Antoine's system

[baconbrain]

That is one nice looking case!

[Antoine]

That is one nice looking case!

Thanks, it’s a nice small case especially since it’s only 4cm high (though almost 25cm wide).
—

General update; the Uptone Audio LPS1.2 with a 30cm Ghentaudio Gotham JSSG360 DC cable that were lost in the mail were in the end miraculously found again but returned to the sender in France. Since he insured the package he had refunded me already. We had excellent communications and stayed in touch the whole (lenghty, since it was lost around 17-12-2018) process.

When it was returned to him I paid for it again and so he sent it again to me last Tuesday but just to be sure using UPS this time. Today, finally after over two months, it was delivered.

I bought it for the upcoming Uptone etherREGEN but I hooked it up for now to the ethernet fiber media converter which connects to one NIC of my music server and it works great. The LPS1.2 there replaced the ‘el cheapo’ Breeze Audio 9V LPSU I bought several years ago on EBay plus a iFi DC iPurifier.

[Antoine]

My SOTM SMS-200, Pentium NUC in Akasa case have been sold outside this forum. I also sold the iFi iPower 12V/1.8A I still had but was not using anymore and my iFi DC iPurifier.

There's also some things 'incoming' (bought from Devialetchat forum members) but I'll post about these when they have arrived!

[Axel]

@Antoine This is probably a silly question, but why have you put everything from the NUC into the Akasa case?
Is it possible to buy the motherboard, processor and RAM and put that lot into an Akasa case?
I’m thinking of building a server and need to know the best way of going about it.
I did get a quote from NUCklehead, but it was quite a lot of money and with import duty and VAT, the price would be horrendous .
Any advice would be very welcome and greatly appreciated.

[Antoine]

Hi @Axel, not a silly question at all, though the answer might be to a non-audiophile!

The main reason for the fanless case is that is produces less (zero in fact) acoustical noise. Also there's less vibrational noise and some claim less electrical noise as well (no PWM circuits active for regulating the fans) resulting in better SQ. All my computers in my living room (HTPC, music server and now AL NUC endpoint) are fanless.

If you're familiar with building computers transferring the insides of a NUC inside an Akasa case will be a breeze, very easy. Each Akasa case comes with a manual and also there's someone on audiophilestyle.com (AS) who documented the process for the NUC7i7DNBE (which is the same motherboard as used in both NUC7i7DNHE and NUC7i7DNKE). In case of the NUC7i7DNHE, this was cheaper here in NL than both the board only and the NUC7i7DNKE which is smaller and can't house a SSD.

All Akasa's are engineered for specific NUC models so depending on the one you want there's a fitting case. I specifically chose the 7th gen models mentioned because of them being tested by the good people on AS.

NUCklehead, being a semi professional but commercial company, can't (or better said, wont ) do it as cheap an one can do DIY but does give support and may (besides the hardware) also include the $49,- for AudioLinux Headless. Piero, the maker of AL, does provide support as well though. If one doesn't need the support I don't think there's any reason to buy from NUCklehead though perhaps there may be some tweaks Larry 'hides' from the community, not sure, they were never mentioned.

As long as you enjoy the perhaps initially overwhelming 'learning curve' you'll be alright. Last weekend I upgraded both my installations to the latest versions, from scratch (not necessary but it's what I prefer to do) and it becomes easier and easier each time especially since I make notes of what I do/did on the command line.

Piero is also developping his products 'like crazy' and releases new updates with additional features (i've seen five major releases since I started using it in December and even more minor menu releases!) making things easier and requiring less and less Linux knowledge. It's far from being the turnkey system like an SOtM Euhasu is yet of course but it's getting better and easier each time.

Good luck and enjoy!

[Antoine]

Time for a system topology update:

   

[Axel]

Hi @Axel, not a silly question at all, though the answer might be to a non-audiophile!

The main reason for the fanless case is that is produces less (zero in fact) acoustical noise. Also there's less vibrational noise and some claim less electrical noise as well (no PWM circuits active for regulating the fans) resulting in better SQ. All my computers in my living room (HTPC, music server and now AL NUC endpoint) are fanless.

If you're familiar with building computers transferring the insides of a NUC inside an Akasa case will be a breeze, very easy. Each Akasa case comes with a manual and also there's someone on audiophilestyle.com (AS) who documented the process for the NUC7i7DNBE (which is the same motherboard as used in both NUC7i7DNHE and NUC7i7DNKE). In case of the NUC7i7DNHE, this was cheaper here in NL than both the board only and the NUC7i7DNKE which is smaller and can't house a SSD.

All Akasa's are engineered for specific NUC models so depending on the one you want there's a fitting case. I specifically chose the 7th gen models mentioned because of them being tested by the good people on AS.

NUCklehead, being a semi professional but commercial company, can't (or better said, wont ) do it as cheap an one can do DIY but does give support and may (besides the hardware) also include the $49,- for AudioLinux Headless. Piero, the maker of AL, does provide support as well though. If one doesn't need the support I don't think there's any reason to buy from NUCklehead though perhaps there may be some tweaks Larry 'hides' from the community, not sure, they were never mentioned.

As long as you enjoy the perhaps initially overwhelming 'learning curve' you'll be alright. Last weekend I upgraded both my installations to the latest versions, from scratch (not necessary but it's what I prefer to do) and it becomes easier and easier each time especially since I make notes of what I do/did on the command line.

Piero is also developping his products 'like crazy' and releases new updates with additional features (i've seen five major releases since I started using it in December and even more minor menu releases!) making things easier and requiring less and less Linux knowledge. It's far from being the turnkey system like an SOtM Euhasu is yet of course but it's getting better and easier each time.

Good luck and enjoy!

Thanks, @Antoine , for the comprehensive reply.
You nailed it in the first line. I didn’t realise that the original NUC had a fan, so it all makes sense to me now.

[baconbrain]

Time for a system topology update:

That’s some serious infrastructure. Have you considered replacing the TP-Link MC220 with something like the EtherRegen Switch when it comes out?

[Antoine]

Time for a system topology update:

That’s some serious infrastructure. Have you considered replacing the TP-Link MC220 with something like the EtherRegen Switch when it comes out?

Yes, I bought the LPS1.2 for it (etherREGEN) in preparation. My hope is that with it I can move the music server upstairs again and/or that the server matters less or not at all anymore. I’ll then use the fiber optic ethernet cable already used now to connect the server upstairs to the etherREGEN downstairs and the isolated copper ethernet port on the etherREGEN to the NUC endpoint.

[Antoine]

Today I’ve received a rather heavy ‘Power Snake’ by Shunyata. It’s the highly valued Alpha HC (high current) Zitron (using AWG 7 conductors) which I bought from Tremayne, a fellow Devialet Chat member.

It’s replacing the Lessloss Audio DFPC Signature power cord and connects my PS Audio Power Plant P3 to the wall outlet (of a dedicated circuit). I had been on the lookout for this power cord for quite some time but usually they’re offered with a C19 connector or US plugs so when Tremayne offered his for sale with a schuko and C15 IEC I did not have to hesitate very long.

Thank you again @Tremayne!