Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Poping sounds with Kora Hermes DAC
Phil Leigh;322429 Wrote: CardinalFang;322421 Wrote: Wow - Mine has never dropped lock - ever and it's been in permannent use for 4 years. Are you using the wall wart or the X-PSU (aka a big toroid in a box!). Coax or toslink? The wall-wart, I keep meaning to get the X-PSU, but at the same time that takes the price into the territory where I could get a new dac, so I'm torn! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=50151 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Poping sounds with Kora Hermes DAC
seanadams;322424 Wrote: We only attenuate, so anything like that would be a serious bug that we would want to fix. Your explanation sounds much more plausible though, I just noticed it on tracks that were very dynamic, with quiet passages and then sudden loud parts, so assumed it might be some volume adjustment issue, especially since lowing the volume made it go away. I must admit I haven't tried it again recently and I'm using a Duet now, not the SB2. Perhaps I should try to recreate it sometime and see if I can isolate it better, -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=50151 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Poping sounds with Kora Hermes DAC
itai;322201 Wrote: The music plays with poping sounds, like small explosions. This happens when the music gets bussy, not with calm music. Any idea s to the cause? Does is still happen if you turn down the volume on the digital output? I had this for a while on some recordings until I made sure that all volume adjustment was turned off. There must have been some bad data in the recordings that caused the final output to clip when adjusted - that's my theory anyway! Before I found the cause, I tried turning down the volume to about 80% on the digital out and the popping went away. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=50151 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Poping sounds with Kora Hermes DAC
seanadams;322412 Wrote: There's no such thing as bad PCM data as far as a s/pdif interface is concerned It wasn't bad PCM data as such, I didn't explain that well. My theory was that if there was an incorrect volume adjustment value stored, then when the volume adjustment was applied, you might get clipping in the signal, or even wrapping round of the values, like when you overflow an integer. So that data is valid, but the peaks have ended up as troughs. No idea how the algorithm in the SB would cope with a volume adjustment that caused out of range values. I use a Musical Fidelity X-Dac V3, usually very good sound, but it is susceptible to mains borne interference - sometimes dropping the Duet controller into its cradle will cause it to lose lock on the signal and go quiet for a moment. EDIT: I should add that I always used 100% volume on the digital output prior to hearing the problem. It did sound very much like clipping. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=50151 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Last.fm bitrate
mr_bill;321839 Wrote: I believe you have to have 7.1 SC running to see the Last.FM icon. Thanks - I'll wait until it goes primetime before I upgrade, the rest of my system is fine. I hope the menu structure is revised as well, there are way too many options on display. I showed it to my wife who would really like the Last.fm service and she took one look at what I had to do to start the stream and declared no thanks, much too hard to remember what to do... -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49661 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Last.fm bitrate
mr_bill;318312 Wrote: Thanks Andy, I'll give it a try as soon as I get my new Duet fired up! I was using it all of yesterday - it sounds pretty good, a little dull compared to a good rip, but certainly much better than DAB here in the UK. My only gripe however is starting a new station. Entering text with the controller is painful, I wish I could pick an artist from my library as a starting point more easily. You can do it if you have just played a track by that artist before switching to SqueezeNetwork, but I wish I could go to any artist in the library and start a Last.fm station as an option. Not sure if that's doable though, as you have to disconnect from the library to start SqueezeNetwork - a bit of a usability disconnect in my view. It would also be cool if you could store several artist names as starting points for new stations. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49661 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Last.fm bitrate
bhaagensen;321709 Wrote: (On SC 7.2 and also 7.1. I believe) 1. There is no need to (explicetly) connect to SN. You should have an entry for Last.fm in the Music Services menu. Hmmm, I may need to upgrade then, the Last.fm music service doesn't appear until I log into SN. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49661 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] FLAC or ALAC that is the question!?
radish;316977 Wrote: 2) If you're serious about sound quality, don't use iTunes for ripping. That's an interesting comment. Surely if any other ripping tool were being used it would be using the same drive and unless the CD were damaged, there would be very little error concealment going on, only error correction, which by definition fixes up any read errors. Why would iTunes be worse? It's always worked well for me. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49492 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] FLAC or ALAC that is the question!?
m1abrams;317006 Wrote: No see that is what you are missing Redbook audio really does not have any way to handle error corrections. Nope, RedBook does indeed contain error correction. This is from a HP CDROM technical paper, but there are plenty of other references: Because the CD-ROM disk has a very high bit density, it has an inherent error rate of [10.sup.-5] to [10.sup.-6] errors per bit. The red book standard, which has become International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard 908, specifies the CD audio media format and provides a parity and error correction scheme that reduces the error rate to 10-11 to [10.sup.-12] errors per bit. All CD manufacturers provide this level of error protection. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49492 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] FLAC or ALAC that is the question!?
m1abrams;317040 Wrote: Bottom line is this, would you want to spend the time to rip 500 CDs and possibly have errors in the data but really have no way to know until you listen to each and every track. Or use a proper program and rip 500 CDs and know that you have no errors in the data. Also I have found that many CDs have errors, even brand new CDs. They all have errors, but it's whether they can be corrected or not is the issue. iTunes works for me, the only time I ever found an problem, I cleaned the disk and re-ripped it and all was fine. I'm a Mac user and I do run Parallels, so I could use these other rippers, but to be honest I haven't found the need, because when I did trial them they were painfully slow and gave no discernible improvement. The only reason I posted was because it was said that if you care about audio, you shouldn't use iTunes, which is misleading. It only matters if you have disks that error correction can't fix and then a more industrial strength solution is needed. I haven't needed it. I will admit that EAC and the ilk do appeal to the geeky audiophile part of me, but the busy pragmatic side makes me use iTunes because it is a far more pleasant experience. I'd rather be listening than ripping. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49492 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] FLAC or ALAC that is the question!?
