Server vs laptop

Kingrex

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Feb 3, 2019
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Alrainbow was one of the first people to understand the importance of a server. He walked me through modifying my computers with HD Plex interior power supplies as well as exterior LPS to feed the HD Plex. He also helped me load Win Server software as well as Audiophile Optimizer. More goes into a server than a PS.

I remember the days all the MSB select people were using laptops or small green Computers. They were so smitten with their DAC. They all claimed the DAC was so great the server did not matter. They are all using a Taiko now and swear up and down its a game changer.

All changes make a difference. What you have to remember is that software is critical. Some of the most profound server improvements for me came when the manufacturer of my Mojo Audio updated the software. Your Mac is not running a very minimal, singular focused on music reproduction software. Its performing hundreds if not thousands of other tasks while playing music. You probably can not stop this from occurring.

A laptop with a reclocker or other devides can help. But its not so easy to undo a damaged signal. Its best to keep it intact from the start.

I have not heard the life expectancy of a server. I don't hear too many people saying they fail after 5 years of so. Mine runs 24x7 for 4 years now. I think you could get a used Antipodes of Innuos and have it last many years. I think you will be shocked. If you stream, you have to be aware how the modem, router and switch are fed. I would also get a switch such as a Ether Regen or equivalent.

The power feeding your digital is critical. Servers can be very influenced by a power cord.

You would also very much here your modem,router and switch fed by LPS with those all plugged into a good isoltion transformer. Even triplite can help.

I guess what I am saying is it all matters. A good server will do much to make a violin more palpable and real. It will help bring out the details of lips blowing the reed on a Saxophone.

Digital is many small parts that compound upon themselves. Each correct alteration brings you closer to the sound of good vinyl. I believe a server is as critical as the DAC. Your server and DAC should be on a dedicated electrical circuit. That circuit had to be on the same electrical phase as the amps, preamp and other gear. Same for the modem, router and switch.
 

Bachtoven

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May 10, 2015
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I appreciate all of the replies. I'm just going to stick with what I have for the foreseeable future. (I have thousands of CDs/SACDs/LPs, so computer audio isn't my main source.) There's a lot of information to absorb (here and elsewhere), and much of it is so conflicting that it makes it hard to make a decision! I've never really been into "tweaking" my gear--I'm more of a set it and forget it type, so some of those suggestions are not especially appealing.

I probably won't be checking back for a while, but if you folks want to continue discussing different approaches, then feel free to do so!
 
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rando

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Sorry to say that digital file playback is showing very little sign of being a small money game. With exception of classical concert subscriptions online.

My safe venture has been taking in a few outdoor recitals and practice sessions by overqualified musicians getting students some much needed interaction (i.e. not busking). :)
 

Bachtoven

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After my laptop (or at least Audirvana) froze for the umpteenth time 2 weeks ago, I bought a Roon Nucleus Plus, and it's great. I hear a definite improvement over the laptop--less digital glare and simply more realistic sound. Not a night and day difference, but enough. Even if the sound weren't any better, the operational stability makes it worth the money. Roon's software and library management is wildly different from Audirvana or JRiver, but I'm adapting.
 
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Bachtoven

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That's great. You will get used to Roon in no time.
Thanks. I mainly miss the way Audirvana handles Qobuz playlists: The separate tracks are not revealed unless one clicks on the cover, but Roon automatically separates them into separate tracks, which makes a long vertical list of tracks to wade through in order to find the album I want.
 

matthias

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Mar 14, 2019
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After my laptop (or at least Audirvana) froze for the umpteenth time 2 weeks ago,...
May I ask which version of Audirvana did you use?
Audirvana Studio or the former Audirvana 3.5?
Thx

Matt
 
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Bachtoven

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May 10, 2015
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May I ask which version of Audirvana did you use?
Audirvana Studio or the former Audirvana 3.5?
Thx

Matt
3.5 on a MacBook Pro.
 

Gregm

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Mar 14, 2019
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1) I don't want to worry about running out of storage space.
2) No, I use the power supply and the Macbook's internal drive.
3) Audirvana
4) 5 or 6 DSD256 and maybe 10 DSD64/128 recordings.
5) Just to hear if I can get even better sound.
1) My system is perfectly capable of resolving tiny improvements/changes.
2) Mostly classical and a little jazz. Pre-COVID I attended 20-30 live concerts a year. From 1978-1990 I was a professional audio engineer who recorded 50 or so live concerts for broadcast on NPR (analog gear until the last year), and I had my own location recording business. I play classical guitar and piano, so with all of my live experiences with music, I am intimately familiar with what unamplified acoustic instruments sound like.
Excellent!
I'm a bit late joining the discussion perhaps, but my personal experience in trying to improve my digital source may be useful.

