What is your configuration for Computer Audio?

[corElement]

Build
i5 4690k Devil's Canyon
Gigabyte z97
RipJaw 1600mhz ram
Ati Radeon 5850
Zalman HD135s Enclosure with Remote
Corsair AX850 PSU
Dell 34" Ultrawide Display

Audio Parts
Halide DAC HD with Eichmann Bullets (Rated A by Stereophile for multiple years)
Jamo Concert 8
Cambridge Audio Azur 840a v2 with Remote
SoundFoundations.in Stands (Bit unhappy with the stands because flat surfaces of the stand were never flat and I had to use bumpers to compensate curvature of the stand plates)

 

[rikhav]

I know you were keen on the SBC but I didn't go that route because I was looking to use HQPlayer for PCM upsampling to DSD. This needed a pretty decent machine at the time.

What is the highest rates that these SBCs can handle?

Regards

Nikhil
Hqplayer does have NAA (network audio adapter)
Processing done by your main noisy pc, no need of any lpsu there , and it sends data to you NAA
Fortunately hqplayer has a NAA image for Allo sparky as well
I would highly recommend you try that route

Buy the Allo usbridge bundle. It comes with a sparky board

So now the dac has nothing to do with your pc
It's just connected to your NAA

 

[rajeevisonline]

My setup :

Desktop PC running WMP---> PS Audio Da Link iii DAC ----> Marantz PM 8000 ----> Dali Ikon 6 MK2

 

[saikatbiswas82]

I know you were keen on the SBC but I didn't go that route because I was looking to use HQPlayer for PCM upsampling to DSD. This needed a pretty decent machine at the time.

What is the highest rates that these SBCs can handle?

Regards

AFAIK, today's SBCs don't handle DSD. They simply convert them to PCM. As I don't have any DSD tracks now, I use RPI and Digi+ along with Peachtree DAC-iT > DIY Tube buffer > DIY JLH 69 > Speakers

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[saikatbiswas82]

I'm using Raspberry pi 3 Kodi via USB out to Schiit Gungnir DAC which accesses my files from HD and from NAS. I don't know whether it'd qualify for computer audio...
I found USB out from raspberry pi better than the digi+ board.

Rarely I use my MBP for listening via the same DAC.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It completely qualifies IMHO.

You found usb better just because your DAC's USB to SPDI/F conversation is better. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[rajeevisonline]

Build
i5 4690k Devil's Canyon
Gigabyte z97
RipJaw 1600mhz ram
Ati Radeon 5850
Zalman HD135s Enclosure with Remote
Corsair AX850 PSU
Dell 34" Ultrawide Display

Audio Parts
Halide DAC HD with Eichmann Bullets (Rated A by Stereophile for multiple years)
Jamo Concert 8
Cambridge Audio Azur 840a v2 with Remote
SoundFoundations.in Stands (Bit unhappy with the stands because flat surfaces of the stand were never flat and I had to use bumpers to compensate curvature of the stand plates)

Great setup! :clapping:

 

[Naturelover]

I wonder why noone mentioned any SBC for computer audio. Am I missing something?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

Not sure, but mine would qualify for that, I think. Post no 5.
Lots of Pi users on the forum.

 

[drkrack]

It completely qualifies IMHO.

You found usb better just because your DAC's USB to SPDI/F conversation is better. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

Nope , Mine is Schiit Gungnir Non Multibit version, which does 24/192 on all inputs including Optical. I previously used Digi+ RPI2 previously with SMSL M8 which had better resolution conversion only with USB at 32bit vs 24bit only via Coaxial & Optical which made me use USB always. I sold DIGI+ then and bought hifiberry DAC+ still the external DAC was much better over hifiberry DAC+. RPI3 has better USB output, if you can take care of good Power supply for RPI3. My DAC doesn't do DSD so I haven't tried DSD anytime, but it is much better than SMSL M8 which can do DSD.

I remember reading somewhere that, There's an inherent restriction with Optical connection (24/192 etc) if I remember correctly, Coaxial was to be preferred over Optical whenever available. Kindly recheck this, as I am unable to find the reference for this now.

 

[Nikhil]

Nope , Mine is Schiit Gungnir Non Multibit version, which does 24/192 on all inputs including Optical
...

I remember reading somewhere that, There's an inherent restriction with Optical connection (24/192 etc) if I remember correctly, Coaxial was to be preferred over Optical whenever available. Kindly recheck this, as I am unable to find the reference for this now.

Optical goes to 24/96 but can do higher in special implementations.
Coaxial SPDIF will go up to 24/192.

As far as all these formats discussion go - you still need a serious system to max out 16/44.1
And the vast majority of material out there is available in RBCD format anyway.
When implemented well 16/44.1 still sounds sublime.

In the hands of skilled technicians though material recorded in DSD is something special.
But these are expensive and there is not a lot out there.

Regards.

 

[hydra]

Here are my digital sources:

Source 1 (Music PC)
=================
Cabinet: Silverstone GD04-B (all fans off)
PSU: HDPlex Linear PSU with HDPLex 250w DC-ATX Internal PS.
Motherboard: Asus E350M1-M
OS Drive: OCZ Agility III SSD 60GB
Internal HDD: WD Green 3TB
RAM: Corsair 4GB (1 x 4GB)
OS: Windows 7 Home Basic
Music player: JRiver Media Center 18
Control: Logitech K400

Output path: MusicPC --> USB --> iFi iLink Micro --> SPIDI Coaxial --> Rega DAC.

