Build a dedicated Audio PC

[jkeny]

For those using PCI or PCIe cards, this card might be of interest. It's a spare PCI card that slots into a spare PCI slot for $40. It seems to reduce noise on the PCI - see here http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2551.0

[nige2000]

For those using PCI or PCIe cards, this card might be of interest. It's a spare PCI card that slots into a spare PCI slot for $40. It seems to reduce noise on the PCI - see here http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=2551.0

im lost on this, its got a pci-e which you put in your motherboard, but its got a male pci what are you supposed to do with that? and whats the output?

[Ken Moreland]

I understand it's reversible and you can use it in PCI or PCIe slots , just reverse the holder. The Phasure forum seems to conclude that it works but is a bit inconsistent as the capacitors age. There are no active components on the board just a bank of various capacitors.
Buying one , Nige?

KM

[jkeny]

If you read the thread I pointed to you will see that PeterSt (the developer of XXhighend playback software & Phasure DAC) conjectures that the way the card works is by injecting noise into the system. I find this a strange & probably wrong conclusion a sthe card is a collection of capacitors & a few resistors, from which I conclude a C-L-C PS smoothing filter (maybe Fran can concur). The role of which would be to reduce PS ripple on the PCI bus. In my mind, this should have a beneficial effect on the sound as our experiments in PS supplies to AudioPCs have shown. If you skip to the end of that thread you will see that PeterSt removes the card claiming that it smooths out the dynamics too much (yes, PS ripple, particularly increased ripple on transients, could have the effect of distorting transients & making them sound like they have more attack)

Just as an historic side-note, the Jplay guys marcin & Josef came from this XXhighend forum where they were banned & accused of ripping off XXHighend's (PeterST's ideas). Just thought people might be interested in this piece of info?

[Ken Moreland]

John, did you ever run XXHighend ? I got it to work briefly once but it was horrendously complicated. It sounded ok though.
KM

[nige2000]

I understand it's reversible and you can use it in PCI or PCIe slots , just reverse the holder. The Phasure forum seems to conclude that it works but is a bit inconsistent as the capacitors age. There are no active components on the board just a bank of various capacitors.
Buying one , Nige?

KM

ok that makes sense but now i dont understand if the motherboard is a dirty/noisy source how does it make sense to clean/filter it and send it back into the mb.

ill be sitting this one out Ken, theres too much buying going on atm.

[jkeny]

John, did you ever run XXHighend ? I got it to work briefly once but it was horrendously complicated. It sounded ok though.
KM

I tried it way before Jplay but found it too complicated, bad UI & not worth the effort. Now that I have been conditioned by Jplay use (& probably have a better system) I might have a different opinion.

[jkeny]

I understand it's reversible and you can use it in PCI or PCIe slots , just reverse the holder. The Phasure forum seems to conclude that it works but is a bit inconsistent as the capacitors age. There are no active components on the board just a bank of various capacitors.
Buying one , Nige?

KM

ok that makes sense but now i dont understand if the motherboard is a dirty/noisy source how does it make sense to clean/filter it and send it back into the mb.

ill be sitting this one out Ken, theres too much buying going on atm.

I guess it works by cleaning up the PS ripple (dirt) on the PCI buss. This is the self-generated noise from the motherboards own switched mode regulators & all the chip gates firing - all of which can backflush crud (EMI, RFI, PS ripple) onto the motherboards many PS rails (3.3V, 5V, 1.2V, 1.8V?). This crud gets generated internally & so it's immaterial how clean an external PS you supply to the motherboard.

I'll not be using it as I always intended to provide an external PS to my Mini-PCIe cards anyway but others seem to be talking about it also http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-da ... ter-16186/

[tony]

Window of opportunity inadvertently opened for me next sunday. Would anybody be interested in a zuma nuc streaming meet up in my place sunday afternoon? Ostensibly to test zuma to zuma streaming, any nuc progress and the myriad power supply options.

[Sligolad]

Next Sunday should be OK for me Tony.
I ordered the PCI damper card as referenced by John earlier today but I doubt it will arrive from Australia before then, if it does then it might be worth trying.

Have Zuma, will travel!