The Next C.A.P.S. Design Is Underway

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I'm deep into the process of designing the next C.A.P.S. server. In fact I'm listening to the very first prototype right now. I have some really cool things up my sleeve, but only testing will tell if they make it to the final version. I started this thread to open a discussion of items people may be looking for in a C.A.P.S. server or items that people have found in a dark corner of the Internet that simply must be included in the design.

 

I welcome and encourage all ideas.

[DigiPete]

I would like a CAPS 3.0 with thunderbolt for fast access to RAID for playing large multi-channel music files.

[Paul R]

- Streaming from separate, isolated, disk storage, with auto-updates when I add new RIPs.

 

- A remote player version to stream to, with good synchronization

 

- Video/MC streaming (VOB playback)

 

- ARM Chip (kinda dreaming a little bit about this one...)

 

- Thunderbolt option (okay, I know I am really dreaming on this one.)

[jshawn]

As long as we're wish-full thinking, I'd really like CAPS to move away from Windows.

 

Perhaps Chris, you could at least include a Linux or BSD option?

[brightonjel]

Would love to see included microphone input for room correction measurements. So much better to do this on the same rig to be used for playback. Would also echo fast access channels like Thunderbolt/USB 3 for local storage access. Even using a decent PC, NAS streaming of 192/24 causes issues with JRiver from time to time. In addition, spdif output along with USB would be *great*. One other wish-for: easy way to plug in external power source for audio stages (not vital, but interesting thing to test run)

[Priaptor]

It looks like small green computers already started:

 

Chris Connaker CAPS Computer Audiophile

 

I must be spoiled. After trying most Apple players and a few servers I have to admit I really like CAPS 2.0 just the way it is.

[Brian A]

Humm... Let see ...

 

Howza bout:

 

- independent multi-zone wireless music service.

- RF wireless remote control for instant pause / volume with no wireless latency.

- seperate left channel / right channel digital outputs for mono DACs and mono-blocks.

- DIN form factor and 12v power for use in automobiles.

- dimmable LEDs.

- beer bottle opener on front face.

[Julf]

As long as we're wish-full thinking, I'd really like CAPS to move away from Windows.

 

Perhaps Chris, you could at least include a Linux or BSD option?

 

+1

[firedog]

It looks like small green computers already started:

 

Chris Connaker CAPS Computer Audiophile

 

I must be spoiled. After trying most Apple players and a few servers I have to admit I really like CAPS 2.0 just the way it is.

 

That's an interesting design. I'm surprised they can get that processor working fanless, unless they are using internal heatsinks/pipes.

 

By the way, I'd like a CAPS 3 to have:

 

MIC INPUT (for DRC measurement)

FW output

be based on something more powerful than the ATOM Chip

option for connecting specialist audiophile PS

[Hoover]

I really like the simplicity and single purpose of the CAPS design! I like the idea of a Linux based CAPS........

[joeling]

Whatever OS it uses, please let it be multilingual. Thanks.

 

Regards,

Joe Ling

[Audio_ELF]

I really like the simplicity and single purpose of the CAPS design! I like the idea of a Linux based CAPS........

I think a Linux CAPS should be a separate project personally...

 

Maybe a nice comparitive view of VoyagerMPD, PuppyMPD and VortexBox could be interesting... I'm surprised Chris hasn't looked at this before.

 

Eloise

[extracampine]

HI Chris,

 

For me, absolute silence when plugged into a powered-up firewire DAC (e.g. the Weiss DAC2) would be my priority!

 

Otherwise it's good as it stands. I wonder about a little more oomph to make browsing large libraries a little more fluid. And maybe a functional front panel showing the now playing details (but not if you think it will degrade SQ)!

[The Computer Audiophile]

Thanks for the comments so far guys. Keep them coming.

[Ianmac]

I built a caps 1 followed shortly after with a linear PSU build. Running W7 and Jriver with I pod J river rem as a remote

At the time of building I questioned the need for an audio board that was largely redundant as only I fed SPDIF into my Benchmark DAC. My DAC also accepted USB, and trials in this area using my laptop under battery power feeding USB into the DAC were encouraging.

Along came caps2 with,as I understand from my reading, a partial solution to my way of thinking, with a shift to USB.

 

As I read positive reports about the audio quality resulting from the use of asyncronous USB would there be any mileage in including this in a new caps?

I am not a PC expert but would think that a motherboard and an asyncronous USB card + its software ( assuming such a board was available) that provided a SPDIF or USB output for onpass to a DAC would be what most people need ?

