CAPSv4

[Ken Moreland]

Audio PC 1 is in a Streacom case with Gigabyte Mobo H97M-D3H & Intel I7 4770S & Paul Pang Audio OCXO replacement, a Paul Pang Audio V4 USB Card with OCXO, a Teradak ATX Linear Supply just for the 20 pin ATX connector on the Mobo, the Paul Hynes SR7EHD 12v goes to the 12v CPU supply connector on the Mobo, the first Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the 2 OCXO's, the second Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the Operating System Paul Pang Audio TCXO SSD + Music SSD + a separate Audiowind regulator which bypasses the on-board 1.5v supply to RAM.
Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b.

Audio PC 2 is in a Streacom case, Asus P9D-M Server Board & Intel I7 4770S, JCat USB Card, SSD for OS & SSD for Music powered by the Teradak.
I also run Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b on this PC.

I'm surprised that Audio PC1 wasn't able to cut it . It looks to be pretty advanced from this description. Speakers are beautiful though.

[DaveF]

My god those speakers are something else! Surely one of the nicest looking speakers money can buy. One day..... one day.... :-)

[nige2000]

yea the big 7 is easily the best dac
its got detail, body and weight without over extending bass or losing control

though its easy to get lost in the pc/dac combinations
meaning dac testing must be done on the same pc and visa versa

[Diapason]

Yeah, I find it difficult to make really meaningful comparisons on a night such as this, and can only be sure of large differences. I wish I hadn't heard the Big 7in many ways...

Dave, I really think you would LOVE those speakers in every way. I certainly do.

[nige2000]

Audio PC 1 is in a Streacom case with Gigabyte Mobo H97M-D3H & Intel I7 4770S & Paul Pang Audio OCXO replacement, a Paul Pang Audio V4 USB Card with OCXO, a Teradak ATX Linear Supply just for the 20 pin ATX connector on the Mobo, the Paul Hynes SR7EHD 12v goes to the 12v CPU supply connector on the Mobo, the first Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the 2 OCXO's, the second Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the Operating System Paul Pang Audio TCXO SSD + Music SSD + a separate Audiowind regulator which bypasses the on-board 1.5v supply to RAM.
Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b.

Audio PC 2 is in a Streacom case, Asus P9D-M Server Board & Intel I7 4770S, JCat USB Card, SSD for OS & SSD for Music powered by the Teradak.
I also run Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b on this PC.

I'm surprised that Audio PC1 wasn't able to cut it . It looks to be pretty advanced from this description. Speakers are beautiful though.

think were lost in the pc naming
its the cirrus pc (pc1) that doesnt cut it ( thin itx mobo switching regs everywhere, main smps ps )
the fully tricked out one was originally (pc3)

[nige2000]

Yeah, I find it difficult to make really meaningful comparisons on a night such as this, and can only be sure of large differences. I wish I hadn't heard the Big 7in many ways...

i know what you mean it is safer to stay at home:)
especially to prevent any equipment lust

did you listen to the big 7 on the laptop or the cirrus pc?

[Ken Moreland]

Audio PC 1 is in a Streacom case with Gigabyte Mobo H97M-D3H & Intel I7 4770S & Paul Pang Audio OCXO replacement, a Paul Pang Audio V4 USB Card with OCXO, a Teradak ATX Linear Supply just for the 20 pin ATX connector on the Mobo, the Paul Hynes SR7EHD 12v goes to the 12v CPU supply connector on the Mobo, the first Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the 2 OCXO's, the second Paul Hynes SR7EHD 5v supplies the Operating System Paul Pang Audio TCXO SSD + Music SSD + a separate Audiowind regulator which bypasses the on-board 1.5v supply to RAM.
Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b.

Audio PC 2 is in a Streacom case, Asus P9D-M Server Board & Intel I7 4770S, JCat USB Card, SSD for OS & SSD for Music powered by the Teradak.
I also run Server 2012 R2 Essentials in Core mode loaded in to RAMDISK on start-up, JPlay 6 & Audiophils Optimiser 1.26b on this PC.

I'm surprised that Audio PC1 wasn't able to cut it . It looks to be pretty advanced from this description. Speakers are beautiful though.

think were lost in the pc naming
its the cirrus pc (pc1) that doesnt cut it ( thin itx mobo switching regs everywhere, main smps ps )
the fully tricked out one was originally (pc3)

Makes sense. KM

[Sligolad]

Yeah, I find it difficult to make really meaningful comparisons on a night such as this, and can only be sure of large differences. I wish I hadn't heard the Big 7in many ways...

i know what you mean it is safer to stay at home:)
especially to prevent any equipment lust

did you listen to the big 7 on the laptop or the cirrus pc?

We did not use a laptop on the night Nige but the Cirrus was on the Big7 and did not cut it...only so much a DAC can do!!

You were right about the incorrect naming of the PC's....PC 1 was the Cirrus and PC 3 the top spec.
PC 2 with the server board, the JCat and Teradak did well and was a little softer and rounded out any sibalance on tracks, but there was a little more detail, low end and harmonics from PC 3.
Not a lot in it though for all the added expense, roughly 2K for PC 2 and about 4k for PC 3.

[nige2000]

Yeah, I find it difficult to make really meaningful comparisons on a night such as this, and can only be sure of large differences. I wish I hadn't heard the Big 7in many ways...

i know what you mean it is safer to stay at home:)
especially to prevent any equipment lust

did you listen to the big 7 on the laptop or the cirrus pc?

We did not use a laptop on the night Nige but the Cirrus was on the Big7 and did not cut it...only so much a DAC can do!!

absolutely
its good that was demonstrated
so that its understood that
a good pc and mediocre dac can out preform a mediocre pc and good dac
unfortunately both pc and dac have to be good for the level of sq we expect

You were right about the incorrect naming of the PC's....PC 1 was the Cirrus and PC 3 the top spec.
PC 2 with the server board, the JCat and Teradak did well and was a little softer and rounded out any sibalance on tracks, but there was a little more detail, low end and harmonics from PC 3.
Not a lot in it though for all the added expense, roughly 2K for PC 2 and about 4k for PC 3.

true
if we had sense we would stick with circa pc2 specs and forget about looking for more
i think the modding has become just part of the hobby

[Sligolad]

I should add that Tonys Lampi had a lot of the magic of the Big7 and again no big differences there but the Meitner was the poor relation on the night.