Want to build a music server

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Most internal circuitry uses <= 3.3V, the most consuming ones (CPU, memory) about 1.5V. 5V power supply will spare virtually no onboard power supplies as 5V is not widely used in thin clients circuitry.

I have great experience with refurbished x86 thin clients from FS (FS Futro) and HP. Also Dell makes these. They cost between 10 and 50 EUR incl. >=1GB RAM, >=1GB CF card/mSATA, quality power adapter. Some come with PCI slots, some with PCI-e slots. They usually sport at least one native SATA/mSATA port, 6 USB ports, gigabit ethernet, VGA/DVI/DP, etc. Great reviews are at Repurposing Thin Clients .

Of course they do not have enough CPU power to run up-conversion from PCM to DSDxxx which has become a fashion recently. For plain PCM/DSD playback they are fully sufficient.

Yes, I see.. thanks for your suggestion. I've already bought a dell thin client. I know that many uses 19v linear PSU for such clients, but probably considering the internal switching components it's not worth the trouble, what do you think about?

Would it be better to work on usb isolation?
 
I measured the difference in noise floor of ESI Juli analog loopback in Futro S900. I cut the connector leads of +/-12V from the digital to the analog part of the soundcard so that I could measure two scenarios:

1) the analog part of the soundcard powered by internal +/-12V power supplies of the Futro PC - standard arrangement

2) the analog part powered by external linear regulated +/-12V PSUs

In Arta I could not detect any measurable change between the two scenarios, the S/N level always ended around -103.5 dB, the very same figure as in ESI Juli@ ? Professional Sound Card . The Juli's internal regulators could handle the switched +/-12V with 100mV pp noise at 1MHz, measured with my Rigol scope.

That's why for my measurement PC I am working on I am using the original adapter supplied with the PC. BTW that full-sized PCI card can be fitted inside the Futro case, with a few minor mods of the case and motherboard.
 

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I measured the difference in noise floor of ESI Juli analog loopback in Futro S900. I cut the connector leads of +/-12V from the digital to the analog part of the soundcard so that I could measure two scenarios:

1) the analog part of the soundcard powered by internal +/-12V power supplies of the Futro PC - standard arrangement

2) the analog part powered by external linear regulated +/-12V PSUs

In Arta I could not detect any measurable change between the two scenarios, the S/N level always ended around -103.5 dB, the very same figure as in ESI Juli@ ? Professional Sound Card . The Juli's internal regulators could handle the switched +/-12V with 100mV pp noise at 1MHz, measured with my Rigol scope.

That's why for my measurement PC I am working on I am using the original adapter supplied with the PC. BTW that full-sized PCI card can be fitted inside the Futro case, with a few minor mods of the case and motherboard.

very interesting trial!!
 
I have similar task: want to play my big music collection (ca 1,5TB of FLACs, mostly CD quality rips, stereo only) in two places in my house. One place in office has only this source, other place in living room has other music sources as well (TV, CD player, vinyl). I have more quality amps and DACs I have built/collected during the years, that is not the issue. But I must split my tinkering from the general usability - stability and WAF (e.g. USABILITY/SIMPLICITY OF USE of the GUI for my wife :)!

The environment is Windows oriented with gigabit ethernet cabling and wifi. I have considered many options, would like to hear your opinion:
- one PC with winamp or foobar (used up to now), completed with some DLNA server to serve the other place
- two PCs with winamp or foobar with shared file system
- Kodi
- NAS/rpi based solutions
- Google chromecast audio
- other streaming solution ...

As mentioned, stable and easy to handle (ideally the same!!!) GUI for both places is paramount. Any recommendations?
 
Here i use WD nas to store the music(flac,mp3,dsd). As players i use chinesche mini PC with windows, foobar and vertigo anamon GUI with a usb dac attached. I also use pioneer n-30ae mediaplayer.
I control everything(tracks and volume)with anamon remote app on ipad or iphone
 

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I am using an intel Nuc as a server in my setup. It is quick, convenient and takes up very little space. I output sound through the usb and into a Audiophilleo usb/spdif converter with battery supply, and into my Bel Canto Dac3. Music is clean, and doesn't sound "digital". Very natural. Also control with my iphone using Kodi, with Tidal and players added.
 
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