Let's share diagrams (and photos) of our total physical audio system and the whole signal path, with a few words and/or links

[fatoldgit]

Hello again @fatoldgit,
Amazing to know you have 5,000 CDs and 500 music DVDs!

I believe, on this thread, it would be also very nice to share our concept/policy/operation on "how to organize/maintain our digital music library" which should include the backup policy and practices.

Just for example in this perspective, you would please find these two posts I have already shared;
- How to organize digital music library; sharing my policy and operation: #004(remote thread)
- My backup policy and practice of digital music library: #60(remote thread)

And in my post here, I wrote;
Around when my LPs+CDs exceeded 500, it became difficult for me to remember which LP or CD I have or not... So I have decided organizing all in digital format within SSD under my strict policy and rule, and added them to JRiver (or Roon), as shared in my above post #4.
After giving proper tag info to each of the tracks/files, now I (JRiver) can search and identify specific album(s) or individual track(s) almost instantaneously among the total ca. 40,000 tracks/files; really amazing and convenient.

I am a retired Unix/Linux systems developer so I use Linux everywhere (desktops, servers, endpoints).

I organize my music rips by Genre/Alpha/Artist/Year Album/Track. Videos are similar but obviously no tracks as the video is a single container.

Below is an example of this structure:

/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/01 - If You Love Me Like You Say.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/02 - Blue Monday Hangover.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/03 - I Got A Problem.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/04 - The Highway Is Like A Woman.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/05 - Brick.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/06 - Don't Go Reaching Across My Plate.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/07 - Give Me My Blues.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/08 - Snowed In.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1980] Frostbite/cover.jpg
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/01 - Frosty.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/02 - Angel Of Mercy.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/03 - I Got That Feeling.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/04 - Caldonia.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/05 - Things I Used To Do.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/06 - Got A Mind To Travel.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/07 - Cold Cuts.flac
/music/Blues/[A]/Albert Collins/[1981] Frozen Alive!/cover.jpg

The flac files are also tagged with metadata and curated artist images are also captured.

This means no matter what player you use, one that uses tags or one that you browse via a directory structure, you can logically find your way around.

This looks like the following, showing the Blues Genre drill down:

Within an artist (albert collins), it looks like:

Backups... again being a retired Unix/Linux systems developer this comes easy:

- I have the "master/production" PC that contains all the music/video files
- I have a full clone of this offsite (so I can swap it in immediately if I have an issue)
- I have two self built Linux backup servers in my home*** using raid 10, that contains all the music/video files (plus lots of stuff related to my prior occupation)
- I have three 10TB 3.5" HD drives (I dont believe in small 2.5" drives) that contain copies of the Linux backup servers located in my car that is in my driveway (near site)
- I have three 10TB 3.5" HD drives that contain copies of the Linux backup servers in my sisters house 40km away (offsite)

Excessive... yes... Paranoid..Yes..

I run backups of my music files and my desktops on Sunday... its called "Backup Sunday"

After each backup, I check the drives on the master/clone PC's and the Linux backup servers with the "skdump" command that reports on SMART metrics.

Not only that but I regularly test the music/video files on all systems/backup drives for integrity, using an Linux shell script, snippet shown below. I do one system/drive per week as part of "Backup Sunday".

#!/bin/ksh -x
ffmpeg -v error -i "./Blues/[A]/Aces/[1973]Chicago Beat 1970-1973/01 - Tell Me Mama.flac" -f null -
ffmpeg -v error -i "./Blues/[A]/Aces/[1973]Chicago Beat 1970-1973/02 - Hoo-Doo Man.flac" -f null -
ffmpeg -v error -i "./Blues/[A]/Aces/[1973]Chicago Beat 1970-1973/03 - Take A Little Walk With Me.flac" -f null -
ffmpeg -v error -i "./Blues/[A]/Aces/[1973]Chicago Beat 1970-1973/04 - Whole Lot Lovin'.flac" -f null -

Peter

*** in fact I had LOTS of servers around the house(Linux, Solaris, HPUX, AIX).when I was working (around 20) but have cut this down to 10 LInux servers

 

[fatoldgit]

What is that streamer?