Source 2 (Raspberry Pi)
===================
SBC: Raspberry Pi 3B
HAT: Hifiberry Digi+
Enclosure: Hifiberry Steel Case
PSU: HDPlex Linear PSU
Media Source (Wired Network only): WD Passport 2TB drive plugged into TPLink WR1043ND (SMB Share)
OS: MoOde 3.6
Control: MPaD App on iPad

Output Path: RPi and HiFiBerryDigi+ --> SPDIF Coaxial --> Rega DAC.

I prefer the RPi source over the MusicPC for both sound and convenience. I have left the MusicPC as it is because I vastly prefer the file management of JRiver MC over everything else. I still listen to music on it if the PC is already on (I also use it to watch movies/miniseries these days).

 

[msagar]

Dedicated Mac mini (Amarra Symphony) > MF 24/194 V-LINK > WADIA 151 > Paradigm Studio 20 (Tara Labs Cables)

Dedicated Macbook Pro (Amarra Symphony) > Wadia 121 > AES AE-2 > AES SET-II > Monitor Audio Gold (MIT Cables)

Bluesound NODE2 > Exposure 2010S > Monitor Audio Silver 6 (Audioquest Cables)

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Dedicated Mac mini (Amarra Symphony) > MF 24/194 V-LINK > WADIA 151 > Paradigm Studio 20 (Tara Labs Cables)

Dedicated Macbook Pro (Amarra Symphony) > Wadia 121 > AES AE-2 > AES SET-II > Monitor Audio Gold (MIT Cables)

Bluesound NODE2 > Exposure 2010S > Monitor Audio Silver 6 (Audioquest Cables)

Hey, that's an impressive and interesting configuration!

I had a question: There are three options to connect the Mac mini to an external DAC - (a) the mini optical out (mine resolves upto 96KHz); (b) the USB out (mine resolves upto 384Khz/DSD) or (c) using a USB-SPDIF link like the one you do. Do you find any improvements in Option (c) over the other options?

Thanks

 

[msagar]

Wadia 151 USB accepts only 24/96. I use V-LINK (USB>SPDIF) for 24/192 files convenience.
Wadia 121 USB accepts 24/192. I use USB cable to connect 121 to Mac mini.

I personally prefer SPDIF/USB over optical.

 

[Rajeshh]

Not sure if mine qualifies
I use a Elac Discovery DS-S101-G music server, running Roon essentials. (Analog RCA output to Rig)
I primarily use it as a Tidal music streamer.

I previously experimented with Roon running on a macmini & a Bluesound Node 2, as the end point, to my ears the Discovery sounds better

 

[PbR]

Hi,

My set-up is macbook pro/audirvana+ / USB to MHDT Canary dac to Arcam A32 amp to MA RS6.

Cheers

 

[Dhruv.Arora]

Processor: Inter i7-4770
PSU: AMD Radeon R9 270x 2GB DDR5
Motherboard: AS Rock Z 87 pro 4
OS Drive: Micron 128 GB SSD
Internal HDD: Toshiba 4TB
RAM: Corsair vengeance 8GB x 2
OS: Windows 7 Pro
Music player: Musicbee/Foobar
Sound Card: Sound blaster Audigy SE

I use the GPU HDMI for the AVR and Sound blaster Audigy for analog into Amp and Pre amp

 

[manojchess]

Want to share an interesting and cost effective solution to play high-fedility music from any laptop or desktop.I currently buffer songs from my 10 year old laptop with no loss in quality or worry about spending a lot on DACs etc.,
Solution is simple: I have connected Chromecast device with my Denon AVR, I download FLAC and wave files online and play them through my Chrome browser, I then cast / connect to my Chromocast device from the chrome browser. This lets me play the same file on my AVR. Result :No loss in audio quality, no need spend on DACs, pure music

 

[bornfi]

iPhone/Android/Laptop -> USB to Dante Bridge converter -> Dante to AES converter -> Schiit Yggdrasil

 

[mohit789in]

Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ATX Computer Case
intel i5 6600k unlocked
Corsair RMX 750W (psu)
Corsair Vengeance RGB LED 16GB (2x8GB)
ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO ALPHA (ESS ES9023P DAC)
Corsair Hydro Series H100i GTX

Samsung 850evo - 256gb
Wd black - 1tb
Seagate Barracuda- 2tb
Wd Nas my cloud - 4tb
Wd my passport ultra-2tb
Segate backup plus - 1tb

Win 10 (64) Pro
foobar
winamp

Mac os sierra
Itunes

My setup - Pc hdmi to Avr for display and display audio (Dtshd,TRuehd,etc) also use optical cable for pcm.
Avr out to power amp, power out to Towers
same as a Mac.. some time using analog cable too..(3.5 to 2 rca )

 

[nn_in]

ipad or PC > dragon fly black > integrated amp > spkrs

A basic question.Streaming sites like itunes,Saavn,Gaana and/or downloads from these reside on the players on the ipad or PC.

Any guidance if better sound quality can be gained moving to jriver ? I think it all depends on the type of file .Flac etc.

Thanks.