Digital Drive: Re: DIY versus assembled approach… by Johncan Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it.

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Posted by Johncan (A ) on January 23, 2004 at 11:02:46

In Reply to: DIY versus assembled approach… posted by ThomasS on January 23, 2004 at 10:29:12:

I started playing with DIY computer-based audio about a year ago. I am constantly tweaking and upgrading my system. Mine is basically built out of spare parts. The money has gone into various internal soundcards, USB soundcards, and DACs.

I use an older CPU... a PIII 500 MHz. Why? Because I don't need a fan to cool it which cuts down on noise. I use a large heatsink. I use an older NVidia based video card that does not require a fan. Why? Again cuts down on the noise from within the PC. The only other hardware is a LAN card. I rip the CDs on a faster computer with a SCSI Plextor CD-ROM and transfer them via my home network to my DIY audio computer.

I have 384 MB SDRAM. Why? Because I had it laying around.

I recently bought a Antec Sonata case. Why? It was much quieter than what I had. I can't hear it running except when the room is absolutely quiet. It also sits about 15 feet away from my stereo and is on a different outlet.

I use Foobar for my media player because it uses very little resources of my PC. I don't have a remote for the PC (yet).

I currently use a M-Audio USB Sonica to stream a digital signal out to Monarchy DIP then a ART DI/O DAC. The Somica can pass a 24-bit/96 kHz audio signal to my DAC. However, I primarily use 16-bit/44.1 kHz. There is no analog conversion being done until it hits my DAC. Why? It cuts down on the EMI/RFI that occurs if the DA is done inside the PC.

I have played with internal soundcards and various DACs. I even tried a GW Labs Upsampling DSP but I could not tell a difference betweem upsampling and not upsampling. I am constantly swapping parts around. Right now, I like what I have.

Hope this helps.

John

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