Hi All,
A little bit of background
Curently running a 2 x computer setup for Roon + HQPlayer for upsampling
NAS --> Roon Server / HQPlayer Computer --> Roon End Point (NAA) Computer --> DAC
Computer # 1 - Processing Server
Completely passive with heatsinks across the CPU and NVIDIA 3060Ti graphics card and is running a Ryzen processor with Roon Server and HQ Player Desktop and is processing DSD 512 with ASDM7ECv2, SDM poly-sinc-ext2 successfully with no dropouts. The actual music media is stored on a separate NAS.
Computer # 2 - Roon Endpoint (NAA)
Roon End Point computer which was an Intel i5 processor and 32 GB of RAM and is completely passive with an external HDPlex 400w Linear PSU running the HQPlayer NAA image via a USB stick. This computer also has a JCAT Femto USB card and JCAT Ethernet card (standard) and both are powered externally by the 400W Linear PSU from HDPlex.
Even though I’m running two computers, the sound is still not as good as running my JAYS AUDIO CDT3 transport connected to my Denafrips Terminator DAC via i2S, let alone vinyl or 1/4" 15 ips Tape. The soundstage is not as wide, deep or as clear.
Therefore in an effort to combat this limitation, with an all out assault, I’ve decided to go down the Ian Canada path and ordered the following as a replacement for my current Roon End Point computer (NAA), which will also perform as a DDC.
New NAA Computer with Ian Canada parts for NAA and DDC
1 x #91C Flagship full function FIFO Re-Clock DDC Streamer Transport KIT with i2S/DSD over HDMI output
1 x #70A Amanero Combo 384 USB digital interface
2 x #80A/B SC-Pure Clocks - 45.xxxMHz and one 49.xxxMHz.
1 x #32B LinearPi MKII ultra-low noise SMT linear PSU
1 x #25 UcConditioner MKII 5v
1 x #41M UcPure MKIII Quad Ultracapacitor PSU Quad balancer kit
4 x Eaton XL60-3R0308T-R 3v 3000F Ultracapacitors - These things are massive
Hoping this improves the quality of my Roon End Point, which will be connected to my Terminator DAC via i2S. I do have a few question:
Any other improvements you might suggest to ensure I have the best possible fighting chance?
Appreciate any advice and input here as I embark on this cool journey.
A little bit of background
Curently running a 2 x computer setup for Roon + HQPlayer for upsampling
NAS --> Roon Server / HQPlayer Computer --> Roon End Point (NAA) Computer --> DAC
Computer # 1 - Processing Server
Completely passive with heatsinks across the CPU and NVIDIA 3060Ti graphics card and is running a Ryzen processor with Roon Server and HQ Player Desktop and is processing DSD 512 with ASDM7ECv2, SDM poly-sinc-ext2 successfully with no dropouts. The actual music media is stored on a separate NAS.
Computer # 2 - Roon Endpoint (NAA)
Roon End Point computer which was an Intel i5 processor and 32 GB of RAM and is completely passive with an external HDPlex 400w Linear PSU running the HQPlayer NAA image via a USB stick. This computer also has a JCAT Femto USB card and JCAT Ethernet card (standard) and both are powered externally by the 400W Linear PSU from HDPlex.
Even though I’m running two computers, the sound is still not as good as running my JAYS AUDIO CDT3 transport connected to my Denafrips Terminator DAC via i2S, let alone vinyl or 1/4" 15 ips Tape. The soundstage is not as wide, deep or as clear.
Therefore in an effort to combat this limitation, with an all out assault, I’ve decided to go down the Ian Canada path and ordered the following as a replacement for my current Roon End Point computer (NAA), which will also perform as a DDC.
New NAA Computer with Ian Canada parts for NAA and DDC
1 x #91C Flagship full function FIFO Re-Clock DDC Streamer Transport KIT with i2S/DSD over HDMI output
1 x #70A Amanero Combo 384 USB digital interface
2 x #80A/B SC-Pure Clocks - 45.xxxMHz and one 49.xxxMHz.
