GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Didital Things
In the Thread: High Quality Music Server / CD player

Post Subject: The sounds of silence; continuedPosted by jessie.dazzle on: 2/17/2010

Paul S wrote (originally posted in the thread discussing noise cancellation for Romy's HP servers)
http://www.goodsoundclub.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?postID=12957#12957

"...Jessie, are you saying that the RAID system is "quiet" with respect to regular old audible noise from the unit, itself?..."

Before adding the RAID array, the workstation was already super quiet; it uses several slow-running fans and has a case that is sound proofed.

Because of this, and because it was sitting there with 4 empty drive bays and a 1050 watt power supply (a sort of "industrial duty" workstation), I decided to install a RAID array as a place to store music files. The worstation is "seen" by the audio system (which has its own computer) as a network attached server (NAS).

The RAID array itself is extremely silent; it is built from 4 Western Digital high-efficiency "Green" 2TB drives running at 5400 RPM. The drives are model N° WD20EADS. (For anyone contemplating the same: If you want a RAID built from these drives to last, each drive will require a couple small tweaks to its firmware. WD sells drives that don't require this tweak for use in a RAID, but they cost a lot more).

"...How is it with respect to the filthy switching backwash on the AC line and EMI/RFI broadcasting?..."

The workstation and audio system are on separate circuits; as separate as possible. The power supply may or may not be of the switching variety; it is about the size of a shoe box, and weighs around 10 lbs. I've read that most PSUs used in computers are around 75% efficient (AC > DC); for this one, HP claims 94% efficiency, and that it runs cooler and hence more quietly than would be the case for a "normal" PSU.

The only part of the music server that is housed in the workstation is the library (the music files)... All processing of the data happens over at the audio system end, via a very silent Mac. The data stream goes from the PC workstation to the Mac via ethernet cable, and is then sent to a USB DAC.

There is no difference in sound quality since having moved the library to the RAID (it was previously housed in a collection of external drives, connected via FW800, daisy chained directly to the Mac).

jd*

Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site