Amir's Music Server Build Thread

[amirm]

Running Windows on such a server seems odd.

I wanted to run Dirac Live EQ and it was only available for Windows.

 

[McFly]

I recently built a server PC, fanless case and PSU same as yours. SSDs, not a single moving part. Well, blow me down when I turned it on for the first time the other day, it’s got a loud old mechanical HDD “loading” scratchy noise coming from somewhere. I suspect the fancy “voltage regulators” or some such fancy crap on the gigabyte mitx motherboard. Only does it when under load. I’m using this thing to run Roon and 4k movies and I can hear it during silent bits. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Deleted member 65]

I recently built a server PC, fanless case and PSU same as yours. SSDs, not a single moving part. Well, blow me down when I turned it on for the first time the other day, it’s got a loud old mechanical HDD “loading” scratchy noise coming from somewhere. I suspect the fancy “voltage regulators” or some such fancy crap on the gigabyte mitx motherboard. Only does it when under load. I’m using this thing to run Roon and 4k movies and I can hear it during silent bits. Anyone have any ideas?

Resembles the Coil whine that plagued my Dell XPS 15 laptop.

https://www.windowscentral.com/dell-tackles-xps-15-9570-coil-whine-noise-new-bios-update

 

[Willem]

My desktop Windows PC from 2008 in my home office is beginning to show the occasional sign of age. It has an Intel core2 Duo E8400 @3.GHz processor with 4 GB RAM and a SSD disk, running Windows 10. It is fast enough for most of my applications, but there is one for which I would like more processing power (for greater accuracy): Dragon speech recognition software. I also use the computer to stream music to my desktop music system (Odac, Quad 405-2 power amp, Harbeth P3ESR speakers).
The computer was pretty quiet for the time, but I have come to the conclusion that the biggest contribution to the audio quality of my system would be to get a fanless PC like an Intel NUC. Since there are some people here who not only know about audio but also about computers, I was wondering if they can tell me if fast fanless computers will give me more computer power than I have now. Thus far, my strategy has been to wait as long as my current PC is still alive, because each generation of fanless PCs seems to get faster.

 

[somebodyelse]

Most of the NUCs aren't fanless, so check before you buy. Sites like cpuboss.com will let you compare performance of CPUs. Your E8400 is broadly comparable to a J1900 which was common on fanless microATX and miniITX boards a few years back, and should have been overtaken by now. Beyond that you step up to more powerful CPUs with a big passive heatsink like the Alpine 12 Passive, or heatpipes to chassis heatsinks like the Streacom ones, plus a fanless PSU. Hdplex, Compulab and silentpc.com sell them ready made if your budget's high enough.

 

[pozz]

If you mod a case with a number of large, well-made fans spinning at low RPM and ensure optimal flow (air taken in and pushed in the same direction, with as few obstacles as possible) the noise is imperceptible.

I really like Noctua fans. Cheap, and excellent. I use four 140mm fans on my case, one on my CPU heatsink, and one is also built-in to my power supply. Only thing I hear is the revving on startup.

 

[Soniclife]

I recently built a server PC, fanless case and PSU same as yours. SSDs, not a single moving part. Well, blow me down when I turned it on for the first time the other day, it’s got a loud old mechanical HDD “loading” scratchy noise coming from somewhere. I suspect the fancy “voltage regulators” or some such fancy crap on the gigabyte mitx motherboard. Only does it when under load. I’m using this thing to run Roon and 4k movies and I can hear it during silent bits. Anyone have any ideas?

Is it definitely coming from the physical machine, and not through speakers or some other peripheral? Only think I could think of is something isn't quite attached properly.

 

[Willem]

My wife has a powerful silenced desktop pc, and it is indeed very quiet, but still audible. For her, speed was important for video editing, but I don't need that much speed, so prefer the fastest fanless pc. I did find a fanless i7 that seems to fit the bill (https://www.atlastsolutions.com/fan...ung-970-evo-plus-ssd-thunderbolt-3-turing-i7/), as it is quite a bit faster than my current PC, but since it is not not day and night faster I may decide to wait a bit longer. Computers do not seem to get faster as quickly as they did in the past.

 

[pozz]

My wife has a powerful silenced desktop pc, and it is indeed very quiet, but still audible. For her, speed was important for video editing, but I don't need that much speed, so prefer the fastest fanless pc. I did find a fanless i7 that seems to fit the bill (https://www.atlastsolutions.com/fan...ung-970-evo-plus-ssd-thunderbolt-3-turing-i7/), as it is quite a bit faster than my current PC, but since it is not not day and night faster I may decide to wait a bit longer. Computers do not seem to get faster as quickly as they did in the past.

What kind of video card does her machine have? I use a fanless ASUS GeForce GT 1030. Not great, but I don't use it for much.

 

[Soniclife]

My wife has a powerful silenced desktop pc, and it is indeed very quiet, but still audible. For her, speed was important for video editing, but I don't need that much speed, so prefer the fastest fanless pc. I did find a fanless i7 that seems to fit the bill (https://www.atlastsolutions.com/fan...ung-970-evo-plus-ssd-thunderbolt-3-turing-i7/), as it is quite a bit faster than my current PC, but since it is not not day and night faster I may decide to wait a bit longer. Computers do not seem to get faster as quickly as they did in the past.

I agree that quiet isn't silent, and for me only silent works.
Lots of different configurations at the following site, some quite powerful.
https://www.quietpc.com/systems

 

[Willem]

To be honest I don´t know about the video card. It was nothing very special.

