[FredA]

My next step is a LPS for the mini (internal + external).. I could be closer to usbridge than you think )

There are 3 issues i know of: noisy disk if not ssd, noisy fan (speed-regulated by switched voltage) and the switching psu. All 3 can be fixed.

 

[Audiophiliac]

There are 3 issues i know of: noisy disk if not ssd, noisy fan (speed-regulated by switched voltage) and the switching psu. All 3 can be fixed.

I go with a usb stick, thinking they use less power than a ssd that tries to be fast would be. Couldn't really notice much difference as with a mechanical, but maybe a bit. 1TB is kind of expensive and small that way, but it's audio.

 

[FredA]

I go with a usb stick, thinking they use less power than a ssd that tries to be fast would be. Couldn't really notice much difference as with a mechanical, but maybe a bit. 1TB is kind of expensive and small that way, but it's audio.

I use sticks too to avoid ground loops. But i apply a filtering dongle on the port it is connected to (which is totally independent from the clean usb port meant for audio). Sticks generate more noise than external drives some says. Some sticks are more silent than others, i have read too. I always use sandisk, good value and never had any issue. I used to use a wifi dongle, this was a real noise generaror.

 

[Audiophiliac]

i apply a filtering dongle on the port it is connected to (which is totally independent from the clean usb port meant for audio).

What does a filtering dongle do, and do you have a link? Should I be putting one of those before my dac, too? Do you have a link, please?
An external drive would have it's own power supply, but a stick doesn't need it, that would be extra. It would suck searching for the quietest stick, and I'm not sure I would notice much difference, considering I didn't find much compared to a ssd. But I agree Sandisk should be ok, if they're that well distributed and old, they must not always be having less capacity than they say right before they break anyways. My 1 year old phone card by them is fine, though I stream while I'm not on the subway.

 

[OCC7N]

I think the best method is to install the music player as portable on a usb stick with SLC memory, then connect it to a audiophile usb pcie card.

I have not tried it yet because the ports are to close to each other on jcat that the usb stick dont fit

 

[FredA]

I would not recommend a filtering stick on the usb audio port, though you can alway try. But with the usb audio out of a silent transport, it most likely won't help.


https://m.fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005002496408109.html

 

[OCC7N]

I would not recommend a filtering stick on the usb audio port, though you can alway try. But with the usb audio out of a silent transport, it most likely won't help.


https://m.fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005002496408109.html

Oh I meant a thumb drive sorry.

Testing stream from NAS now

Foobar2000/System more - "noisy/sandy" than the other two
Foobar2000/NVME SSD SAMSUNG 980 Pro - sounds the best with more depth in bass and engaging
Foobar2000/Thumb drive/FAT32 on JCAT very cheap usb thumbdrive - not as good as the 980

Everything goes through JCAT and out to DI20HE

I cant believe the difference.

 

[FredA]

Oh I meant a thumb drive sorry.

Testing stream from NAS now

Foobar2000/System more - "noisy/sandy" than the other two
Foobar2000/NVME SSD SAMSUNG 980 Pro - sounds the best with more depth in bass and engaging
Foobar2000/Thumb drive/FAT32 on JCAT very cheap usb thumbdrive - not as good as the 980

Everything goes through JCAT and out to DI20HE

I cant believe the difference.

All about noise!

 

[OCC7N]

All about noise!

True I have to buy a usb stick with slc memory like the Samsung 980 Pro. Every disk I have heard with SLC* is pure MAGIC!!

The whole tone representation is totally different!

The cheap 2 dollar usb stick on the JCAT does not sound as good as my 2 two samsung 980 pro.

And I am testing the 870 EVO which is a TLC. It also sounds better than the cheap usb stick on the JCAT. But not as airy and 3D like 980 Pro. Im getting the goosebumps again

EDIT: CORRECTION only the cache were SLC on all my disks. They have TLC memory based since SLC is soo expensive.

 

[Jandu]

Oh I meant a thumb drive sorry.

Testing stream from NAS now

Foobar2000/System more - "noisy/sandy" than the other two
Foobar2000/NVME SSD SAMSUNG 980 Pro - sounds the best with more depth in bass and engaging
Foobar2000/Thumb drive/FAT32 on JCAT very cheap usb thumbdrive - not as good as the 980

Everything goes through JCAT and out to DI20HE

I cant believe the difference.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50977881741_2ae1be5f0d_z.jpg

I find the best USB media for music playing or for your RPi OS, is above. Not easy to source, but if you have it, you should try it. Followed by an Optane (intel) M15 with a NVME adapter for USB.

 

[OCC7N]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50977881741_2ae1be5f0d_z.jpg

I find the best USB media for music playing or for your RPi OS, is above. Not easy to source, but if you have it, you should try it. Followed by an Optane (intel) M15 with a NVME adapter for USB.

What type of mem are they based on? SLC TLC?

The Optane is SLC and insanely good sound

 

[PLGA]

Hi guys,
I want to try hi res files on my set up wich now only streams with an SOtM SMS 200 Ultra Neo as a end point and a Windows 10 notebook as a core with Audinirvana.

