danhackley wrote:Hi, my hope for this thread is to collect thoughts on how to set up the ideal audiophile digital music setup.
Apart from the quality of the components, my main problems with the existing system are that the PC makes a bit of noise, and also that it uses too much electricity to justify having it on just to stream the music.
I'm planning to upgrade the system, and would welcome thoughts on the best way to get the FLAC files to the speakers. Budget no more than £10,000. I'm considering things like an external DAC connected to the PC, a standalone system like the Linn digital stream player, or any other alternatives. Obviously I'll be upgrading the amp and speakers. Ability to browse the album artwork is important.
Thanks for any ideas!
I am a bit of a Quiet PC fetishist so I can give you some good advice BUT FIRST
Unless you have soooooo much money you feel the need to give it away, there is no need to spend 10,000 pounds unless you have a huge listening area. Spend your money on speakers and a good amp and digital TOSLink out from your computer. For a normal living area there is no need to spend over 1000 pounds. The beauty of TOSlink or COAX is that you can have your PC far away from your listening area.
Reducing PC Noise (in order of effectiveness):
1) It is very difficult to get a PC inaudible. To do this you need a fanless power supply, graphics card, CPU and a large very slow turning fan on the top or side of the case to vent heat AND a solid state hard drive. It can be done but it isn't worth the money and SS hard drives have a low capacity
SO the most effective way to reduce PC noise is to move the PC part into another room, buy a long DVI or HDMI cable, a TOSLink cable and a 2.4Ghz keyboard and mouse combo. Only have the keyboard, mouse and monitor in your listening area. Note that some CRT monitors make a high pitched whine that makes them unsuitable. Total Cost: 60-150 USD and a small hole in your wall.
Most 2.4GHz keyboard mouse combos will work through 1 or 2 walls. Long DVI cables exist but they can be hard to find.
2) If 1 isn't your cup of tea, there are ways to reduce PC noise.
a) Don't buy the latest most powerful of anything ..... they make too much heat especially the graphics card. Having a PC for both gaming and quiet PC is almost impossible. Buy middle of the road and fanless if practical. Under clocking the CPU usually isn't necessary if you buy one with low power consumption.
b) Lap your CPU if necessary and install a heat pipe cooler with a big slow moving fan or no fan.
c) Buy a power supply with a large fan with built in speed control or fanless
d) Mount your hard drives on foam or suspended. (Don't mount directly onto the foam or it will overheat) Suspended is risky because if you forget and move your PC with the disk spinning you may crash it). Mounting on rubber grommets may also work
e) Be prepared to buy and return a few hard drives until you get a quiet one. Even drives with the same lot number can have huge differences in noise output.
f) Buy fan speed controllers or use SPEEDFAN to set your fan speeds at an optimal level
g) Laptops can be quiet if they are specifically built for that, but most are not, especially when the weather is hot.
Lastly, if you are outputting digital to an Amp you don't need a expensive sound card, just one that can maintain stable, popless clickless communication with your amp. Digital is digital and as long as it isn't corrupted it is perfect. Also for TOSLink, as long as it works it is OK, consider the lowest bidder that works.
[quote="danhackley"]Hi, my hope for this thread is to collect thoughts on how to set up the ideal audiophile digital music setup.
Apart from the quality of the components, my main problems with the existing system are that the PC makes a bit of noise, and also that it uses too much electricity to justify having it on just to stream the music.
I'm planning to upgrade the system, and would welcome thoughts on the best way to get the FLAC files to the speakers. Budget no more than £10,000. I'm considering things like an external DAC connected to the PC, a standalone system like the Linn digital stream player, or any other alternatives. Obviously I'll be upgrading the amp and speakers. Ability to browse the album artwork is important.
Thanks for any ideas![/quote]
I am a bit of a Quiet PC fetishist so I can give you some good advice BUT FIRST
Unless you have soooooo much money you feel the need to give it away, there is no need to spend 10,000 pounds unless you have a huge listening area. Spend your money on speakers and a good amp and digital TOSLink out from your computer. For a normal living area there is no need to spend over 1000 pounds. The beauty of TOSlink or COAX is that you can have your PC far away from your listening area.
Reducing PC Noise (in order of effectiveness):
1) It is very difficult to get a PC inaudible. To do this you need a fanless power supply, graphics card, CPU and a large very slow turning fan on the top or side of the case to vent heat AND a solid state hard drive. It can be done but it isn't worth the money and SS hard drives have a low capacity
SO the most effective way to reduce PC noise is to move the PC part into another room, buy a long DVI or HDMI cable, a TOSLink cable and a 2.4Ghz keyboard and mouse combo. Only have the keyboard, mouse and monitor in your listening area. Note that some CRT monitors make a high pitched whine that makes them unsuitable. Total Cost: 60-150 USD and a small hole in your wall.
Most 2.4GHz keyboard mouse combos will work through 1 or 2 walls. Long DVI cables exist but they can be hard to find.
2) If 1 isn't your cup of tea, there are ways to reduce PC noise.
a) Don't buy the latest most powerful of anything ..... they make too much heat especially the graphics card. Having a PC for both gaming and quiet PC is almost impossible. Buy middle of the road and fanless if practical. Under clocking the CPU usually isn't necessary if you buy one with low power consumption.
b) Lap your CPU if necessary and install a heat pipe cooler with a big slow moving fan or no fan.
c) Buy a power supply with a large fan with built in speed control or fanless
d) Mount your hard drives on foam or suspended. (Don't mount directly onto the foam or it will overheat) Suspended is risky because if you forget and move your PC with the disk spinning you may crash it). Mounting on rubber grommets may also work
e) Be prepared to buy and return a few hard drives until you get a quiet one. Even drives with the same lot number can have huge differences in noise output.
f) Buy fan speed controllers or use SPEEDFAN to set your fan speeds at an optimal level
g) Laptops can be quiet if they are specifically built for that, but most are not, especially when the weather is hot.
Lastly, if you are outputting digital to an Amp you don't need a expensive sound card, just one that can maintain stable, popless clickless communication with your amp. Digital is digital and as long as it isn't corrupted it is perfect. Also for TOSLink, as long as it works it is OK, consider the lowest bidder that works.