New Media PC.

[PewterTA]

Well I figured I'd start writing up this as this is a new Media PC I've put together. Tweaks are still in the process, but I've gotten it at least together...

Parts (So far - I'll come back and add the links soon)

Intel i5-4590s Haswell Quad-Core 3.0GHz LGA 1150 65W Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4600 BX80646I54590S
MSI Z87M-G43 Motherboard
SAMSUNG 840 EVO MZ-7TE120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Paul Pang 8GB DDR3 1600 Memory and Power Filters
Paul Pang Motherboard 25Mhz Clock upgrade kit
Paul Pang Audio Grade USB 3.0 v2 PCIe card
Pico LVPS 120w PSU - Multiple places to pick this up, just first place I linked to.
SOtM in-line Sata Power Filter

Case will be something similar to the Streamcom FC5 EVO fanless case. Currently it's just in a cheap tower case.

OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Standard R2
OS Optimizations: Highend-AudioPC's Audiophile Optimizer
Media Player: Foobar2000 (can use JRiver here)
Tablet Control: Foobarcon

Only things installed on this are the OS, drivers, windows updates, playback software. Nothing else that is not needed for music playback is not on this computer.

Here's a pictures of the install and showing the clock swap...also the Samsung SSD is not in place as I was test fitting with the old SSD. Also the fan on the CPU is hooked up, the rear case fan is not, I was just too lazy to remove it.






Impressions:
First I must say this is my second media pc set up in this similar fashion (couple thing I didn't have and it was an older test PC). So for me it's nice not to have skips and pops and clicks where the other computer couldn't keep up. Well let me rephrase that, it would do a pop or click every once in a while throughout a song... so it was enough that at times I wouldn't remember what kind of rip I was listening to...then at points it wouldn't do it all, I think it definitely had to do with the nic drivers and the slower CPU in the machine.

So my initial impressions with this setup is that the sound I'm getting, while not quite to it's full potential yet (I can't remember all the tweaks I did to the old one), it's a very very impressive sounding computer. Probably close to the best digital audio presentation I've heard to date on any platform. The soundstage is very wide and deep (talking 15 ft behind the speaker feel -- which for Bowers & Wilkins speakers is VERY impressive as they are a forward sounding speaker). Detail... there's just nothing like the system, the micro details (along with the macro) are impressive. I didn't think that I'd be hearing "new" things in some of my favorite recordings that I have been living with for almost a year on my old setup... with them being so closely built machines.

The highs... are bright and vibrant, but at the same time smooth and analog sounding as well. It's the feel of hearing all the detail and not feeling like things are missing, but still having that softer sound, non-fatiguing.

The mids... especially on female vocals... outstanding. The smooth, sexy, seductive sounds are literally hair raising. My favorite female vocal is Melody Gardot and every time the hairs on my arms stand up when I hear any of her songs... She sounds that good. There's many others that are similar and sound amazing as well. Male vocals and instruments sound very true to their form and seem as accurate as I've ever heard them. They seem to just be floating in front of me.

The lower end... this is where I'm having a little bit of a problem as it's sounding a little bit thin. I'm sure it's just something that I tweaked before to get it like it was... so I am not really counting this a negative, just a minor inconvenience. It is very quick and a tight, it just doesn't have the power behind it like I'm used to. Now it could be that it's even tighter, quicker, and more accurate and what I'm used to (with the old computer) is more bloated and not as accurate...I'm not sure, still trying to figure that out. The detail in the lower range here is outstanding though. Kick-drums sound just like them and basses stick out perfectly in the music adding their detail to the music without being sloppy and bloated. The detail here in the low end is somewhat surprising. I think once I get the power back (get to feel the bass again) it'll just knock me off my chair.

Overall: The the sound is lively and quick. The fastest I've heard on any system to date. The speed is so amazing it's a little tough to describe. When something is to play it's precisely played at the time needed and not a fraction beyond. I think it really helps to bring about the believably in instruments. At the same time, the decay seems to stretch on forever. Cymbals ring out and seem to never want to end. There seems to be a lot more 'air' around all the instruments as well, as if each is floating exactly where they should be and you can get a much better sense of the room where they were recorded. I think the higher precision clock on the motherboard and USB card along with the less noise of the power supply have something to do with this.

With this new computer, I have had the most "hair standing up on my arms" moments I've ever gotten with the world of Digital Audio... so I'm very happy at this moment!

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I'll be making the changes and additions as I finish the tweaking process and get everything set, but so far, I'm highly impressed and wish I had an Aurender S10 to compete with. I think (from my impressions of it) I'm almost equal to, if not at the same level and possibly could better it... all for a very fraction of the price....but I don't have one unfortunately...... Anyone want to let me borrow one??? hee hee

So far, I'm happy saying I'm very very happy with the performance of this machine, the price, while not bottom dollar, is very reasonable so far (~$1000 without the case) and far under the options out there that are easily 5 to 10x the price. I would still like to upgrade the power supply to something like a Teradak power supply or something from Core Audio Technology... that's about the last place I would think I'd see a real improvement on anything from the PC hardware side of things. Okay who am I kidding, there's always room for improvement... ha ha.

