The biggest problems with using a PC is the noise, When I was using my PC (I upgraded to an Aurrender and COULD NOT BE HAPPIER) the biggest issue was the noise form the power supplies and the crappy USB interface (USB sucks. Its for peripherals - not music). I got an ESI Juliet Sound Card and replaced the power supplies and it sounded good - but the ease of working it was annoying. You need to be a network admin to handle it. The Aurrender was a game changer for me. PCs suck for music. Leave them for work and get a real streamer.
Audio PC
How important is it to make sure an audio PC is built specifically for that purpose. Is cross talk between PC parts common in terms of creating noise that will be audible through monitors or headphones.
What steps would you guys reccomend to figure out if noise is being generated by components rather than a power outlet?
Is it very expensive to hire an electrician to install audio friendly outlets in your home/studio?
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When using a computer you need to know what to do with it otherwise it really can suck. But it has enormous processing power which no stand alone digital audio gear can ever reach. USB is a high end audio connection if used properly. Noise is not a problem. https://www.highend-audiopc.com/audiophile-optimizer USB over I2S is in many ways better than any other digital connection for reproducing music at home and it has potential for tweaking to what you really need. Using a computer for sound reproduction is the ticket to real music because it offers so many options. Let's not forget that sound studios work with computers to produce the music we listen to. |
“USB over I2S is in many ways better than any other digital connection for reproducing music at home” It appears you have no direct experience with I²S yet otherwise you wouldn’t have made the above statement. I am not saying USB sucks but once you hear I²S from dedicated streamer (optimized for audio) you will not go back to USB or any other legacy outputs. “Let’s not forget that sound studios work with computers to produce the music we listen to.” The PRO studio implementation is in different stratosphere from home audio. Most people don’t have any clue how to optimize home network for audio which is a key to high resolution streaming. |
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Modern digital recordings are recorded, mixed and even mastered on computers. Pretty much off the shelf everyday computers. They tend to have powerful processors, tons of memory, vast storage, dedicated hardware I/O and can be supplemented with DSP boards. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try to optimize your playback, but it should serve as a point of reference. |
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