[Prog Rock Man]

Thanks haloxt, there is a lot of reading there and I have already done some of the simple things (I am no computer expert), mainly to optimize performance of my laptop to cope with itunes, streaming and surfing at the same time, rather than sound related.

 

[haloxt]

Don't follow that guide unless you're trying to make a dedicated transport, which is what the cmp component and software guide is for. The only thing I did was a few windows and asio settings that took 10 minutes and got an earthwatts psu. If you decide to take it seriously expect to spend at least a few hundred in new hardware, and hours messing with software, and if you are using cmp your computer's functionality will be reduced until you close cmp because it disables explorer, only 10% of the time I use cmp over cplay.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

I had been reading through the site and realised it is for a more experienced person looking to make their computer a dedicated source. I am sure that I have done as much as is possible with W7 and itunes/streamed music.
 
But I get your point of having a computer that is set for music as opposed to multi function. Maybe that will come in the future where you can get a dedicated setting built in to optimise music playback.

 

[Fidelity Castro]

Here is a summary of what i paid for the whole cMP² system :
 
GA31m S2L Board - 30$ Ebay ( i saw it selling for even cheaper )
e7300 cpu - 40$ ebay ( " " )
512mb crucial dqt9 ( similar to the kingston low latency ) - 10$
Cogage MST 140 cooler ( rebranded Thermalright axp 140 selling for the half price )
Esi juli@ - 80$ ebay ( only digital board used )
Wireless Mouse - Microsoft Arc
Case - 0$ old htpc case, take any case you want until it´s heavy build.
HDD - old 1tb sata HDD from my server ( upgradet to 2tb )
12" VGA LCD Screen - 20$
Pico PSU 150xt - 30$ ebay
Regulated linear PSU ( to power p4 and p24 through pico psu ) 50$ ( velleman / peaktech) 0,5mv ripple
Old seasonic psu to power the other components like hdd and usb mouse ( 0$ ). As you power the whole board with the linear psu you can just take any atx psu. Remove the fan though.
 
No Fans, no noise, wunderful...
 
As you see not much money, even less than iwould have paid for a Squeezebox. The biggest improvement i´ve got with the linear psu powering the pico psu. More prat and perceived weight. Since then i´m a psu believer. my opinion is that any device rises and falls respectively to the psu it uses. Forget atx psu´s to power your board in an audio pc.
 
The linear psu stuff and seperating noisy hardware like hdd´s and usb powered devices from the mainboard circuit will probably improve any audio pc regardless wich software it´s running.
 
All the software, bios  tweaks summed up was a nice performance boost too. When i was running my all in one htpc before, for music aswel ( bitperfect )l i thought that my dac inside my av receiver would be the weakest link in my system, in the end it resulted that it was my transport, the dac just wasn´t operating at the level it could. Try it out, follow the guide step by step with pacience and be amazed.
 
 
Just my 2...

 

[audioengr]

I would not go to the trouble of doing a DAC shootout unless I had:
 
1) really low jitter source
2) high-quality cables
3) really good preamp
 
Any of these if they are not up to snuff can homogenize the sound to the point that all DACs sound alike.  Jitter can mask all kinds of problems.  This has been my experience.
 
Steve N.
Empirical Audio

 

[happyxix]

Quote:

I would not go to the trouble of doing a DAC shootout unless I had:
 
1) really low jitter source
2) high-quality cables
3) really good preamp
 
Any of these if they are not up to snuff can homogenize the sound to the point that all DACs sound alike.  Jitter can mask all kinds of problems.  This has been my experience.
 
Steve N.
Empirical Audio

So you are saying we need $200-who know show much, cables to get good results from midrange $200-600 dacs and if we don't we won't know otherwise? Sounds like more load of bullfeces.

 

[computerparts]

Quote:

So you are saying we need $200-who know show much, cables to get good results from midrange $200-600 dacs and if we don't we won't know otherwise? Sounds like more load of bullfeces.

You couldn't have gotten it any more wrong IMO. He's saying one needs those kind of ancillaries to be able to effectively discern the qualitative differences between dacs, not just for good results.