So I started streaming of local ripped CD's in 2006 with the Slimdevices Transporter and when USB dacs become good I moved to PC ->USB->DAC (with squeezelite on the PC) around 2012.

However, I have moved back to my 2006 Slimdevices Transporter *** ... all my music files are 44.1/16 and my video files are 48/24 so if you look at measurements of the Transporter on Stereophile is still very good even today and certainly has enough headroom for 44.1/16 and 48/24 playback.

While the Transporter doesnt support video, I route the audio from the video HDMI stream via a de-embedder to it and view the video on my TV.

I have tried other streamers (on loan) but the hardware is 50% of the equation... the software is the rest and its hard to beat LMS as a back end server. Its not fat and bloated like some (looking at you Roon), supports basically every service under the sun and being open source it isnt going away nor changing on the whim of some company.

Peter

*** I love the Trannies so much I have two backups, two spare screens and power supplies.

 

[Chrispy]

TLDR from OP, too much work. Interesting proposition somewhat....

 

[majingotan]

Primarily a headphone and IEM listener only

 

[USER]

I'll delete this later, but these are my toys. Sure the big name stuff is nice, but there are a lot of combinations of amazing and amazingly cheap mini systems here. I like to see how I can outdo myself that way. SMSL A50 PRO + Affordable Accuracy Monitor + Chromecast Audio is tough to beat!!!

 

[dualazmak]

I'll delete this later, but these are my toys. Sure the big name stuff is nice, but there are a lot of combinations of amazing and amazingly cheap mini systems here. I like to see how I can outdo myself that way. SMSL A50 PRO + Affordable Accuracy Monitor + Chromecast Audio is tough to beat!!!

View attachment 388255

If OK at your side, please do not delete your post and the list; the wonderful list of your audio systems would be invaluable reference for many ASR friends, I believe.

 

[dualazmak]

TLDR from OP, too much work. Interesting proposition somewhat....

Sorry for some redundancy in my English writing which is not my mother language.
OK, I will try to make my future posts shorter and simpler (as far as I can) to be not TLDR for you!

My future posts, however, should not be TSIU* for all of the people onboard on this exciting thread...

*Too Short, Impossible to Understand

 

[Peterinvan]

 

[DonH56]

As someone noted, I forgot to list my cables. I have a variety, some grey, some brown, some black, and a couple of white ones, with various connectors.

 

[DWPress]

I've got some of those cables - they sound better than using nothing!

 

[dualazmak]

As someone noted, I forgot to list my cables. I have a variety, some grey, some brown, some black, and a couple of white ones, with various connectors.

I've got some of those cables - they sound better than using nothing!

OK, you would please understand this post is an "interlude" or "intermezzo" on the thread; here, I am rather "serious" about SP cables.

In multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier audio system, we need really "many" color-coded SP cables, and sometimes (like in my setup) rather long ones (e.g. 7 m to 10 m) from amps to SP drivers. Of course, we also need "many" connectors (i.e. R-lugs, Y-lugs, banana plugs, etc.) to connect the cables to binding terminals of amps and SP drivers as well as to terminal straps on my SP-cabling boards.

At least for me, my policy and practice in this regard are "definitely avoid any expensive snake-oil ones, use reasonably affordable highly reliable easy-to-be-replaced/renewed easy-to-be-cleaned ones!" (even though I used to use a few expensive ones prior to starting my present multichannel project.)

Accordingly, in my present multichannel project, I have been using 4-core AWG10 (max. 3.37 Ohm/km) and 8-core AWG12 (max. 5.24 Ohm/km) copper Vinyl Cabtyre (VCT) Cables and really affordable industry-use tin-electro-plated pure copper crimp R-lugs/Y-lugs with heat-shrink insulator covers (ref. #28, #895, #906).

