cazzesman Posted December 2, 2022 Posted December 2, 2022 I purchased a 2nd hand DIY PC Music server from a wonderful gent in Texas and it arrived today. I am on the AudiophileStyle website where they have a For Sale forum. I was planning on buying pretty much all the same parts and build it myself, but this was too good to pass up. For me to have purchased all the same components from top to bottom would have been just over $7000. I managed to get it to my front door for $4150 and that included $370 in import taxes, UPS postage (took 7 days) and the currency conversion. Pretty happy with that price, plus it is all ready to go. I will install Windows 2019 Server OS and take it from there. Looking at the prices for the upmarket music servers in Antipodes, Innuos, Naim, Aurender, Lumin etc. I think the i9 at $4000 will stack up pretty well. My current mini PC is 12 years old so ready to be upgraded. Here are the contents ......... Rog Strix ASUS Z390F gaming MB Intel i9-9900 CPU 16 GB G-Skill B-Die RAM (2x8) 2 x Intel 660p 2TB NVMe drives Taiko DC-ATX JCAT USB XE StarTech Fiber NIC Ghent Neotech JSSG wire throughout. HDPlex H5 V3 (silver face) box The current power supply is a 240 watt Dell AC Adapter @19.5vlt/12.5amp. I have a Keces P8 12vlt/8amp that I will use to power the CPU and look at getting another Keces 20vlt/8amp to power the Taiko DC-ATX. The Gieseler Kraftwerk II Fixed Output 5vlt/3amp will power the JCat XE USB card. Excited much? 2
DanFi Posted December 22, 2022 Posted December 22, 2022 Cazz thats pretty wikid. i didnt know taiko were selling ATX power components.
cazzesman Posted December 22, 2022 Author Posted December 22, 2022 (edited) HI Dan, Yep Taiko is selling abit of everything now. With the Taiko Extreme Server apparently being at the top of the tree, the Company is manufacturing assorted accessories for the DIY brigade. They are just about to release the Taiko Case. The Taiko DC-ATX is not cheap on its own, but as it came with the i9 I bought pre built, I was pretty happy. The gent I bought the i9 from in the USA upgraded to a Taiko Extreme. Regards Cazzesman Edited December 22, 2022 by cazzesman
DanFi Posted December 22, 2022 Posted December 22, 2022 I’m assuming you are going to be using it as a server/player with the usb card. Rather than just a server? Really only reason to spend so much on it. id like to do a build like this. Might take this as inspiration. And check out your other forum. many tips would go down a treat.
cazzesman Posted December 23, 2022 Author Posted December 23, 2022 Hi Dan, Yes mine is purely a music player. All files are saved on the NVMs SSD storage and played via JRiver. The System is basically headless and JRiver controlled via an App on Ipad. I have a NAS but that is used purely for backup and the i9 doesn't draw music from the NAS. The i9 only runs WS2019, JRiver, Audiophile Optimizer and Fidelizer. Nothing else. I have Tidal but that comes in via my Smart TV via Optical into the mutec etc. https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/9-music-servers/ Knock yourself out reading all these threads. The folks are doing some wacky stuff. I based a lot of my inspiration from the StreamFidelity thread and a few others. From my experience, I really believe the better the Power supplies the bigger the step up in SQ. Having said that, the cost of the TOTL LPS's are just cost prohibitive. I have found the Keces to be a happy medium. Unfortunately, Clay Gieseler doesn't make the bigger 19,20,24 volt models, in his product range. I have just purchased a 2nd Keces P8 20v/8amp LPS to power the Taiko DC-ATX. I already have a Keces P8 12v/8amp that I will use to power the CPU. Just waiting on some appropriate cables to arrive from Ghent that will suit the Keces. They are on the way as I type. https://ghentaudio.com The cables you see in the images above all came from Ghent. See my signature for system details. Drop me a PM if you have any questions. I'm no IT guru, but I have researched the heck out of Google and Audiophile Style to get to the i9 Regards Cazzesman
DanFi Posted December 23, 2022 Posted December 23, 2022 I will thanks caz! I may be able to help more on the IT part when I get into it. I believe after sorting power which you have done, potential improvements can be clocking outputs and stripping windows down and setting cores to run specific programs. then you will basically have as much as us normal folk can get. oh. And this is just my opinion… but it’s also correct . Drop tidal and pick up Qobuz if you want better sounding streaming. By a long shot. And also have it run in the pc somehow rather than from your tv.
cazzesman Posted December 23, 2022 Author Posted December 23, 2022 re the tidal and qobuz. I am not a streamer guy, and I am lucky a fine fellow allows me to towrope off his Family tidal account. my wife is more the tidal user and she is not really interested in SQ just 'Sound'. Topend SQ for Tidal/Qobuz is not a high priority. I more use it to research some new artists or albums to see if I want them, not for dedicated listening. I think AO and Fidelizer has me down to about 60 processes. I am not knowledgeable enough to mess with the Registry, but I think some guys are down to about 25 processes.
