24 replies to this topic

[FelipeRolim]

Hello friends. I created this topic to share with you the photos of the new case I built for dedicated computers (the software is the same as always - Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Core Mode and JPLAY FEMTO). With more time, I will insert in the descriptions about the reasons that led me to adopt this new layout, as well as the sound that I have obtained with the last changes.

 

Since there are so many photos, I created a shared folder to access and view.

 

https://fioedu-my.sh...atMyBQ?e=XYiOaX

 

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[Iain]

Beautiful

[Thuan]

Love your choice of wooden case, flat cables, and acoustic treatment. Congratulations!

[Jogar]

Very nice work indeed. Wood is a highly effective EMI barrier, works grea

[Jogar]

Sorry the phrase was incomplete:

Wood works great as a PC case if the thermals are OK. I like the separations and attention to detail in the design.

Regards.

[Marcin_gps]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing

[Rob]

Great work Felipe, bet it sounds wonderful.
Best Regards Rob.

[Rob]

Hello Felipe did you have the transformer built specially for this project?
Best Regards Rob.

[FelipeRolim]

Thank you friends. Since I setted up my second dedicated computer, I've studied countless ways to optimize the joint operation of both computers. I've been through many vagueness, many ideas, all of them with extraordinary demands that I have no intention of assuming. For example, if I were to build everything with absolute independence, I would need to build or buy two linear power supplies, buy two (at least) cases, a second transformer, a second power cord, a second power outlet, and so on (I calculated something close to €3.500.00). If I built computers in individual cabinets and an insulated linear power supplies, I would need to worry about the quality of the cable and the connection terminals between the power supplies and the computers and other elements (I quoted and found that good quality materials without no audiophile bias, would be more than $300.00, only by the connectors, not including the wires). That's why I decided to take advantage of the dimensions of my rack to build everything in a single enclosure, with strategic isolation and predispositions, so as to use a single power cord, reduce distances and allow direct connections, independent power and better internal wiring quality. Some interesting information, so that you may have a parameter for my future descriptions:

 

(i) As many who follow what I write should know, over the years, I've tried a multitude of materials to promote the vibration damping/isolation of my equipment, including mahogany, peroba, ivory, MDF, ebony, rosewood, itauba, angelim etc (I don't know exactly all English translations). My favorite, small in size, and by a good margin, is ebony, but for the dimensions I wanted to build, the easiest to find and most costly wood was peroba. It's a natural wood of very beautiful tone and sound, much better than ordinary MDF. The one I bought is from demolition, so it came with some nail marks that I needed to fix, but the end result was very good. The entire cabinet, including the fixing of spikes (also natural wood), was treated with natural material. Inside I used mineral oil, and outside I used pure beeswax. This is also due to the specific sound of the materials, which were carefully chosen not to introduce any type of falsification in sound. There are no risks in this because the wax gets stiff and the wood absorbs all the oil, which serves as a kind of insulator against moisture and other harmful agents that can cause deterioration over time.

 

(ii) The transformer has two 20v and 8A lanes, two 12v and 5A lanes and five 5v and 2A lanes. Secondaries to spare for any current computer. From what you can see in the photo, the ldovr linear power supplies (https://www.ldovr.co...7a4700-spsu.htm) that I used on the SSD and the USB card are definitive, and I bought two more for the future JCAT Net Card FEMTO I intend to use. These are the only ones. The processor's 12v power supply is just a prototype for sound experimentation, and the motherboard power supplies aren't definitive either. They are just taken advantage of the previous project.

 

(iii) The heating isn't worrying. One of my motherboards has a 10w TDP processor, and the other has a 35w TDP processor. As a precaution, I programmed the cooler to turn on when the temperature reaches 60ºC, but it has been turned off all the time. Never works, which indicates good thermal control. I also drilled ventilation holes at strategic points in the bottom of the case so that I could direct the airflow back and forth, cooling the entire case.

 

(iv) Although not aesthetically beautiful, I will use cork to cushion all computer components. That's why the back covers are fixed by cork, and so is the cooler. In the future, I will make cork "suspensions" for all the internal components of the computer, and I'll do this because, in addition to the wonderful sound of the cabinet wood, it introduces very natural and realistic features to the sound, makes it timbrically correct and more immune to vibrations.

