If you want to test the dynamic of your system and also how it manages the deep bass and the upper highs this is a great album, especially the IV movement, Accelerando finale:

The Red Violin Concerto (John Corigliano) by Joshua Bell and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000SNUMEI/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p15_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=09JJAM8FCZT07ZAKTNNX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358549767&pf_rd_i=468294

On the other hand, although it is a kind of dissonant music, holds a rare beauty.

Juan

I hope you have better luck with a new card

Juan

After around 100 hours with the card installed I can confirm the sound differences. Without the card the sound seems bigger in some way but it looks like if it would have a cottony texture, I mean it looks soft and poorly defined by comparison. By contrast with the card installed the sound is clearer and with much more defined edges.
At the end I think it is worthwhile to have the card, the difference in SQ is noticeable.

Juan

And you can even order it including motor and a 10' track. Could be a nice add to your collection!

Juan

Hey Peter - Talking about PC cases take a look here to see how to combine the love for trains and PC:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/pc-ck101-mini-itx-locomotive-review,review-32672.html

 

Juan

Bob - I´m using two CD-Rom: an old Plextor PX-230A and a Plextor PX-L890SA. The first one is very fast and very good ripping cds that can have some problems (scratches), this cd-rom is hard to find second hand at ebay, is expensive (around $200) and it is considered by some people as the best one ever built. The Plextor PX-L890SA is a modern cd-rom and has FUA capability important (not so sure) to avoid ripping errors.

After using the CD-Rom I disconnect it to get better sound.

The software to rip cds could be any of these two:

- EAC (a little softer sound that could be appealing to someone): http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

- dbpoweramp (it rips faster than the EAC). This is the one I use: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/cd-ripper.htm

Best regards,
Juan

Ok, I understand. After half an hour or so and as a first impression I confirm that there is an improvement in the sound. More clearer and not bright at all, in my opinion a good acquisition and another step ahead in SQ. I´ll see the evolution after a few days but so far the change is noticeable for the better.

Thank you for this good idea Nick,

Juan

I´ve received the card, at the end it was the Pro version. What I´d like to know is if the card is correctly installed and detected by the system, I looked at the bios but I can´t see nothing neither in the Device Manager. The light in the card is ON, that´s it.
In general the sound seems to be clearer and the bass tighter with more nuances. However I´d like to be sure that the system has detected the card.

Juan

Nick - The Fractal Design Define R3 ATX can be a good candidate to help Bob, more even if you have a direct experience. Thanks for your opinion.

Regards,
Juan

Bob - That case wouldn´t be my first choice, too many fans, very big, etc. I´d look for something that take care of the noise like the Fractal Design Define R3 ATX or the Nanoxia Deep Silence 1:
- http://www.silentpcreview.com/fractal-r3
- http://www.silentpcreview.com/Nanoxia_Deep_Silence_1

Take a look here http://www.silentpcreview.com/section9.html

I´ll try to investigate further and let you know what I find. The idea is to get a case built with some kind of noise isolation but with enough room to put your components and with enough ventilation (fans) or with the possibility to refrigerate by water but not with "more of everything".

Juan

Thanks Peter that seems another interesting feature.

Juan

Bob - The X58 Sabertooth has its own USB 3.0 ports, so as Peter said the PCIe card is to communicate the PC with the NOS1. Maybe you want to buy the card but then you´ll need to order the NOS1 if you don´t want to waste 9 pounds  .

Juan

Peter - If I remember well the reason to lower the processor speed is to minimize as much as possible the vibrations produced by the processor high speed. Could you please remember me how to lower the processor speed to such a low values?.

Thanks,
Juan

Yes, you are right Peter, I emphasized it on the processor speed while there are other important factors to take in to account, but if you have to choose a processor what is the specification to look for if the main one that defines the processor in the specification sheet is the speed?.

Juan

Hi Bob,

I see that you have decided to build your PC with almost exactly the same components as mine. As I say in the first post of this topic: as we all know, computers and its parts become obsoletes very soon, so it is important to understand that you should choose to build your music PC, as a general rule, the fastest possible processor with a motherboard appropriate for that processor. It doesn´t mean that you must choose the latest processor in the market but one of the previous ones that will be much cheaper.... The i7 970 is not the fastest there today but it can work at 3.2GHz-3.6GHz with 6 cores plus 6 virtual cores, so it is fast enough to run XXHighEnd with no problem. You got a very good price for the i7-970 so it is an excellent choice in my opinion.


Windows Ultimate includes 32 & 64-bit versions, here you have a link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DHGMVY/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p65_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0SEVQG5RFZHX67HFXNNX&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846

The 64bit option is important because it has not limited the amount of memory to 4Gb and that is an advantage over the 32bit version.


Yes, I use this drive only for OS and XXHighEnd.


Yes, this is the mb I use.

Best regards,
Juan