 

[zenpunk]

Quote:

You couldn't have gotten it any more wrong IMO. He's saying one needs those kind of ancillaries to be able to effectively discern the qualitative differences between dacs, not just for good results.

Which just show how little differences there is between ( good quality) DACs. 

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

I would not go to the trouble of doing a DAC shootout unless I had:
 
1) really low jitter source
2) high-quality cables
3) really good preamp
 
Any of these if they are not up to snuff can homogenize the sound to the point that all DACs sound alike.  Jitter can mask all kinds of problems.  This has been my experience.
 
Steve N.
Empirical Audio

 
I don't know.  I have had a bunch of DACs run through my rack (usually owning 3-4+) at a time over the past year or two.  The rig consisted generally of an iMac; a mix of DIY, high-end, bargain cables; and a Manley Skipjack.  The Skipjack is a nifty little device.  Now I'm not sure what sonic compromises are made by this setup, but I'm sure there are at least a few.  Regardless, it provides a pretty easy way for me to discern perceived relative differences between the DACs due to the ability to switch almost seamlessly (and blindly with the "pickle").  That said, my listening was far from a controlled test.  Also, I am fully aware that we are all susceptible to the placebo effect.  For me, it has been a fun way to try to answer the question of which DAC I like the best.  But it has also been exhausting (and expensive!).
 
EDIT:
 
For reference, here is at least a partial list of the DACs that went through the above "process":
 
- North Star m192 mk2
- Electrocompaniet ECD-1
- HeadRoom UDAC
- Esoteric D70
- Parasound D/AC 1000
- Parasound D/AC 1100
- Dodson DA-217 mkII-D
- HeadAmp Pico DAC
- PS Audio PWD
- Benchmark DAC1
- Bryston BDA-1

 

[freakmax]

I'm gonna get Ayre QP-9 soon.I'm still worry that it may not be a big upgrade over my Apogee Duet!

 

[zenpunk]

Quote:

I'm gonna get Ayre QP-9 soon.I'm still worry that it may not be a big upgrade over my Apogee Duet!

The Ayre QP-9 is a huge improvement over the Apogee Duet, like night and day! More transparent and detailed while remaining very musical.
 Repeat 20 times before going to sleep, each night. 

 

[thuantran]

It seems like this zen induced punk is propagandizing self-hypnotism which might or might not be a good thing .  Still it's always good to be able to justify your purchase. Good luck with your decision.

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

I would not go to the trouble of doing a DAC shootout unless I had:
 
1) really low jitter source
2) high-quality cables
3) really good preamp
 
Any of these if they are not up to snuff can homogenize the sound to the point that all DACs sound alike.  Jitter can mask all kinds of problems.  This has been my experience.
 
Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Sounds like a suitable test can be performed to test this hypothesis. You should be well equipped to test this. Select a suitable source, cables and preamp and two DACs that you consider to be audibly different and then see if a trained listener (not you of course)  can tell them apart (DBT) then swap out the low jitter source for a high jitter source (within reason, nothing too absurd) and repeat the test between DACs.
 

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Quote:

Sounds like a suitable test can be performed to test this hypothesis. You should be well equipped to test this. Select a suitable source, cables and preamp and two DACs that you consider to be audibly different and then see if a trained listener (not you of course)  can tell them apart (DBT) then swap out the low jitter source for a high jitter source (within reason, nothing too absurd) and repeat the test between DACs.
 

Ideal, I need more DBTs for my thread on testing audiophile myths.
 

 

[audioengr]

Been there, done that.  I do this test at every CES and RMAF show.  All listeners can hear the difference in jitter and the difference between DACs.
 
Steve N.
Empirical Audio

 
Quote:

Sounds like a suitable test can be performed to test this hypothesis. You should be well equipped to test this. Select a suitable source, cables and preamp and two DACs that you consider to be audibly different and then see if a trained listener (not you of course)  can tell them apart (DBT) then swap out the low jitter source for a high jitter source (within reason, nothing too absurd) and repeat the test between DACs.