I would also want it to be easily upgradeable to a linear supply operation with individual supplies to the mother board and Async USB i.e. a minimum of common supply return paths

 

Async USB to SPIDIF converters (Musical Fidelity) sell here in the UK for about £225 retail ( you have given it a review)so the PCB must be costing about £20 to manufacture. Some enterprising person could already be selling PCB plus software for the DIY market ?

 

I would like to dip my toe into async USB operation will caps 3 give me that opportunity??

[DigiPete]

A BluRay ripping option would be perfect, as a CAPS would be my only Windows machine.

I suppose it could be an external drive, but an internal option would be more elegant.

 

I would probably also use this machine for downloads when not playing music, no reason to have good (energy efficient) equipment be idle.

[cjf]

Some of these may already be included in the prototype but:

 

Assuming Windows: (ie..keeping the build simple for most users)

8watts TDP or less

Fanless

12vDC Input

Supports at least 4GB RAM

Includes PCI-E Slot

No moving parts, including hard drive (ie..flash or similar)

onboard LAN & USB 2.0

No onboard Wireless

No USB 3.0 as that increases the TDP power requirements and is probably overkill for this purpose

[med_designer]

1. It would be interesting to attempt a Hackintosh version of the CAPS. Perhaps CAPS 3.0m the m being for Mac. The downside to this is getting it to run properly. While there have been successful attempts with the new OS and software distribution model Apple has taken it might not be that practical or worth going down this road.

 

2. I feel it should be fan-less.

 

3. It would be great to have an iOS app for remote control. Does J-River have such a thing?

 

4. I often thought it would be a good idea to run a music server in such a way that the server is exactly that - nothing but a server for the playback of audio. IT would also handle the underlying database that governs the music library as well as the playback of whatever audio format and sample rate you would like.

 

5. It might be good to have a high quality DAC built into the CAPS 3.0 as an option to make it all inclusive.

 

6. Should have a Blu-Ray drive

 

7. Should be able to auto catalog music CD's on disc insertion and eject when complete. Perhaps some custom scripts for dbPoweramp?

 

 

8. While SSDs are $$$ an array of them to create at least 1TB or storage would be great. I have also had great luck with these Western Digital drives. Dead silent, 2TB 2.5" drives. It could be placed internally inside the CAPS 3.0 and connected to the motherboard directly as it is buss powered.

 

9. No lights on the front. I based in the glow of my tubes and that is all.

 

10. Maybe a 12AX7 tube that does nothing. It just sits there and glows. Kinda like the sounds better button we put on a SSL 4000G console some years back. It did nothing and caused many arguments as to weather it added or took away from a mix. :-)

 

Richard in Nashville

[Earthenware541]

I use a CAPS 2 and its purpose seems to be to take music from somewhere on my network and output it as USB (or SPDIF, whatever) in as 'clean' (un-influenced by other power supplies etc) a way as possible to a DAC outside the unit. Apart from running some decent music player software (JRiver) which is remotely accessible, there doesn't seem to be much other purpose around it (sorry if I'm missing something fundamental!).

 

In reading the forums here it seems that ripping and storing have been regarded as the jobs of other tools eg Vortexbox, or some NAS product, ones own PC running some ripping software or storing music, even though some of those eg the SOtM server verge into the player territory themselves and appear to do it well by the reviews.

 

With CAPS 3 would you be looking at veering away from this original purpose and adding these other functions? I must admit, having a separate music server, CAPS and personal PC makes for a lot of PCs in my room (not to mention the NAS which is used for backing up things). Combining some of the functionality would be great but it seems to change the original purpose a bit, right? Or maybe I got the original purpose of CAPS wrong in the first place.

 

As for OS - well given that CAPS is locked down and there is not much else one is supposed to do with it outside of music playing (just my observation, don't shoot me), I'd say you should just choose the best OS for the original purpose, if you're sticking to that purpose.

 

But if things have moved on and we really can make a device that does the library thing, the ripping and other features without 'compromising sound quality' (just my term, don't shoot me, regardless of how open to definition etc etc that is) from electronic interference, then yes, throw in a big hard drive, a blu-ray drive, and anything else you can. It'll mean I can reduce the number of PCs in the room.

[ted_b]

I use a CAPS 2 and its purpose seems to be to take music from somewhere on my network and output it as USB (or SPDIF, whatever) in as 'clean' (un-influenced by other power supplies etc) a way as possible to a DAC outside the unit. Apart from running some decent music player software (JRiver) which is remotely accessible, there doesn't seem to be much other purpose around it (sorry if I'm missing something fundamental!).

