DCAudioDIY.com

For those who are interested in trying a reasonably easy and fool-proof MPD player, I found a guide that actually wasn't too grueling and worked perfectly:

https://www.24bit96.com/usb-computer-au ... d-mpd.html

It's a few years old but I used the latest Debian Net installer and rt kernel without a problem. I opted to install SSH from the installer, then when the base install was done I logged in from a laptop with an SSH client and the instructions side by side. That way I was able to copy-and-paste the commands and conf file additions without doing a tone of typing. (You can paste in the terminal with a right-click. And "nano" is the default text editor.)

Usb-mount appears to be obsolete and I couldn't immediately figure out a replacement, but I didn't bother about it anyway. I also skipped the static ip stuff to deal with later, relying on A DHCP connection and a reserved address on my router.

I used his computer name (debianmusic) and user name (usbaudio) to make copy and paste easier. When it came to editing mpd.conf I used the installed version and just tracked his specified settings.

It sounds very good. It's open, spacious and *very* clean. I installed it on a little Azulle Byte Plus, a cute little $175 fanless mini-PC I got on Amazon. I mount the Azulle from my Mac Mini entertainment computer with smb, throw some albums into the "music" folder and fire up Theremin to play the music. It also works well with an MPD client on a pad. This is the first time that I *didn't* spend three days trying to get MPD to work--and failed.

If anyone wants to try it feel free to ask for help. This is perfect for me because I don't want my WHOLE collection loaded, just some select listening for the evening. It's also nice because there are no network hitches with hi-res files, since it reads right from the main drive. And I checked--the output is bit perfect. Overall it was a pretty painless way to get familier with the elements of a basic MPD server and learn a little Linux stuff!

Maybe Roscoe can move the computer discussion to it's own thread, and keep this one about the meet?

I'm not a software person, but I have experimented with computer audio. If you're going to use a computer based server outputing USB, you need an SOTM USB card and a linear power supply (or battery) to SEPARATELY power the mother board and USB board. Then you can experiment with software. Until then, in my experience, you're listening to hash.

Perhaps Charlie will chime in on his set up if he sees this thread. I believe he is running his computer server (with the SOTM card) as a DLNA renderer running Linux, and serving from his NAS with MinimServer via BubbleUpnp. Sounds awesome in his system. When I demoed it on my system (102db speakers) it was a little noisy, but otherwise very good. I serve music the same way from my NAS to a renderer, and when I unplugged it and plugged Charlie's computer into my network, it was recognized and immediately played.

The GUI is basic but functional. It's not a Roon endpoint, but I haven't heard anybody express interest in that.

Maybe Roscoe can move the computer discussion to it's own thread, and keep this one about the meet?

I'm not a software person, but I have experimented with computer audio. If you're going to use a computer based server outputing USB, you need an SOTM USB card and a linear power supply (or battery) to SEPARATELY power the mother board and USB board. Then you can experiment with software. Until then, in my experience, you're listening to hash.

I'll start again here. So Jim, what are you using for a server in your highly efficient system?

I came across SOTM on AP-LInux website. I really don't understand how SOTM works or under what conditions it improves the audio.

Their claim about noisy power supply from the motherboard is very valid, but it applies only to those DACs which are powered by USB power. The need for a quality clock incontravertible.

However, their claim that providing clean linear power supply USB controller improves audio for all DACs seems to be little over the top. USB works strictly in digital domain. In the digital domain, neither the noise in the power supply or ripples do not really matter as there is a huge range of voltages are used to represent 0 and 1.

For example, motherboard is supplied 5v, and any voltage less than 2.6 is considered 0 and above is considered 1. Its almost impossible under normal working considerations for the voltage to drop from 5v to less than 2.6v for the 1 bit to flip to 0.

I would love to audition SOTM sometime.

I really don't understand how SOTM works or under what conditions it improves the audio.