item_audio wrote:Copied it in case of timeout, but then had a second life-changing insight and copied that, too. Pasteboard ain't big enough for both of them . . .
Hey ho. So basically, just build a CAPS, then. Even though it's a bit broken and derivative.
Was I mod-nobbled, boss?
Hey, Mark, good to see you posting. Sorry about your computer problems - if you look through some other threads here about Win to go USB sticks, you will see that we have been through the heebie-jeebies with PCs & have sympathy for your loss.
It's not a heavily moderated forum here - there's usually no need, we are a sensible enough bunch (except for me, of course :). So post away & expect questions
www.Ciunas.biz
For Digital Audio playback that delivers WHERE the performers are on stage but more importantly WHY they are there.
I've been reading around on this whole topic quite a bit of late - you'd be very guess!
An awful lot of what's written is for guys who want to use the pc for video, streaming etc etc. I think that's worth bearing in mind here - we are really only interested in a pc for audio, and more specifically, for playback in a 2 pc setup using jplay.
So, are there comparisons out there of the low power type system and the high power type systems for this type of playback?
I think it was such a catastrophically verbose missive that it bust the limit: one minute it was online; the next gone. I'll weep into some coffee and rewrite it later. Right now, I'm so upset it doesn't even bother me that people might build a CAPS in the interim. It's not a Server, and it's not Pocketable.
Fran,
One of the reasons I mention the Fit-PC is because I first came across this in a John Swenson post way back on AudioAsylum where he developed a linear supply for this & used it as an audio PC. He claimed a great lift in performance from the linear supply & I know Mark (ItemAudio) follows the same philosophy. I never did buy the original Fit-Pc which btw, had only a few switcher regulators on-board & these could be & were easily replaced again for some improvement.
I don't think any mbs come without many switchers & replacing them is not an option. Moreover, we have progressed some in both our understanding of power supplies & its influence on sound & also in the devices that we have available today so it is probably not as critical an issue as it was when Swenson posted. However, even though we are better equipped to deal with SMPS crud contaminating our audio I still believe that it might be worthwhile to use a linear supply as the PS for an audio computer (I've no interest in video).
I welcome ItemAudio's contributions to this debate & can assure him that he will not receive the barrage of insults that usually accompany his posts on other forums. We welcome his contribution & value his experience.
So, Mark, when you have recovered from your typing marathon, can you say in rough terms, how valuable a linear supply is for an audio PC. What are the options & prices and which is the best bang for the buck option?
Edit: Also, maybe you have some experience in ground loop issues & how you address this in the PC side?
www.Ciunas.biz
For Digital Audio playback that delivers WHERE the performers are on stage but more importantly WHY they are there.
Quick post on comparison between zuma/laptop/jkdac32 vs laptop/laptop/jkdac32. John kindly brought over a second jkdac32 tonight to make comparison easy and quick. I had heard the difference already and regarded it as huge step change(as Noel Cloney would often say).
I will let John comment himself but for me it just confirmed the significant impact the zuma made to the sound reproduction.
We moved on to Johns new ciunas dacs and heard them briefly using 2 laptop setup and the new version of jplay. This was big jump in comparison to the 2 laptop/jkdac32/ earlier jplay version. The only conclusion at this stage which has been reported elsewhere is the performance from the new beta version of jplay which has moved the quality forward very noticeably.
Played the ciunas through the zuma using the current version of Jplay and sounded very nice but we both felt soundstage/scale was not as good.
i.e the game changer was the new version of jplay. Very keen to try that out on the zuma when I get a chance.
Can't comment yet on the ciunas as I just didnt have enough time with it and at that point we had changed around things a fair bit and with the usual connection issues we ran out of time. But I have a ciunas and will give it a whirl over the next week.
Bottom lines for me are unfortunately looks like I will need to get something like the zuma to bring things to the next stage(final stage for me!).
New version of Jplay will move things forward again thankfully at no cost. We briefly discussed how far things have come from the spdif device John demonstrated in Fran's a few years ago. DAC/ software improvements have been incredible. The sound reproduction for reasonable outlay is within peoples grasp. Before this expensive cdp's and dacs where out of reach of most hifi enthusiasts.
Last edited by tony on Fri Mar 15, 2013 5:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
I posted this in the wrong thread - I've deleted it from there & transferred it here :)
Just back from Tony's & that Zuma really does bring a harmonic richness to the sound. His & my laptop sounds thin & a bit brittle by comparison both running Win 8. Previous version of Jplay on the Zuma which doesn't have the sound stage & detail of 5.1Beta. My laptop had the 5.1beta & the sound stage improvement was very noticeable, together with depth of detail. With the Zuma & 5.1, this will one mean machine.
Anyway, it looks like a dedicated, purpose built PC is worth the effort. The Zuma was running from an external 12V brick, SMPS, AFAIK? I wonder how much better a linear PS might be, if at all.
Looks like I may well buy a Fit_PC as it is a neater & cheaper solution & I don't need the Streacom case - it doesn't fit with my range of products & their dinky ergonomics. Just need to do a bit more research.
www.Ciunas.biz
For Digital Audio playback that delivers WHERE the performers are on stage but more importantly WHY they are there.
Pearse,
I'm pretty sure that we were running from non-SOTM USB or I guess Tony would have mentioned this. I take your point but this brings the price down to what €1,500 (not including customs :))
Enjoying the heat & sun in LA, btw?
www.Ciunas.biz
For Digital Audio playback that delivers WHERE the performers are on stage but more importantly WHY they are there.
Yes Pearse I purposely ran this on the ordinary USB port as I wanted this to be an equal test. Forgot to mention we used two cheapo usb cables and van den hul the name interconnects for this test.
Basically I wanted it to be a genuine comparison with all things equal except the zuma.
My understanding from something John said earlier is there is no advantage using the SOTM card with his devices anyway?
The cost minus the SOTM card is $1500 circa €1150. Now my hope if this is the solution that purchasing the parts on this side of the water will bring it down under €1000. Hopefully well under that. Over to Nigel for the info on that. I am not 100% sure on exactly all the components that are required to price it accurately.
jkeny wrote:Pearse,
I'm pretty sure that we were running from non-SOTM USB or I guess Tony would have mentioned this. I take your point but this brings the price down to what €1,500 (not including customs :))
Enjoying the heat & sun in LA, btw?
Last edited by tony on Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
