[Niteshade]

DAC's should use the PCI express x1 expansion slot for their computer interface. I would also like to see PCIEx1 DAC's have a power connector like high end video cards.

[Jon L]

It occurred to me that my $350 eMachine with its minimal internals may be better suited for audio reproduction because of its minimal internals.

Probably.  I removed my ATI graphics card from my audio PC and noticed a significant improvement in naturalness and true inner detailing. 

Later, when I removed my internal hard drive and put it into an external e-SATA enclosure powered by its own external PS, I noticed an even larger improvement in sound.  This time, a layer of "fuzzyness" was removed, replaced by greater clarity.  All my OS, system folders, music is on this drive, so there's nothing inside my computer spinning literally at 7200 revolutions per minute, which was likely doing harmful things to the PC power supply and the EMI/RFI milieu 

[earplay]

Jon L,


I tried to follow your link to your gallery, but I got the dreaded 404.

So, I have to ask, are you using an internal sound card or an external dac?

[Jon L]

Jon L,


I tried to follow your link to your gallery, but I got the dreaded 404.

So, I have to ask, are you using an internal sound card or an external dac?

I'm using Lynx 2B spdif out (modded) to external DAC (Oritek modded Zhaolu).

[pjchappy]

Maybe the power supply of the uber-PC isn't up to snuff?

[Jon L]

Maybe the power supply of the uber-PC isn't up to snuff?

While I do wish for a good off-the-shelf linear PS that can straight replace the usual SMPS, I don't think that will negate the internal HD effects...

[earplay]

The uber PC sounds harsh while running off batteries, so it's not the power supply.

If there is this much difference in the sound of PC's, then more exploration needs be done. I haven't described in detail the differences before, but I think that summing up the difference as harshness vs smoothness says quite a bit.

I can say that the cheap PC sounds great in my system. I have in the back of my mind the experience of JonL that making all drives external helped his sound. My sound files are on an external drive, but my system and apps run off the an internal drive. Making the internal drive external would be a logical next step for me to try. It seems that power supplies and other hardware may make a difference in the sound of PC's.

[Jon L]

My sound files are on an external drive, but my system and apps run off the an internal drive. Making the internal drive external would be a logical next step for me to try. It seems that power supplies and other hardware may make a difference in the sound of PC's.

What would be even technically "better" is to have everythinng on a big external SSD, though internal SSD should be better than internal traditional drive. 

I'm counting my days until a 500 Gig SSD comes down in price to around $200    Maybe I'll even put Windows 7 OS on it..

[NewBuyer]

I don't usually get involved in audiophile PC discussions, as I've been building home audio PC's, DAW's, and HTPC's for many years and unfortunately most of the advice given on web forums on the topic is extremely inaccurate.

But I must agree with Josh and others here, that the OP's problem likely ties simply to the hardware differences in the internal USB routing and architecture of your motherboards.  While very convenient, I do not personally think the USB bus is a good interface for DACs (yet).

I wonder if you will get a chance try a non-USB connected DAC (make sure the DAC has transformer-isolation on the coax inputs, if you use that medium), and see if these differences persist.  Also, the suggestions from others about differences from computer power supplies are right on target.  For some reason, the power supply is often the least-appreciated major contributor to these "audiophile" PC's.  Believe it or not, using low-power 2.5" laptop drives internally (instead of 3.5" drives) can also make a very worthwhile improvement.  I think Jon is correct that using a great internal SSD would be the ideal choice - hopefully the prices will continue to fall drastically on that new technology.

Edit: As Blair points out below, I see the OP is also comparing an older desktop version PC to a newer laptop PC.  I must agree, that almost certainly contributes to major differences... I would not recommend using a laptop PC for any major audio purpose (except running SqueezeCenter for controlling an SB-Classic or a Transporter)...   

[Niteshade]

For good (anything) a computer must have a robust power supply and enough processing power to run the DAC plus everything else smoothly. Good, high performance memory is key as well. A low CAS latency time is a step in the right direction.

Laptops for music?    They have dinky power supplies, have to power a energy draining EL backlight, have all sorts of power supply circuits on their motherboards for energy conservation, etc...  Laptops are made for the sake of convenience and compactness and nothing else.

[earplay]

In my original post, I wondered if there was an emerging consensus about different pc's sounding differently. I gather from this thread that is the case, this thread being part of that emergence.

It's a revolutionary time in home audio, e.g. a audiophile usb cable selling for $1000+. I'll wait for these things to shake out some and be addressed by the manufacturers and the market.

My cheapo PC turned out to have good music reproduction. Perhaps the fact that I use aiff files helps it, assuming that it has a less powerful processor and there is not the need to go through an extra decoding process and that helps the processor in some sonicly significant way. I don't know.

I do think it was good fortune that I bought the cheapo for my experimental music server.

Now, it seems we have yet another component to add to our discussions of sound reproduction. Maybe my eMachine will turn out to be a sought after audio item.