DanFi Posted December 23, 2022 Posted December 23, 2022 Ah right. Didn’t know why audiophile optimiser was but sounds like all basses covered. very good!! once you get it going I’d love to see if you can compare playing directly into a dac vs to a dedicated streamer. My gut says a purpose made streamer with a well thought out network into a dac would be better. This is the way I’ve gone. Probably same amount of money overall as you put more into switches and cables than you do the server. Still want to make a server myself tho. anyway. All the best!!! 1
maxpalat Posted December 31, 2022 Posted December 31, 2022 Wow…!! , you are on the Nirvana computers music systems!! I have to study a lot to implement in this way and take a gaze to the second hand market… Anyway thanks a lot for your exhaustive answer Massimo 1
Lazz Posted January 1, 2023 Posted January 1, 2023 I run AO and Fidelizer on my diy dedicated pc, best I get atm is around 110 processes. Would love to see/hear the differences if I can get this much lower. 1
cazzesman Posted January 13, 2023 Author Posted January 13, 2023 (edited) COVID and the past 3 years have been no good for travel but great for audio. The last of my new toys finally arrived, plus a totally unexpected 1 out of the blue. The Keces P8 20v/8amp LPS arrived as did the necessary cables from Ghent. As planned 1 Keces P8 is running the i9 CPU at 12vl and 1 Keces P8 is running the Taiko DC-ATX at 20vl. I also bought 2 Peter Graves (AudioPrincipe) Premium Power cables for the 2 Keces. Both Keces plug into my IsoTran 2000 VA for some clean power. To make it all link from i9 to Mutec I was graciously lent the Sablon Pantela USB Cable from @44maloo. Thankfully he has agreed to let me buy it. So now it is about some breakin hours on the Sablon (never used before), New Keces, New Ghent cables and New Power Cables. top L to R. i9, 2x Keces middle Mindsp Studio with Dirac Live, upgraded Mutec 3+ USB bottom Tweaked Oppo 105, AfterDark OCXO 10mHz Crystal and LPS. Kii 3’s and JL Audio 110D subs. I’m not a fan of all the Led lights so it all gets hidden away. Regards Cazzesman Edited January 13, 2023 by cazzesman 1 1
MrBurns84 Posted January 13, 2023 Posted January 13, 2023 Your system is lookin and probably sounding mighty fine now @cazzesman. 1
DanFi Posted January 13, 2023 Posted January 13, 2023 Does the server actually work???? do you have a spare network card? I just made a unraid server which I can VM windows and have roon on. Thinking putting a good network card in means I could get rid of my antipodes. 1
cazzesman Posted January 13, 2023 Author Posted January 13, 2023 Well I get music from it. I don't stream from internet sources I just have internal storage with Flac files. The Startech Nic is not used at the moment. Regards Cazzesman
mjs Posted January 13, 2023 Posted January 13, 2023 @cazzesman Hi, just wondering what brand (if any) the bass traps and other wall panel treatments are. The bass traps look good cheers, Malcolm 1
cazzesman Posted January 13, 2023 Author Posted January 13, 2023 Well thankyou Malcolm, They are homemade. Just pine from Bunnings, Calico from Spotlight, Heavy duty stapler by Dewalt. Internals is a wool style 100mil insulation from Tontine, Acoustisorb 3. Regards Paul
44maloo Posted January 13, 2023 Posted January 13, 2023 18 hours ago, cazzesman said: COVID and the past 3 years have been no good for travel but great for audio. The last of my new toys finally arrived, plus a totally unexpected 1 out of the blue. The Keces P8 20v/8amp LPS arrived as did the necessary cables from Ghent. As planned 1 Keces P8 is running the i9 CPU at 12vl and 1 Keces P8 is running the Taiko DC-ATX at 20vl. I also bought 2 Peter Graves (AudioPrincipe) Premium Power cables for the 2 Keces. Both Keces plug into my IsoTran 2000 VA for some clean power. To make it all link from i9 to Mutec I was graciously lent the Sablon Pantela USB Cable from @44maloo. Thankfully he has agreed to let me buy it. So now it is about some breakin hours on the Sablon (never used before), New Keces, New Ghent cables and New Power Cables. top L to R. i9, 2x Keces middle Mindsp Studio with Dirac Live, upgraded Mutec 3+ USB bottom Tweaked Oppo 105, AfterDark OCXO 10mHz Crystal and LPS. Kii 3’s and JL Audio 110D subs. I’m not a fan of all the Led lights so it all gets hidden away. Regards Cazzesman Nice system to you have, glad you are enjoying the Sablon usb cable, cables make the system elevate to the next level in audio enjoyment.
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