1 x #32B LinearPi MKII ultra-low noise SMT linear PSU
1 x #25 UcConditioner MKII 5v
1 x #41M UcPure MKIII Quad Ultracapacitor PSU Quad balancer kit
4 x Eaton XL60-3R0308T-R 3v 3000F Ultracapacitors - These things are massive
Hoping this improves the quality of my Roon End Point, which will be connected to my Terminator DAC via i2S. I do have a few question:
- If I’m running Roon Server on the other 100% passive computer including the NVIDIA Graphics Card with copper heat sinks, assuming I can leave this computer alone and focus on the new NAA / DDC computer?
- If this is purely running as a NAA / DDC with a HQPlayer NAA image, can I still attach a display eg. 5" Elecrow as noted by Gabster and have it function as a display for album art, and normal media controls.
- What else should I be getting to complete this project....aside from a nice case, which I'll look into once operational
Any other improvements you might suggest to ensure I have the best possible fighting chance?
Appreciate any advice and input here as I embark on this cool journey.
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Here's what I'm currently running for the last few years
Option 1
Option 2
Use the Amenero Combo384 USB in this configuration. This eliminates the need for the Ethernet Regen switch and have both computers connected by USB Only. Will this work? Thoughts?
All parts for Ian Canada computer has arrived
Option 1
Option 2
Use the Amenero Combo384 USB in this configuration. This eliminates the need for the Ethernet Regen switch and have both computers connected by USB Only. Will this work? Thoughts?
All parts for Ian Canada computer has arrived
Attachments
You really have to ask yourself how the Internet can work at all? Often x Gb/sec. go over an Ethernet Cat. 6 copper line, without an audio-grade Ethernet refresher or audio-grade switches. The Gb/s data simply arrive unaltered after their journey from e.g. New York to Mumbai.
The fact that mega-byte Word or Excel files can still be read without errors even after countless opening, saving and editing is nothing short of a miracle. All without refresher ectr.
Audio files (a few Kb/sec. however, “have” to be refreshed and only transported a few meters through the apartment with LPS-fired equipment.
There is hardly non PCM processed material in the audio world. If you believe in the loss of information or the addition of errors through the PCM process, what is the point of subsequent transcoding from PCM to DSD? The error is already there and, in case of doubt, DSD transcoding will only add another error.
So the question arises, why do you go to all this trouble? It would save you a lot of time, money and effort if you tried not to fall for the marketing blah-blah of the audio industry and simply listen to the music with an open mind.
The fact that mega-byte Word or Excel files can still be read without errors even after countless opening, saving and editing is nothing short of a miracle. All without refresher ectr.
Audio files (a few Kb/sec. however, “have” to be refreshed and only transported a few meters through the apartment with LPS-fired equipment.
There is hardly non PCM processed material in the audio world. If you believe in the loss of information or the addition of errors through the PCM process, what is the point of subsequent transcoding from PCM to DSD? The error is already there and, in case of doubt, DSD transcoding will only add another error.
So the question arises, why do you go to all this trouble? It would save you a lot of time, money and effort if you tried not to fall for the marketing blah-blah of the audio industry and simply listen to the music with an open mind.
Try placing a clip on ferrite choke on the USB cable, this might address some common mode noise from network streaming computer.
I run Roon on a server connected to my home network, and use RPI4B with ethernet network connections as endpoints which are connected either by SPDIF or USB to their DACs. This has worked well for me. Nothing exotic.
I run Roon on a server connected to my home network, and use RPI4B with ethernet network connections as endpoints which are connected either by SPDIF or USB to their DACs. This has worked well for me. Nothing exotic.
Hard for me to grasp the thinking behind such a complex digital chain.
I have a profound dislike for both hqplayer and roon. And also towards the idea of using a very powerful server which then requires a gargantuan effort to quiet down.
Did Jplay on a low power server with an endpoint based on an ultra low power pc/sbc not get you closer to the sound of an optical disk?
Does everything really need to be converted to gigabit dsd?
I have a profound dislike for both hqplayer and roon. And also towards the idea of using a very powerful server which then requires a gargantuan effort to quiet down.
Did Jplay on a low power server with an endpoint based on an ultra low power pc/sbc not get you closer to the sound of an optical disk?
Does everything really need to be converted to gigabit dsd?
