Build a dedicated Audio PC

[jesuscheung]

deleted.
(sorry. thought this was mqn thread.)

[Sligolad]

Nige,

Just to get an idea of the cost, how much was the clock that you used in the first place and how much are the "cheaper" ones?

Adam given the kit you have I would recommend buying the board with the clock installed direct from Paul Pang unless you know someone with good soldering skills, maybe you already have the skills but I will bet you will not look back if you go for it!
No amount of upsampling will bring back what is lost at source without the clock upgrade!!
The MSI or Gigabyte board will set you back less than US$300

Listening to music again here today and I am stunned at what I am hearing and the ease of the music is amazing. There is probably a burning in period or something like that but loving what I am hearing today and 2.55avx helps as well, I think Gordon is close to his zenith.....now if only we could entice him to release a 32 bit version :-))
Cheers, Pearse.

[sima66]

Nige,

Just to get an idea of the cost, how much was the clock that you used in the first place and how much are the "cheaper" ones?

Adam given the kit you have I would recommend buying the board with the clock installed direct from Paul Pang unless you know someone with good soldering skills, maybe you already have the skills but I will bet you will not look back if you go for it!
No amount of upsampling will bring back what is lost at source without the clock upgrade!!
The MSI or Gigabyte board will set you back less than US$300

Listening to music again here today and I am stunned at what I am hearing and the ease of the music is amazing. There is probably a burning in period or something like that but loving what I am hearing today and 2.55avx helps as well, I think Gordon is close to his zenith.....now if only we could entice him to release a 32 bit version :-))
Cheers, Pearse.

Pearse, you are absolutely right about better buy the MoBo with clock that DIY (specially me soldering :))), but in my case that means more than half of PC. I will need a new CPU also, completely redo the copper divided chambers in my Zuma case.........than "catch" Nige (again) for the installation crap!!!
I will probably skip this step and wait for the next one, or the one after, and then do them all at once! This changes are getting to fast and I'm getting slower! ;-)
Can't keep up!

[nige2000]

I'd send you a mobo for 300 no problem he he
Wouldn't dismantle your Zuma as it makes more sense to just build a new one and with these Haswell chips the fan less cases are no longer required as an unplugged stock fan is ok when underclocked or one of your brass blocks
Usb cards etc swap in and out handy enough
And at least then you have a working audio pc while your putting your new build together

Recommend clocks for audio are usually specific models of crystek, ndk silabs etc
Dunno what pang uses looks generic
I read that a clocks potential is limited by the cleanliness of its power supply
So there's might be no point having the best clock with a ok power supply

I got a vanguard yoke on ebay that boasts 0.1ppm which must be bs sounds Damn fine though but took the battery power to do it
I'll get a couple of Farnell or the likes that cost 3 to 4 euro to test against the vanguard
See what happens

[sebna]

Nige what kind of voltage are you supplying to clock?

Do you have in plans trying Crystek clock?

Cheers,
seb

[Sligolad]

I wonder if the clocks improve once they get a few hours on them as it sounds to me like it has improved since I put it in on Saturday?
I doubt it is much to do with the cheap PPA memory power strips I put in improving over time as I did not hear any difference when I put them in first off.
Those little connector bridges PPA supplies with the Clock would be handy for your testing Nige as you can swap in and out clocks very easily, maybe you already have something like that!
If not I will be heading over to Sebs at the weekend if you want to pick one up as I have a few spares.

[nige2000]

Nige what kind of voltage are you supplying to clock?

Do you have in plans trying Crystek clock?

Cheers,
seb

using 3.3v (linear to 3.3v battery to clock)
having difficulty finding crystek clocks to suit, but it likely naive to think all crystek clock models are top notch

id guess it should be sufficient to use a good clock with a really good ps

[nige2000]

I wonder if the clocks improve once they get a few hours on them as it sounds to me like it has improved since I put it in on Saturday?

yea might be something in that, the last bit of a-b testing i did a couple of days later seemed like a bigger gap

I doubt it is much to do with the cheap PPA memory power strips I put in improving over time as I did not hear any difference when I put them in first off.

skeptical

Those little connector bridges PPA supplies with the Clock would be handy for your testing Nige as you can swap in and out clocks very easily, maybe you already have something like that!
If not I will be heading over to Sebs at the weekend if you want to pick one up as I have a few spares.

whats sort of connector bridges is that, im not sure i know what you mean
let me know when your going to sebs

[jkeny]

On another front - the first optical USB cables are available http://www.corning.com/news_center/news ... 41501.aspx

Could be the best USB cable yet (no ground noise or power from PC) - or it might not be best USB cable - depends on signal quality, I guess?

$109 for 10M (shortest length) - not bad but only ships to US or exorbitant international shipping from retailers that I've checked ($100 shipping)

I'm thinking of getting a contact in the US to buy one & send it via USPS - anybody else interested in one?

[nige2000]

On another front - the first optical USB cables are available http://www.corning.com/news_center/news ... 41501.aspx

Could be the best USB cable yet (no ground noise or power from PC) - or it might not be best USB cable - depends on signal quality, I guess?

$109 for 10M (shortest length) - not bad but only ships to US or exorbitant international shipping from retailers that I've checked ($100 shipping)

I'm thinking of getting a contact in the US to buy one & send it via USPS - anybody else interested in one?

10m what?