femto is the newest player software by JPlay: http://jplay.eu/

I assumed the 3A was correct as it’s an amp and DAC all-in-one. 3x5=15W. But of course it could use less even at maximum output.

My ‘imperfect’, as being electromechanical and distorting way more than any electronics, loudspeakers have been perfectly able to convey any changes I’ve made upstream even more subtle changes (compared to swapping speakers or optimizing their room placement) in. The only thing we can’t change are the recordings we listen too (not counting upsampling) but otherwise everything else matters. One could only discuss the relative importance of tweaks and types of system changes but otherwise it’s still garbage in -> garbage out.

Most well regarded supplies don’t get near 3A @5V so this limits your choice. In a recent test on a Dutch site some PSU’s were tested (measured and listened to) and the Farad one outperformed the SBooster. It is capable of outputting 3A. In Dutch but I’ll post it anyway: https://www.alpha-audio.nl/review/multitest-externe-12-volt-voedingen/

Hi Bob, Wow, thank you for putting in the effort to document the entire process. This should be very useful for those not familiar in building computers. As several people tried all three of them I’d also mention the NUC7PJYH. This one is similar to the NUC7CJYH but has better availability and sounds better as well. The NUC7i7DN’xx’ would still be best out of these three but it is of course about four times as expensive. Regarding the build process I’m afraid you overused thermal paste on the CPU. It’s difficult to say how much to use exactly but the less that is used the better. What one wants is a thin layer filling up the microscopic holes between the CPU and heatsink. Of course you need not panic as the excess paste will be pushed out. I generally apply a 1mm wide line from top to bottom. That line will spread out, without bubbles, over the entire surface, when attaching the heatsink. Another technique is applying a drop in de middle. See for example: https://m.wikihow.com/Apply-Thermal-Paste

O wait, that 4th product must be a Signature OpticalRendu SE

Yes, it’s something I also theorized about in my shared findings; it being something in the tracks and it being ‘laid bare’ by the more resolving NUC/AL combo. I’m not sure yet if this is the full story. I posted my findings here: The post right after the post above after details my system. It’s in a fully acoustically treated living room. In that diagram posted there the SMS-200 is now a NUC7PJYH. Since then I’ve replaced the short Curious USB cable between the NUC and Mutec with a Lush^2 cable. Switched to AL in RAM running on my DIY music server out of which I also removed the SSD (there was someone else who found this reduced glare in his NUC/AL setup). I bridged the two NIC’s. It did help a bit but it’s not gone yet, some frequencies seem to get ‘excited’ in this setup.

When? Some of us are trying to make plans here! 😆 Based on what I’ve read now I believe one to be a SFP fiber ethernet NIC. The other no idea!

If that’s true that’s “a shame”. When people get inspired from ideas by others shared on a public forum the least they could do is give some feedback after they’ve tried things themselves. Those experiences (good or bad) are a lot more valuable then the dismissive posts from some who haven’t even tried any of it.

I don’t think people are ‘afraid’ to share their honest feedback. Bobfa and I both have have also reported brightness/glare issues with the NUC/AL with some tracks, not all of them. Speaking for myself I’m still working out where these come from. Currently I also have an issue with my SR-7 waiting to be resolved so I’m not yet ‘trusting’ my system and thus not making any conclusions. But even now there’s many good things I hear from the NUC/Al combo too.

Same here; I had a 3.15A fuse (HiFi Tuning) blow in my SR-7 EHD MR4 at second power-on. I’ve replaced it with a 5A Synergistic Black fuse (the Blue didn’t exist yet back then) after consulting with Paul Hynes. It’s been fine since installation. Fuses sureley have an effect of the resulting SQ. The HiFi-Tuning one wasn’t to my liking. De SR one very much.

So microRendu 640, ultraRendu 875, opticalRendu 1295.