Redaction version 2 (2 January 2017)
As a first point you have to take into account that general purpose desktop computers dont come from the factory to suit the ears of someone who really appreciates music in its purest states. Going through extensions that degrade the signal. Generating an final analog sound quality that leaves much to be desired.
For this case: It's not about creating a computer only in raw power; Its more in being efficient using the least amount of pure resources.
This needs to be simplified and optimized for these tasks.Prepare scissors and glue kids, and some money from Dad's wallet.
My related experiences can be applied to most general systems without investing too much. I hope you find it useful in some part.
First Testing Elfidelity AXF-94 Power supply NOISE filter for SATA hard drive with generic sata cable.
AXF-94
Introduction: PC HI-FI SATA interface on-line power supply purification isolation filter has two functions:
First of all, as a filter, it can effectively handle the PC's switching power supply provides impure power supply, buffer and eliminate the current ripple, isolated high-power equipment (such as graphics, CPU, etc.) Voltage drop, etc., the filter comes with a capacitive battery can dynamically compensate for the hard drive current, play a hard disk protection.
Second, its two-way filter ground isolation design, while blocking the work of the hard disk itself to produce serious EMI interference, so that it can not be affected by wires and ground lines within the PC other devices in the power supply clutter is very sensitive to PC audio , This design can provide a good auxiliary optimization.
Elfidelity sata filter box container and usb full gold plated 3U connectors for the external audio card.
The ssd for the operating system is extremely crucial, hence the character of your sound will depend mostly. Therefore, it is also necessary a fairly clean power supply, and a connection as direct and simplified as possible.
You can have your music files on HDD, SD card, usb memory, etc, the degradation is almost null, (come wherever its come) if you meet the above requirements.
This the way that SSD is attached to the mainboard directly. NO SATA CABLE ,therefore there is no degradation in the digital signal.
My power supply is a Cooler Master G550M with a decent low ripple in the lines.
This noise filter is a crucial upgrade is you are not using a clean Linear power supply for the HDD/SSD.
In the aspect of results at the time of listening with the filter the most notorius thing is the crazy opening of soundtage, a little better separation of the instruments, A small sensation of sinking in the middle of the mix in the first days of testing, but from what I see this is improving with the burning and it feels already more natural and not so much as something artificial in the reproduction.
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Making a micro connector usb A to b gold plated.
Connectors core material is copper and gold plated 3U over the entire surface (include solder side).
Version 1(Generic Brass USB A to USB B) vs Version 2 (Gold Plated USB A to USB B)
At the end the only disadvantage is to have almost struck the external sound card to the cpu, but in my case is not inconvenient.
Using Windows 10 + Fidelizer + Foobar or Bug Head.Emperor
IMPORTANT: My RAM memories and integrated graphic card is extremely reduced in performance and energy consumption(16 gb ram at 800 mhz and gpu integrated clock at minimun)without buffer underruns or usb errors in the soundcard.
The reduction of memory frequency has a crucial impact on the sound, for me it sounds better at the reduced frequency of 800 mhz(the original frequency of the ram is 2133 mhz).
my cpu keep the default frequency 3.6 ghz (overlock or reduce It feels brighter less natural and sound with less body.)
the default frequency for now is the hast the best sound
A overlocked PC is very destructive in the final sensation of the audio quality, feels more PLANE, its far away from the feeling of analog music.
My cpu is unlocked (amd a6 5400k), so it is quite moldable. In case that I need more resources to make a mix with a DAW only need to Overclock or work over normal conditions but sacrificing a little quality temporarily.
At the moment that I found that this changes give me this great and crucial upgrade, I can get a clearer idea of the reason why people hating the sensation of the digital music.
Gold connectors usb working:
IMPORTANT NOTE: My mobo is a
G1.Sniper A88X (Rev. 3.0) with USB DAC gold plated port that include a clean 5v USB port exclusive for DAC. Clean power.
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This is a generic Mini connector usb A to usb B from General Electric(GE), a decent sound but the degradation in the signal caused by the path of brass in external contacts, then copper wires inside and in the other end brass again, its present.
The characteristic of the copper to have a dark sound with respect to the silver in speakers cables is also present on the digital signal of audio.
Tests with different types of copper, in size and length, have led me to this conclusion.
Even prepare connectors that made direct contact with the copper material directly from end to end with usb ports, about 2 cm. Incredible soundstage but the signal had no brightness, the sound had a dark feeling.
With the gold connectors, everything sounds much brighter, very very happy with this change, and the soundstage is kept almost identical to when I used the copper connector uncovered from end to end.
Now I can say goodbye to spend in audiophile usb cable of 500 and 1000 dollars.
General Electric usb a to usb b:
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This is the way in which my mainboard is violated to allow the direct connection of the SATA filter with the hard disk.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All my sata ports are SATA 3, Take into account this point that is cited in the following discussion:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f7-disk-storage-music-library-storage/sata-2-sounds-better-sata-3-a-19339/
, of which I have not tested the validity. And if I do I would have to go down to a lower-quality mainboard. So let us say that what is quoted is true (perhaps it is that by some event not known in exactness, the generation of jitter is greater, or a same sata cable performs better on a port II or III by quality of materials or maybe the resistance affects much more at higher speeds, and Other crazy things that can happen inside there), but for now I dont have the possibility to do it, but I have tried on the other hand to reduce all other factors of degradation, so that at least the only pending issue is difference between SATA 3 and SATA 2 (if it actually exists) keep it as small as possible.
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SATA connection ready, if you dont have the guts to destroy the SATA ports of your mainboard, I recommend using extremely small sata cable. To reduce a little the degradation of sound.
For me this direct connection is essential in the sound quality of the system. But not as big as the gold usb connector. To make a graphic idea of the degradation of signal, I always think of it as listening to music between a slight mist. In the degradation the sound tends to fatten without uniformity like a bass salad, saturation sensation, in a few words there is no clarity.
In some future not too distant, I hope to buy a JCAT card for the audio card. Although for now I am quite happy with the results present, but I always aspire to more like every human.
NOTE: The power from the system fans is produced externally and is not obtained from the mainboard, to keep energy consumption as simplistic on the mainboard and to avoid small fluctuations that may affect the final result of the audio signal.
At the end this TIPS and cheap upgrades for your PC, you will not spend more than $100 in this parts. Give a try ,this a sure win.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I was always using until now the ingregated graphic card that come with the CPU (apu amd), so yesterday I buy a external dedicated graphic card, and surprisingly the sound opened more and improved the presence of the instruments, strangely the volume of my external audio card decreased a little, but on the other hand the sound improved a lot, maybe this was the normal sound since the beginning of the audio card.
so it's better to use a dedicated external graphic card for your audiophile pc than the integrated with the cpu.