*Take away: I found that both software + hardware make a definitive sonic difference and, since you have a resolving system, you willl hear significant improvements chosing a better server & player platform.

My musical tastes are near identical (mostly classical, jazz, blues, classic rock), my library is now around 6T. I use an external HD, locally connected. (NAS as well).

Like you, Macbook + audirvana was what I started out with.
Then, I auditioned a friend's dedicated fanless little MiniX PC configured as a music server, running the excellent Musichi player .
*The sound was in a totally different dimension...
(BTW, the DAC i had then was the Select II but the difference was outrageous regardless of DAC used - I also had a modest Ideon Ayazi at the time)

-> I ended up with an identical MiniX server as above.
Soon after I picked up an external linear power supply from Ideon Audio and improved the sound further (clarity, better instrument separation).

Following this experience, I auditioned Ideon's own MPD player (offered with its Absolute Stream). I liked the difference in sound and Ideon Audio kindly allowed me to use it.
-> Software makes an important difference!

Lately I was (finally) ready to upgrade my DAC again, so I auditioned a very short list using my own server+ linear PS as a source and finalised my choice.

For the fun of it, we replaced my server with an Ideon Absolute Stream which had just come out of its box.
*My server + linear PS was good -- but admittedly couldn't compete with the A-Stream by any stretch of the imagination!

-> A dedicated server makes a difference that is not subtle!
(In this particular case, I'll have to wait before I spring for the server)

End of story :)
 
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brad225

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After my laptop (or at least Audirvana) froze for the umpteenth time 2 weeks ago, I bought a Roon Nucleus Plus, and it's great. I hear a definite improvement over the laptop--less digital glare and simply more realistic sound. Not a night and day difference, but enough. Even if the sound weren't any better, the operational stability makes it worth the money. Roon's software and library management is wildly different from Audirvana or JRiver, but I'm adapting.
I am sure you will be very happy with the change to the Nucleus. Keep us updated on the progress. You will get use to Roon quickly.
 

rando

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After my laptop (or at least Audirvana) froze for the umpteenth time 2 weeks ago, I bought a Roon Nucleus Plus, and it's great. I hear a definite improvement over the laptop--less digital glare and simply more realistic sound. Not a night and day difference, but enough. Even if the sound weren't any better, the operational stability makes it worth the money.

Your assessment aligns with the reported thoughts of many to most others making this switch. For similar cost it's at least harder to justify a new audio only MBP over a dedicated server. I hope the Nucleus Plus agrees with your demanding listening tastes or leads you towards something attainable which does. The feeling I'd gathered was you weren't enjoying the music as much recently. Sometimes it takes being forced to move on from equipment that had slowly lost qualities it had when newer.

Roon's software and library management is wildly different from Audirvana or JRiver, but I'm adapting.

I'm quite inexpert to this end.

Have you looked into the range of Roon plugin and extensions. Wouldn't be surprised in the least if something out there dealt with customizing display options. From what I've gathered Roon is a very complex environment where certain settings or changes impact audio output. Best of luck sorting this out.
 

Bachtoven

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May 10, 2015
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Your assessment aligns with the reported thoughts of many to most others making this switch. For similar cost it's at least harder to justify a new audio only MBP over a dedicated server. I hope the Nucleus Plus agrees with your demanding listening tastes or leads you towards something attainable which does. The feeling I'd gathered was you weren't enjoying the music as much recently. Sometimes it takes being forced to move on from equipment that had slowly lost qualities it had when newer.



I'm quite inexpert to this end.

Have you looked into the range of Roon plugin and extensions. Wouldn't be surprised in the least if something out there dealt with customizing display options. From what I've gathered Roon is a very complex environment where certain settings or changes impact audio output. Best of luck sorting this out.
Oh, I still enjoy music as much as ever--not sure how you got the feeling that I didn't.

I've inquired on the Roon forum...that's just the way Roon treats Qobuz playlists. I could make own, but it would be very tedious and time consuming.
 
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rando

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Oh, I still enjoy music as much as ever--not sure how you got the feeling that I didn't.

On at least one occasion discussion of technical issues (file corruption) presented itself as troublesome. What now seems easily attributable to a failing laptop creating an air of instability had caused you some amount of distress. I was glad to see this concern ably sorted out.

Now that you have a solid streaming and file playback infrastructure. I hope you'll see fit to post more often from your always interesting catalog.
 

Bachtoven

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Thanks, I'll try. Frankly, I just sort of forgot about this site for a while!
 
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