I just found out the cayin n8ii has i2s out and works as a streaming endpoint while using any/all digital outputs. Talk about a wierd/interstint usecase, but thats pretty cool even if extrodinarily niche
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Anybody know anything about Wolf Audio?
Based on what I see on their web site there is nothing that’s audio specific other than the nice upscale case. Generally for upscale server/streamer hardware you’d be paying for a clean digital out signal which not knowing that was USB expansion board in this one is, there’s not way to tell.
IMO, this is something you could build yourself for less and add more to it. An SSD drive noise filter and a decent power supply is all that would be really needed.
EDIT: I guess I could have said it better thus. If you’re not plugging a DAC directly to the server, meaning it’s just going to stream out to a bridge or a streamer, then the PC you use as your server or core, doesn’t have to be anything special.
If you’re going to get audio out of the device, either by plugging a DAC or a DDC right to it, then yes you want to treat it with importance in reducing inbound and output noise as much as possible.
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Yeah, once I started looking a little closer, it seems like that particular unit is basically just a mini computer/NUC sort of setup, which could definitely be done for less.
I really wouldn’t overthink it for servers, assuming you aren’t sitting next to it and aren’t plugging a DAC into it’s USB ports directly, there isn’t a lot that an audio specific server can do.
I would go passively cooled and all SSD if your going to have it in your listening room.
The primary sources of electrical noise are noise are the power regulators, CPU, PCI lanes and GPU, an audio server could use a special mother board that is designed for less RF being broadcast from the power regulators, it can add additional shielding, it can isolate USB connections, but it’s pretty limited in what it can do about most oft it.
And none of that matters if it isn’t close enough to inject significant RF noise into the environment, and your not just plugged into it via a USB cable, or possible sharing a circuit in your house.
Network isolation is also a concern, but it has more to do with the switch than the computer.
Find something that works, you can put out of your listening room ideally, if you cant (and I can’t) do that make sure it’s as silent (as in audible noise) as you can make it.
And FWIW when picking an OS for it to run, historically the Windows version of Roon Server has been more stable than the Linux one.
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That’s good to know. Does this include ROCK?
It includes everything, the server is written in C#, for a long time they used the Mono runtime on Linux, and that led to memory leaks, they did swap to the MS .Net runtime for linux, and that seems to have resolved many of the issues.
But obviously there is more “love” put into the windows version.
Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t run the Linux server, just if the box had enough memory, I’d run the windows one. There are other reasons to run windows if you also use the box as a file server, the Linux CIF implementation is terrible in comparison to the windows one.
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I’ll stop there then. I noticed a healthy snappy feeling in my remote clients when I moved to Server and was happily surprised.
And yeah, that’s why I originally went to Windows, just so I could use the file storage capabilities.
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This relates to an issue I’ve been having. I get relatively substantial video card noise when I’m gaming. It disappears when I remove gaming level loads from the Vid card.
I go PC via usb - Matrix XSPDIF DDC - Wavedream - Bakoon.
Any thoughts?
It’s very common and most likely RF rather than electrical noise, you’ll probably have to move the PC away from DAC.
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I find that it can also be certain connections. For example if my BF2 is directly touching the Mutec 1.1 then I get a lot of noise via coaxial (but not other connections). Or if certain wires cross each other. Before you need to tear down and rearrange your entire PC setup, have a look at your wiring and what stacks with what in the chain. See if altering any of it has an effect. I tend to start with cable and unplug them all before reconnecting from amp backwards. If I don’t find it I start unstacking in a similar manner. It’s saved me from complete desk reorganizations a number of times!
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Oh wow! That’s a lot of RF getting spit out. Must be the rays from my RTX video card. 
I’ll move the pc and cross my fingers. Thanks!’!!
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Could be coming over the USB connection, but I’d have thought the XSPDIF would remove that.
I had a whine on one of my DAC’s (I really don’t remember which one) whenever I moved the mouse while in game, started when I moved the PC onto a desk, probably only moved it 3 ft vertically, so even just rotating it might work.
PC’s are just REALLY noisy devices.
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Given that wonderful chain, the bright side must be that the video card noise is extremely detailed. 
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When you take the traces on the PCBs as line-antennas (more likely fractal antennas, up for debate), then a desktop computer turns into quite the directional antenna.
Having a case without window would probably help a lot in terms of having a Faraday screen around all the wideband-noise.
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Thank you! Yes, I can hear all the unwanted RF!
I have one of those glass “rgb displaying” cases. Ironically I’m turning off all my RGB.
This is becoming a whole project now! Worth it!!
I am looking for cheap-ish portable DAC/Amp combos.
Currently on the list in no particular order:
Will either power Sennheiser HD-25 or Koss PortaPro.
Source-Device has USB-C out and BT 5.0
You don’t need a lot of power.
Walk-around or sitting?
No use in lugging about a speaker amp? 
Sitting, mostly on a train for about 2 hours.
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