 

In reading the forums here it seems that ripping and storing have been regarded as the jobs of other tools eg Vortexbox, or some NAS product, ones own PC running some ripping software or storing music, even though some of those eg the SOtM server verge into the player territory themselves and appear to do it well by the reviews.

 

With CAPS 3 would you be looking at veering away from this original purpose and adding these other functions? I must admit, having a separate music server, CAPS and personal PC makes for a lot of PCs in my room (not to mention the NAS which is used for backing up things). Combining some of the functionality would be great but it seems to change the original purpose a bit, right? Or maybe I got the original purpose of CAPS wrong in the first place.

 

As for OS - well given that CAPS is locked down and there is not much else one is supposed to do with it outside of music playing (just my observation, don't shoot me), I'd say you should just choose the best OS for the original purpose, if you're sticking to that purpose.

 

But if things have moved on and we really can make a device that does the library thing, the ripping and other features without 'compromising sound quality' (just my term, don't shoot me, regardless of how open to definition etc etc that is) from electronic interference, then yes, throw in a big hard drive, a blu-ray drive, and anything else you can. It'll mean I can reduce the number of PCs in the room.

 

+1.

 

I wouldn't add many features to the CAPS model, frankly, as its minimalism seems to be its strength. I just finished building what I'll call CAPS V2+ only because i used the intel DN2800mt mobo 9rather than the difficult to find jetway) and used the new Windows 8 preview. The mobo choice "forced" me to go SOtM pcie USB (as the Intel has no full size PCI) but I am happy as a lark.

 

To me the sonics are much more important than adding features, so if the next CAPS can benefit from a better OS (Windows 8 sounds great so far) so be it. or benefit from things like onboard mSATA (pcie SSD on the motherboard, reducing size, cabling and a need for addtl filtration, let alone better access speeds) so be it. Or a better, more accurate software player, so be it.

 

But adding functionality (even multichannel DSD playback, my next frontier) is wayyy down my list, cuz I'm afraid it will create scope creep, and ultimately detract from the initial goals. And with it's primary location intended for the main rig I'd rather not ask it to rip, tag or do any sort of file extraction or maintenance. My $.02

[joelha]

I would only add that a faster process which would still allow fanless operation would be great.

 

If each new feature (ripping, internal storage, etc.) takes away from the sonic benefit of the device, I'll get my ripping and storage done elsewhere.

 

Ted, do you really notice a difference in the sound of Windows 8 vs. Windows 7? I'm not doubting as much as I'm curious.

 

Joel

[ted_b]

Joel,

I have no idea of Win7 vs Win8. Win8 preview was FREE! And some on other forums said it handled audio a little better.

[pacwin]

Windows 8 appears to drive up the energy demands on the GPU causing the music server to run hotter overall and to have less head room when playing back blu ray, decompressing DST, performing upsampling etc. Windows 8 may not be the optimal OS. In my formerly silent unit I have had to install a near silent slow speed Noctua NF-P12 fan (oil pressure bearing) to drive down the temperatures which were causing system resets in the worst case scenario. I am hoping that some of the Arm based Windows 8 tablets will have USB and maybe Firewire connectivity to supplant the CAPS 2 style of server altogether. Alternately Bios fixes or certified Windows 8 hardware may be necessary.

[ted_b]

Pacwin,

That is good info. My Win8 CAPS is based on the Intel DN2800mt and, due to my thinking it needs break in like everything else, has been running DSD and 24 bit music 24/7 for a few days now. It is cool to the touch and fanless. Maybe it's the mobo. Dunno.

[necaudio]

I would like to see the following build options:

1) A reference to substituting an AEU/EBU card for the USB card. I notice that sotm now builds a server with this upgrade option. My direct digital amp will accept only 24/96 by USB but 24/192 using the S/PDIF direct digital inputs (coax or AEU/EBU options). To me, it makes more sense to build S/PDIF into my server as opposed to buying a converter. I am trying to keep the path as simple as possible to match the philosophy of my amp. While newer devices are now accepting 24/192 in USB format, I am sure that there are others, besides myself, who have USB input restrictions.

2) A reference for different size SSDs for those of us who might want to spend a little more money for a little more storage.

3) A reference for using more than one external power supply (I have heard some prototype music servers and have been impressed at the sonic improvement of adding a separate power supply for all of the powered components (motherboard, PCI card, hard drive).

Thanks for continuing this great project.