Quote Originally Posted by realysm42 View Post
Here you go Andrei:

Streacom fc5 case (without optical drive)
Amd sempron 2 cores @2.5ghz
Gigabyte mini atx mobo am3
MCRU linear PSU in matching case
Geil ddr3 8gb @ 1333mhz cas 9-9-9-24 (1t)
2x ssd, one for os and one for storage with sata noise filters on each
Os is w8 64

Re your comment about processor power, I deliberately kept it low with few cores. Reason being I want it will behaved; in the case of music server, less is more (as long as you've got the power to run the Os and process files).

I might get my mate to declock it as well.

I agree with the fine source thing, I'm gob smacked at the lovely noises is capable of making! Especially with the massively upgraded psu. If your DAC takes power from the USB of your PC, the ifi is an absolute must, it was a huge clean up in terms of sound quality again.
Ethos with the PC build was simple:
No moving parts
The best quality power I can afford to get
As posted earlier, if you're going to keep your music 'in' the PC, make sure its ssd!
And if your going to buy an ssd, hold out as it sounds like Samsung are going to change the game soon:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/...a-single-chip/

Hope that helps!
Thanks for that Martin
I went for a factory underclocked CPU; the 3.1GHz Intel i7-3770S. In i7s come in standard speeds, overclocked and this underclocked "s" version. I deliberately went for the underclocked CPU because it would draw less power, & therefore require less cooling. I have tweaked most things but the CPU is running with a stock Intel fan would you believe! I had intended to put a Scythe or Zalman fan (I'm a fan of those fans) but the CPU never heats up as the load is so light - never hits 1%. The CPU cost a couple of hundy more but I have been numbed into Hi-Fi pricing so it still cost less than some interconnects!

Did you install via USB? - I see no optical. I installed by DVD then disabled the optical drive.

I went the Hard Drive route. To be pure SSD is obviously the way to go, but ... (1) Space; a 2 Terrabyte drive is kind of needed. I have have 400 gb of Flac, and about the same of movies and music videos, the library is expanding with new rips and hi-res downloads. (2) Also I load the files to memory before playing so that partially ameliorates the problem, (3) The Drive I have is silent and suspended with silicon, (4) I have a noise filter between the drive and the SATA connector. It did cross my mind to put the OS on an SSD and have the spinning drive for storage, but then I thought I want to keep this beast as simple as possible with as low a power draw as possible and stick to one drive. How big are your SSDs?

I will do a bit of research on my DAC as to whether it relies on the USB connector for its power. I am impressed with ifi at the moment as the ifi phono stage was a pretty decent upgrade over the Pro-ject I previously had.

You may wish to consider faster ram. On the plus side it is still cheap - up to a point, uber-fast ram will attract a price premium. The other side is that you may have the same issue I had; namely finding ram that would fit in the enclosed space.

I am also running W8 64, I find it boots faster than I can say "I don't like apples".

I not at a final destination yet, rather something of a pause. There are minor tweaks on my source, my DAC needs upgrading to take DSD. I prefer Valves to SS but to improve on my amp would take megabucks. I have a couple of pure silver interconnects and to have silver all round would be an improvement. But I do know your feeling about a satisfaction when you really forget your gear and take quite an intense pleasure in all the musical elements that envelop you.

Andrei