No, you are mixing up my comment. I’m am fully aware of the difference between optimization and design. I specifically said designing chips is complex and by logical extension handling of digital information, but building a server is not because all the parts are readily available as commodities are and cheap by audiophile standards. The design part has already done by the chip manufacturers. You can easily buy MBs, memory, USB boards, fanless cooling, etc. I have an industry insider friend who manufactures music servers. He has built both PC and Mac based servers. He is an engineer and an audiophile and has admitted to me building a music server on the hardware side is not a complicated job. What is difficult is optimizing the OS for audio playback. He had to hire a software engineer to rewrite the OS code for audio. He also has confided in me thatdesigning and manufacturing a reference turn table are much more complex than building a server. So complex that he didn’t even want to get into designing a reference TT. I’m in total agreement. “A TT takes mechanical vibrations and converts to electrical via a cartridge which gets amplified by a phono pre, that's it.” This statement shows me you know little of what’s required to design and manufacture a reference quality TT. If I were to ask you to design and build a reference class TT or a server, which would you find more difficult? I have no vested interest in either technology, but my preferred choice is digital because of its convenience. You seem to take this personally. Why?
First, you're changing your statement to meet your argument - First, you stated and I quote, " I would argue a server is not as complex as a vinyl setup, or not even comparable because they are apples and oranges. A vinyl rig requires much more maintenance and time setting up than any music server l’ve ever tried. "
However, your latest statement reads, "designing and manufacturing a
reference turn table are much more complex than building a server." and, "If I were to ask you to design and build a
reference class TT or a server, which would you find more difficult?"
So now you've moved from a generic Music Server vs. a TT to reference class components, a very different question. You change your question to meet your position. So there's that. And while your at it, define whats reference level means to you.
Second, you infer a Music PC is easier because you can buy off the shelf parts, but then continue by saying your Engineer buddy can't "optimizing the OS for audio playback" so he had to hire someone. Why? - Because it's too difficult. ;-)
Third, you base your new stance (based on reference quality comparisons) on one engineer, who you concur with. Is your friend's Music server competitive? How does it sound? Has he employed a PSU like the SGM (what I would consider reference level and fully customized, not off the shelf PSU)?
Also, you criticize my simple explanation of what a vinyl rig does, care to enlighten me? Based on your amateur statements I'll wager you have minimal industry experience and marginal at best relevant education. Net is - you talk a lot but seem to know not nearly as much and change your position to fit your latest argument. Why don't you enlighten us with your credentials and how a vinyl setup functions?
Finally, Im not sure why you think I take any of our correspondence as personal, purely conversational for me. I do find your opinions as entertaining, I'll say that..