Build a dedicated Audio PC

[jkeny]

Here is the configurator for ItemAudio http://itemaudio.com/index.php/digital- ... sport.html

But it looks like the link to add to the shopping cart isn't working so it doesn't give the total + VAT amount.
The base price is 349stg (standard case + 64GB disk + 2GB RAM + 12V Linear Supply - XP OS) Supply your own Win 8

[nige2000]

Can you itemise the configuration again, Nige, please - I can't find it?

night owls

it was on page 6



you wont need all the ram if using as an audio pc, but two sticks is only 30 euro more than one
of course you'll need a copy of win 8 and a keyboard and monitor for set up then you get worry about these:

http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product ... tails.aspx
http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product ... tails.aspx
http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product ... tails.aspx
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/160w-pic ... acom-cases
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/streacom ... -atx-black
http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product ... tails.aspx
http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product ... tails.aspx
http://www.itemaudio.com/index.php/upgr ... l?sef=hcfp


i don know which linear ps to go for, do u have any idea?

[tony]

Quote
fantastic a comparison between zuma and jplay 2pc streaming
are you saying that?
zuma in jplay standalone mode is much better than your 2 laptops jplay streaming
the sotm usb card is of no benefit with the jkdac
expensive usb cable is of no benefit
it would be nice if someone could take the sotm sata noise filter out of one of these zumas to see what the difference is.

Comparison is between zuma headless streamed from the laptop and the alternative my current arrangement of 2 laptops.
To my mind very clear jump with the zuma.

I will need to back again and test the sotm card. Currently connected to the sotm but will switch back and try and ascertain if there is a difference.Big saving if it is not but I presume it can always be added to the motherboard at a later stage if/when one suffers from some upgradeitis.

Concerning the cable I have never heard any difference and always just run with the convertors. To check if the cable adds anything I need to just concentrate on that and will not get enough time this week. As Pearse pointed out it is nice to have a well made dedicated usb cable as it takes another issue/concern away.


I think it has to be the streacom case. Feck the sound it looks great and that is important when running a jkdac32. I can hide the jkdac behind it!

Thanks very much Nigel for the offer of help you can count on me reverting back on that!
Before I could reply John has moved this in another direction (group buy) Well you can count me in on that. The leap that I believe I am hearing from this was equivalent to trying out the meitner in my system. It is a logical step change. John might want to see if his dac would fit inside that case. That would be a nice complete product! Don't know how easy or possible that is.

[Fran]

Yes, all interesting.

So for me, I would need motherboard, chip, power supply as I have everything else. I'll use a case I already have.

Motherboard and chip are only ~€135 or so. Now how about that power supply? That seems to be the $$$ step.

******************************
Has any of you got a link to a post somewhere on the web where someone makes their own linear supply - specifically I'm interested in making the new atx loom? I gather its not quite as simple as it looks as power up sequence is important.

******************************


Fran

[nige2000]

i have a streacom m-atx case (home theater pc used for watching movies) they are extremely well made and stylish, so much so that they will have a long life, even if its not on the hifi rack anymore there will always be second use for it.

it might be possible to fit jkdac in the case, i havent seen the case but its only 60mm high so it will be tight.
its possible to connect the dac to a internal usb3/2 header and have the outputs coming out the pci slot on the case. it is a interesting idea in theory may require case modification which can be very time consuming. now that you have mentioned it, ill be investigating it if i buy the case, although i wont be too enthusiastic about cutting or drilling holes in that beautiful case and ill be trying to avoid that.

i would doubt there'd be enough of market for john to build a "jkaudio pc" with built in dac, it would have to cost €1500 or it would be a waste of time building them to sell.
but your right it would be a great all round product.

i am likely to use one of my spare pcs to steal parts out and get the bigger streacom case the fc 10 there'd be no problem fitting a dac into that

when u say a usb converter is that a usb A male to usb B male adapter?

[nige2000]

Yes, all interesting.

So for me, I would need motherboard, chip, power supply as I have everything else. I'll use a case I already have.

Motherboard and chip are only ~€135 or so. Now how about that power supply? That seems to be the $$$ step.

******************************
Has any of you got a link to a post somewhere on the web where someone makes their own linear supply - specifically I'm interested in making the new atx loom? I gather its not quite as simple as it looks as power up sequence is important.

******************************


Fran

id imagine most guys willing to build a pc for this purpose will have some parts lying about they can use
what about cooling fran are you going to use the stock cooler ?
im still a bit confused on which linear power supply to use, i was guessing you would use a picu psu 160watt without the power brick (fairly sure they can be bought without the brick) and use one of the linear ps on the item audio website to power it. but id need conformation on that been the case

nige

[jkeny]

Ah, I think the big stumbling block in all this will be the linear supply.
It becomes increasingly more difficult (expensive) to configure a linear supply as the power requirements of the mb rise - this is why you only see relatively low power mbs used.
So I guess we have to ascertain how crucial the linear PS is. In all my readings, it has been nominated as crucial to the sound but I find that it's best to test this for oneself as there are many variables.

