Computer Audio Guys List Your Rig!

[Face]

i have not had an intel rig since P-4 days, and i am kind of anxious to give it a whirl.... if i could just stop buying amplifiers, cables, wire, caps...... sigh.

Opposite here, nothing but AMD for a while but switched over to Intel when the first i7's came out. And I definitely hear you on the rest.

[11tsteve]

Opposite here, nothing but AMD for a while but switched over to Intel when the first i7's came out. And I definitely hear you on the rest.

it all started with hauling my RTA 11T's out of the basement and finding this place... which has given me nothing but 100% satisfaction. i just dread the day i finally buy my first tube pre/amp/whatever. been through it with guitar gear looking for that perfect tube.

to be more accurate... that P4 intel rig was my only intel rig. i have been AMD since my first K-6 300 mhz ... so there is a little part of me that feels i am going over to the dark side.....

[CCNJ]

Are you not running anything on top of iTunes? If not I'd highly suggest you look into doing so, even the $10 BitPerfect is a significant improvement over the iTunes sound and handles sample rate conversion as well, which iTunes does not (you have to do it manually in the audio midi setup). I'd take a look at the few programs I mentioned in the OP and see if any of those interests you, you really are missing out on the best possible sound using iTunes playback engine.

Thanks for the suggestion. I am running BitPerfect on top of iTunes. It was the cheapest option and works pretty good I also tried a demo version of Pure Music but decided not to buy it. At some point I may look at other alternatives again.

[jmwest1970]

My computer rig is really just another source on my 2 channel setup. One day when I have some extra money again I'll set it up properly, but for now it's as follows:

Storage: Dell Optiplex 745 with a 2TB SATA drive running VortexBox 2.0 wired to my router
Source: Mac Mini 2.4Ghz C2D, 8GB running XBMC 11.0 wireless that sends A/V through HDMI to Insignia NS-L32X TV then audio out to an Arcam Alpha 9 pre, Parasound HCA1200 amp, and Totem Rainmaker speakers.

It works. The sound quality is leaps and bounds better with XBMC over iTunes with and without Amarra. As I stated earlier I'll remove the TV from the mix via a USB DAC when I can afford it.

[Gaara]

PC consists of:

CASE: Fractal Design Define R3
MB: Asus P8P67 PRO (REV 3.1)
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K w/ Cooler Master 212 EVO
MEMORY: Corsair Vengeance 8GB DDR3 1600
BOOT HD: Crucial M4 64gb SSD
STORAGE HD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 (1TB)
GPU: GIGABYTE GV-R687OC-1GD
BDP: Asus BC-12B1ST
PSU: SeaSonic X750 Gold
OS: Windows 7

System consists of:

MONITOR: Dell U2311H
DAC: DIY Paradise USB Monica 2
PRE: Promitheus Audio Ref 1 TVC
AMP: Monarchy Audio SM-70
SPEAKERS: SIA Rothschilde A2s

[hertz9753]

a lot of folks on the overclocking forum i frequent will even say air is good enough for the 2600k as temps do not really rise too badly since it is a fairly low voltage chip. hopefully you have one of those -one-in-a-million cpus.
i personally think going the extra mile with cooling is just insurance. but i have also spent hours just trying to get 25 mhz more...

i have not had an intel rig since P-4 days, and i am kind of anxious to give it a whirl.... if i could just stop buying amplifiers, cables, wire, caps...... sigh.

When it was cooler outside I could do this on my 2600k with a Corsair H50. Down to 4.6 now. This a 24/7 Folding@Home rig.

[Fongolio]

Asus P5Q mainboard
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 - 2.66 GHz Quad-Core @ 3 GHz
Corsair water cooling on CPU
8 gigs ram
Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 2G sound card with swappable op-amps (currently Burr-Brown 627's)
Logitech Z-5500 on desktop but this rig is used mainly as a server to my main rig
120 gig OCZ Agility 3 SS drive for Windows 7 64 bit
Storage:
120 Gig ata
160 Gig ata
500 Gig sata
1TB sata
2TB usb
3TB usb

Foobar2000 1.1.13
J River Media Server 17

Coaxial digital out to DAC @ 192/24 via coax cable
Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus
Carver C-1 pre-amp and one of several turntable and cartridges for vinyl ripping using Steinberg WavLab

[11tsteve]

When it was cooler outside I could do this on my 2600k with a Corsair H50. Down to 4.6 now. This a 24/7 Folding@Home rig.

it is screenshots like that which make me want to go intel. sandy and ivy bridge already kill at stock speeds out of the box.... pretty nice cpu there hertz!

