I have been camped out on the Audiophile Style (AS) site (latterly computer Audiophile) seeking server possibilities to use with the Lampi
To this end I borrowed an Aurilac G1 for a month or so and was initially impressed by its SQ when playing music from my usb ext hdd. In this configuration it sounded more transparent and the treble response was more extended compared to my fanless mini-ITX build. However one listener thought it sounded more digital than the itx but I liked the extra detail.
Unfortunately the G1 was very temperamental, it kept losing the connection to the library files and eventually refused to recognise the USB drive altogether. After some dealer input it transpired it would work better when networked via ethernet using my itx as a server sending files to the G1. The downside to this arrangement being a reduction in sound quality in comparison to the directly connected USB hard drive.
Although initially promising I decided not keep to the G1 and thought I would try out an innuos Zenith mk111 instead. A good number of posters on AS have been extolling the virtues of innuos servers . It was whilst trying to get hold of one, they do not seem that easy to come by, I started investigating “A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming”
on AS
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/#comments
This is a massive thread - however it does have an index now at the beginning which makes it easier to navigate the salient points.
Sometime last year (possibly earlier) the intel NUC began it’s ascendancy as an audio player. Members of the forum began swapping their innuos machines for NUCs and describing how they set up their respective server+NUC combos to outperform the innuos Zenith se. This had been, pretty much, the server of choice on AS until then.
Anyway, to cut a long story short I bought an i7 NUC mobo, put it into a fanless case and bridged my itx’s ethernet ports to act as a server to connect directly to the NUC. This direct connection is important as it has a huge bearing on the resulting SQ. It also means the NUC can share the itx’s internet connection. This used to entail a crossover cable but modern machines can be set up to do this with a standard ethernet cable. I use linux OS but it possible to do the same with windows and mac. This was one of the original premises as described in the novel thread.
Using Jriver MC on both machines with the external HD connected to the mini-itx server sending the files via Jriver directly to the NUC endpoint, produced a considerable improvement in SQ over the single PC approach even when using HQ player on the single PC. It also sounded better than the G1. Replacing the external usb with a NAS drive was another gain.
One of the many network/computer implementations common to all posters on a novel way is the use of high quality power supplies. Paul Hynes is one of the popular ones but quite difficult to obtain. The essential criteria being low noise and low impedance. I recently got hold of a DC3 PSU from Sean Jacobs for the NUC, this is very similar to the Innuos statement’s PSU scaled down to one rail as opposed to the statement’s multi rail. I also use a HD-plex 200w
to power the ITX mobo, ITX’s SSD, NAS and network switch.
Sound quality is in another league to the Auralic now with a pretty stunning uplift in dynamics, frequency extension top and bottom, and an increased sense of ease, realism and flow.
There are other mods such as optimised OS, clocks, audio switches (e.g sotm) etc to be explored, however just the above has taken things to a new level with the Lampi.
Intending to try out audio linux with ram boot next.
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