OK, I have finally gotten around to finishing building the CAPS v2 server I bought from JDUBS a while back. It was all set up except for having an OS loaded and the SOtM components installed. Win 7 I got super cheap since I'm a student (working on my Masters), and so I got the server up and running before the SOtM parts came it.
I have to say, even without the SOtM parts, the CAPS v2 was a BIG improvement over using my laptop as my music server. Not quite as big an improvement as room treatments made in my room, but close!
When the SOtM parts showed up, I was able to install the SATA power filter inline with my SSD drive immediately, but I didn't have the right adapter to install the USB card. The SATA filter was kinda meh. Maybe a bit of improvement, but it was pretty damn small. For $70, it's OK, I guess. Made me a bit worried about the USB card being worth it, since it was over $300.
Got the adapter in to day and dropped in the SOtM USB card right away. Everything went without a hitch and all the drivers loaded automatically. Nice. Sound? OMG, it made a VERY LARGE improvement. Probably a bigger overall improvement than going to the CAPS server made in the first place.
Lets put it this way - my standard rez music now sounds as good as my hirez sounded from my laptop. And the hirez now sounds a lot like very good vinyl. Hard to believe, I know, but there it is.
If you are doing PC based audio, you owe it to yourself to check out the USB card at least. If you have a noisy, non-dedicated music server, then the SATA filter might make a bigger difference for you than it did for me. For $70, it's cheap/easy enough to try out and see for yourself.
Anyway, listening to Gergiev conduct Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Ballet with the London Symphony Orchestra - wow! Impressive space and dynamics and super smooth and solid tonality. Earlier I put on the CD that has the lowest intelligibility of any of my CD's - 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Trying. Most of the lyrics are incomprehensible. Or, they were before. Now I can make out every misogynistic and machismo-soaked syllable. Impressive!