 

(v) The new linear power supplies are amazing. Although specified for only 1A, the heating powering their corresponding devices (Samsung 850Evo SSD and JCAT USB Card FEMTO) is very small, and the stability is extraordinary. Set to 5v, the oscillation, for more, is just 0.01v, which made me very happy. At the preliminary hearings, the computers delivered a very surprising result, due to the change of cabinet and the addition of two more linear power supplies. For an expense of $25.00 for each power supply, I can say that the upgrade is significant and delivers result proportional to much more expensive power cables.

 

(vi) After approving a previous phase of sound experimentation, and hallucinating with the result that the two ldovr power supplies offered, I decided to partially finish the internal cabling (there's still a long way to go, including the transformer wires, which are all cluttered). So, I used for the JCAT USB card, SSD and processor the 20AWG Jupiter Pure Silver Cotton Insulated wire (https://www.hificoll...lated-wire.html). This cable was also handpicked, among several other models (Mundorf Silver-Gold - higher precision, but more analytical sound; Jupiter Pure Silver Cotton Insulated - excellent precision, focus and organicity; Duelund 1.0 Silver - good union between precision and warm sound, slightly less focus than Jupiter; Duelund 16AWG Copper - full-bodied, hot, more scattered/blurred sound). Because of the combination of features, I considered Jupiter the best combination for a high level digital source, as it allows for the delivery of a perfect musical image together with rich, organic, real and expressive sound. Make no mistake about the look of the white and listless cable. It is a Jupiter wire that has one of the best sounds I've ever known for application on low power devices. And, for the 24-way ATX cable, I kept the Kimber Kable 12TC, which just got a little messy inside the case, but I intend to improve in the future.

 

The sound is wonderful. It's one of the best digital transport I've ever heard. But, as I said, there's still a long way to go, so this topic will still have a lot of content added over time.

 

Hello Felipe did you have the transformer built specially for this project?
Best Regards Rob.

 

Hi Rob. Only now I saw your message. The transformer was made exclusively for my project. I'd like to have bought a very high level imported transformer, but this one I'm using is also very good, extremely quiet and well built. It's Brazilian and handmade.

[screenmusic]

Hi Felipe, nice work! I also had built my computer over thick 100 + years old piano wood of German pine, in fact all my recording and listening equipment are over old piano thich, dry and resonant wood, the sound is addictive.

I noticed you use a Samsung 850 Evo, is there any reason you don't use a samsung 850/860 pro SSD? would like to know! cheers from Argentina

[FelipeRolim]

Hi Felipe, nice work! I also had built my computer over thick 100 + years old piano wood of German pine, in fact all my recording and listening equipment are over old piano thich, dry and resonant wood, the sound is addictive.

I noticed you use a Samsung 850 Evo, is there any reason you don't use a samsung 850/860 pro SSD? would like to know! cheers from Argentina

 

Hello screenmusic. I'd love to hear a masterpiece like the one you built. Despite all the problems inherent in wood, the characteristic that some of them introduce into sound is wonderful. What I need now is to be able to compare these computers to high-end transport, something like a dCS Paganini or Scarlatti Transport.

About the Samsung 850Evo, actually, there's no specific reason. I bought this 1TB SSD at a good opportunity, and it still fits me well. I'm expecting another good opportunity to buy a Samsung Pro line, but this time I want at least 2TB, and then the price goes up a lot. This is also one of the focal points of change, but not in a hurry, because it is playing too well. If you come to Brazil, feel free to visit me.

[Carlosoptico]

Hello Felipe
Your DualPC project in a single box seems like a brilliant idea that allows you to save many repeated parts, 1 chassis with its corresponding anti-vibration system, 1 AC cable, shorter DC cables without intermediate connectors and without external PSUs. Your design also makes you have much less cables on the back of the Rack, apart from the advantages that wood provides and allows you to save all those components, buying JCAT Net FEMTO cards that will increase the SQ of your system. Congratulations .
I would like you to explain in detail the part of power supply, CC-ATX conversion above all, which is the weakest part of my system and it will surely be useful for many of us.

[FelipeRolim]

Hello Carlosoptico. Thank you for your comments.