[renowilliams]

I have the H-80 and have had my 2600k stable at 5.2 GHZ. I mangaged to get to the desktop at 5.3 GHZ but not stable. I am going to get a H-100 at some point. I have it running now at 4.6 GHZ as it seems to be the sweet spot.

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am running BitPerfect on top of iTunes. It was the cheapest option and works pretty good I also tried a demo version of Pure Music but decided not to buy it. At some point I may look at other alternatives again.

I did not like Pure Music very much. I used it for a while, especially when I first found Amarra and it was still $500 and glitchy as hell.

The problem with Pure Music is that it's kinda expensive and very complex. The fact that you can fine tune the sound is neat, but ultimately it was just too complicated for daily use. Amarra used to be the same way, but now the HiFi edition is super simple and relatively cheap at $50.

If I want to play my native flac collection without interacting with iTunes (which is very rare these days) I use Decibel or Audirvana+. If I want to use iTunes (99% of the time) I use either Amarra HiFi or Audirvana+. The mix in the last week or so has primarily shifted to Amarra HiFi since it now supports gapless playback from memory. IMO right now Amarra is the absolute best you can do getting sound out of iTunes and it's superb.

[Drenis]

Asus P5Q mainboard
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 - 2.66 GHz Quad-Core @ 3 GHz
Corsair water cooling on CPU
8 gigs ram
Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1 2G sound card with swappable op-amps (currently Burr-Brown 627's)
Logitech Z-5500 on desktop but this rig is used mainly as a server to my main rig
120 gig OCZ Agility 3 SS drive for Windows 7 64 bit
Storage:
120 Gig ata
160 Gig ata
500 Gig sata
1TB sata
2TB usb
3TB usb

Foobar2000 1.1.13
J River Media Server 17

Coaxial digital out to DAC @ 192/24 via coax cable
Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus
Carver C-1 pre-amp and one of several turntable and cartridges for vinyl ripping using Steinberg WavLab

Why do you swap op-amps if you use digital out? Those are for the analog outputs.

[MADGSF]

Here is my modest PC setup. I only do near field listening with music streamed from Pandora (192k) and am happy with this setup. About the only change I am thinking of is moving to MOG for my music service. The N22 does well with the TL-3 but it runs out of steam quickly so if you want very loud this is not the amp for you. However it has more power than I need in my office and is clear at all volume levels.

PC: Home built Core i7 with Win7 Pro 64 bit
DAC: MusicStreamer II
Amp: Audioengine N22
Speakers: Polk TL-3
Sub: Polk PSW111
Cables: Audioquest

[Fongolio]

Why do you swap op-amps if you use digital out? Those are for the analog outputs.

For when I'm using the desktop speakers....Logitech Z5500 with 12" sub.

[MillerLiteScott]

I use a Gateway Netbook as my music server running iTunes wirelessly connected to the Fios modem which is connected via Cat5 to my stock Squeezebox Touch. I have a Blue Jeans coax cable to a Jolida FX Tube DAC with Psvane reference 12AX7 tubes. MIT S3 interconnects to a MF 308 Integrated with Mundorf power caps. MIT S3 speaker interface to SDA 2BTL with the Sonicap and Mills crossover upgrade and dreadnaught isolation transformer.

I now have a MacBook Air but I cannot successfully get my music on to it from my Netbook. While it sounds pretty good it is just not cutting it for me anymore and I am maxed out with my computer knowledge. It seems that some of these better music programs could offer me better sound quality, I just have not been successful in implementing them when I have tried before. Life changes have also forced less time for me to be as involved as I was before and listening is very limited. I believe digital/computer source is the way to go for me in the future albeit on a cheap and cheerful budget.

[blairfrischx]

PC Parts-
CPU: Core i5 2500k @ 4.4GHz
Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
Motherboard: ASRock Fatal1ty Professional P67
Power Supply: Seasonic X650
Video Cards: ATI Radeon HD 5870 x2 Crossfire
System Hard Drive: Corsair Force GT 60GB
Storage Hard Drives: 4x Hitachi 1TB (RAID 5)
Case: Corsair 400R
Case Fans: Noctua NF-P12-1300 x4
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate Edition 64bit

Rig-
DAC: Recently sold; in the market for another
Preamp: Belles 55, if I ever get back to NC and go pick it up
Headamp: Recently sold; in the market for another
Headphones: Sennheiser HD650, Denon AH-D2000
Power Amp: Adcom GFA535
Speakers: Harman/Kardon HKB4

My desktop system is actually pretty scarce right now. I have been looking to get a DAC with XLR output and probably a Little Dot MKIII. I almost bought a Stello DA100 Signature last night, but somebody else got to it first. :(

[mdaudioguy]

I use a Gateway Netbook as my music server running iTunes wirelessly connected to the Fios modem which is connected via Cat5 to my stock Squeezebox Touch. I have a Blue Jeans coax cable to a Jolida FX Tube DAC with Psvane reference 12AX7 tubes. MIT S3 interconnects to a MF 308 Integrated with Mundorf power caps. MIT S3 speaker interface to SDA 2BTL with the Sonicap and Mills crossover upgrade and dreadnaught isolation transformer.

