PC for MUSIC ONLY

[jls001]

Some thumb rules:
1) You don't need fancy specs for a dedicated music PC
2) Fan noise is your biggest enemy. Get the quietest SMPS and the quietest processor your biudget allows
3) Analog out from soundcards are underrated. They're often very good sounding.
4) If your soundcard and DAC allows, AES/EBU is the interface to use. Even electircal S/PDIF is very good.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Actually, even the analogue out from MB onboards is under-rated these days. They are a lot better than they used to be, but we are prejudiced: I didn't even try my PC's onboard chip until I had a while with nothing else.

People are happy to listen to their phones, at least as portable devices: are the DAC/amps in phones really much better than those on pc motherboards? (serious question: I don't know. But hey, offtopic.)

 

[Amitkg]

@Thad, what's your call?

@Amit, may be it is good soundcard but I didn't like this wired stuff, I/O connectors are looking like 3.5mm females.

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It's like driving a premium sports car, it's not meant for creature comfort, it's meant for pure thrill with no fancy bells & whistle. M-Audio cards are meant for 2
channel pure stereo sound, no multi-channel support, no Dolby/DTS. When used with proper media player, it can ( will) blow your mind try M-Audio audiophile 192 with JRiver Media Center 19 and see/hear the difference. Before acting upon any advice, just try JRiver Media player, it is paid a software but you can always download trial version (30days trial period), it is humble 25MB file. If you have decided to build a computer system meant for music, then internal sound card is the way to follow.

 

[prepress]

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It's like driving a premium sports car, it's not meant for creature comfort, it's meant for pure thrill with no fancy bells & whistle. M-Audio cards are meant for 2
channel pure stereo sound, no multi-channel support, no Dolby/DTS. When used with proper media player, it can ( will) blow your mind try M-Audio audiophile 192 with JRiver Media Center 19 and see/hear the difference. Before acting upon any advice, just try JRiver Media player, it is paid a software but you can always download trial version (30days trial period), it is humble 25MB file. If you have decided to build a computer system meant for music, then internal sound card is the way to follow.

I am using Foobar2000, as per below post I am not sure I will use JRiver but can give a try.

manniraj has posted a few times re using a headless system. Quoting him below from other threads

"As Hydra pointed out the bass was crisp and clean on JRMC when compared to Foobar but not sure whether any DSP was being used in the background."

 

[Amitkg]

I am using Foobar2000, as per below post I am not sure I will use JRiver but can give a try.

*******

And if you want, can try Onkyo or Yamaha sound card, they also make sound cards but I think, they are not available in India

 

[Naturelover]

@prepress
Check out posts 99, 100 & 103 to 106 here.

 

[shibashis]

Actually, even the analogue out from MB onboards is under-rated these days. They are a lot better than they used to be, but we are prejudiced: I didn't even try my PC's onboard chip until I had a while with nothing else.

People are happy to listen to their phones, at least as portable devices: are the DAC/amps in phones really much better than those on pc motherboards? (serious question: I don't know. But hey, offtopic.)

Thad, answer to your question is at least in my experience in mid-high end portable devices they do sound acceptable (quite good in my opinion) if not outstanding. You can find many opinions in here:
http://www.hifivision.com/portable-...oid-audio-quality-my-surprise-revelation.html
You will know how surprised I was, pleasantly.
Same applies for computer/laptop audio as well, a Dell Alienware sounded much much better than a Vostro. Vostro's sound improved many folds with an Asus U3, but the Alienware did not require external help, just an example from real life to summarize.

 

[edge111hussain]

OP, i honestly did not read all the threads above, just what you are planning to buy and the system already seems like an overkill with the weakest link being the soundcard.
you could look at a high quality sound card with an i3 processor or lower.
or
the same config above minus the sound card and an external dac. Here the options are plenty and i guess will come down to your budget.
or
just get an atom based htpc fanless system.

But i honestly feel you need not spend at all on your system. Just narrow down between a soundcard or external dac and u will be all good to go.

ps: i tried jriver, i prefer foobar + Wasapi.

