Computer audio discussion

[Jim G]

LPS:
Does the laptop running on a battery sound better then running in walwart?

Interesting to test.

I think we compared that at Charlie's as he was experimenting with the laptop running Linux, however I don't think we heard any, or an appreciable difference.

However, I've stopped saying *better/worse* trying to describe these differences. His current server allows for *spacial cues* that create the 3rd dimension I talked about earlier. The laptop, earlier servers, and dedicated renderer all sounded more veiled, and/or 2 dimensional in comparison. Some people may not care for the difference perceiving it as *excessive detail*, or as I mentioned earlier, many systems including mine, (2 way horn loaded) can't create the soundstage with the available information anyway. Because I'd heard his analogue source sound so 3 dimensional, it seemed logical it could be like that on the digital side too.

Don't want people to think the other servers or renderer have crappy bass, or etched highs, etc. Don't know if I'm making this any clearer.

[Grover Gardner]

One of my mini-PCs has a Celeron N2820 processor, the same as the C.A.P.S setup. The motherboard's a little different but it has a PCI-E slot. I've ordered the SotM USB card and an extension cable. It's a start. It'll probably take the card a while to get here, so I'll try to report back if and when I get it set up.

[Jim G]

One of my mini-PCs has a Celeron N2820 processor, the same as the C.A.P.S setup. The motherboard's a little different but it has a PCI-E slot. I've ordered the SotM USB card and an extension cable. It's a start. It'll probably take the card a while to get here, so I'll try to report back if and when I get it set up.

Okay, good luck. Don't forget the LPS. Maybe Charlie can bring his!

[charliewphelps@gmail.com]

I could except I'd have to pay an extra freight charge that thing is heavy. Grover, you won't believe how much difference a good usb card makes - just ask Jim. You do have to power the USB card from the power input jack on the back. That made more difference than anything else we tried. The other thing is that I'm using a usb cable that has separate connectors at the input for power and signal. Currently I'm running it with the power section connected directly to the LPS but I've tried it with battery power as well. Very little if any difference. It DOES sound quite a bit worse if you just plug the power section in to a usb port on the computer. Get a usb cable with a split input.

To answer an earlier question - I'm using a stripped down version of Debian 8 with LDME rather than Gnome or KDE. Light footprint. I also turn off all the unneeded stuff and run it headless with ssh. Basically I want the processor to have as little as possible to do except run MPD. You have to make sure the mixer is disabled so that it doesn't up or downsample. I also added upmpdcli so I could run it with a tablet using bubbleup. Results are more than I ever expected. I'm a classical music buff and there are so many great young musicians out there right now that have only recorded in digital so this works out well. I've spent far more for hi res downloads in the past year than I have for equipment.

Charlie

[Grover Gardner]

I have a usb cable with detachable power link, forget where I bought it from--Australia? The data cables are soft and cloth-wrapped, ring a bell? It always struck me as a bit dry but I'll try it again. You think you could squeeze a USB cable in your luggage?

Bring your skivvies, though, it's HOT. 110 today and around 100 all next week. Good weather to sit in an air-conditioned vineyard tasting room, sip wine and and look at the mountains.

[Jim G]

Well, you could send it out 2 day USPS so it's there when you arrive, and then Grover can have another waiting for you when you get home, cause he's not going to let it leave.

[Grover Gardner]

Well, you could send it out 2 day USPS so it's there when you arrive, and then Grover can have another waiting for you when you get home, cause he's not going to let it leave.

Now there's an idea.

[Roscoe Primrose]

No idea about how good/bad this one is: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Power-supply-an ... 1589388236

But it might get a good bit of the way there....

Roscoe

[Roscoe Primrose]

And a DIY one, so we're on-topic

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/221_diy_usb_e.html

Roscoe

[Don Diego]

At this time I'm using a CAPS server Carbon type computer with linux and a SoTM USB output card with a separate linear supply with a LPS for the computer using linux to work MPD with bit perfect output to the La Scala DAC. For the first time in my life I think that analog has lost. I never would have believed it could happen. If anybody is interested they can stop by for a listen after I get back from Grover's (I'm heading out there to see him next week). I don't have to much space but one or two at a time could be accommodated. I haven't listened to analog in months -- hi res digital is more than I could ever have imagined.

Charlie.

Heresy

I listened to the La Scala and Formula DACs in May and deemed them to be a toss up. Each one bested the other depending on the music but if I had to characterize the differences I would say I found the La Scala to be more dimensional and musical and the Formula to be more detailed. I need to go back up to NYC for some more listening comparisons. Have you listened to any DSD128 files and compared them to Hi-rez PCM?