I now have a MacBook Air but I cannot successfully get my music on to it from my Netbook. While it sounds pretty good it is just not cutting it for me anymore and I am maxed out with my computer knowledge. It seems that some of these better music programs could offer me better sound quality, I just have not been successful in implementing them when I have tried before. Life changes have also forced less time for me to be as involved as I was before and listening is very limited. I believe digital/computer source is the way to go for me in the future albeit on a cheap and cheerful budget.

Scott - An old PC running vortexbox software (http://vortexbox.org/content/134-About-VortexBox) makes for an excellent dedicated music server. Easy to set up, and easier to use and maintain. Integrates well in Windows or Apple environments and includes the Squeezebox server. Also works with Sonos. I've been running one for a couple of years and love it.

[MillerLiteScott]

Thanks Ed. I will give vortex a try this weekend.

[dorokusai]

Pure Music in conjunction with iTunes thru a generic sound card with digital output into a Skunkworks BelCanto DAC into QUAD Active 12L loudspeakers. No outboard pre-amp, no outboard amplifiers and useless clutter. It sounds perhaps confusing but its just a couple cables with a very small box the size of two cigarette packs....result? Priceless.

[strider]

Thanks Ed. I will give vortex a try this weekend.

I'd also recommend removing the jacket from the CAT5 and twisting the pairs counter clockwise. This, coupled with a homebrew cryogenic process I came up with, has expanded the soundstage between 18 and 22%. Highly recommended.

[EndersShadow]

Mark I would love to see some pictures of that

[doctorcilantro]

Nice collection of integrateds there Heiney.

I'd be interested if you could try the J. River 17 trial and see if WASAPI [Event] sounds noticeably different. Probably not, but I'm curious.

This is my secondary office/computer room rig.

Dell Inspiron 580
Intel R-core i5/2.80Ghz
8GB RAM 64 bit Windows 7

USB only audio, no digital out.

DAC's I swap in and out
Keces DA-151 MkI (soon to have upgraded Clarity Cap output coupling caps) USB only
Audio GD NFB-3

Rotate one of these 4 tube integrated amps.
1) HCT HMS-100 (Dared MP5 clone) 15wpc tube hybrid. ECC85 driver tubes and mOsFet chipamp output and a cool Magic Eye tube.
2) Norh SE-9; 9wpc single ended EL34 power tubes w/12AX7 driver tubes and 5AR4 rectification.
3) Dared VP-16; 16wpc push/push 6V6 power tubes and 6SL7 driver tubes
4) Dared i-30 (Spirit in the sky) 30wpc push/pull 6L6GC power tubes; 12AU7 phase splitter and 12AX7 driver tubes.
about 60-70+ tubes to roll between them all, at all positions.

Cables:
speaker - Homemade double twisted run per channel Carare Star Quad 4S6 w/nanners on all ends
interconnect - MIT Terminator 2 ribbed gray boxes and gray techflex
USB - Media Bridge Gold series
power cable 1 - VR3 special (Trey homemade)
power cable 2 - Audio GD

Speakers rotate 1 of 3 pairs
1) Polk Audio 5B's w/RD0194-1's, modded w/ Clarity Caps-high pass, Solen's low pass, Mills, fuse delete, Mortite and Larry's driver and tweeter rings
2) Polk Audio RT25i's soon to be Clarity Cap modified
3) Polk Audio RTi38's soon to be in the FM as I don't need 3 pairs of speakers.

I use Media Monkey with the ASIO4ALL plugin for USB playback. DbPoweramp to rip and tag my files to FLAC.

I think that covers it

H9

[doctorcilantro]

Yes, it sounds like J. River is committed to bringing the platform to the Mac according to Jim. I applaud it but wonder how Apple will take to such a contender.

I'm curious what you other computer audio guys are using in your computer audio rigs. I figured it would be neat to get a list of rigs going: What platform are you on (Win/Mac/Other), what software are you running, and what's your audio gear?