I might have posted these before but this is another alternative - very much smaller than the Streacom case (about the size of a modem box) - http://www.fit-pc.com/web/fit-pc/fit-pc3-info/#techinfo
They are low power & can be run from a 12V external PS, I believe?

[tony]

Nigel Yes re the usb adaptors.

All this needs to be thought out carefully before jumping. I need to get my head around what parts are needed and desirable. The group buy looks impossible to pull off as everybody will want something different but maybe by the end of the discussion a consensus will emerge.

The zuma sounds great to me and hopefully over then next while a few more people get to hear it and agree.

The suggestions above seem to go off in different areas but I am working on the notion of the following.

Large amount of ram is desirable and not expensive. The chip in the zuma is i7 quad core I assume and I thought that is what you need to be heading for. Some of the suggestions seem to be more basic boards. The zuma has lots of usb ports and this will be needed. At least 4-5

SSD drive is a given and the sata noise filter would seem sensible to include. Is everyone thinking of a small drive(cheapest)? I am as all the music will be stored elsewhere.

Jury is out on the SOTM Usb but that can be added later? Can somebody confirm that?

Ken mentioned a nice sata cable and is this included in the specs?

The case will be whatever is required hopefully streacom fc10. I wonder John are you limiting yourself with the small case above? Just if things change and you want to adjust the config it will not be easy with that small case.

The power supply haven't clue what the advantages or disadvantages are. How much is the supply in the Zuma what is it?

What else is in the zuma? I would hate to spend a chunk on this and not end up with the sound the zuma brings.

Apologises if the questions are stupid.

Re the dac in the case agree Nigel it is not required but always nice to give John some more ideas. Maybe it would be easier to put it inside as he would not need the case? but it would have to be designed in such way to allow one change to another dac.

[nige2000]

Nigel Yes re the usb adaptors.

All this needs to be thought out carefully before jumping. I need to get my head around what parts are needed and desirable. The group buy looks impossible to pull off as everybody will want something different but maybe by the end of the discussion a consensus will emerge.

The zuma sounds great to me and hopefully over then next while a few more people get to hear it and agree.

The suggestions above seem to go off in different areas but I am working on the notion of the following.

Large amount of ram is desirable and not expensive. The motherboard in the zuma is i7 quad core I assume and I thought that is what you need to be heading for. Some of the suggestions seem to be more basic boards. The zuma has lots of usb ports and this will be needed. At least 4-5

SSD drive is a given and the sata noise filter would seem sensible to include. Is everyone thinking of a small drive(cheapest)? I am as all the music will be stored elsewhere.

Jury is out on the SOTM Usb but that can be added later? Can somebody confirm that?

Ken mentioned a nice sata cable and is this included in the specs?

The case will be whatever is required. I wonder John are you limiting yourself with the small case above? Just if things change and you want to adjust the config it will not be easy with that small case.

The power supply haven't clue what the advantages or disadvantages are. How much is the supply in the Zuma?

What else is in the zuma? I would hate to spend a chunk on this and not end up with the sound the zuma brings.

Apologises if the questions are stupid.

Re the dac in the case agree Nigel it is not required but always nice to give John some more ideas. Maybe it would be easier to put it inside as he would not need the case? but it would have to be designed in such way to allow one change to another dac.

damn it lost my post!!!
zuma has a i7 3770s cpu a 65watt tdp at around 300 euro i believe to be extreme overkill
i was trying to keep the price down without loosing any ability to achieve zuma quality sound
the processor i listed is 67 euro delivered its a dual core processor and i am positive you'd not see any benefit of the i7 in these audio builds as most likely they will only be running jplay jriver and the operating system, your not rendering video or playing computer games. its the 4 cores and 8 threads that give the 3770 chips high benchmark scores which show no apparent benefit in every day tasks. hell the pentium G860 is over kill

on the zuma spec it says it uses a picu psu similar to the one on my list with a power brick rated at 102 watts, without any issues
the one i listed was 160 watts with a 150 watt power brick

so if the original zuma running of a 102 watt power brick. logically these builds could run off this linear ps on itemaudio:
http://www.itemaudio.com/index.php/upgr ... l?sef=hcfp
capable of running up to 150w and 110 w constant.

i have a htpc running of one off one of these picu power supplyies and its a 95 w cpu running with no issues except a loud cpu cooler

[nige2000]

i had no fancy sata cables in mind what were u thinking of.
could be a bit like the usb cable/adapter thing where the fancy cables give piece of mind more than anything else