Home Computer Audio Asylum

Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

Research Paper

John, since you've spent considerable time optimizing every aspect of your digital front end--server, usb cable + usb-i2s conversion (and also SB3 i2s feed), power supplies, dac and analog stage--could you comment on how critical the server piece (hardware, CPU utilization, RAM) is in this equation? Does a lean/mean music only server result in an audible difference compared to say someone's laptop or desktop that plays double duty as a home office machine (fan noise aside)? Have you tried this experiment? To what extent should one go (low cpu util, bare bones os and installed sw, ram, etc.) before incremental audible returns diminish quickly in a system chain consisting of server > usb cable > dac with usb-i2s interface?

I can't seem to locate a research paper (can't recall the source) that might be 6 or so months old that published measurement data and drew conclusions about RAM, cpu utilization, lack of extraneous s/w on jitter/noise out. Ring a bell anyone?


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