For availability in the USA and Canada, as well as world-widely if suitable dealers exist, each of these two VCT Cables (made in Japan) almost corresponds to CAT #09208 (AWG12 x 8-core) and CAT #09005 (AWG10 x 5-core, unfortunately looks no 8-core one), respectively, of ANACONDA Super Vu-TronR Multi-Conductor Type S00W (90 degreeC, 600 Volt, UL/CSA Portable Cord) of "ANACONDA Minig Cable".
- https://na.prysmian.com/sites/na.pr...nts/INS-0044-R1014_Mining_Catalog_ENGLISH.pdf

I use banana plugs Audio-Technica AT6301(solder-less two-screw) at amplifiers' SP binding posts only for signal feeding into my DIY 12-VU-Mter Array (ref. #535)
- https://www.audio-technica.co.jp/product/AT6301
The pros of AT6301 are;
- reasonable price (JPYen 1,980 [USD 14.85] for four plugs, two pairs)
- rigid and well QC-ed gold-plated plugs
- the two screws are well (precisely) manufactured and can be fixed tightly
- the outer vinyl (ABS resin) sleeve is complete electric insulator
- the outer vinyl (ABS resin) sleeve can be screwed-in "after" the cable connection

 

[DWPress]

All my connections are XLR for balanced line level or AES digital aside from a USB cable. I'll confess that I just put the bare stranded 14 gauge copper wire into the holes and tighten but all my gear have good quality 4way posts. I do use banana plugs on the leads that connect into the speakers but nothing special beyond the ability to not fall out. I run a 50' stage snake from the Okto at MLP to the amps that are between the speakers so I only need about 10' of speaker wire (x7 for W,M,T +1 sub) to connect.

Exceedingly simple compared to your efforts dualazmak.

 

[Doodski]

OK, you would please understand this post is an "interlude" or "intermezzo" on the thread; here, I am rather "serious" about SP cables.

In multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier audio system, we need really "many" color-coded SP cables, and sometimes (like in my setup) rather long ones (e.g. 7 m to 10 m) from amps to SP drivers. Of course, we also need "many" connectors (i.e. R-lugs, Y-lugs, banana plugs, etc.) to connect the cables to binding terminals of amps and SP drivers as well as to terminal straps on my SP-cabling boards.

At least for me, my policy and practice in this regard are "definitely avoid any expensive snake-oil ones, use reasonably affordable highly reliable easy-to-be-replaced/renewed easy-to-be-cleaned ones!" (even though I used to use a few expensive ones prior to starting my present multichannel project.)

Accordingly, in my present multichannel project, I have been using 4-core AWG10 (max. 3.37 Ohm/km) and 8-core AWG12 (max. 5.24 Ohm/km) copper Vinyl Cabtyre (VCT) Cables and really affordable industry-use tin-electro-plated pure copper crimp R-lugs/Y-lugs with heat-shrink insulator covers (ref. #28, #895, #906).
View attachment 388544

For availability in the USA and Canada, as well as world-widely if suitable dealers exist, each of these two VCT Cables (made in Japan) almost corresponds to CAT #09208 (AWG12 x 8-core) and CAT #09005 (AWG10 x 5-core, unfortunately looks no 8-core one), respectively, of ANACONDA Super Vu-TronR Multi-Conductor Type S00W (90 degreeC, 600 Volt, UL/CSA Portable Cord) of "ANACONDA Minig Cable".
- https://na.prysmian.com/sites/na.pr...nts/INS-0044-R1014_Mining_Catalog_ENGLISH.pdf

I use banana plugs Audio-Technica AT6301(solder-less two-screw) at amplifiers' SP binding posts only for signal feeding into my DIY 12-VU-Mter Array (ref. #535)
- https://www.audio-technica.co.jp/product/AT6301
The pros of AT6301 are;
- reasonable price (JPYen 1,980 [USD 14.85] for four plugs, two pairs)
- rigid and well QC-ed gold-plated plugs
- the two screws are well (precisely) manufactured and can be fixed tightly
- the outer vinyl (ABS resin) sleeve is complete electric insulator
- the outer vinyl (ABS resin) sleeve can be screwed-in "after" the cable connection
View attachment 388547

Hi @dualazmak. I must ask. Why don't you solder your connections?

