Article: CAPS v4 Maroubra and Bundoran

[The Computer Audiophile]

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[iamimdoc]

Are these devices powerful enough to deal with SACD iso decoding without hiccough?

[agillis]

Are these devices powerful enough to deal with SACD iso decoding without hiccough?

 

This unit uses the Intel i5-4250U processor. Although this is only a dual core processor it has 3mb of cache. This means that most up sampling or resampling code with fit entirely into the cache.

 

The end result is this will have plenty of power to for up sampling or resampling of SACD to DoP.

 

Here is the specs on the processor if your interested

 

ARK | Intel® Core

[Tubefan9]

Here's a way to do this cheaper if you have Music stored on a NAS

 

$350 Intel NUC Amazon.com: Intel NUC BOXD54250WYKH1 Intel 4th Gen Intel Core i5-4250U with Intel HD Graphics 5000: Computers & Accessories

$66 Crucial 8GB Amazon.com: Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3 - 12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Notebook Memory Modules CT2CP51264BF160B: Computers & Accessories

$56 Kingston 60GB SSD - Kingston SMS200S3/60G 60GB Mini-SATA (mSATA) Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

$140 Fanless Case ML320 Ruggedized Fanless Haswell NUC Case | Logic Supply

[Tubefan9]

Chris,

How does this sound compared to CAPS 3 Models?

[Tubefan9]

Here's a sexier case: http://www.amazon.com/Streacom-ST-NC2B-WY-Fanless-Aluminium-Chassis/dp/B00P0OCWA2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_pc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1Z73AX7M5SX9NF804N7E

[beetlemania]

Here's a way to do this cheaper if you have Music stored on a NAS

 

$350 Intel NUC Amazon.com: Intel NUC BOXD54250WYKH1 Intel 4th Gen Intel Core i5-4250U with Intel HD Graphics 5000: Computers & Accessories

$66 Crucial 8GB Amazon.com: Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3 - 12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Notebook Memory Modules CT2CP51264BF160B: Computers & Accessories

$56 Kingston 60GB SSD - Kingston SMS200S3/60G 60GB Mini-SATA (mSATA) Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

$140 Fanless Case ML320 Ruggedized Fanless Haswell NUC Case | Logic Supply

 

 

Another fanless case option is the Akasa Tesla H (~$110), tho' it probably isn't compatible with the SGC faceplate.

 

Cheapskates might also consider the i-3 version of the NUC. It's about $75 less than the i-5 Chris chose. Altho' the i-5 version has a benchmark score ~40% greater than the i-3 version, you might note that the i-3 has a benchmark score nearly FOUR times greater than the mobo used in the CAPS3 Carbon!

[designmule]

Those NUCs are so cool!

[Matias]

I would rather choose any standard NUC or HTPC, and add a $100 Schiit Wyrd external USB cleaner. Easier and cheaper.

[YashN]

These look cool. I am intrigued by the USB ports.

 

Are the two USB (Clean) ones those from the SOTM card?

 

Are the two other USB ports not clean in any way? If so, what would they be used for, offline transfer of files via USB sticks or something else?

 

Additionally, if you were forced to use an external USB HDD drive, would you also use one of the Clean USB Ports?

 

Kudos on choosing the low voltage memory - that should help tremendously with ground plane noise and RFI/EMI.

 

Overall, looks like a great server to use.

[vortecjr]

These look cool. I am intrigued by the USB ports.

 

Are the two USB (Clean) ones those from the SOTM card?

 

Are the two other USB ports not clean in any way? If so, what would they be used for, offline transfer of files via USB sticks or something else?

 

Additionally, if you were forced to use an external USB HDD drive, would you also use one of the Clean USB Ports?

 

Kudos on choosing the low voltage memory - that should help tremendously with ground plane noise and RFI/EMI.

 

Overall, looks like a great server to use.

 

The two "Clean USB" ports are the direct outputs of a new SOtM card that was designed for Chris for this project. The new SOtM card is mounted to the custom back panel. You would connect your USB audio device to one of the two "Clean USB" ports and any external USB drives to the motherboard's USB ports.

 

Jesus R

[Peter_T]

The two "Clean USB" ports are the direct outputs of a new SOtM card that was designed for Chris for this project. The new SOtM card is mounted to the custom back panel. You would connect your USB audio device to one of the two "Clean USB" ports and any external USB drives to the motherboard's USB ports.

 

Jesus R

 

Can we have a picture of this new USB card? I am curious how this card is connected to the NUC mini-PCIe slot. Or is there a cable part between the mini-PCIe and the card in the extra bay of the case?

[vortecjr]

Can we have a picture of this new USB card? I am curious how this card is connected to the NUC mini-PCIe slot. Or is there a cable part between the mini-PCIe and the card in the extra bay of the case?

 

A SOtM SATA filter provides clean power to the SOtM card. The SOtM card then connects to the motherboard via USB. You can also power the SOtM card via the external power connector that bypasses the internal power with something like the SOtM batter supply or SOtM linear supply.

