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how would you build the "perfect" computer for audio

post #1 of 25
11/20/09 at 6:37am
Thread Starter 
recentely i started to use my desktop computer as a transport to my headroom UM dac, mainly because of the need for EQ...otherwise i would keep using my marantz cd player.
I definitely can say that the sound is pretty good, without any noticable noises and interferences.
my current setup is: computer (foobar+asio)> dac> earmax (or any other of my amps)> and mainly the hd650...i didn't tried my other cans yet.

now that i have reached the desireable EQ for my hd650 i will continue to experiment with all my other gear as well. ah..and i also have a kimber usb cable on its way.
I just hope that my (noisy) and bulky desktop computer is not holding me back. if there is a weak link in this setup it would be the computer.
would you recommend using a different computer for audio only?

if you were building the "perfect" computer for audio transferring,what parts would you use? motherboard,usb jacks, operating system etc... without spending a lot of money...sort of bang for the buck audiophile computer.
or just get a mac and getting it over with..?
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post #2 of 25
11/20/09 at 7:06am
mac = teh failz

weak
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post #3 of 25
11/20/09 at 7:08am
Squeezebox.
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post #4 of 25
11/20/09 at 8:50am
Is it possible that we might give the OP something a little more concrete than 'Macs R weak' and 'Squeezebox' ??

My personal view is that there is a lot of emphasis placed on which OS and media player people are using, while the focus for me is on how I can best transfer the (lossless audio) bitstream into my DAC. I've had good results from a desktop running Windows, a netbook running Linux and Macbook Pro running OS X - as long as the OS recognizes my Topaz, its all good from there. My personal preference is for Toslink over USB, but I dont want to start a war - use whatever works and good luck. The other tip is that a laptop running off battery power produces significantly less jitter on both USB and SPDIF connections - whether your DAC can handle that or not is a question for the techies.
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post #5 of 25
11/20/09 at 9:43am
Thread Starter 
thanks for the replies . and yes estreeter..jitter is the magic word here, I forgot to mention this in my op but i think that jitter is one of the main issues when talking about digital audio streaming, together with bit perfect.

my computer's motherboard is gigabyte..I am not sure what model but it supposed to be of high quality.
assuming that the MB is one of the most important (if not the most) in the way the computer will deliver the digital bits to the usb port. can you recommend maybe a higher quality motherboard? maybe silver plated usb jacks?
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post #6 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:05am
the main thing is dont use the 3.5mm jacks coming off the motherboard your current set up ought to be totally fine. digital either works or it doesnt but if your using lots of stuff on usb it could saturate the bus and cause drop outs

if you really want as clean as poss use optical rather than usb to connect the DAC to the comp (usb could cause small fluctuations in the DAC circutry, optical would force external and cleaner power supply) but thats really pushing it
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post #7 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:07am
oh your dac has optical, im betting your mobo does too. go buy a $20 spdif cable and use that.
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post #8 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mark2410 View Post
the main thing is dont use the 3.5mm jacks coming off the motherboard your current set up ought to be totally fine. digital either works or it doesnt but if your using lots of stuff on usb it could saturate the bus and cause drop outs

if you really want as clean as poss use optical rather than usb to connect the DAC to the comp (usb could cause small fluctuations in the DAC circutry, optical would force external and cleaner power supply) but thats really pushing it
thanks. so what your'e saying actually is that it doesn't matter.
there is no difference between my computer usb operation and another computer with maybe faster and better motherbaord for example?

I read somewhere that usb can generate more jitter than optical, it that true?

I don't know if i have digital outputs in my computer motherboard, but even if i have ones, i am afraid to use them...I think the usb will be safer.
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post #9 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:14am
And with SB you don't have to fart around with asio/bit perfect, worrying that drivers are upsampling, and can use the computer at the same time as using sb.
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post #10 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by iriverdude View Post
And with SB you don't have to fart around with asio/bit perfect, worrying that drivers are upsampling, and can use the computer at the same time as using sb.
what is sb?
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post #11 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:24am
Squeezebox. Also allows custom browse, can manage large database far more than any software player I've used on the PC. And it has smart replaygain again winamp, foobar and mediamonkey do not have this feature. It uses track gain when shuffling, but album gain when playing a album.
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post #12 of 25
11/20/09 at 10:35am
Any contemporary computer has enough processing power and memory to manage audio playback. Open up your operating system's resource monitor while playing files and take a look. It's like challenging Arnold Schwartzenegger to carry a briefcase. I also believe that silver connections, wire, upgraded power supplies, etc, etc is bringing an analog audiophile sensibilities into a world where they don't apply and don't belong. Make sure your software path keeps the data bit perfect (the easiest way to do this is simply use a Mac and OSX) and make sure your DAC has a well-implemented interface for your choice of USB, optical, digital coax, firewire.... If you're paranoid about noise and interference, use optical for electrical isolation.

A good DAC that handles jitter well will take care of the rest. Oh, and if accuracy, not romance is your preference, and you'd like to save a bunch of money on the DAC, look at studio tools instead of audiophile components. See Benchmark, Apogee, even M-Audio.

P
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post #13 of 25
11/20/09 at 11:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phelonious Ponk View Post
Any contemporary computer has enough processing power and memory to manage audio playback. Open up your operating system's resource monitor while playing files and take a look. It's like challenging Arnold Schwartzenegger to carry a briefcase. I also believe that silver connections, wire, upgraded power supplies, etc, etc is bringing an analog audiophile sensibilities into a world where they don't apply and don't belong. Make sure your software path keeps the data bit perfect (the easiest way to do this is simply use a Mac and OSX) and make sure your DAC has a well-implemented interface for your choice of USB, optical, digital coax, firewire.... If you're paranoid about noise and interference, use optical for electrical isolation.

A good DAC that handles jitter well will take care of the rest. Oh, and if accuracy, not romance is your preference, and you'd like to save a bunch of money on the DAC, look at studio tools instead of audiophile components. See Benchmark, Apogee, even M-Audio.

P
so, as far as computer audio is concerned, there can't be any better than a simple desktop computer and asio plugin? the only thing is to upgrade the dac for better accuracy.
i never had other dacs except the headroom UM. but it supposed to be great performer in its price range.
maybe i will upgrade in the future.
I guess you are right..there is no need in too much power for audio. but i just though that like digital cables, the information have to get from the motherboard to the usb port somehow..probably by sort of cable or something...and i just thought that maybe i can improve on that.
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post #14 of 25
11/20/09 at 1:32pm
Squeezebox or build myself a nice little mini itx box with an Intel Atom.

I mean hell right now I'm using an EEE 900A w/ WinXP as my computer audio source. The great thing about the super lower power netbooks/mini itx boxes is that they have very little to interfere with the USB DACs causing no noise whatsoever.

Dell also released a tiny little computer recently: The Dell Inspiron Zino.
techPowerUp! News :: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Puts Desktop Computing Back on the Desk
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post #15 of 25
11/20/09 at 1:43pm
My Buffalo LS-1 NAS with Debian installed using MPD with USB to the DacMagic works a treat and sound superb!

Really simple setup and te software doesn't upsample or do anything else to the sound. You can have replaygain and all that guff if you want, I don't like all that stuff though but MPD does support it.

If you have an iPhone/iPod Touch you can use MPoD as a remote for it, album art, playlists, etc etc, the works!

The K.I.S.S. approach is the best way to go (IMO) when it comes to computer audio.
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