How would you say should be the best way to do it as I find three alternatives:

1- Storing the files on the internal hard drive of the notebook used as a Core.
This is the easiest way to do it and the fastest to compare vs Tidal, at least with Audinirvana.

The caveat is that the files have to go through the home network to the SMS-200 and I think some data could be lost or noise gained.

I compared this option with Tidal, with the only Hi Res album I have now (Flac 96/24) and to be honest I haven’t found noticeably differences in SQ.

I will compare another Hi-Res formats (WAV and DSD) vs Tidal next week to see if my appreciations are correct.

2- Storing the files on a NAS. Any sugestión? I find it a little complex for my network expertise

3- Storing the files on a SSD external hard drive connected directly to the USB inputs at the back of the SMS-200.
This options needs some configuration and it seremos SQ was not optimal when the SSD external hard drive uses the power from SMS-200 USB input.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand where should I connect a USB stick like the one recommended. At the back of the SMS 200?

Any suggestion? I'm lost

 

[OCC7N]

Hi guys,
I want to try hi res files on my set up wich now only streams with an SOtM SMS 200 Ultra Neo as a end point and a Windows 10 notebook as a core with Audinirvana.

How would you say should be the best way to do it as I find three alternatives:

1- Storing the files on the internal hard drive of the notebook used as a Core.
This is the easiest way to do it and the fastest to compare vs Tidal, at least with Audinirvana.

The caveat is that the files have to go through the home network to the SMS-200 and I think some data could be lost or noise gained.

I compared this option with Tidal, with the only Hi Res album I have now (Flac 96/24) and to be honest I haven’t found noticeably differences in SQ.

I will compare another Hi-Res formats (WAV and DSD) vs Tidal next week to see if my appreciations are correct.

2- Storing the files on a NAS. Any sugestión? I find it a little complex for my network expertise

3- Storing the files on a SSD external hard drive connected directly to the USB inputs at the back of the SMS-200.
This options needs some configuration and it seremos SQ was not optimal when the SSD external hard drive uses the power from SMS-200 USB input.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand where should I connect a USB stick like the one recommended. At the back of the SMS 200?

Any suggestion? I'm lost

1. First of all get the drive/disks in SLC based memory imo. I like them alot. Samsung 980 pro is. Not the best performing, but sounds better then TLC and MLC based memory imo. Intel Optane is my best recommendation. * Not correct all my disks SLC cache, mostly best used quality is TLC(EVO/PRO)

2. If you are using Tidal or any other service. See if you can install Tidal on a seperate SLC based disk. Then use the Offline mode so your files streams from this disk and not the Weird World Wide LAN.

3. If streaming from NAS, keep the files there to start with a test before vs now. In this method install the Audinirvana on a seperate slc based disk, portable if possible like Foobar2000. Also install on the system, so you can compare yourself. System/Windows. vs SLC disk.

4. When it comes to the usb thumbdrive, then this 2 dollar thumbdrive I have on the JCAT USB XE, is pretty good, but SLC based thumbdrives are alot better, but not every fits on the JCAT because the ports are so close. Do this method if you have an audiophile grade USB pcie card.

(If you wanna take it a little further get SATA 5V DC adapters and connect external psu to the internal SSD, these adapters are easy to make if you know a little about them.)

 

[Jandu]

Hi guys,
I want to try hi res files on my set up wich now only streams with an SOtM SMS 200 Ultra Neo as a end point and a Windows 10 notebook as a core with Audinirvana.

How would you say should be the best way to do it as I find three alternatives:

1- Storing the files on the internal hard drive of the notebook used as a Core.
This is the easiest way to do it and the fastest to compare vs Tidal, at least with Audinirvana.

The caveat is that the files have to go through the home network to the SMS-200 and I think some data could be lost or noise gained.

I compared this option with Tidal, with the only Hi Res album I have now (Flac 96/24) and to be honest I haven’t found noticeably differences in SQ.

I will compare another Hi-Res formats (WAV and DSD) vs Tidal next week to see if my appreciations are correct.

2- Storing the files on a NAS. Any sugestión? I find it a little complex for my network expertise

3- Storing the files on a SSD external hard drive connected directly to the USB inputs at the back of the SMS-200.
This options needs some configuration and it seremos SQ was not optimal when the SSD external hard drive uses the power from SMS-200 USB input.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand where should I connect a USB stick like the one recommended. At the back of the SMS 200?

Any suggestion? I'm lost

USB device with the above type of storage (post #10180) sounds best, followed by NAS(SSD or NVME NAS drive with fan turned off would be best). Mechanical hard drive not as good as SSD. If you need to use SSD connected via USB, try to find an SLC type SSD and use a separate power supply for the USB power unless you can find a very low power consumption type SLC such as the old Intel 660p or M15. Intel stopped making SSD so it is harder to find. The newer Solidigm brand supposedly based on the Intel technology, however, I have not seen its comments.

 

[Jandu]

What type of mem are they based on? SLC TLC?

The Optane is SLC and insanely good sound

These are the first gen digital camera compactflash memory. You likely can get 2nd hand cards at a very good price. However, the USB adapter is harder to find. Especially, ones that is RPi boot up compatible ones.

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX57424