 

[Deleted member 65]

My wife has a powerful silenced desktop pc, and it is indeed very quiet, but still audible. For her, speed was important for video editing, but I don't need that much speed, so prefer the fastest fanless pc. I did find a fanless i7 that seems to fit the bill (https://www.atlastsolutions.com/fan...ung-970-evo-plus-ssd-thunderbolt-3-turing-i7/), as it is quite a bit faster than my current PC, but since it is not not day and night faster I may decide to wait a bit longer. Computers do not seem to get faster as quickly as they did in the past.

Built this fanless silent PC (no coil whine whatsoever regardless of load)
Asus Z370 motherboard installed together with Samsung 960EVO 250GB M.2 hidden under M.2 cooler which is a nice touch by Asus.
Coffee Lake i7 8700 CPU.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...erver-build-on-a-budget-thread.722/post-53233 plenty of power ...

 

[amirm]

I did find a fanless i7 that seems to fit the bill (https://www.atlastsolutions.com/fan...ung-970-evo-plus-ssd-thunderbolt-3-turing-i7/), as it is quite a bit faster than my current PC,

That's a really good find! Unusual packaging of all heatsink.

 

[McFly]

Is it definitely coming from the physical machine, and not through speakers or some other peripheral? Only think I could think of is something isn't quite attached properly.

Absolutely. Ran the machine with nothing attached. Its not coil whine , ive had that on a dell laptop much more high pitched. This is literally a clicking. Maybe something not attached properly. Will try and get a video

 

[Primare Knob]

I have an isolated USB interface to my DAC so not afraid of the noise in the power supply.

I am kind off curious about the reason in why you are using one, as I got the general impression that most of these devices aren’t improving things and not needed with a proper designed DAC.

 

[duo8]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?members/dood-mcman.10983/ignore

 

[watchnerd]

Oh speaking of 'fakeness' would B GR8 if 'Mr Audio$cience' could maybe do some 'data' bits about Y sticking 2 16 bit integer without dithering throughout the playback chain from a CD MP3 sounds better than going through 32 bit float in the Windows sound mixer & so on. Helps 2 select 'wave out' also = bypasses mixer =) Can't 'mix' though! HAHA Within Windows (but within your app, sure). Clocking is no joke either. That Aardvark / Antelope stuff really does improve the sound = more realistic. Can tell the difference when select internal vs. other ways = 2 switch clocks. It would B GR8 2 combine Aardvark clocking with ADI audio chips like the AD1984 = sounds SOOO nice =) Also the headphone amp in the IBM S50 sounds truly glorious (just remove the noisy antenna-like 'line in' cable)...
https://justpaste.it/4enwk
So moch 2 dew! FUN FUN! =D

& remember people, never (ever) force odd resampling. EVERYTHING from Realtek, Creative, Ensoniq, or N E other brand RUINS CD-based sound or N E thing else that isn't native 48Khz, causing aliasing distortions & other problems = lame. They don't auto-switch either. That would B a marketable addon I think = a driver 4 Realtek, or a 'patch' 2 sell that mods the Realtek drivers (that ruin bazilions of machines), letting it auto-switch 2 match the source rate. People often wonder Y so many PCs sound like krap = it's because GARBAGE like Realtek RUINS them! =P Maintain the same sample rate & bit depth & everything throughout the chain, & don't add dithering or 'float' nonsense. EQ is fine, but it must always be SUBTRACTIVE or it will B using float on U or distorting. N E thing that 'crosses zero' if not float is going 2 clip, & float makes things more fuzzy & distant. When U get all your ducks in a row with stuff like this U can experience some really "HOLY FUK!" moments how GR8 stuff can sound, for cheap or FREE with 'garbage' machines off the street HAHA

Behold the 'Holy Grail' of 'Headphone Amps' = IBM S50, & if U think it's a joke, GET ONE and do the tips! =) Enjoy your "HOLY FUK!" jaw-dropping "OMG!" moments =:-D
https://justpaste.it/img/2ab6386c116bc34662823529ec366276.jpg

The holy grail of 'DACs'...
https://justpaste.it/img/3eb8d793a172a127d7d7859b7a6a1b10.jpg
LOL!! FREE off the street! Or... like $5 each from 'dump it' type auctions & stuff on pallets, or government web sites, etc. SO COOL! Just certain models though ~ like 755, 760, 780 blabla...
https://justpaste.it/5gjb1
& if U think it's a lie, GO TRY IT! =D I'm doing U all a FAVOR with this. I got enough of them but could always use more. SEND 'EM MY WAY! =) =) =)

Google Translate Fail.

They really need to improve the training of their AI bots.

 

[ousi]

At work, we use fanless rugged PCs. How does this compare to this custom 1000+ build? Amazon is selling those PCs at around 350USD (lower specs ones). The one we use is an i7 5th gen version. While it's older gen, should still be able to handle the load. https://www.amazon.com/Kingdel-i7-5500U-Broadwell-Windows-Desktop/dp/B01H8Q8Y92/

Edit: found an updated version, with a smaller SSD though. https://www.amazon.com/Kingdel-Fanless-Computer-i7-8550U-4096x2304/dp/B07H4MT81L/

 

[Sal1950]

Edit: found an updated version, with a smaller SSD though

Those are nice little silent PC's for those who don't want to DYI

 

[amirm]

At work, we use fanless rugged PCs. How does this compare to this custom 1000+ build?

Prices have come down of course since I built this a few years ago. That aside, mine is maintainable as in standard motherboard, etc. that I can replace with time. Those custom PCs are not.

I have been looking at the ones you linked to but everytime I read the Amazon reviews, I get dissuaded from getting one.