Build a dedicated Audio PC

Anything to do with computer audio, hardware, software etc.
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

sima66 wrote:
nige2000 wrote:
sima66 wrote:It might be a stupid question (my specialities), but will there be a difference in the sound (or performance) if supplying the SSD with 4.9v or with 5v or 5.1 etc? Is it really the 5v the optimum?!
This question apply's to any of the other components.
yes device voltage can change the sound sometimes
i never got round to testing it
im afraid you'll have to test it yourself
just try lower voltage first
Just start with lower voltage than go up till smoke comes out! That should be the max! :)


visions of this
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
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

i found a better 32.768 clk for the mobo

this shit never ends

worrying it makes so much difference

seems difficult to source good clocks under 2.5ppm frequency stability not usually available at the usual spots
expensive tiny tcxo's are pain in the arse
anything eciting will likely have to come direct from factory which can make long lead times and expense without quanity
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
Sligolad
Posts: 1089
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:52 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by Sligolad »

Finally got my hardware all sorted again last Saturday after my "Oh Shit" moment at Tony's last get together, when I got back from that day without the PPA USB V3 card and back with the JCat USB i could hear on my own system how I had lost that sense of performers in the room I had before blowing the V3 card.

I stuck the new V3 card with OCXO in and also swapped out the MSI Mobo to a Gigabyte board with a PPA OCXO for the 25Mhz clock.
Sounded better but not as big a change as i had expected.......2 days later and then that all changes and now that real presence i missed is back in the room in a big way.

With my hardware journey at an end finally (apart from a PPA SSD with OCXO whenever he gets that working) I then decided to start back again with MQN KS on minimal server mode (been on JPlay for some time now in core mode so I had a reference for hardware changes with PCM & DSD).

MQN KS sounds awesome on the Big7 since I can use the Amanero "gk" version that thankfully Tony managed to squeeze out at the last minute.
I have been lost in music this past 2 evenings but I have to say I have never heard sounds like I am hearing now and the sense of being in the performance is amazing, listening to Bill Withers recorded live at Carnegie Hall last night was being there!!

Bottom line is that good power with good clocks really give that added reality that is hard to describe to the listening experience.
Hopefully I am setup now for the next meet and with a bit of care should be able to get everything up and running without hiccups so everyone can hear the added benefit of good clocks in a PC.
___________________________________________
SD Card DAC, Gryphon Essence Mono's & Pre Amp, Wilson Alexia 2 Speakers,VPI Scout 2 & Supatrac arm, Studer A812 R2R.
tony
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:36 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by tony »

Great stuff Pearse. Look forward to hearing this and have no doubts you have reaching dizzy heights at this stage. This will be the benchmark for the rest of us
GroupBuySD DAC/First Watt AlephJ/NigeAmp/Audio PC's/Lampi L4.5 Dac/ Groupbuy AD1862 DHT Dac /Quad ESL63's.Tannoy Legacy Cheviots.
Sligolad
Posts: 1089
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:52 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by Sligolad »

Finally got around to starting the RamDisk install and after about 8 hours finally got it running just after midnight....I was ready to give up on it at the last hurdle when the final Disk 4 (RamDisk) finally played ball and started.
Have to say it sounds amazing and there is no going back, been listening to music for the past couple of hours and I had a struggle to pull myself away from the music.
Great start to the new year!!

It is not a task for everyone as it is pretty involved with lots of steps but for anyone ready to jump in you will find it well worth the effort.
Hopefully the more capable IT people here will come up with an easier installation process over the coming year.
Happy New Year to all.
___________________________________________
SD Card DAC, Gryphon Essence Mono's & Pre Amp, Wilson Alexia 2 Speakers,VPI Scout 2 & Supatrac arm, Studer A812 R2R.
nige2000
Posts: 4253
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:47 am
Location: meath

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by nige2000 »

Sligolad wrote:Finally got around to starting the RamDisk install and after about 8 hours finally got it running just after midnight....I was ready to give up on it at the last hurdle when the final Disk 4 (RamDisk) finally played ball and started.
Have to say it sounds amazing and there is no going back, been listening to music for the past couple of hours and I had a struggle to pull myself away from the music.
Great start to the new year!!

It is not a task for everyone as it is pretty involved with lots of steps but for anyone ready to jump in you will find it well worth the effort.
Hopefully the more capable IT people here will come up with an easier installation process over the coming year.
Happy New Year to all.
congrats
it did sound a promising mod
good to know it still has benefit on a heavily modded audio pc
im certain theres another jump in direct clean power to ram sticks
its really not a difficult mod in comparison to the clocks

the rewrite data thing sounds interesting too
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
jkeny
Posts: 2387
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:37 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by jkeny »

Yea, agree with Nige, direct power to RAM with RAMdisk OS will be interesting

Don't know what the "rewrite data thing" is though - any enlightenment?
www.Ciunas.biz
For Digital Audio playback that delivers WHERE the performers are on stage but more importantly WHY they are there.
seeteeyou
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 7:04 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by seeteeyou »

Sligolad wrote:It is not a task for everyone as it is pretty involved with lots of steps but for anyone ready to jump in you will find it well worth the effort.
Hopefully the more capable IT people here will come up with an easier installation process over the coming year.
Happy New Year to all.
I'll be happy to help, especially we'll move from 2012 R2 to Windows 10 Server at some point. There will be fairly interesting changes so let's wait and see. Hopefully that's gonna provide support for WIMBoot and the size of OS partition could be kept even smaller.

BTW, they call it "RAM OS" in China

http://www.shenduwin7.com/jiaocheng/52.html

BOOTMGR+RAMDISK.SYS

http://bbs.wuyou.com/forum.php?mod=view ... tid=188738
sima66
Posts: 872
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 7:35 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by sima66 »

Sligolad wrote:Finally got around to starting the RamDisk install and after about 8 hours finally got it running just after midnight....I was ready to give up on it at the last hurdle when the final Disk 4 (RamDisk) finally played ball and started.
Have to say it sounds amazing and there is no going back, been listening to music for the past couple of hours and I had a struggle to pull myself away from the music.
Great start to the new year!!

It is not a task for everyone as it is pretty involved with lots of steps but for anyone ready to jump in you will find it well worth the effort.
Hopefully the more capable IT people here will come up with an easier installation process over the coming year.
Happy New Year to all.
Congrats Pearse! Another step ahead! I also hope that in this year somebody will find the "magic button" for this RAM installation! :))
How big is the RAM you use with the RamDisc?
What is the voltage required to separately power the RAM?
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sebna
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:59 pm

Re: Build a dedicated Audio PC

Post by sebna »

I am waiting for parts for my new audio-pc build to arrive but once I have them all Ramdisk will be high on agenda. Especially after such high prize from everybody who have tried it.

Pearse correct me if I am wrong. Once all installation is done and working is OS booting straight to RAM or is there some fully blown OS starting first and then loading VHD to RAM with target system?

I am asking as I have looked at Chinese link and not sure if their app (BTW looks like nice tool they have there) loads VHD as kind of virtual machine from host system to RAM or does it boot directly a VHD to RAM without a need for host OS.

Cheers
i5@800mhz haswell, 16gb @800mhz, H87 mb with PPA TCXO, PPA V1 USB
no storage of any kind, SATA disabled in BIOS, RAMos, W2012 R2, AO 1.26, MQN
Teradak ATX LPSU 210W & 5v LPSU for clean 5v to DAC
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