Okay enough of this typing, I'm going back to enjoying the music!

[mjb]

Dan, probably an obvious question, but how are you getting audio out - via the USB 3.0 v2 PCIe card? I'm a little shocked about the pops and clicks with your old setup, as audio playback is not very demanding - poor drivers and/or OS optimisation is more likely the cause rather than lacking horse power. Have you tried any Linux distro's?

[wkhanna]

I believe Dan's description of the 'pop & click' issue is a bit overemphasized.

I have spent many, many hours at Dan's listening with his previous server.
On most occasions, there were no audible anomalies.

This problem was rare, but V irritating to Dan when it did occur, being the perfectionist he is. :W


I hope to hear the new server in a few days.

[mjb]

Just to say, I've no, zero, nada 'pop & click' issues with a Mac Mini and Fidelia (and a USB or HDMI DAC).
It sounds pretty good too

[PewterTA]

The pops and clicks are/were due to using a minimal timing on the Musical Fidelity V-Link with a minimal buffer (64 I think it is). And with no buffer on the media player. This way it's as close to streaming as possible...

The real problem I think was due to network card drivers. I just couldn't find the correct pci network card that didn't cause the problem. If I went off of the minimal latency setting (on the drivers for the DAC) there was no problem then. But that drove me nuts knowing it wasn't in a minimal latency.

WKHanna was right, it was not bad over all and most people wouldn't have any real issue with the old computer. It does it's job and does it well...but it also was not made to run Windows Server 2012 either... so that's more the issue than anything with the hardware or speed of the CPU.

I've ran a couple linux distros and have both a macbook pro and just brought home a mac mini to play with while I've been off. None of them have been able to give me the same sound that I get from the Win2k12 + AO setup. The linux ones I did (Audiophile Linux and Daphile) were good and very similar in the detail...but to me they lacked the warmth and engagement of the Windows Machine. It was very sterile sounding. That precise perfection without emotion type thing. The Macbook pro and mac mini I've used the osx optimization script and tweaked a few things myself. It's good... and very musical sounding, but I feel like I loose a little bit of detail (could be wrong, but it's what I perceive). It's a good and easy to configure setup, but not very 'customizable'. So I can't add or make many changes that I do feel make a difference (like the more precise mother board clock -- it's a pain to do, I've read up on it).

One thing I think I'm going to invest in is the HDPlex Fanless Linear Power Supply with the 160w ATX power supply. This is the next upgrade. There is also a Teradak one that I'm interested in as well and waiting on some reviews to come in from some group buys... I might go with that, but I know the HDPlex one has gotten some really great reviews. I'm hoping that can be done in the first half of 2015.


On topic, the new computer is amazingly quick. I think it's the quickest I've heard all together. The speed of the transients is just something that really needs to be heard/experienced. I didn't think that I could continue being impressed by changes to a very similar setup and it continues to get better. Makes me happy!

I of course want to put in a Mutec MC-3+ Smart Clock in the chain and replace my Musical Fidelity V-Link 192 with the Audiophilleo1 Special Edition + PurePower to really finish things off. Just got to get the money in place for everything.

[mjb]

mmm, very interesting. Thanks for the long reply, Dan.

Yep, a linear power supply, and clocking are going to make the biggest improvements
With software, you're usually at someone else's mercy 8O

When you've found a final case, and I'm sure you've got this covered too, route the cables neatly (custom lengths), keep the clock cables as short as possible, and perhaps use some shielding here and there :T

And please post some more pics

[PewterTA]

Will do Mike!

I'll be shielding things with Mu Metal where I think appropriate so that hopefully nothing interferes with anything else.

Right now the case is down to either the Streacom FC5 or FC10 or the HDPlex H5 Series case.

I'm leaning towards the Streacom just because I've seen those more and I know the quality is high on those. But the HDPlex case is tempting being slightly cheaper and virtually the same thing.

[Hdale85]

The clock you used was that the 400 dollar unit? Did you ever finish this thing up?

[PewterTA]

Yes got the computer "finished" or at least to a point where I'm very happy with it. Could it be better (from a software perspective) yep... but hardware wise it's pretty much at a point that the only thing left is the case.

I got the TCXO not the OCXO (Paul didn't have the OCXO available when I purchased) clock. So I didn't spend the money, but I'm hearing good results (better) than with the TCXO clock. So maybe it's an upgrade and put the TCXO in another computer or sell it!?!

I also upgraded the power supply to the HDPLEX 100w Linear PSU to the system along with the 160w DC ATX PSU.

Both of these have made an extremely nice difference in sound. There is a much more analog, natural, quick sound to the system. Clean and precise, without any harshness coming off the computer. I have both a laptop and another computer that I've put side to side and when you switch back and forth... it's very apparent the "musicality" of the upgraded machine.

The other product I've started using is Process Lasso. For some reason it seems to work and help on all machines I've used to listen to music to. It also increases on all the aspects mentioned with the upgraded computer.

Overall, I can officially say my system has never sounded better with any other computer attached for it.