 

For over five years I've been experimenting with a number of things to fine tune/adjust the linear power supplies for my computers. And along with that, I tried a number of things, like batteries to power independent sectors. From everything I've tested and built on batteries and power supplies, I've come to the clear conclusion that any battery plays more quietly, cleanly, delicately, softly than an average linear power supply. The reasons for this are several, but there are also many problems related to them. I mention, for example, the electrical characteristics of battery cells, the specific sound of chemical materials responsible for power generation (I tested NiCd, Li and ZiC batteries and they all have specific sounds), among other things. On the other hand, a high level linear power supply connected to the mains and with good cables can play MUCH better than any battery I have tried, with more life, dynamics and body, and this requires a more elaborate project, with some care. It took me years to achieve this superiority, but I was able to get it unrestrictedly on computers.

 

From what I've experienced, as a rule that holds exceptions, the linear power supply gains in dynamic and transient sounds (eg. cymbals on a drums), while the batteries are superior in continuous, sustained sounds like a saxophone, a flute. For power supplies, one solution that works effectively is to use much more capacitance than normally needed to create an extremely disproportionate set that "simulates" a battery. Thus, there's a hybrid system, with a linear power supply and interposed capacitors, which perform, in addition to the stabilization and ripple reduction function, the function of a "virtual battery", optimizing the power supply to better reproduce any kind of sound. But also being careful not to overload the power supply as this causes slow audio, a very obstructed and lethargic sound. Then, the first assumption is: high capacitance.

Another very important issue is the voltage regulator. Here I tested several regulators LM, TDA, LT and many others. For the vast majority, a circuit is required for regulation, and this entire circuit can cause audio damage in specific cases. It's best, therefore, to avoid adopting the regulatory sector where this is possible. I take this as a second high-performance assumption for motherboard power supplies. I explain.

 

For SSDs and offboard cards, I bought, after much experimentation, four ldovr voltage regulators. For processors, also after overcoming extensive experimentation steps, I bought the sigma11 voltage regulators from AMB Laboratories. But, for motherboards, I adopted the concept without voltage regulator, and it was the best I found. I didn't get anything that performed the same. I bought the Mini-Box M4-ATX cards, which accept from 6 to 30v and built linear power supplies with a filter system built with CRCRCRC circuits tuned below 30Hz and working at 20v DC. This doesn't pose any risk (as it allows more than 50v AC variation in the mains voltage) and allows the power supplies to attenuate more than 150dB in noise above the KHz range coming from the mains. I don't like inductor filtering, I've never liked it, so I prefer capacitors and resistors.

 

And not only is that enough. Capacitors, resistors, diodes all have their own "sound". A bad capacitor in the middle will make the entire circuit break down. It will be a very disastrous thing to take care of certain aspects of the power supply so much and forget about the quality of the material. Today I use Nichicon Gold Tune (KG) capacitors, but I will replace them in the future with Mundorf MLytic AG + associated with M-Supreme resistors. The price isn't high and the difference for the better isn't small. As diodes, among the many I've tested from around the world, the best sounding ones are the Cree Schottky, closely followed by IXYS diode bridges. I never knew anything that came close to it. Thus, the third assumption of my power supplies is: component quality.

The boards on which these circuits are mounted also have their own sonority. This is evident, as various qualities of copper, various thicknesses of fiber, or other material may be used, and this reflects the final quality. To get away from this kind of problem, wherever possible, I suggest something simple that actually works, although it can be aesthetically ugly: direct link, point to point. There's nothing more "perfect" and precise than the direct connection of one component to another without a plate, just using the conductors of the components themselves and the solder. I've never found a better way to make the connection, although the aesthetics aren't the best. Thus, my fourth assumption of high performance is: direct link between components.

As a penultimate aspect, in a general overview I'm trying to make, we have the transformer. There's a wide discussion about which is best for audio, with the E/I model finding strong defenders, and the toroidal also finding other strong defenders. I particularly like the toroidal type isolator. Some additional attention needs to be given to: a) the efficiency of the transformer is directly linked to the core material and the tightness of the wires around it. Typically, tightly wound silicon core toroidal transformers achieve efficiency in the range of 90 to 95%; b ) the quality of copper is fundamental; c) whenever possible, electromagnetic shielding should be chosen. It makes no sense that a transformer effectively isolates the primary and secondary and can impact electromagnetic waves that degrade the power quality. Thus, my fifth assumption of high performance is: high quality transformer.

