AUDIO PC: Direct power to motherboad 24 and 4pin (picoless)

[tony]

Sure Nigel will be along shortly. In my build (well Nigel and Pearse) two switches. Positive to the batteries and on the grounds in PC to stop batteries draining.

For anybody contemplating this work it is hell on earth! My old trusty Intel mobo does not boot up now. I think a bios issue as power all seems ok to devices.
Balancing cost and time it seems easier for me to get a new board. What started out as a sensible not too expensive picoless conversion ends up with a new haswell i3 and msi board for my Zuma and another streacom case to take my old zuma stuff but now needs to be supplemented with a mobo.
Proceed with caution!
.
Bios changes on the MSI as Pearse has reported end up in system not booting up. Will have to get a look at what Nigel has done to his.
The settings don't really make any sense but I know the changes I found where adjusting processor speed to 800 and the ram one also.
But obviously some other obscure change is needed to allow all this to work. The timing setting Nigel has is another hidden mystery.

I have been very lucky over the last couple of years as any changes prior to this just worked. Lack of care and understanding caused most of my problems.

One nice thing is I have a better understanding of what is involved and the pitfalls after getting stuck in but without Nigel's help over a long day and Pearse's experience with the intel board I would still just have a box of bits.

[nige2000]

nige2000,

As I prepare to actually wire this stuff up I have meditated on the "power" switch.

I used quotes because I am wondering: what if there is only a switch on the ground side?

One could connect all grounds to this one point. One could use a simple switch to power up both sides of the chip. It would greatly simplify the wiring along with shortening the wires. Positive leads would be continuous from the batteries to the DAC.

Can you think of any reason not to do this?

I know a break in the circuit is a break no matter where it appears - no getting around that but not having to use a switch for both sets of batteries seems an advantage.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

yea were switching on gnd here too for simplicity and lazyness
no problems
but i like to keep the regs switched on pos

[tony]

Eh sometimes I wonder why I just don't hold fire until all is sorted. New bloody msi board refused to boot up tonight I traced issue to anker battery I had left connected to ssd that was nearly discharged. Suitably annoyed I went into bios and within 5 mins had the yoke booting on cpu frequency of 800ghz and memory at 800mhz. Seems you just have to throw a strop and dive in and it then all works!
Bass was huge so checked subs. Not sure if B&W subs suffer from that IT syndrome of socket creep but for some reason they were turned up to a level that was more suitable for a disco.

Nigel maybe you can point me to the last magical settings for timing?

[nige2000]

For anybody contemplating this work it is hell on earth! My old trusty Intel mobo does not boot up now. I think a bios issue as power all seems ok to devices.

i wouldnt recommend that intel board its a pain in the ass

Balancing cost and time it seems easier for me to get a new board. What started out as a sensible not too expensive picoless conversion ends up with a new haswell i3 and msi board for my Zuma and another streacom case to take my old zuma stuff but now needs to be supplemented with a mobo.
Proceed with caution!

its best to use the recommended parts

Bios changes on the MSI as Pearse has reported end up in system not booting up. Will have to get a look at what Nigel has done to his.
The settings don't really make any sense but I know the changes I found where adjusting processor speed to 800 and the ram one also.
But obviously some other obscure change is needed to allow all this to work. The timing setting Nigel has is another hidden mystery.

if the ram isnt good spec it might not boot at 800mhz but the kingston hyperx you have should be fine

ive tried these too there pretty good
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009 ... UTF8&psc=1

theres a few things to be disabled in the bios thats important
ethernet,esit onboard audio

[tony]

if the ram isnt good spec it might not boot at 800mhz but the kingston hyperx you have should be fine

ive tried these too there pretty good
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009 ... UTF8&psc=1

theres a few things to be disabled in the bios thats important
ethernet,esit onboard audio

Ok but you still have explained the 555 8. Ethernet if I can find it has to be disabled and also the EIST onboard audio! Is that just activated if using Eist Dubh's?

I have set voltage for the ram at 1.350 that seems to be the lowest setting.

Sound has completed changed. Allowing the subs being set to high bass has still become much cleaner and lighter.
Probably just pleased the bloody thing is working! Afraid to take out the brass block in case the sound collapses

[nige2000]

Eh sometimes I wonder why I just don't hold fire until all is sorted. New bloody msi board refused to boot up tonight I traced issue to anker battery I had left connected to ssd that was nearly discharged. Suitably annoyed I went into bios and within 5 mins had the yoke booting on cpu frequency of 800ghz and memory at 800mhz. Seems you just have to throw a strop and dive in and it then all works!
Bass was huge so checked subs. Not sure if B&W subs suffer from that IT syndrome of socket creep but for some reason they were turned up to a level that was more suitable for a disco.

Nigel maybe you can point me to the last magical settings for timing?

2 5 5 5 5 14 is ok
ill check what it i have it set to tomorrow its something jc recommended
it will tighten up the sound and provides extra detail

picoless gives more cleaner tighter bass so i wouldnt be surprised if you had to turn of the subs

[nige2000]

youll have to find the best ram voltage for your pc
if you run it too lean, sound will get worse
1.4v will be safe
eist is cpu c states

[Sligolad]

Sounds like you are on the right track Tony if you are hearing more bass....the Subs might be retired yet!!

[tony]

Sounds like you are on the right track Tony if you are hearing more bass....the Subs might be retired yet!!

Not with the 57's I still want a bit more body and for me anyway they will always need it. 63's they deliver more bass.
I gave up the ST's but subs stay.

Very happy tonight with the outcome. Sound is tunable. Seems all worthwhile. the msi is still a bit strange. the eist setting was standing out last night seems no hope of finding it now. Also ethernet seems well hidden away.

[rickmcinnis]

Agreed, regulators will NOT use the same scheme.

Probably will just use the PLUG!

Thanks and take care,