Build a dedicated Audio PC

Anything to do with computer audio, hardware, software etc.
nige2000
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Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

jkeny wrote:
nige2000 wrote: at the risk of oversimplification, my belief is that these wires are carrying more than the bits,
Could be or the timing of arrival of the bits might be of importance to the D/A conversion?
In all USB receivers there is a PLL (phase locked loop) circuit that has to calculate the timing of the USB stream. If this timing changes the PLL has to readjust. If the timing is continuously changing the PLL is continuously active. This activity could have some downstream effects on the analogue stages of the D/A conversion. One possible way is that the PLL generates some ground noise when it is active & this pollutes the ground reference of the clocks or analogue side. I know the counter argument is that the DAC is not therefore competently designed (usually by those who have never gone near to trying to design a DAC) & it's a whole other discussion needed to tease out just what level of immunity needs to be incorporated into a DAC before it is declared "competently designed" & what are the real-world difficulties of achieving this immunity.
your right i forgot about the timing its crucial

timing and noise

i know someone will be cringing when i mention this

but i had awful trouble setting up the haswell builds with jplay streaming (was to do with ip addresses )
but i tried increasing Ultrasize to get it to play
moral of the story is i seemed to lose micro detail by increasing it
do you think thats to do with timing?
sd card player, modded soekris dac, class a lifepo4 amp or gb class a/b amp, diy open baffle speakers based on project audio mundorf trio 10's
tony
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Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by tony »

On a more mundane level had what I thought was my first burn out of mobo. Naw just a flat battery. I had left one of the batteries connected last night the one I believe is attached to the pico/switch. The other one is for the 5v and that was disconnected (live)

Do I need a relay of some sort to stop the battery discharging or straight forward switch?
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

tony wrote:On a more mundane level had what I thought was my first burn out of mobo. Naw just a flat battery. I had left one of the batteries connected last night the one I believe is attached to the pico/switch. The other one is for the 5v and that was disconnected (live)

Do I need a relay of some sort to stop the battery discharging or straight forward switch?
didnt think the pico on standby would drain the battery in such a short time
ya maybe one of pearses relays might be the answer

might be lazy myself and just leave the lot on the whole time
sd card player, modded soekris dac, class a lifepo4 amp or gb class a/b amp, diy open baffle speakers based on project audio mundorf trio 10's
tony
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Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:36 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by tony »

nige2000 wrote:
tony wrote:On a more mundane level had what I thought was my first burn out of mobo. Naw just a flat battery. I had left one of the batteries connected last night the one I believe is attached to the pico/switch. The other one is for the 5v and that was disconnected (live)

Do I need a relay of some sort to stop the battery discharging or straight forward switch?
didnt think the pico on standby would drain the battery in such a short time
ya maybe one of pearses relays might be the answer

might be lazy myself and just leave the lot on the whole time
Not keen on that option. The battery might never have got fully charged up. It was reading 10v. Probably should charge them up fully and see how they fare but it would seem for long term a relay of some sort will be required. I hope to box the maplin and battery up at some point but not for now no time.
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

tony wrote:
nige2000 wrote:
tony wrote:On a more mundane level had what I thought was my first burn out of mobo. Naw just a flat battery. I had left one of the batteries connected last night the one I believe is attached to the pico/switch. The other one is for the 5v and that was disconnected (live)

Do I need a relay of some sort to stop the battery discharging or straight forward switch?
didnt think the pico on standby would drain the battery in such a short time
ya maybe one of pearses relays might be the answer

might be lazy myself and just leave the lot on the whole time
Not keen on that option. The battery might never have got fully charged up. It was reading 10v. Probably should charge them up fully and see how they fare but it would seem for long term a relay of some sort will be required. I hope to box the maplin and battery up at some point but not for now no time.
under 11v wont boot, should be at 11-12.5v after 5-10 min of trickle charging and ready to boot

i meant just the trickle charger/maplin all its doing is maintaining voltage
sd card player, modded soekris dac, class a lifepo4 amp or gb class a/b amp, diy open baffle speakers based on project audio mundorf trio 10's
tony
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Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by tony »

Currently charging it with my motorcycle battery charger. It is already back up to 12v so ready to put back in.
I am going to charge them both up over the next day or so and see how they go.
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
nige2000
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Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

tony wrote:Currently charging it with my motorcycle battery charger. It is already back up to 12v so ready to put back in.
I am going to charge them both up over the next day or so and see how they go.
the maplin would have done same.

explain that external ssd thing for the laptop again
whats it for?
sd card player, modded soekris dac, class a lifepo4 amp or gb class a/b amp, diy open baffle speakers based on project audio mundorf trio 10's
tony
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Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by tony »

I have a spare skoptronic 5v linear supply and a Samsung ssd. Ordered a sata to usb connector so could play music from that. My laptop would then have an anker/usb key and a straggly cable with an ssd hanging off it. Very neat and trendy might suit Simons htpc requirements?
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

tony wrote:I have a spare skoptronic 5v linear supply and a Samsung ssd. Ordered a sata to usb connector so could play music from that. My laptop would then have an anker/usb key and a straggly cable with an ssd hanging off it. Very neat and trendy might suit Simons htpc requirements?
Good idea that
Soon your gear and my gear won't look dissimilar, "dogs dinner" like
But it's all about the sound eh
sd card player, modded soekris dac, class a lifepo4 amp or gb class a/b amp, diy open baffle speakers based on project audio mundorf trio 10's
Gazjam
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Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:20 am

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by Gazjam »

This question's for those who are running the two Maplin linear PSUs...thanks.

Rebuilding my server with direct feeds from Maplins supplies to 12V Pico and 4 pin CPU.
I also have teh linear wallwart for the SSD.
For the 4 pin CPU, as there are two yellow 12v and two black GND wires, can I twist Yellow with yellow and black with black together after the 4 pin plug on the board?
That way, I wouldn't have to combine the two blacks and two yellows at the Maplins PSU terminals.
Two runs of cable is better than 4 back to the psu!
I know the board needs 4 separate cables to plug in, so would cut cable near the plug, twist them together and splice into cable going back to the PSU.
Much easier to have two single cables spliced into the 4 near the motherboard inside the PC.
Any concerns doing it this way?

I suppose its the same question with the connecting wire for the SSD wallwart linears?
There are two black GND cables going in to the connector.
Can I just twist them together and splice onto one cable running back into the wallwart?

Thanks!
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