 

 

Jesus R

[stuarth]

A SOtM SATA filter provides clean power to the SOtM card. The SOtM card then connects to the motherboard via USB. You can also power the SOtM card via the external power connector that bypasses the internal power with something like the SOtM batter supply or SOtM linear supply.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16702[/ATTACH]

 

Jesus R

 

OK, it hooks up direct to USB, where the previous SOtM cards used the PCI slot to connect to the mainboard.

A clever little package, and it gets round one of the main drawbacks of the NUC platform which is the lack of expandability.

 

I like.

[stuarth]

I'm sure I missed a thing or two in the explanation. Please let me know what questions you have in the comments below.

 

Chris, will you be posting any tips on tweaking Win 8 by disabling un-necessary services and suchlike? This was covered in some detail back with the CAPS v2 article, but that info was specifically for windows 7 and may no longer apply to the newer O/S. Thanks.

[slingshot]

Hi, I am interested in the NUC but I trying to find out if the Pink Faun I2S-bridge would fit in it. Per the manufacturer, it is a PCIe low profile card. Thanks.

 

Also, it may be worth waiting for the Intel NUCs with the Broadwell chips as it likely the dimensions will be similar to the ones in the review.

[slowdown5646]

Do you expect to work with SoTM again when the NUC 2.0 is available along with a fanless chassis? It looks like an attractive option worth waiting for!

[BobSherman]

Chris, will you be posting any tips on tweaking Win 8 by disabling un-necessary services and suchlike? This was covered in some detail back with the CAPS v2 article, but that info was specifically for windows 7 and may no longer apply to the newer O/S. Thanks.

 

It would apply just as much if not more with all the unnecessary junk that is running in Win 8. Sadly there has been much recent misinformation that this tuning is unnecessary. It would be great for Chris to update this information for the people building these systems so they may obtain optimum performance for his suggested configurations.

[dtb300]

I would rather choose any standard NUC or HTPC, and add a $100 Schiit Wyrd external USB cleaner. Easier and cheaper.

This is what I currently do with a NUC 54250. And the unit easily does 2xDSD via DoP without any issues. I am running 2012R2 with AO.

[tranz]

It would apply just as much if not more with all the unnecessary junk that is running in Win 8. Sadly there has been much recent misinformation that this tuning is unnecessary. It would be great for Chris to update this information for the people building these systems so they may obtain optimum performance for his suggested configurations.

 

That is definitely something that has not been in any of the CAPS build articles I remember reading. And yet it is very important.

 

Chris - If you are reading this, is there a reason why this was left out? Can it be added?

 

Cheers

[Account Closed]

USB audio power supply, galvanical isolated, audiophile USB Power supply, isolated USB low noise transformer, USB DAC power supply, audiophile power supply

 

If you want a lower cost outboard USB power supply, try this one. Another advantage is that it requires only one USB cable as the power injector is a USB-B female to USB- B male end.

 

I currently use it with my Bel Canto U-Link with excellent results.

[Rodster]

I am very excited about the Bundoran, but Chris's article doesn't say anything about a heat sink or other cooling for the Logic Supply ML320 case. Their website says "Installation of the mainboard with a heat sink/heat pipe combination is required," but doesn't give any instructions or recommendations. I guess I thought all I had to do was swap out the mainboard from the NUC Kit into the ML320.

 

I've put together several normal-sized PCs in the past, so I'm not a complete novice with sort of thing, but I sure could use some help on how to install the NUC in the the ML320.

 

Thanks very much.

 

[beetlemania]

I am very excited about the Bundoran, but Chris's article doesn't say anything about a heat sink or other cooling for the Logic Supply ML320 case. Their website says "Installation of the mainboard with a heat sink/heat pipe combination is required," but doesn't give any instructions or recommendations. I guess I thought all I had to do was swap out the mainboard from the NUC Kit into the ML320.

 

 

Yes, that is confusing. I think the chassis *is* the heat sink, that's certainly the description elsewhere. But that language muddies the issue.

[firedog]

That is definitely something that has not been in any of the CAPS build articles I remember reading. And yet it is very important.

 

Chris - If you are reading this, is there a reason why this was left out? Can it be added?

 

Cheers

 

It was published around the CAPS V2.

[songmic]

I have a newbie question.

 

I currently use an Apple iMac running Audirvana+ 2.0 as my source, but I'm interested in replacing it with a C.A.P.S, particularly the Maroubra due to its price and form factor.

 

Could the Maroubra be used as a dedicated music server only, or also as a personal computer? In other words, if I have a PC monitor, keyboard, mouse and printer, could I use it as a full-fledged desktop PC running Windows that I can not only listen to music with, but also use the Internet via Wi-Fi, watch videos, perform word processor task (such as MS Word) and stuff?

 

Also, does the Maroubra have a CD drive? Or do I need to purchase a separate drive and connect it to the PC? If the above is possible, I would like to use dBpoweramp to rip CD's.