Dead silent dedicated Linux music server for USB DAC's.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #580 on:** 19 May 2011, 03:22 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 19 May 2011, 02:11 pm

Here is the give and take on my helpdesk dialog with antelope re: USB Class 1 and 2:

Regarding your questions about USB modes and Classes:
USB mode,classes and versions are 3 totally different things.

UH1 mode is Called USB Class 1 because its compliant with USB Audio Class1 (not to be confused with USB VERSION 1.0)
UH2 mode is Called USB Class 2 because its compliant with USB Audio Class2 (not to be confused with USB VERSION 2.0)

so in general terms USB Class 1 IS NOT USB Version 1.0 and/or USB Class 2 IS NOT USB Version 2.0

Thank you
Best regards!
1 Days Ago

tedmbrady -- Yesterday, 1:30 PM
Thanks. I fully understand the differences between USB Class 1 and USB Version 1.0. But isn't it true that USB Class 1 support is only up to 24/96 and 12Mbits? UH1 goes significantly higher.

5 Hours Ago
techsup (Antelope) -- Today, 8:07 AM
Dear Ted,
again USB Class is totally different from USB "Version".So in USB 1.0 you get the 24/96 12Mbits/Sec. But USB Audio Class 1 can be used either in USB 1.0 or USB 2.0.[/b]

I'm not sure I agree with their definitions; maybe it's me.

Cut and paste this into an email:

Dear Antelope,

You manual states:

"UH1 - USB High Speed Mode (480Mbits). USB Audio Class 1.0 Sample rates upto 192Khz (default)."

Now, can you please tell me how your Antelope DAC decodes 192Khz sampling rates when in USB Audio Class 1.0, when USB Audio Class 1 mode is limited to and cannot decode 96Khz?

Again, I understand the distinction between USB Audio classes (1.0 and 2.0) and USB versions (Fulles Speed, 12Mbits and High Speed, 480Mbits).

ted_b · « **Reply #581 on:** 19 May 2011, 03:33 pm »

Nick, I did that, but it's basically the same as what I asked in the above helpdesk dialog, midway. But nonetheless I did exactly as you asked. We'll see.

JDUBS · « **Reply #582 on:** 23 May 2011, 01:08 am »

If anyone is interested in a complete, tested, Alix box, please shoot me a PM. I did it more at a proof of concept and since my system is 6 channels, I am using something else.

I installed Voyage and tested it out and it worked great - and then I boxed it up about ~6 months ago. I'm going through stuff I don't use / need and this is one of those things.

-Jim

ted_b · « **Reply #583 on:** 25 May 2011, 01:42 pm »

Nick, et al,
Here is Antelope's response to USB Audio classes:

Dear Ted,
as for USB Audio Classes:
Well there isn't actually any Standards for this (Audio Class Transfer Rates and everything), so we can transfer 192Khz,480Mbits/Sec through USB Audio Class 1.0 (through some "secret doors" let's say). It is the same way as transferring 384Khz-480Mbits/Sec through USB Audio Class 2.0. We still can do that also!

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #584 on:** 25 May 2011, 02:08 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 25 May 2011, 01:42 pm

Nick, et al,
Here is Antelope's response to USB Audio classes:

Dear Ted,
as for USB Audio Classes:
Well there isn't actually any Standards for this (Audio Class Transfer Rates and everything), so we can transfer 192Khz,480Mbits/Sec through USB Audio Class 1.0 (through some "secret doors" let's say). It is the same way as transferring 384Khz-480Mbits/Sec through USB Audio Class 2.0. We still can do that also!

Yes, there is a standard. That's why when your device adheres to the standard, it just works. Sounds like their "secret doors" is the problem with working with the standard USB Audio driver.

Personally, I'd return the device as defective. It's not standards compliant as far as I'm concerned and their documentation is vague.

praedet · « **Reply #585 on:** 25 May 2011, 02:09 pm »

For folks that are thinking of running the Alix on Battery, I have some observations....

Currently mine is run on the same supply as a DODD Buffer and a Class D amp. When I just ran the Alix with the DODD, I thought I did not have any added noise. As it turns out, there was a little high-pitched whine if the DODD was turned up a LOT.

But, I didn't turn it up enough to notice.

When the Amp was added, it picked up more of this noise so that it is now noticeable. The good news is that I should have a fix in place to tell you guys about in the next week or so

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #586 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 04:36 am »

I might have an opportunity to acquire a Sokeris board for a very decent price. This board differs from the alix 2d2 and 3d2 as it has a PCI slot. Should I try a Juli@ PCI card or one of the Asus sonar cards. They both will do 24/192 analog out. I was curious to see how well it sounded compared to my QB-9. The whole kit would be under $300.

Anybody interested in hearing it? I could arrange for some kind of pass around within the group.

JDUBS · « **Reply #587 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 05:06 am »

Quote from: nyc_paramedic on 7 Jun 2011, 04:36 am

I might have an opportunity to acquire a Sokeris board for a very decent price. This board differs from the alix 2d2 and 3d2 as it has a PCI slot. Should I try a Juli@ PCI card or one of the Asus sonar cards. They both will do 24/192 analog out. I was curious to see how well it sounded compared to my QB-9. The whole kit would be under $300.

Anybody interested in hearing it? I could arrange for some kind of pass around within the group.

I had a Juli@ for a while in my main PC and was impressed by the sound. The Bryston BDP-1 seems to be doing well (getting good reviews) using it and Voyage.

Which Soekris board are you looking to get?