 

Finally, something that I consider important to add to the isolation of the transformer is high frequency filtering (although I've already mentioned this, I think it's important to put it at a specific point, given the relevance of the theme). See: no transformer is 100% efficient in isolation between primary and secondary, so some "dirt" can pass through it and impair power quality. And not only that. The reverse path is also true. The equipment itself, in this case computers, can generate high frequency noise that will "return" through the power supply circuit. Have you ever heard or read people indicating that the digital sector is in one phase of electricity, and the analog sector in another separate phase? Well. This is why it's important that there is a filtering circuit, even if minimal. The capacitors and resistors of the CRCRCRC circuit will do this effectively, but as a complement and also for sound adjustment, it's interesting to add a capacitor in parallel, at the last step of the power suuply, as close as possible to the powered device (to filter even stationary frequencies formed in the wiring), which may be 0.1uF and be from film/MKP/Wima. There are many models that fit. So, my sixth assumption of high yield is: filtration.

There are hundreds of ways to make a high-end power supply, but these were the best I found after years of experimentation. Without buying something pre-made, like an HDPLEX or Paul Hynes power supplies, for example, I'm at the limit of my capacity. I don't know how much better these power supplies could be, but today I have the best my capacity allows. Certainly I still have a lot to learn.

[FelipeRolim]

Just one thing I forgot to add: although I've written that I try to avoid the use of voltage regulators, a motherboard always requires that voltages are well regulated and ideally distributed. However, the M4-ATX does regulation via software, and is the most transparent and responsive DC-DC device to changes in the computer's power stage, among many I've experienced, especially the Chinese ones. But, I don't know the HDPLEX pico-psu, which also works in a range of 16 to 30v. Maybe in the future take the test.

[FelipeRolim]

Gradually, I'm continuing the construction of computers. Now the motherboard linear power supplies are separated from each other. I used CREE SiC diodes, which are the best sounding of all I tried and Mundorf resistors with the Nichicon Gold Tune 10000uF capacitors. On 12v processor power suppliest (AMB sigma11), I used Vishay Dale resistors and Mundorf capacitors. In the photo I hadn't yet placed the Elna Silmic II, but today are the ones I use. Jupiter Pure Silver wiring is also missing in some parts of the computer and both JCAT Net Card FEMTO. All of this will be resolved soon.

 

It already used some independent power supplies in some parts of the computer, such as processors and SSD, but the separation of the motherboards also brought improvements, especially in channel separation, background noise, and midrange and treble detailing. Since I already had most of the components (used in the previous project), it was a very cheap and effective upgrade.

 

The SATA cable with an aluminium foil is a special that a friend has set up for me, with cheap materials and amazing result. It's there for comparison with the new Audiopheeling SATA Encouter I bought.

Attached Files

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•  20191026_163601.jpg   223.92KB   4 downloads
•  20191026_175236.jpg   306.76KB   4 downloads

[Anto]

Gradually, I'm continuing the construction of computers. Now the motherboard linear power supplies are separated from each other. I used CREE SiC diodes, which are the best sounding of all I tried and Mundorf resistors with the Nichicon Gold Tune 10000uF capacitors. On 12v processor power suppliest (AMB sigma11), I used Vishay Dale resistors and Mundorf capacitors. In the photo I hadn't yet placed the Elna Silmic II, but today are the ones I use. Jupiter Pure Silver wiring is also missing in some parts of the computer and both JCAT Net Card FEMTO. All of this will be resolved soon.

 

It already used some independent power supplies in some parts of the computer, such as processors and SSD, but the separation of the motherboards also brought improvements, especially in channel separation, background noise, and midrange and treble detailing. Since I already had most of the components (used in the previous project), it was a very cheap and effective upgrade.

 

The SATA cable with an aluminium foil is a special that a friend has set up for me, with cheap materials and amazing result. It's there for comparison with the new Audiopheeling SATA Encouter I bought.

Congratulations! Fantastic! 

[Thuan]

Attaboy, Felipe!

[DC]

WOW!!! Great job, Felipe!!!! 

Congratulations!!

[FelipeRolim]

Thanks guys. There are still many things I want to define. Once everything is assembled in its proper place, with the components I deem definitive, I intend to carefully evaluate, item by item, the effects of mechanical damping and electromagnetic shielding. So, for every item of the system, I want to try cork cushioning, which is one of the best-sounding cushioning materials I know, and see what effects shielding and cushioning for cables, boards and power sectors will have on the result of the audio. Certainly auditions for over a year.

Either way, digital transport has risen considerably, and I hope it can one day serve as a good reference.

[Mellowman]

GREAT!

 

very very good job!

 

CONGRATULATIONS to THE enthousiast brazilian.