 

[dualazmak]

All my connections are XLR for balanced line level or AES digital aside from a USB cable.

Yes, I too also stick to balanced XLR in analog line level as far as I can; this is also one of the musts in my amplifier selections (ref. #311) except for amp driving super-tweeters (also ref. #435, Pioneer Elite A-20 has no XLR balance input).

Hi @dualazmak. I must ask. Why don't you solder your connections?

I used to do soldering a lot until I made my DIY passive LCR network outside of my NS-1000 cabinet (ref. #5).

Then, after having some intensive discussions with a few professional audio engineers in Japan, as for SP cable wiring, I changed my mind to "crimping".
You would please refer to my post #904 and @Neddy's post #905 on my project thread.

Spoiler

In my post #904, I wrote;
Regarding your specific point (solder or not on crimped spades/terminals), I once contacted with three of the companies producing tin-electroplating oxygen-free pure copper terminals. All of them answered that "You should never solder the crimped terminals!!" since the soldered portion may crack afterword if you would slightly bend the terminal (which would occur rather frequently) for screwing on the terminal-posts/binding-posts. In the worst case, the cracked solder chip may drop onto other electric/electronic parts and may cause unrecoverable short-circuit damages and even fire accidents... (It looks this is a common sense in electric/electronic engineering world, and is a fundamental educational tip in the industry).

The market-top company continued saying... If the crimping is done properly and tightly using exactly-size-matched pro-use robust crimper, the connection is made by crushing the wire and the contact at the same time. When crushing the contact, the wire is also crushed at the same time, so the wire extends. In this case, the cross-sectional area decreases after the plastic zone (the zone of permanent deformation). At this time, plastic deformation occurs, so the tensile strength becomes stronger. (It becomes stronger because the upper limit of the elastic range increases.) The residual stress at this time makes the wire and contact strongly connected. In this process, the oxide film on the surface of the wire and the oxide film on the surface of the contact come into contact with each other after being peeled off by friction, so the contact resistance becomes very low.

If you search within ASR Forum and also more widely over internet by key words "crimping or soldering" or "crimp vs. solder" or even "crimp solder", you can hit so many discussions and recommendations. Here, let me refer to only one article;
Crimping vs Soldering Cable Connectors: Which Is Best? | Blog Posts | OneMonroe

Wiki for Crimp (joining) would be also nice reference where we can read:
Effective crimp connections deform the metal of the connector past its yield point so that the compressed wire causes tension in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of static friction which holds the cable in place. Due to the elastic nature of the metal in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to vibration and thermal shock.

 

[Doodski]

Yes, I also stick to balanced XLR in analog line level as far as I can; this is also one of the musts in my amplifier selections (ref. #311) except for amp driving super-tweeters (also ref. #435, Pioneer Elite A-20 has no XLR balance input).


I used to do soldering a lot until I made my DIY passive LCR network outside of my NS-1000 cabinet (ref. #5).

Then, after having some intensive discussions with a few professional audio engineers in Japan, as for SP cable wiring, I changed my mind to "crimping".
You would please refer to my post #904 and @Neddy's post #905 on my project thread.