-Jim

Eudyptes · « **Reply #588 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 12:02 pm »

IIRC the ESI juli@ only goes to 24/192 on coax out and is limited to 24/96 on optical out. Hence the mods you see on the Bryston and Auralti to bypass the break out cable you would otherwise have to use.

I think I'm right in saying while the ESI juli@ has separate xtals for the 44Khz and 48Khz families while the ASUS cards do not.

But are you thinking of using the analogue out of either card?

ebag4 · « **Reply #589 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 12:24 pm »

Quote from: praedet on 25 May 2011, 02:09 pm

For folks that are thinking of running the Alix on Battery, I have some observations....

Currently mine is run on the same supply as a DODD Buffer and a Class D amp. When I just ran the Alix with the DODD, I thought I did not have any added noise. As it turns out, there was a little high-pitched whine if the DODD was turned up a LOT.

These were my findings as well. I would be very interested in finding a way to run the Dodd and Alix on the same battery supply without generating noise in the system. If you come up with a fix please let us know.

Best,
Ed

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #590 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 01:17 pm »

Quote from: JDUBS on 7 Jun 2011, 05:06 am

I had a Juli@ for a while in my main PC and was impressed by the sound. The Bryston BDP-1 seems to be doing well (getting good reviews) using it and Voyage.

Which Soekris board are you looking to get?

A used net4801 with 128mb RAM.

rklein · « **Reply #591 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 01:18 pm »

Will the Audio GD Digital Interface work with the Alix box? I am currently running a John Keny Modified Boxed HiFace MKII. As most of you already know, the M2Tech drivers don't like Linux based stuff.

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/USBface/Digital1EN.htm

Thanks,

Randy

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #592 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 01:19 pm »

Quote from: Eudyptes on 7 Jun 2011, 12:02 pm

But are you thinking of using the analogue out of either card?

Yes. Could be a nice low cost server/DAC unit for someone who can't afford a high end DAC but has the technical know-how to put together a Voyage system.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #593 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 01:23 pm »

Quote from: rklein on 7 Jun 2011, 01:18 pm

Will the Audio GD Digital Interface work with the Alix box? I am currently running a John Keny Modified Boxed HiFace MKII. As most of you already know, the M2Tech drivers don't like Linux based stuff.

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/USBface/Digital1EN.htm

It does work. The device has some kind of USB mixer so you have to remember to set its volume to 100% max for best sound quality.

jrebman · « **Reply #594 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 02:28 pm »

Hi Nick,

I may be interested in this, or at least what others find out, but foir a slightly different reason. I've now got an Audiophilleo AP2 converter to use with my AudioGD NFB-2, so I'd still use USB for the dac interface, but I'm wondering if there is a firewire 800 card that would work in the slot on this new board, and that way a self-contained linux based music player could be built quite economically -- something that may be a lot easier for some folks to deal with since they won't have to fret too much about network files, etc. May even possibly be a performance jump as well.

-- Jim

rklein · « **Reply #595 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 02:50 pm »

Quote

It does work. The device has some kind of USB mixer so you have to remember to set its volume to 100% max for best sound quality.

Thanks

Randy

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #596 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 03:51 pm »

Quote from: jrebman on 7 Jun 2011, 02:28 pm

Hi Nick,

I may be interested in this, or at least what others find out, but foir a slightly different reason. I've now got an Audiophilleo AP2 converter to use with my AudioGD NFB-2, so I'd still use USB for the dac interface, but I'm wondering if there is a firewire 800 card that would work in the slot on this new board, and that way a self-contained linux based music player could be built quite economically -- something that may be a lot easier for some folks to deal with since they won't have to fret too much about network files, etc. May even possibly be a performance jump as well.

-- Jim

Jim,

Can you elaborate? The Audiophilleo AP2 is a USB t S/PDIF interface, no? Why do you want to use a FireWire card in the PCI slot? For a firewire drive?

jrebman · « **Reply #597 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 03:56 pm »

Nick,

Yes, so it could be a stand-alone box with local storage in the form of an external FW drive. Much like I'm running my mac mini right now.

Problem is that there seems to be a number of variations on the pci slots and I really can't tell the differences between them and which cards will work in what kinds of slots, and of course I don't know what type of slot is on this new board.

-- Jim

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #598 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 04:04 pm »

Quote from: jrebman on 7 Jun 2011, 03:56 pm

Nick,

Yes, so it could be a stand-alone box with local storage in the form of an external FW drive. Much like I'm running my mac mini right now.

Problem is that there seems to be a number of variations on the pci slots and I really can't tell the differences between them and which cards will work in what kinds of slots, and of course I don't know what type of slot is on this new board.

The Alix could be done with mini-PCI SATA and a eSATA connector. Updating the database would be very fast compared to the Bryston, which is done over USB.

Would an Alix SATA version, setup with Voyage pre-installed be more interesting? When I say "setup" and pre-installed, meaning the mpd.conf is pre-edited so that one only needs to connect a eSATA disk and it gets mounted automatically. You'll still need an ethernet connection to control mpd, though.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #599 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 04:08 pm »

Quote from: jrebman on 7 Jun 2011, 03:56 pm

Nick,
Problem is that there seems to be a number of variations on the pci slots and I really can't tell the differences between them and which cards will work in what kinds of slots, and of course I don't know what type of slot is on this new board.

PCi cards are keyed for 5v or 3.3v volt signaling. The Soekris is keyed (notch is closer to PCI bracket, IIRC) for 3.3 volt signaling.

Look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_%28bus%29