Short version: *Replacing the wall wart that comes with the SB3 with a
decent power supply, 'HY5003' (http://www.elexp.com/tst_5003.htm), made
more difference in the sound quality of my system than changing any
electronics in the past. It went from "it sounds okay" to "Damn! This
sounds great!"*
Long version:
Got my Squeezebox3 last month (then waited another few weeks to get my
wireless router replaced...but that's another story). Plugged it into
my system:
- Marantz CC3000 5 disc CD changer
- NAD 118 digital preamp
- Adcom GDA-700 DAC
- Conrad-Johnson MF200 amp
- B&W 801 matrix 3 speakers
- AudioSource SS6 surround (not exactly a videophile, eh)
- B&W LM1 surround speakers
- Sony 32" TV
- Panasonic DVD-S47 DVD
- some powered antenna I picked up at Wal-Mart (no cable!)
After a fight getting it configured--the SB3 really doesn't like
Super-G--with a couple of CDs as WAVs I let 'er rip. Using digital out
into the 118, I didn't really a difference between it and the CD
changer. So I tried the analog out directly into the amp.
Sounded...pretty good. Pleasant, but not remarkable. Reminded me of the
NAD 118's built-in DACs which were easy to listen to, but not especially
dynamic or revealing. I was familiar with the limitations digital volume
controls have, so I added a 12 dB attenuator before the amp. It made a
modest, but noticeable improvement. The 12 dB attentuation was a little
too much, but I could live with it.
I remembered how much a power supply changed the Radio Shack CD-3400
player in the past. On a whim, I dug out the old open-frame surplus
power supply I had and tried that. It sounded awful! I found that very
strange. It shouldn't have made any difference; the fact that it made
it sound worse made me think that the SB3 was very sensitive to power
supplies, and that the capacitors in the old surplus one were probably
almost dead. Another trip to 'Skycraft'
(http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/), a local surplus shop. (If alien life
is ever found in the universe, it will probably be in a bin at
Skycraft.) There I bought an HY5003, a highly regulated, 0-50V 3A
supply for $100 along with a couple of probes (for the bannanas) and an
appropriate plug. *God, I hate trying to solder wire onto tiny plugs.*
Finished, set the voltage to 5V with no current limiting, and tried it
out.
My jaw dropped. The difference was *amazing*. The SB3 suddenly had
serious bass, and better dynamics (macro and micro) than any CD player
or DAC I'd heard before. (Obviously, from my equipment, I haven't been
shopping for a while.) It sounded really, really good. *Much* better
with analog out than through the NAD+Adcom. The Adcome must go! I
agonized over whether to keep the NAD, though. It has some *really*
nice features. Hmmm...I wonder how this would sound with a really good
DAC? Time to spend the inheritance: ordered a Musical Fidelity X-DAC
v3.
It arrived, wall wart and all. Tried it and was...singularly
unimpressed. The X-DAC was definitely pulling details out that the SB3
alone wasn't, but all the dynamics, the musicality were gone. I went to
bed thinking I'd just blown $1000. Of course, my right ear hurt, and I
felt lousy. Perhaps I had an ear infection.
Nope, it was a sinus infection.
Hmmm...perhaps replacing the X-DAC's power supply might do the same
magic. The X-PSU is just a transformer in a box, so...another trip to
Skycraft. Bought a 2amp 6+12VCT transformer for $8.50, a steel box for
$5, an RFI outlet for $3, and an XLR connector for $2. *Important
lesson: Never buy steel boxes!* They're maddeningly difficult to cut
holes through. After a few hours with tin snips, files, and a lot of
cursing, I had the outlet mounted. Checked the transformer out...it had
been mislabeled. It had two independent 12V outputs rather than being
center tapped. The jack on the back of the X-DAC is also not an XLR,
but a smaller 3 pin DIN.
Next day it was back to Skycraft again. (Haven't I been here every day
this week?) Swapped it for a 4amp 12VCT transformer ($13.50), the
proper plug ($2)--I took the wall wart with me this time--and 15 feet
of 16-3 twisted "pair" for the PSU to X-DAC cable. Oh, and I picked up
a 1000 feet of CAT-5 for $50 to try to make 'these speaker cables'
(http://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html). Another night of
soldering [EMAIL PROTECTED]@[EMAIL PROTECTED] wires onto [EMAIL
PROTECTED]@[EMAIL PROTECTED] tiny [EMAIL PROTECTED]@#$-
plugs. Plugged it into a variac to test it just to make sure I'd wired
it correctly. (*Another important lesson: always buy matching jacks as
well as plugs.* It's almost impossible to hold a jack steady while
trying to hold DVM probes on the tips of the pins. Buy a jack, plug it
in, and measure the jack's tips: much easier.) Hummmmmmmmmmmm....I'm
glad I bought really long cables. Maybe I can convince the neighbors to
let me keep the transformer in their house. Well, might as well try it
out, SB3 to X-DAC to amp. With my luck it'll burn up my new DAC...
Nope, worked first time. The sound?
*For the first time, my system sounds excellent*, like real music.
Textures, subtleties, rhythm. I find I can't concentrate on analyzing
the sound any more, I'm too busy enjoying the music. I can tell what
type of cymbal they're hitting using with what mallet or brush they're
hitting it with. I finally go to bed around 4:30 am. With 1 1/2 hours
sleep, tomorrow will suck...
Still have a problem with smeared sibilants though. I fear that one of
my tweeters was damaged (another long story: *Never shop at Sound
Advice! They can, and will destroy your equipment if you take it in for
repairs!*). Bjork is really hard to listen to. Most everything else
sounds really good though. Sleep on it, and the thought occurs to me
the next day. I wonder if there's dust in one of the tweeters?
Carefully blew them out and...yay!
Next stop: a better transformer, and a UCD400 (700?) amp.
I may hold onto the NAD. The Adcom's listed on Ebay, the Marantz will
be joining it shortly. And I just ordered over $700 of CDs...
In the end, it sounds great (better after I tone down the brightness of
Bjork). Find thee a well-regulated multi-amperage power supply!
--
markgwoodruff
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=21556
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