New here and looking to clarify please the difference between the S30 and S40 as server only.
I have checked the specs comparison at the Antipodes site and can see the S40 has better power supply (?), internal bay as opposed to slide in tray and the V5.2H v V6x in the S30.
Is the v6x superior to V5.2H hardware module? Seems the V6 is in the K series. How does these differ? I assume hardware module is the OS?
I read the upgrade path summaries too but I still can’t really tell if the S40 would be a superior server to the S30 a) in terms of SQ and b) for using DSP in Roon and c) as Roon core.
I am happy with my current separate streamer and separate DAC and just want a high quality server solution and can get the S40 and a good price (used) which makes it very good value compared to new price for S30.
The S40 is designed as a server only.
The S30 is designed as a player only.
Both units can be run as server/players.
Both units can be used together as a server/player combo, S40 as server, S30 as player.
I was aware of those points. I was just trying to get “under the hood” and learn more about how & why - anyone?
Although, respectfully, I was surprised that S40 is cited as “designed as server only” yet can be a player too. Seems a contradiction & semantically illogical to me. No design thought into the S40 being a player?
I am excited to get the S40 into my system and head down the upgrade path over the next 18 months.
The board in the S40 contains a more powerful CPU than the board in the S30. Since player software isn’t CPU-intensive, a lower power CPU has the added advantage of passing less noise on to a DAC. So to end up with an S40 that is a better player, the S30’s board would have to be swapped in pretty much turning an S40 into an S30.
The S Series was designed as a modular system, S40+S30+S60, this gives great dedicated power (S60) with server (S40) seperated from the player (S30)
The trade offs of enabling server/player running on the same board, are exactly that, trade offs, however it enables great sound, while building a system over time for better sound.
A product designed to be a server is inherently noisy a product designed to be a player, not noisy, due to the CPU used for each use case, as alluded by kennyb123
Antipodes design philosophy is high bandwidth low noise, to achieve this we separate the server and player functions to separate boards designed for purpose.
So, did we design with playback in mind on a S40, of course, that’s why there is a USB, but it’s a trade off.
If I can ask one more question please. In terms of getting the S40 first as server only, feeding to a streamer (in another room) with a separate PSU, is a seperate power supply for the server not as imperative? Maybe just get just a 15v 5a LPSU for the S40?
My eventual intention is to repurpose the existing streamer in the main system to second system replacing it with the S30 & S60 feeding into existing DDC & DAC.
I would stick with the SMPS and save for a S60 and forget about a LPSU.
Power is very important, however getting power that is specifically designed for a job is more important.
Any of the better LPS will improve upon the SMPS included. S40 needs more power than S30. I can not find the required minimum amperage for S30 or S40. You mentioned ‘‘15v 5a LPSU for the S40’’ note that it is 12V.
I am using a Ferrum Hypsos PSU with my S30, a great improvement on all levels. If you are thinking of eventually using two devices with one power supply I would look already for a two rail or dual output LPS instead of S60 (has 1 single 12v output form 1 x HSL50 psu). Antipodes uses up to three HSL80 in server/players (more and/or separate power).
Good question. The former is (still) used in the topmodel K50. Paired with a good PSU you would expect good performance.
I have a 1 yr old S30, not with the same board. I you buy according to specs, you might want to verify generation #.
As explained above S30 is a low power board, it can be server and player but better use it only as player. The S40 really is a server board and make sure to provide enough and excellent power to get the best out of it.
Hi @Doublee
That is correct. But in S40 separate and sufficient power is not about server mode vs. server/player mode within the same device that makes a difference. S40 has only one board /cpu to feed. In K series player and server board (and reclocker) each have a dedicated power supply unit for a reason.
Many users upgrade eventually. Only at a later stage if you would add a separate player, like a S30, separate power will help you get the best out of each.
Sorry for me insisting. Myself I purchased a S30 and it has Antipodes Music Server printed on the front panel. Only later to find out I better should have bought a server instead of a player “server”. Eventually I discovered this very resourceful Antipodes website / forum which allowed me to integrate the S30 differently in my setup.
Since you also wrote: My eventual intention is to repurpose the existing streamer in the main system to second system replacing it with the S30 & S60 feeding into existing DDC & DAC. I just wanted make sure to get the right box and the right power (!).