Build a dedicated Audio PC

[tony]

I think we are all on the sandisks. I have 2 sandisk core servers with different versions of the script. One of them worked on my i3 laptop but the i5 is not booting up to the older version of core server with audiophils original script. It maybe a boot setting in this laptop but I cant see anything obvious.

I will have to drive in your gate for a soldering and electrical schematic lesson as 3 power supplies has to be done after hearing it. For the cost of a nordost magus power cable it gives a very noticeable lift.

Each of these items (core server, power supply separation) just increases the harmonic richness and clarity.

Have been scribbling notes and hopefully I can get it to a stage that will help others who wish to implement core server.
Personally I find the online tutorials are designed to drive you insane.

[nige2000]

thats most of us core server-ed up then. is surely the new standard of os, especially streaming with audiophils script so much so that im putting my thoughts of single pc on the back burner,
ill be going the same way as Pearse core server audio and core server control with two lans one for direct connection and one for the wifi router for ipad/android control app for jriver
sound is really good out of this,
it was suggested on the jplay forum that the realtek 8111e ethernet chipset seemed to yield better results, as it happened both of my pcs use that chipset, might be a bit of luck.

i usually check that everything works before removing the gui on core server, and with the cuinus thats not an issue but the hiface didn't work, after a few reinstall of drivers etc we gave up and went all or nothing and installed the script, luckily paid off

on the install i did for claus i had no jkdac to test on so i just installed all and sent it off and hoped it would work for him, and it did:)
till he broke it anyway :)

got a bit of a lesson in electronics and repairs/upgrades on an amp today (and the couple of bits)
thanks for that Fran it was really interesting stuff

i see others have brought external power to the ram, i have a notion that would bring a substantial lift so i might look a bit into that,
even though i half hope it looks really difficult so i wont attempt it

nige

[Fran]

Had a quick look at the PS for sdram Nigel - for the 204 pin SDram in the zuma, there are 15 pins on each ram stick supplying the ~1.5V. I think thats too many to try and get at on a single stick, so it might be more logical to try and figure out if the mobo has just one regulator supplying the ram sticks and patch in the supply there?

Wouldn't be too easy, took me a while to find the pinout for the ram alone.

http://download.micron.com/pdf/datashee ... 56x64h.pdf


Might be a quicker fix to figure out a way to reduce the power consumption on the ram to a bare minimum?

Fran

[nige2000]

the ram we use on our boards are 240 pin but its similar
its definitely a motherboard modification
anyone want to give me a motherboard to play with

[nige2000]

Had a quick look at the PS for sdram Nigel - for the 204 pin SDram in the zuma, there are 15 pins on each ram stick supplying the ~1.5V. I think thats too many to try and get at on a single stick, so it might be more logical to try and figure out if the mobo has just one regulator supplying the ram sticks and patch in the supply there?

Wouldn't be too easy, took me a while to find the pinout for the ram alone.

http://download.micron.com/pdf/datashee ... 56x64h.pdf


Might be a quicker fix to figure out a way to reduce the power consumption on the ram to a bare minimum?

Fran

the ram voltage can be lowered in the bios

[nige2000]

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaud ... 98980.html

Right
crom on jplay fourm gave me some direction

think ill have to find an old motherboard

[nige2000]

fourth post in a row this is getting sad

remember we were talking about all this being madness and it might not be worth going to the ends of the world for the last grain of SQ in computer audio

i had just realised i had enough pc gear and power supplies to rig up three linear supplies each to two pcs and stream between them
both core servered up under-clocked and lowered ram voltage to 1.3v on each.

all this hassle might be worth it

Fran you know the difference between my setup and yours the other day this is yielding about three times that difference

crazy crazy stuff

[tony]

Aw common Nigel it has been a very hot week.Maybe a bit of sunstroke?
Sure bits are bits aren't they?

Any improvements you have tried have always moved things on so looking forward to hearing this setup. I have been listening today with audiophils core server streaming from laptop with windows8. This was with beta11 loved the sound. The depth to me is startling. I installed beta12 and just got to hear one track using option1(4 options now a bit like beach,ultrastream) . Initial view on 1 was sharper sound didnt like it but funnily enough anyone on jplay forum who has commented prefers 1. Will have to give it a bit more of a trial over the next few days.

[Fran]

It'll probably never end!

Fairly soon though, we'll get into the realm of diminishing returns (are we there already?), but so far the mods have been fairly cheap. Lan isolators look pretty dear though.

I'm sticking with my next mod being the usb power supply. Maybe tomorrow night!!

Fran

[nige2000]

Aw common Nigel it has been a very hot week.Maybe a bit of sunstroke?
Sure bits are bits aren't they?

Any improvements you have tried have always moved things on so looking forward to hearing this setup. I have been listening today with audiophils core server streaming from laptop with windows8. This was with beta11 loved the sound. The depth to me is startling. I installed beta12 and just got to hear one track using option1(4 options now a bit like beach,ultrastream) . Initial view on 1 was sharper sound didnt like it but funnily enough anyone on jplay forum who has commented prefers 1. Will have to give it a bit more of a trial over the next few days.

no sunstroke today was cool enough here
was very very surprised of the improvement myself i didn't expect it