Innuos Zenith Mk3 Ultra-low Noise USB Audio Output, Really?

@martin-andersen This is exactly my issue with many off the shelf servers, motherboard is noisy environment. A top tier server will have usb coming off nice card like Pink Faun or JCAT, or perhaps some proprietary scheme.

I modded my server for second ethernet port, this port goes out to FMC, far superior to prior usb off motherboard into dac. Ethernet out was also superior prior to fiber conversion scheme I use now.

@sns I have the Jcat Femto USB card on my server.
I use a 300w HDPlex LPS, an 8watt embeded commercial grade fanless mainboard with a couple of SSD, it’s a few years old now. I’m sure there’s better solutions, seems you’ve found some already and put them to good use.

I run Winserver 2012 R2 in core mode with Audio Optimizer 3.0, Fidelizer Pro and JPlay Femto as well.
I think next time I will buy a good server, Zenith Mk 3 is absolutely on my radar for such an upgrade.

Oh what is FMC?

@rixthetrick You're present usb out is likely superior to Zenith usb port. The Innuos Phoenixusb exists because Innuos knows their Zen usb out can be improved upon.

Sounds to me like you have a pretty nice server already, you'd have to reach higher than Zen to beat what you already have. You have top line USB and optimized Windows set up, you need to set your sights higher to ensure you're making upgrade. Sounds like you have some form of atx motherboard server, atx motherboards are basis of some of the highest end off shelf and diy servers.

FMC is fiber media converter, TPLink MC200 is example of one, my Sonore Opticalrendu is optimized FMC.

A follow up.

I build a pc using HDPlex faneless and a Matrik Audio USB card with an external LSPU. Running Linux roon core

@martin-andersen This sounds very close to my planned diy music server. I'm mostly waiting to determine how much processing engine I'll need. If I decide on using HQPlayer with high levels of dsp will need much, if not this not much concern.

I don't like Roon dsp. Tried pcm to dsd 256  again last night, smoother than pcm, but that smoothing sounds artificial to me. Even worse that smoothing is in fact loss of resolution, the smoothing is loss of transients, also lose sense of recording venue. If HQPlayer anything like this, won't be for me. Reportedly, it plays at much higher level than Roon dsp, we shall see.