Music Server

[whatever55]

I am going to build a music server and am looking for a good sound card (solution)...
Any thoughta on a Yamaha DP-U50 CAVIT External Audio Soundboard ?

[TommyK]

I have used breakout box soundcards for my pc based tunes, and they all work, but for ease of use, SONOS rocks. I also tried the squeezebox but had too many wavs for it to handle.

Peace,

TommyK

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Have you built your server or bought any components yet?

I sent you an email.

Chris

[Mallette]

I am not familiar with the Yamy, but I am totally satisfied with my two high end soundcards. For stereo duty, it is Card Deluxe. $tereophile reviewed it in a rare moment a few years back and compared it favorably against a 15,000.00 Mark Levenson DAC. I use it both for location recording as well as home use. The other is an 8 channel ESI WamiRackXL excellent for surround. I made a 24/192X4 surround recording with it of the Asylum Street Spankers in an Austin nightclub that is downright spookyly real.

I'd be interested in what you learn about good server software. I've used a number and am not satisfied yet. Recently, I've experimented with SlimServer/Soft SqueezeBox. Very promising, but frustrating. The SlimServer seems to poll (I suppose for a real SqueezeBox) with a loud double-click every 30 seconds or so. The SoftSqueezeBox looks neat, but the interface is maddening. I've yet to figure how to pull up a simple filelist on it. The docs are useless. However, many seem to love it so perhaps I just am not getting it yet.

Hardware solutions are really pricey and have their own issues. I'd be happy if someone would come out with a simple USB HDD enclosure with a decent DAC and small display. It should be doable at 200.00 or so. WIth 100+GB 2.5" drives less than a hundred bucks, I'd rather have all my music backed up on several drives than deal with wireless issues from my server.

Pix is my MBS-5 music server/location recorder. Fanless power supply, and so quiet you have to put your ear on the case to hear the drives. Also can run on 12v DC. microATX MB with Eden processor. DAC is Card Deluxe. Logo is from my father's business card for Mallett's Bicycle Shop c. 1949.

Dave

Dave

[Marvel]

Dave,

I am sure there are others that more closely fit the bill, but I did come across this. It has an S/PDIF and rca output on it.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/499975-REG/Trekstor_63040_250GB_MovieStation_maxi_t_u.html

[Mallette]

That's promising. However, you still need a display and 2.5" drive form factor would be better. Several ALMOST get there, but it seems there is always at least one show-stopper for me.

I'd also like to see the audio specs and some info on the audio chip set.

Dave

[flatgrass]

You might research these sound cards from Onkyo. They are going into my next server which will feed house and outdoor speakers. They are restrictive on the output (normally, unbalanced RCA). But, they may have something you like.

http://www.audiocubes2.com/category/Computer+Accessories.html?osCsid=13125edf668f19557f1823d3fc7ee4d8

[mfk]

I've been using my own custom version of Linux (Fedora Core 8 now) w/some Kernel hacks, it goes into my MM servers. Startcomm also has some pretty serious stuff when it comes to MM Linux distros. I can serve 10 client requests for content with no problem. Codecs are easily available and there are a few product (non American) that have virtually complete sets of codecs for any digital source. My server is a 1U rack mount, the only stuff visible in the front are the DVD/RW drive and the power lights.

For client sound cards I have been using Creative stuff and the Creative Digital IO modules to drive spdif inputs.

The clients use a really light interface, the way it should be.