Store bought Vs CAPS DIY Streamers

[Cazzesman]

Hello Antipodes, Auralic or any other Store bought Streamer owners.  

 

At a recent Australian (Melbourne) hifi show I listened for an hour to the Active Kii 3 speakers.  The music source was the Antipodes media server via USB to the Kii Controller/preamp.  I presume it was a current model but didn't look.

 

My home system is basically a DIY Antipodes of sorts.

 

System - CAPS (Lagoon - WS2012 R2 Essentials OS with AudiophileOptimizer v2.20 beta 5 in Ultimate Core mode - 128g SS HD + Sotm USB exp card) - Synology NAS DS416 Slim - JRiver 18 - Elijah Quad Braid Mk4 USB Cable (Aqvox Low Noise Power Supply at each end of cable) - into Mutec MC 3+ USB - Lifatec Glass Optical Cable into JLTi Oppo 105D (Level 4 Upgrade) into SGR Active Speakers

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/ca-academy/computer-audiophile-pocket-server-c-a-p-s-v3-lagoon/

 

My question is -  Has anyone compared the SQ of the Antipodes, Auralic or other Streamers to a CAPS DIY setup?

 

Now my system wasn't easy to put together and took some perseverance and persistence to build for a relative PC novice.   But now I have had it for about 3 years I am comfortable with tinkering with the setup.   I will be the first to admit it is not for those lacking some computer skills and it does take some occasional tweaking to maintain.

 

Obviously, Antipodes is a slick, just push play, component of high regard.     Can anyone suggest if the Antipodes or Auralic component package could/would/should provide a better level of SQ than my current set up.     I know this is a 'how long is a piece of string' question but I am curious to know if an A/B comparison has been made.    No doubt my Lagoon PC and NAS could be improved with improved external Power supplies but that is in the future. 

 

Just wondering.   

 

Regards Cazzesman

[firedog]

I've compared a CAPS IV Pipeline with and without USB cleaner devices to a microRendu. CAPS has a high end PS, mRendu has an Uptone LPS-1. 

The mRendu is  better sounding in both cases. 

[Cazzesman]

Thanks firedog.   Did your Pipeline run AudiophileOptimizer in Core mode with Sotm USB exp card or similar?

 

I am also seriously considering the HDPlex 200w LPS to run the CAPS, NAS and Sotm.   CAPS and Nas currently just have standard power packs although the Sotm is powered by the Aqvox LNPS.

 

Regards Cazzesman

[firedog]

6 hours ago, Cazzesman said:

Thanks firedog.   Did your Pipeline run AudiophileOptimizer in Core mode with Sotm USB exp card or similar?

 

I am also seriously considering the HDPlex 200w LPS to run the CAPS, NAS and Sotm.   CAPS and Nas currently just have standard power packs although the Sotm is powered by the Aqvox LNPS.

 

Regards Cazzesman

No OS tweaks other than making sure it was running as few processes as possible (windows).The server pretty much does nothing except serve audio, doesn't even have wifi or a video card. 

 I used the Schiit and Uptone USB devices with it. 

The mR with a decent PS made more of a difference than any other single tweak (server PS,  USB add on devices). 

[barrows]

Disclaimer: I work with Sonore...

 

The advantage of a well engineered purpose built streamer (at least in Sonore's case) is that it does not use a commercial grade motherboard.  Commercial grade computer products are designed to be as affordable as possible, and as such use many compromises (in terms of performance from an audiophile perspective).  Because a purpose built design for streaming audio files and Rendering them to USB can be built to do just that, and do that perfectly, it has large advantages.  I will not point out all of the possible advantages a manufacturer could do (as some of these are proprietary), but I think one specific example should get the point across: commercial computer boards use switching regulators almost exclusively.  These switching regulators are basically switching power supplies built into a chip, you can imagine these are not the best solution for a design where low noise performance is paramount.  In Sonore Renderers (and I would also hope in other high end ones) we use primarily ultra low noise linear regulators, and in the ultraRendu and Signature Rendu SE, only ultra low noise linear regulators.  So that is just one example of the technical advantage which can be applied to a purpose built high end design vs. a commercial computer part. There are many others... 

And yes, you can easily hear the difference.

[Summit]

I agree with barrows and like to add: Good clock and the possibility to place the PC far away from the audio system which reduce airborne RFI, EMI and leakage current, the last if connecting the noisy PC to another mains power line.