Minim server + Synology NAS kills custom dedicated pc on music sound quality

[tboooe]

Just thought I would post some initial thoughts on the difference in sound between running Minimserver on a dedicated and fully tweaked pc versus on a QNAP TS-131 NAS. My dedicated PC runs Audiophile Optimizer, Fidelizer, and Jplay. It is also powered by a linear power supply. The NAS is running completely stock. It should be noted that because the NAS uses an ARM Cortex A9 processor, I cannot use libosxr ffmpeg.

My initial thought is that the sound is close but ultimately I think my dedicated pc is better. There is something more organic about how vocals sounds. There is a weight and texture missing from the QNAP. These differences ultimately diminishes the emotional connection I feel when listening to music. I am sure there may be other differences but I tend to focus a lot more on how vocals sound and how I feel about the music versus being too analytical about decay, attack, etc. I will continue to listen more and add my thoughts here.

That being said, I think running Minimserver off a NAS is a great feature for most people. I got my TS-131 used for $100 and it gives sound comparable to my fully tweaked PC. However, it is the ability to tweak a PC that allows it to sound better to me though at much higher cost. But isnt what this whacky audio hobby is all about? Paying huge sums of money for tiny little improvements????