Build a dedicated Audio PC

[jkeny]

10m what?

Length, Nige, length - an important parameter :)
Apparently 30Meter lengths are available. Much more than the 5M max length of copper based USB cables.

[nige2000]

10m what?

Length, Nige, length - an important parameter :)
Apparently 30Meter lengths are available. Much more than the 5M max length of copper based USB cables.

id might be interested

but i thought we were going for the no cable thing

[Sligolad]

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

These are the various connectors Nige, you solder one with 2 male pins to the board and the female ends can have a clock pushed in or another connector pushed in which has all the works soldered to it.

[jkeny]

10m what?

Length, Nige, length - an important parameter :)
Apparently 30Meter lengths are available. Much more than the 5M max length of copper based USB cables.

id might be interested

but i thought we were going for the no cable thing

You mean a USB adapter rather than a USB cable?
I guess it's a similar solution to the Adnaco but a different implementation & cheaper, AFAIR?
Ken, are you still using the Adnaco or have you moved it on?
Are you finding it beneficial ?

[nige2000]

Length, Nige, length - an important parameter :)
Apparently 30Meter lengths are available. Much more than the 5M max length of copper based USB cables.

id might be interested

but i thought we were going for the no cable thing

You mean a USB adapter rather than a USB cable?
I guess it's a similar solution to the Adnaco but a different implementation & cheaper, AFAIR?
Ken, are you still using the Adnaco or have you moved it on?
Are you finding it beneficial ?

what about i2s via fibre optic

[jkeny]

what about i2s via fibre optic

Ah, yes, I thought that's what you might be getting at - Dispensing with USB altogether :)
Yes, I believe getting rid of USB & going with I2S signalling is the superior way BUT it's a whole nudder ballgame.

[nige2000]

sometimes i wonder should we just start from scratch
who are we kidding ;)

[Ken Moreland]

John, the Adnaco was , I felt, an improvement over the USB 2 connection from my old motherboard, but when I changed to the Haswell board it had USB 3 connections and I preferred the Ciúnas directly fed . I used the Adnaco with either the 10m of fibre optic cable supplied or a 0.5m length bought from Ebay and there was no quality difference.KM

[jkeny]

Thanks, Ken, wasn't sure what the up to date status was with the Adnaco

[Sligolad]

Another cautionary tale!!
Had my second Faux Pau in 2 years of tinkering with Audio PCs and this one the worst....what a twat!!
Think it all began with my hurry to get the PPA clock mod up and running which was a strip down and rebuild of the board so as to get at the board for the mod.
During the hurried assembly I stuck the PCI riser for the PPA USB Card out of position on the long PCI slot, everything powered up OK but when I connected the USB cable from the Meitner DAC the PPA USB card started smoking :-((
I had no idea at first what had happened until I noticed the PCI riser out of position, needless to say the PPA USB card was cooked.

Connected the USB cable from the Meitner to the board USB and got music....PHEWW!
After a few days installed the SOTM USB out PCI card I had lying around and had that running good the past few days.

Fast forward to yesterday and after charging up the Anker battery which ran the SOTM card through the 12v in this past week the Meitner would not run anymore off USB.

Opened it up today and there is a surface mount component fried on the digital Input board, guess it held in well for about 10 days before giving up the ghost.

Turns out the Mobo USB does not want to work anymore either with USB audio out, even tried installing the Young DAC again but I get a crash when trying to start playback from both MQN and JPlay with 2 different OS devices so looks like the board also needs to be replaced.

Looks like I am going to be without PC based audio now for about 2 to 3 weeks while I source new components.
Shame as the JCat was due for delivery next week so it will have to go on hold for a while.
Can be a real PITA sometimes this hobby but looking forward to getting back up and running again as I had some seriously sweet sounds before everything packed in.

Expensive lessons but I hope a wake up for anyone diving under the hood these days with all the mods on the go!
Cheers, Pearse.