I'll start

iMac OSX Lion
iTunes w/Amarra HiFi (runs on top of iTunes, replaces iTunes with much better sound engine)
Musical Fidelity V-Link
Peachtree Dac-IT
Schiit Calhalla tube amp feeding Sennheiser HD600 headphones
Woo Audio WA6 tube amp feeing Sennheiser HD700
Swan M200MkIII Speakers

I also own Pure Music, Decibel, Audirvana, and BitPerfect as alternatives to Amarra, but prefer Amarra over all of them. There rumor of JRiver coming to Mac as well...

[mesquitehead]

Swee****er built pro-tools recording PC with windows 7 64 bit and I7 quad core, Audioengine amp, energy monitors and an 8" Energy sub. Getting ready to get a NuForce Icon IDo DAC. I'm still a rookie at the PC audio rig thing.

[EndersShadow]

Well this is just the testing phase, but here it goes:

Custom PC: ASUS P5E | Intel Q9650 @ 3.6 | 8 Gig Dominator 1066 | ATI 5450 | 2 WD Black 640 | Samsung 1TB | Corsair VX450 | Antec P182
XBMC
Audio GD NFB-5
Polk Ultrafocus 8000's (demo pair)

Soon to be:
Custom PC ordering parts soon
XBMC
USB Cable undecided on brand
Audio GD NFB-5
Beyerdynamic DT-770 80ohms (tenative choice)

[helipilotdoug]

Y'all put me to shame with all that good stuff!!!
Anyway, here is the humble stuff I'm using in my shop system. I'm happy with the sound :)
An old Mac Powerbook Titanium G4 running Mac OS 10.3.9 with itunes 4 that was sitting here doing nothing for years.
Storage is a WD my book hard drive
DAC is a HRT Music Streamer II+ connected by USB to the computer, and analog out to pre.
Pre is a Carver C-11
Amp is a Carver TFM-45
Speakers are Monitor 10A's

[EndersShadow]

Just updated my setup in the office YIPPEEE!!!!

Source: FLAC files played back via XBMC and sent out via a stock USB using the WASAPI driver to...
DAC/Pre: Audio GD NFB-5 set to variable out sent to a Fisher tube amp via a set of Audioquest G-Snake IC's
Amp: Fisher 460 tube amp sending power out via some Monoprice SC's to...
Speakers: T90e

This setup is VERY NICE. Now looking into saving my pennies for a tubed pre amp with phono stage and then getting another DAC for the setup.

[PrazVT]

PC (Core i7 970 6-core @ 4.2GHz, liquid cooling w/ triple radiator, 12GB RAM, Windows 8 x64 / Mac OS X ML "hackintosh" dual boot)
Synology DS413 NAS (4 x 3TB 7.2k RPM disks, 1 USB 3.0 2TB 7.2k RPM disk)
gigabit hardwired network
Creative X-Fi Titanium HD (spdif out to W4S DAC1, audio creation mode, bit-matched output mode)
JRiver player (WASAPI, play from memory)

[thsmith]

Question, What would or could I use to stream from my Mac Mini to my office and connect to my Pioneer SX-950 receiver? I may add another DAC later but for now could stream and analog out to Pioneer.

I would need to be able to control it from my iPad or ANdroid phone.

Thanks,

[Tbone289]

Desktop/nearfield rig:

Source: WinVista64>foobar2000>FLAC>WASAPI>USB

DAC: Musical Fidelity V-DAC II powered by Pyramid VS7KX>MIT ICs

AMP: Yaqin MC-10L w/Genalex 6922 preamp & Electro-Harmonix 6CA7 output tubes

Speakers: Polk RT25i (xover mods: Clarity PX poly, Mills resistors), Polk PSW202

[mantis]

Apple Macbook Pro
2.4g Dual core
4g memory
500g 7200 HD
Running Channel D software with Itunes , HD tracks cuts from 44.1 to 192k.
Dell Laptop
2.3 icore 5 quad core
4g memory
500g 7200 HD
J River Software
HD Tracks from 44.1 to 192k
Audioquest Forest USB cable 1.5m
Pioneer Elite SC-68 using internal USB DAC @ 192k
Audioquest NRG3 3ft Powercord 15 amp.
APC J15 Battery Back up
Audioquest NRG3 3ft power cord to wall
PS Audio Power port 20Amp
20 amp dedicated Circuit
Cardas Crosslink speaker wire
Audioquest dual HD1 custom sub cables , 1.5% Silver
Definitive Technology Mythos ST main speakers.