Spoiler

In my post #904, I wrote;
Regarding your specific point (solder or not on crimped spades/terminals), I once contacted with three of the companies producing tin-electroplating oxygen-free pure copper terminals. All of them answered that "You should never solder the crimped terminals!!" since the soldered portion may crack afterword if you would slightly bend the terminal (which would occur rather frequently) for screwing on the terminal-posts/binding-posts. In the worst case, the cracked solder chip may drop onto other electric/electronic parts and may cause unrecoverable short-circuit damages and even fire accidents... (It looks this is a common sense in electric/electronic engineering world, and is a fundamental educational tip in the industry).

The market-top company continued saying... If the crimping is done properly and tightly using exactly-size-matched pro-use robust crimper, the connection is made by crushing the wire and the contact at the same time. When crushing the contact, the wire is also crushed at the same time, so the wire extends. In this case, the cross-sectional area decreases after the plastic zone (the zone of permanent deformation). At this time, plastic deformation occurs, so the tensile strength becomes stronger. (It becomes stronger because the upper limit of the elastic range increases.) The residual stress at this time makes the wire and contact strongly connected. In this process, the oxide film on the surface of the wire and the oxide film on the surface of the contact come into contact with each other after being peeled off by friction, so the contact resistance becomes very low.

If you search within ASR Forum and also more widely over internet by key words "crimping or soldering" or "crimp vs. solder" or even "crimp solder", you can hit so many discussions and recommendations. Here, let me refer to only one article;
Crimping vs Soldering Cable Connectors: Which Is Best? | Blog Posts | OneMonroe

Wiki for Crimp (joining) would be also nice reference where we can read:
Effective crimp connections deform the metal of the connector past its yield point so that the compressed wire causes tension in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of static friction which holds the cable in place. Due to the elastic nature of the metal in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to vibration and thermal shock.

Very cool. You did your research and I got the answer...

 

[pseudoid]

Oh man! I wish I had one of those Harmony remotes.

I bought a his/her's of the Harmony, as everyone was lovin' them.
I shelved mine but everytime I change the battery on her's, I have to go thru the whole help menu. grrrrrrrrr
You are welcome to mine, if you want it.

 

[Multicore]

I bought a his/her's of the Harmony, as everyone was lovin' them.
I shelved mine but everytime I change the battery on her's, I have to go thru the whole help menu. grrrrrrrrr
You are welcome to mine, if you want it.

Sorry my joke fell flat. It was intended to be a joke about DonH56's collection of speakers.

 

[thegeton]

My Desktop System

• Intel NUC10
• RME ADI-2-DAC FS DAC
• Revel Concerta2 M16
• Buckeye Amps NC252MP Amp
• SVS SB-1000 Sub

My "City View" System

• KEF R3 Meta
• U-Turn Audio Orbit Theory Turntable / Ortofon 2M Bronze
• Buckeye Amps Purifi 1ET400A Amp
• Schiit Freya S Preamp
• SVS SB-1000 Pro Sub
• Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport
• WiiM Pro Plus
• Schiit Mani 2 Phono Preamp

My "Great Room" System

• minDSP SHD
• KEF R3 Non-Meta
• Buckeye NC502MP Amp
• Bluesound Node 2i
• Emotiva Airmotiv SE12 Flex Sub
• Yamaha CD S-300 CD Player

My Home Theater

• Samsung 65in OLED Curved Screen
• Roku Ultra
• Buckeye 6 Channel Amp (4Ch NC502MP + 2Ch NC252MP)
• Klipsch Heresy II
• Yamaha CX-A5000 AVENTAGE 11.2
• Klipsch RP-450C Center Channel
• Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ Bookshelf
• Klipsch R-12SW Subwoofer

 

[Peterinvan]

Oh man! I wish I had one of those Harmony remotes.

I have been using my Harmony 900 for 13 years. Had to replace the battery once.
It uses RF so I can hide all my AV equipment behind closet doors.

This helps maintain our “minimalist” decor in the Living Room.

 

[Timmy]

Inspired by dualazmak’s »heavy metal look« charts I felt like trying to create a slightly different visual approach

Easy enough, as my set is a quite modest one.