Squeeze Box or PC Implementation Better For Sound?

[XTRProf]

Really, which approach will you go if you are going all out for the highest REZZZZZZZZZZZZZ?

All pros and cons are welcome.

[Deleted]

Jun 20, 2011 5:59:00 GMT XTRProf said:

Really, which approach will you go if you are going all out for the highest REZZZZZZZZZZZZZ?

All pros and cons are welcome.

Chong
Have you ever compared a well modified X-DAC V3 with an SB
or Transporter for SQ ?
Even with modified PSUs they are likely to be way behind the SQ available from a well modified X-DAC v3 or SC DAC

PC Audio on the other hand , when using SPDIF Out from a reasonable soundcard such as Asus Xonar D2X, with it's dual PSU feeds, into either the modified X-DAC V3 or SC DAC can sound WAY ahead of even most higher priced CD/DVD players.
Alex

[rowuk]

A PC has millions of mods possible. Not only my ears are tickled, my sense of satisfaction in doing it myself is too.

[XTRProf]

Jun 20, 2011 6:18:33 GMT @sandyk said:

Have you ever compared a well modified X-DAC V3 with an SB
or Transporter for SQ ?
Even with modified PSUs they are likely to be way behind the SQ available from a well modified X-DAC v3 or SC DAC

Nope, that's the reason for asking here. It seems PC is better from your statement there.

Jun 20, 2011 6:18:33 GMT @sandyk said:

PC Audio on the other hand , when using SPDIF Out from a reasonable soundcard such as Asus Xonar D2X, with it's dual PSU feeds, into either the modified X-DAC V3 or SC DAC can sound WAY ahead of even most higher priced CD/DVD players.
Alex

Hmm, what are the references for the higher price CD/DVD players to tie in some alignment. OPPO 95? Just to have a better understanding of the situation.

[XTRProf]

Jun 21, 2011 5:12:41 GMT rowuk said:

A PC has millions of mods possible. Not only my ears are tickled, my sense of satisfaction in doing it myself is too.

Actually, we can have some of those media players like this:






which can play all formats (audio and video) and current digital resolution (yup, including hirez flac files) for a song. Yet, we are trying to assemble a pc or SB for audio which can cost more depending on what we put in. Also, current SB will not be able to go above 96khz 24 bits. I'm not sure how it sound though as I have never tried it yet in a proper hifi system. What stopped me from buying one is that it is not 3D and hdmi 1.4 enable yet.

Yeah, I had forgotten to say it can also do wireless with a dongle and also have digital output for surround or just normal hirez dac connection as well.

[Deleted]

Hmm, what are the references for the higher price CD/DVD players to tie in some alignment. OPPO 95? Just to have a better understanding of the situation.

Modified Oppo 981, Marantz SA11.
I will let you know about the Oppo 95 when I get to hear david2vk's player.
By all accounts it is a bloody good player, which you would expect with the Sabre DAC inside it.

[XTRProf]

Jun 21, 2011 7:47:30 GMT @sandyk said:

I will let you know about the Oppo 95 when I get to hear david2vk's player.

I will also get to hear one soon in a Sabre pow-wow invitation somewhere next month too. Still waiting for all the participants to run in their Sabres (heh, heh, heh, to avoid being listed last by all present in a free for all unprejudice pow-wow) or getting their offsite biz schedules out of their way first. I'm not sure whether there will be any westerner participants as it's quite common to see them at those pow-wows as well if they are interested.

Hmm, how I wish Frans can bring his highest spec dac or cdp in a free critism pow-wow to see whether what he brings can stand a chance of being crown as the best subjectively. Yup, purely on sound quality and nothing else counts.

[mrarroyo]

FWIW I have an Squeezebox V3 and have listened to the Touch. Perhaps we are forgetting what IMO is the intended use of the Squeezebox, a method of wirelessly sending music to other parts of the house (via a computer or directly from the squeezebox server). In such a mode these units can be very convenient and if you need 24/96 you use the Touch otherwise if all you need is 16/44 the squeezebox v3 is sufficient.

Let's remember that these units use switching power supplies via wall-warts. These should be replaced with linear/regulated power supplies to IMO improve their performance. In addition the internal DAC is acceptable but not spectacular, so for better performance the digital out should be sent to a better external DAC to decode and then feed the analog from the external DAC to your amp.