 

[shibashis]

Sorry to be a little off topic here, no intention of taking over the thread, I just want to apologize to Thad, I pointed him to the phone sound quality thread that I created and realized that Thad was a participant on that one. How silly of me! My apologies.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

An every-day forum mistake... No problem at all

 

[Falcon21]

I agree that media center 19 is the best music software. If connect through optical spdif, no need for a dac

 

[badrisuper]

Below list can be an alternate option but better one

Rasp (or) BBB -> USB to I2S -> Isolator -> XO board -> I2S to PCM [ Dac dependent ] -> DAC

Data can streamed from NAS to Rasp (or) BBB.

It looks like expensive but good investment.

Thanks
Badri

 

[crosstalk]

I was tied up with this decision for over 6 months. Sound Card or USB DAC. Finally I gambled and ordered the Audioquest Dragonfly 1.2.

I have a loaned Asus Xonar DX which I tried for a few days. The Dragonfly eats it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and anytime.

http://www.hifivision.com/dac/52711-audioquest-dragonfly-usb-dac-1-2-a-3.html#post606885

Invest once. Invest wise.

 

[Naturelover]

Well, the prices are very different.

 

[crosstalk]

Well, the prices are very different.

And beside the quality there is convenience. When I travel, I carry it with my laptop and headphone.

Investing in a sound card (these days) comes definitely with a few cons and one of them is flexibility. The other would be the lack if asynchronous mode.

Let me explain, I use the DAC on my work PC. Where a lot of other apps are opened etc. All these sounds (system sounds) are channelled to the on-board sound card which is obviously kept dead with no connection to speakers.

The Foobar output only goes to the DAC which means, uninterrupted pure music.

 

[sam9s]

I would suggest to also look to the option of getting a developer board (x86) and install Vortexbox on it and then invest in a basic media player like WD TV (which will just act as your source player and connect it to a quality DAC (and Speakers). Infact the killer combi would be. Votexbox->Squeezebox touch (if you can manage to purchase one)->DAC->speakers, though its said that SBT DAC in itself it pretty good (I have a SBT BTW) ..... but I am not an audiophile so this is strictly IMHO

 

[Subha15011976]

OK, Now it's time to assemble a music PC/server. The components I have finalized are below, other choices/information welcome:
1. Cabinet (Cooler Master HAF EVO)
2. Power Supply (Corsair VS Series VS550 - 550 Watt Power Supply)
3. Motherboard/Chipset (Not decided yet, need suggestion)
4. RAM (Corsair Vengeance 4GB DDR 3 1600Mhz)
5. Keyboard/Mouse (Logitech K400 Wireless Touch Keyboard)
6. HDD (Western Digital Green 2TB, already purchased)
7. Sound Card (Asus Xonar DG Professional Sound Card) it has optical out, if doesn't sounds good will add DAC later
8. CD/DVD reader/writer (LG DVD Writer 24X SATA)
8. Monitor (Acer P166HQL 15.6 Inch LCD Monitor), can't go beyond 17" in actual width of monitor to make consistency with the other equipments in rack
9. Fans required (Cooler Master/Corsair)
10. Applications : Foobar2000/JRiver/XMBC.


This PC would be for MUSIC ONLY, so please suggest if anything better, or best thing in price.

Hai if U are thinking of a Music Only PC, then your primary consideration should be the Sound Card. 'Asus Xonar DG Professional' is good sound card but not for pure music. I think you should invest on "Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. It has a in-built high end DAC named "Bur-Brown PCM1792A" and a dedicated Headphone Amp. built in. And it's powered by "ASUS AV100 High-Definition Sound Processor".
Have a look at the link and googled for it's review and then decide. Well it costs a bit more as well but it's a real performer.
Link : Essence Hi-Fi Audio - Xonar Essence STX - ASUS

And one more thing for music use only AISO driver of the sound card.

 

[prepress]

Hai if U are thinking of a Music Only PC, then your primary consideration should be the Sound Card. 'Asus Xonar DG Professional' is good sound card but not for pure music. I think you should invest on "Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. It has a in-built high end DAC named "Bur-Brown PCM1792A" and a dedicated Headphone Amp. built in. And it's powered by "ASUS AV100 High-Definition Sound Processor".
Have a look at the link and googled for it's review and then decide. Well it costs a bit more as well but it's a real performer.
Link : Essence Hi-Fi Audio - Xonar Essence STX - ASUS

And one more thing for music use only AISO driver of the sound card.

