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New Windows Based Music Server


bhobba

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Hi Guys

 

Mike and Clay have been working on a new Windows based music server for a while now with it finally coming to fruition.

 

I wandered down yesterday to check it out.  Its not complete yet, they want to use some upmarket USB card, but I can report it was a significant step above the a Mac Mini with Audirvana - more life and with greater detail.

 

There is a few things they want to try - it used Jriver - but they think Jplay or XXHighend will be better.

 

I don't know the price or anything - Mike will probably need to chime in with the details.

 

I am not into Windows for audio and Home Theater, being quite happy with my Mac Mini and using an Ipod as remote, but it was definitely audibly superior to a Mac Mini to my ears.

 

Thanks

Bill

Edited by bhobba
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Clay chose a specific motherboard that could be powered off a 12V supply so he could build his own linear PSU that delivered the 12V. I suspect the PSU might be why the music server sounds as good as it does. I have heard JRiver on a bootcamp Windows MacMini and it wasn't as IMHO an improvement over the Mini running OS X/Audirvana Plus. 

 

Part of me is curious about modding the Mini to run off a linear PSU :D to see how much better it could sound.

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I am not into Windows for audio and Home Theater, being quite happy with my Mac Mini and using an Ipod as remote, but it was definitely audibly superior to a Mac Mini to my ears.

 

Thanks

Bill

I'm with you on this one - it would have to be one hell of a sonic improvement to make me consider running a PC, and even then, you can bet that at some time in the future someone will figure out an equally good or even superior Mac-based solution. To truly enjoy my music collection, I need something that's ergonomically acceptable, and it's hard to imagine a franken-PC will ever be that. Also, Windows has inferior audio drivers - it screws up the LSB natively. My M-DAC has a special algorithm to correct for this, but I don't know of any other DAC that does. I guess the audiophile Windows software does something to fix this too, but I'd rather start with something that isn't broken in the first place.

 

BTW, am I the only person here who uses a laptop as source? After all, they have a real battery power supply, and my Macbook Air is practically a solid billet of aluminium, so it is very non-resonant. It's also completely silent if it isn't too hot (my Mac mini's fan is extremely quiet, but I can still hear it late at night).

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I'm with you on this one - it would have to be one hell of a sonic improvement to make me consider running a PC, and even then, you can bet that at some time in the future someone will figure out an equally good or even superior Mac-based solution. To truly enjoy my music collection, I need something that's ergonomically acceptable, and it's hard to imagine a franken-PC will ever be that. Also, Windows has inferior audio drivers - it screws up the LSB natively. My M-DAC has a special algorithm to correct for this, but I don't know of any other DAC that does. I guess the audiophile Windows software does something to fix this too, but I'd rather start with something that isn't broken in the first place.

 

My view exactly.

 

But it did sound better, and Mike and Clay are still mucking around with it so its likely to get even better.

 

Who knows - it may end up so just drop dead better its a no brainer.

 

We will see.

 

Thanks

Bill

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