Hi, I love your project. This is what I wanted to do a year ago (JCAT approach) and what I want now (Ian Canada approach)
I think the design looks good. I'm curious if the fanless PC is only dedicated to audio. I'm looking at audiolinux as a Linux SO that has a real-time kernel alternative.
With your actual setup, have you tried a different USB cable to see if that makes a difference?
I think the design looks good. I'm curious if the fanless PC is only dedicated to audio. I'm looking at audiolinux as a Linux SO that has a real-time kernel alternative.
With your actual setup, have you tried a different USB cable to see if that makes a difference?
Hi dpak, yes the fanless computer is completely dedicated and sits within my audio rack running Ubuntu, HQPlayer and Roon. The CPU and Graphics card both have aluminium / copper heat sinks and bolted heat pipes back to the chassis walls, which have thick aluminium fins on all three sides. Including the front, which itself has a face plate cover hiding the fins. Unfortunately, the PSU itself is fanless, but is a switch mode standard Seasonic (not sure how I can change this). Thoughts?. See picture below. Haven’t tried USB cables.
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Hi All, Ian replied back and indicated I do not need the Raspberry Pi, since I'll be using the Amanero Combo768.
This makes it simpler. Final view below.
I'm guessing if I wish to use ethernet (in) on the NAA end point, then I would need a Raspberry Pi. Can anyone think of any disadvantages to this approach without the Rpi?
This makes it simpler. Final view below.
I'm guessing if I wish to use ethernet (in) on the NAA end point, then I would need a Raspberry Pi. Can anyone think of any disadvantages to this approach without the Rpi?
For me, is more neat this way, RPI free because:
- Pure DDC functionality with SO agnostic. If you want to connect your server to a HQplayer NAA using an external RPI, you can connect it to the Amanero USB. Other solutions, like Gentoo player or Audiolinux are available. This would make less sense for the JCAT cards.
- FifoPI Q7 has galvanic isolation already, so it doesn't need an Intona. You are saving money because you no longer need the Linearpi and UCconditioner for just the RPI
- Internal RPI can make more EMI noise and lower the SQ a little.
If you put in an internal RPI, there should be a reason for it, like not using the Amanero card, and using the RPI GPIO instead, or connecting a hard disk or other peripherals like a screen.
- Pure DDC functionality with SO agnostic. If you want to connect your server to a HQplayer NAA using an external RPI, you can connect it to the Amanero USB. Other solutions, like Gentoo player or Audiolinux are available. This would make less sense for the JCAT cards.
- FifoPI Q7 has galvanic isolation already, so it doesn't need an Intona. You are saving money because you no longer need the Linearpi and UCconditioner for just the RPI
- Internal RPI can make more EMI noise and lower the SQ a little.
If you put in an internal RPI, there should be a reason for it, like not using the Amanero card, and using the RPI GPIO instead, or connecting a hard disk or other peripherals like a screen.
Why are we even using anything USB? Every time I try it, I am disenchanted. I spent $12,000 on PC-based servers and streamers that NEVER sounded as good as the following:
NOTE I am not using Roon because so this is not quite the same.
My system consists of two Raspberry Pis. One Pi5 runs PicCorePlayer and LMS with 4Tb of NVME storage, while the other runs PiCorePlayer and squeezelite only with a Pi2AES. The Pis are fed using LPS. The network is a Trendnet switch with one SFP to an FMC on the core network.
The DAC is a Holo Cyan 2.
I'm eagerly awaiting some @iancanada gear. I'm excited to see how it performs and if it can take my setup to the next level! PurePi II, Isolator Pi III, TransportPi Digi, MonitorPi Pro,.... Batteries, etc....
NOTE I am not using Roon because so this is not quite the same.
My system consists of two Raspberry Pis. One Pi5 runs PicCorePlayer and LMS with 4Tb of NVME storage, while the other runs PiCorePlayer and squeezelite only with a Pi2AES. The Pis are fed using LPS. The network is a Trendnet switch with one SFP to an FMC on the core network.
The DAC is a Holo Cyan 2.
I'm eagerly awaiting some @iancanada gear. I'm excited to see how it performs and if it can take my setup to the next level! PurePi II, Isolator Pi III, TransportPi Digi, MonitorPi Pro,.... Batteries, etc....
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