I am not a big fan of Bur-Brown Dac, I like Wolfson. I think I should go for external DAC instead of sound cards.

 

[Rockfella]

I have Asus Xonar DX and Fiio E10. They don't work together. PFU picture:

As my head is a tinkering machine I tested my Audio Technica M50s with onboard audio, Xonar DX, E10 and Asus Xonar U7 borrowed from a friend.

This is what I observed:
M50s on onboard audio sounds okayish. Honestly you won't like it. I did not.
M50s on Xonar DX sound much better than onboard audio but they were not really loud enough! The DX has no headphone amp for the front panel. I tested it on the front audio port. Maybe things will be different with sound card with dedicated headphone amp.
M50s on Xonar U7 sound better than the DX (obviously onboard as well) Sound is much fuller and richer I would say.
M50s sound real good on Fiio E10. I can watch movies and listen to music on M50 and E10 for hours. The E10 makes the M50 sound like a discotheque. Although the E10 sounds a bit hollow/not "full" unlike the Xonar U7 I enjoy everything on E10 and would suggest it over the Xonar U7 and Xonar Dx anyday.
PS: I am talking about running the E10 at notch 4/5 on it only. Don't feel the need to crank it up more. It goes up to 8!
If you ask me don't invest in a sound card at all! Get a USB DAC+AMP like the E10 or something even better (I don't know if there are better models at that price range) Since you will be using it with your desktop I suggest to get the E10 as it has no internal battery! Batteries of FiiOs die fast. E10 works on USB power and gives raw power lol.
PPS: Just to add more I tested the M50s with Onkyo HTS3500 as well. M50s sounds better on E10 than the AVR too!
Enjoy!
PPPS: The FiiO E10 works fine on my 10 meter USB3 cable coming all the way from my desktop to my bed side table but the Xonar u7 didnot work on the same cable lol. But the comparison was done on small stock cables.

 

[Rockfella]

All looks good except:
Change DVD Writer to Samsung (Only if you really need one lol)
Go for a motherboard that has USB3 along with a USB3 header on board and full support for GPT type partitions. Honestly I don't know the exact model that supports GPT. USB3 headers (for front panels on the chassis) are not on all "USB3 boards" Check specifications. Even some high-end boards don't have it for some weird reason.
This board seems to pack a punch for its price:
USB3 header, SATA 3, nicely priced and its a Giga!
Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Motherboard - Gigabyte: Flipkart.com

And this cpu will suffice:
Intel 3.3 GHz LGA 1155 Core i3 2120 Processor - Intel: Flipkart.com

Also get a cabinet with full USB3 support. USB3 is fast .. real fast!
PFU pic:

Transfer from WD Green 3TB SATA3 HDD to WD 1TB USB3 external.

This is a good USB3 cabinet:

Amazon.in: Buy Corsair Carbide 200R Compact ATX Cabinet Online at Low Prices in India | Corsair Reviews & Ratings

OK, Now it's time to assemble a music PC/server. The components I have finalized are below, other choices/information welcome:
1. Cabinet (Cooler Master HAF EVO)
2. Power Supply (Corsair VS Series VS550 - 550 Watt Power Supply)
3. Motherboard/Chipset (Not decided yet, need suggestion)
4. RAM (Corsair Vengeance 4GB DDR 3 1600Mhz)
5. Keyboard/Mouse (Logitech K400 Wireless Touch Keyboard)
6. HDD (Western Digital Green 2TB, already purchased)
7. Sound Card (Asus Xonar DG Professional Sound Card) it has optical out, if doesn't sounds good will add DAC later
8. CD/DVD reader/writer (LG DVD Writer 24X SATA)
8. Monitor (Acer P166HQL 15.6 Inch LCD Monitor), can't go beyond 17" in actual width of monitor to make consistency with the other equipments in rack
9. Fans required (Cooler Master/Corsair)
10. Applications : Foobar2000/JRiver/XMBC.


This PC would be for MUSIC ONLY, so please suggest if anything better, or best thing in price.