Peter

All the pieces for the music server will be here in about a week, but I've looked around and don't see where to pay for and download the XXHighEnd player. Lord knows you've more than earned it in my case.

twystd

Okay Peter I don't want to take any chances, so USB cabled keyboard it is. Don't mean to drive you nuts , but which version of Vista should I get 64 bit or 32 bit? I'm thinking 32 bit because I've heard there is a driver availability issue with 64bit, and the DDDAC1543 MKII is kind of an old design.

twystd

I thought that by going with an internal bluetooth card, that it would get one more device (keyboard and track ball) off the USB bus. If I understand you correctly that the bluetooth sends and receives even though I'm not typing or moving the track ball, and that this send/receive is interrupting the processor? So you would recommend a standard USB keyboard then? Its amazing how much I have to learn about this PC music server thing!

twystd

Does it matter sound wise if I use a ATA150 or ATA300 internal hard drive (both 5400rpm), they both have the same 8MB buffer. My computers controller is ATA300, but I have the ATA150 drive already, will the faster drive effect the sound? I don't mind spending another $60.00 if it will sound better.

 I'm planning on running the operating system, and the XXHighEnd on the internal hard drive, all music on the external drives through Firewire, and a Bluetooth keyboard. The only things on the USB bus are the DAC, and the Plextor CD reader. Obviously the CD reader and the DAC won't be going at the same time, so that leaves the DAC on a "dedicated" USB bus. Do I have this correct?

twystd     

Hmmm... Don't know a lot about this, but I think my DDDAC 1543 is asynchronous. It uses a I2S bus and re-clocks with a Tent Labs clock. Any comments?

twystd

Thanks for the reply Peter. The reason for the extender is to electrically isolate the DAC (powered by a filtered regulated battery power supply) from the switching power supply noise from the computer. The USB extender is powered by a switching power supply, but I am replacing that with a filtered regulated battery supply. The laser extender (optical cable), connects my computer, which is on the coffee table, to the DAC, which is a short distance away (3 meters) on my audio equipment rack. Do you think this is a good application, now that you know how I intend on using it?

Right now, I'm not too interested in the Remote Desktop Connection feature, as I built my system very small. It will be right in front of my listening position, within arms reach. I decided to go small for convenience, and for portability as well. The portability issue is so that I can put the music server, monitor, and associated drives all in a tiny rack and put a handle on it, so I can transport it to friends houses, and local audio meets for demonstration purposes. The RDC feature might be nice in a future version, I just have to decide if the flexibility is worth the added cost.

It's going to take a couple of weeks to get the whole thing finished and some music ripped (PlexTools), then get ready, as I'm sure I'll have a few questions!8^)

twystd

 

Hi Peter

After my first attempt at a music server fell short of being able to use XXHighend (too little RAM capability). I have gone for version 2, which is an Aopen mini 965-D. I have an Intel Core Duo T2700 2.33 Ghz processor (676Mhz) with 4Gb of RAM (2 bays 2GB each). I also have to get the firewire cases for my external hard drives, as I originally bought USB cases. BTW, I am using a very small 8 inch touch screen LCD monitor. This little system will set on the coffee table in front of my listening position. I assume this is now enough to take advantage of XXHighend, am I correct? I also have built Doede Douma's DDDAC 1543 Mk2 NOS DAC. The DAC will be connected to the computer via an Opticis laser USB extender. This will run a DIY tube system, with 99db efficient speakers.

Which version of Vista should I buy for the best sound (home basic, professional, or what)? Since this is a dedicated music server, sound quality is the only issue. I do hope you are patient with me, although I can design and build a mean tube amp, I know VERY little about software. Also, which version of XXHighend should I use?   

Finally, do you think a person that has good Internet skills and a good understanding of XP, but knows nothing of programming, can utilize XXHighend successfully, and do you think the computer equipment is enough to fully utilize XXHighend? I know, a lot of simple questions, but I want to avoid any more silly mistakes on my part. I'm looking forward to finally having a working music server! 

twystd 



 

Hi Peter

I'm not sure this is the place to ask these questions, but here goes. I have based my music server on an Aopen mini, with the idea of having a small server right beside my listening position. The computer has a 1.86GHz Pentium M 750 processor with a 2Mb cache, @533MHz. It can hold only 1Gb of 533Mhz RAM, and has a 40Gb internal hard drive, and a combo CD/DVD reader/writer. 

Other stuff: the monitor is a little 8" LCD. I have two 320GB external hard drives, and an external Plextor CD reader/writer. I'm planning on ripping WAVE files on the Plextor, using PlexTools. The signal goes to an optical USB extender with a battery power supply, to isolate the DAC from the computer power supply noise. That feeds a battery powered DDAC1543 NOS DAC with two towers of 12 paralleled 1543 chips. All this goes to a DIY tube buffered line stage, then to a very tricked out pair of SE DIY 300B tube amps, and finally to some very nice sounding (to my ears at least) DIY line array speakers.

My four questions:
1- Will 1Gb ram be enough?
2- Will my small monitor cause problems?
3- Seems as if Vista home basic (less is better I think) is all I need for audio playback, as this is a dedicated music server, am I right?
4- With my setup, which version of your player would be the most appropriate?

Thanks,
twystd
 

Hi Peter

No problem with a wait, I'm in the process of way too many projects, including my USB DAC, so it will be awhile before I order.

Perhaps you'd like to read a couple of posts I made on the Audio Asylum PC audio forum: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/2/21445.html and: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/pcaudio/messages/2/21465.html

 Hi Peter

Not sure this is the best place to post this on this forum, my apologies if it is inappropriate. I have a few questions, but first a little background. Been an audiophool for about 8 years now, and am a hard core DIYer. I've built several tube amps, and am designing my own currently, as well as having many preamps, cables, and speaker projects, under my belt. I am currently working on a DDAC 1543 kit as supplied by Doede Duma. I have been monitoring the computer audio forum on the audio asylum, and saw the post there, that seemed to cause so much paranoia!;-)

Can't believe the folks there are so paranoid about anybody associated with the "infamous" Bert Doppenberg gang.   If you are not familiar with the DDAC1543 it is a USB DAC which uses an I2S bus and re-clocks with a 11.8mhz (I think), Tent Labs clock to parallel stacked 1543s, in my case two towers of 12 for a total of 24 1543 chips. It uses no op-amp, just a load resistor and capacitor for output after the chips.

Seem as as if this DAC would be a good candidate for your players minimalist philosophy (which I've always gravitated to in audio). Do you agree?

Now for the questions. Does your player bypass the computer sound card? I hope so, because I have a very lousy one in my music server computer (since I was going to bypass it anyway). It's a very small PC commonly called "Pandoras Box", the computer, the 8" LCD touch screen, and external music storage hard drives, are designed to fit on the coffee table in front of my listening position.

I have Windows XP operating system, can I get the best performance with your player with XP, or would I have to upgrade to Vista, or is some other OS optimal? I want pretty much of a no compromise system, so if an upgrade is necessary, so be it.

I am confused about the different versions of XXHighEnd, can you advise as to which would be the most appropriate. I am not a techie by any means, and was really NOT looking forward to the completely bewildering proposal of getting Foobar to work.
 Looks like you just may have the solution I was looking for, that is a player that sounds great, stays out of the way of the music, and that you don't have to be a software engineer to implement.


twystd