mkozlows Wrote: > 1. Will this require a new version of SlimServer to work (6.5?), or > will it work with the current version?
Yes, 6.5 will be required. Transporter support in the server, plus a new transporter-capable softsqueeze will be checked in soon, so the server will get plenty of "bake time" before the hardware ships. > > 2. Other than the improved audio quality and form factor, does it have > any capabilities that the SB3 doesn't have? UI improvements? New > features? > There is a good amount of new functionality related to the haptic knob, RS232, multiple clock sources, and dual screens, but core software functionality will be shared. > > 3. Do the two screens show the same things that the current screens > show, only twice as many; or are there special display modes that split > info up among two screens (e.g., a clock that has the date on one half > and the time on the other, or artist and elapsed time on one with song > title on the other)? > Initially yes, you can have things like the browsing UI on one screen and a visualizer on the other. Or there's a new two-screen spectrum analyzer that you can have for your screen saver. However, other interface ideas are possible to take advantage of the additional real estate. > > 4. Okay, for real, can you actually tell any difference audibly in the > sound quality? > Yes, personally my non-bat ears can hear a lower noise floor and clearer staging, but that is a relatively easy. For incremental things like eeking out one less picosecond of jitter here, or a quarter of a decibel less THD there, I rely on instruments as such tiny differences are way beyond my hearing ability. It would not surprise me if others can hear those differences like night and day though - I am no longer the least bit surprised at what "golden ears" can hear. > It's not that I doubt that it does what it says, mind, it's just that > the SB2 is already awfully excellent, and I'm a bit skeptical that > significant audible differences are to be had, even if measurable > improvements are there. This is really in the ear of the beholder, and certainly I would agree that already SB2/3 rivals a lot of higher-priced DACs... however, the hardware upgrades are not just for audiophilia - balanced IO, word clock sync, 96KHz and such can be practical necessities for some. > > 5. Do you have any plans to sell it without the SB3 for less than the > current price? I've already got an SB2 in the living room and an SB-G > hooked up to the headphone rig, so there aren't a lot of places left > for me to put another Squeezebox. But on the other hand, if it's > actually free... It's a temporary promo only during the pre-order period. SRP will be $1999. -- seanadams ------------------------------------------------------------------------ seanadams's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=25781 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
