Pre-made, one-box server discussion/comparison thread

[Jeffkad]

Unless I'm mistaken, the music vault still requires a DAC and one of them even had a third box (SPDIF).

As does your mini, NAS, Drive THREE box option . My one-box solution search never contemplated an on-board/internal dac. Thats why I'm not that interested in the Olive, as I'm paying for an amp and a dac that I dont need in the 4HD and 6HD models (the only ones with internal ripping drive). The dac world is changing much too quickly. I want an easy, good quality ripper/transport to feed an excellent outboard dac.

 

[socfan12]

Agree with Mike, go NAS with some form of RAID. Synology is one of the best out there. I've had too many hard drives fail on me (I think due to overheating) on my desktop PC.

 

[Mike]

Jeff - I've been thinking a little more about your quest for a one box solution. Well, here is something to consider: A MacBook Pro (see below). This is what I use in my second system. I run USB out of the MacBook pro into my Preamp DAC. Couldn't be simpler. Sounds great! One box: Keyboard, Mouse, Screen, Storage and Music Server (iTunes). This is what many manufacturers use to demo at shows. It also fits into your budget.

Something like this....it comes with all the software you need to get started (iTunes). You can download the FREE Apple Remote for your iPad and control your MacBook Pro iTunes from there. EASY.

The MacBook Pro configuration below can be edited to have a bigger hard drive. It contains the CD/DVD drive (called SuperDrive) built right into the laptop, so ripping is a one step process (insert the CD!)

Something to consider...

 

[joeinid]

That's a great idea!

 

[sharkmouth]

if you are going the MBPro route then I'd get the cheapest 13", replace the hdd with the smallest ssd option, make sure it has firewire connection & plug one of these into it.


http://www.wdc.com/global/images/products/hero/en/wdsfMyPassport_Studio.jpg


I have the same & it works a treat.

 

[Mike]

if you are going the MBPro route then I'd get the cheapest 13", replace the hdd with the smallest ssd option, make sure it has firewire connection & plug one of these into it.


http://www.wdc.com/global/images/products/hero/en/wdsfMyPassport_Studio.jpg


I have the same & it works a treat.

Great suggestion Kev, but every time I suggest anything involving more than one box, it gets poo-pooed.

 

[Jeffkad]

Great suggestion Kev, but every time I suggest anything involving more than one box, it gets poo-pooed.

Poo-poo!!! Sorry, couldn't resist, lol!

 

[Mike]

Jeff - I have a sneaking feeling you will end up circling back to the original suggestions here. But I could be wrong.

 

[Mike]

What about the MacBook Pro suggestion? One box!

 

[Jeffkad]

Jeff - I've been thinking a little more about your quest for a one box solution. Well, here is something to consider: A MacBook Pro...

View attachment 954

OK, now that's a one-box option.

However, the question is whether it sounds as good as a purpose-built server that has been optimized for silent operation, low noise, removal of unnecessary operations, etc?

While the MBP probably sounds very good, I've read many reviews that suggest the one box servers sound better, maybe way better, than the standard MBP or PC route. This is supposedly achieved by using fan less designs, linear power supplies, special USB cards (ie, sotm), low power CPUs, noise filters (sotm sata filter), optimized OS stripped of unnecessary operations, specialized ripping software like DBpoweramp, and excellent playback software like Foobar or JRiver.

Ultimately, I'm looking for the transport/dac combo to rival an excellent CDP. That's the purpose of the thread. Education on one box server options that can potentially replace the CDP. And yes, I know there are very good multi-box setups, ie, the Bryston, Auraliti, CAPS, etc, but for my purposes and the purpose of this thread, I really want to focus on the all-in solution (except for the dac, which will be outboard).

For me personally, I've got the Esoteric K-03 coming in, so the dac part is taken care of. The question, as raised above, is how much needs to be done to a server to make it audiophile grade? I listed a bunch of measures above that supposedly get you closer to "grade level" than a standard Mac or PC. However, to throw a curveball at all this, if you read (he posted at CA, AA, and I think Agon too) Elberoths comparison of top shelf CD transports (really top end, like Debussy) he came to the alternate conclusion that the Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha USB converter made much more of a positive difference than the Transport.

Is it possible that a good outboard USB converter removes all the jitter and noise issues inherent in a non-optimized mac/pc, and makes them comparable to a purpose built server, and more important, equal in SQ to a very good CDP (when coupled with with excellent dac)?

 

[Jeffkad]

Jeff - I have a sneaking feeling you will end up circling back to the original suggestions here. But I could be wrong.

Never! Never I tell you, never!!! :bonkers:

One box or bust!

 

[sharkmouth]

In the past I ran a MBPro with ssd with an external WD 1TB firewire into a MSB Diamond DAC with the FEMTO clock, all via Bitperfect or Audirvana+, everyone that heard it agreed, no server could touch it. That was 8 mths ago so who knows now. What I do know is that I audition everything in my own system now, if I like the sound of it I buy it.