radish;317085 Wrote: I find it astonishing that in the same forum as people talk about things like SPDIF jitter and 24-bit digitial volume scaling as being detrimental to sound quality that there's anyone who's unwilling to use a good ripper. I do use a good ripper - iTunes. I haven't read anything that says it doesn't rip CDs well. So far it's all hearsay and conjecture, no actual data to back it up. I don't spend $5K on cartridges and don't fuss about room treatments, but equally I don't want to listen to music through a cheap box. However, I have realised during this conversation that I'm probably not an audiophile in the terms that others may view the subject. I'm prefer to enjoy my music, not analyse it and fuss about the nth degree of accuracy. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49492 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Sometimes I really don't get it!
bigfool1956;314547 Wrote: Thing is, when I walk back into the room I'm staggered by the change in sound. Now the TP sounds great again. Clearly switching on and off the desktop affects the sound, and it's not subtle. Why on earth? I mean CAT5 is decoupled AFAIK. It's a different ring main, different room. The only other long-shot theory I can add to the most likely explanation that it's mains-borne interference is that perhaps the PC is either clogging up the router with lots of activity or that the PC is trying to talk to the TP through network tools of some sort, both of which causing higher processing requirements from the TP. Neither of these things should make any difference, but is there the possibility that excessive network activity could affect PSUs within the TP and therefore impact sound? I'm sure they're all decoupled from each other, so as I said, this is highly unlikely. Has anyone else noticed a difference when TPs are in high traffic networks? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=49190 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Posible bug in built-in MP3 decoder - please verify
sikahr;309281 Wrote: Because, ALMOST ALL users (use tapes)/(listens mp3). What is Your opinion, how many users of slimdevices use mp3 (in %)? If we're talking about people on this audiophile forum, and so people using transporters and SB3 in good hifi systems, I would guess that the vast majority will be using lossless most of the time. My guess is that people are only using MP3 because they have some downloads or for some reason don't want to buy more disk space or also use the same files on portable players. Those who do have large MP3 collections do not in the main appear to have noticed any problem - I didn't on any of my MP3 downloads. I have never seen it discussed in any other thread. Clearly it's not audible to most MP3 users or there would be a huge outcry. I really do suggest you get this into perspective. The bug is acknowledged but it only affects a small group of people in edge conditions. You are one of those people, but you do have alternatives. It wouldn't have priority in any software company I know of. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=40409 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Posible bug in built-in MP3 decoder - please verify
sikahr;308923 Wrote: My point of view is that soundquality related bugs have very high priority, slimdevices obviously have opposite. Without wanting to fan any flames, anyone who is really interested in the highest quality would not be using a lossy format. I can't personally see any benefit in using 320kbs MP3 over FLAC or Apple Lossless. Storage is cheap and 320kbs is over the top if you wanted to use it on a portable device as well as SB. I can see why this is a low priority, it really is an edge case and frankly obscure and with easy workarounds. I'd much rather the team fix problems in mainstream features that affect the majority. Why not transcode the MP3s to FLAC? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=40409 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Posible bug in built-in MP3 decoder - please verify
sikahr;308953 Wrote: To CardinalFang and others who think that high quality MP3 decoding is not important: The whole point behind all the comments made is that there is a better way of doing it - use a lossless format instead. Problem solved. The fact that the SB doesn't do as good a job as it should is secondary to the core fact that the source data is already compromised. You're never going to get as good an experience as you could do. To me it's like buying a compact hifi system and discovering that the cassette tape deck doesn't work as well as it could. Do I bother with complaining to the manufacturer, or just go play CDs instead? I know it should play the tapes better, but even if it did, they are still an inferior experience. Why am I even bothering with them? You *really* shouldn't be using MP3 in a serious hifi set-up, you are spoiling the ship for a hap'worth of tar as the saying goes. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=40409 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Duet Sound
I did note a difference between the Duet and my SB2 when I first got it, the Duet somehow sounded more restrained. I seem to remember at the time that in fact there was a difference in output levels between the two, which would perhaps explain it. Now? I couldn't care less. I use the Duet into a MF-XDAC and the only thing I'd change is the DAC, the Duet is there to stay. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=46079 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] How many reasons...
I think they've pitched it right for the UK audiophile audience. No PC to set up, no wireless streaming, in fact all the things that baffle the audiophiles and make them shout but they'll be degradation as the bits go through the air and get dirty all go away with this design. The only gripe (apart from the price) would have been the 400G disk space, but you can extend it. The shame of it all is that the established names will come through with products that make it a far easier purchasing decision for people keen to empty their wallets of more money. They may not be as innovative, or usable even, but they have the badge. It's an expensive product for the audio bigots who will happily lap it up. The transporter is no longer the high end for audiophiles, even if it is the best. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=46767 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Songs you use for critical listening
ModelCitizen;295221 Wrote: Does anyone wonder why virtually no one really gives a s*** about obtaining music illegally now? It's just one in a long list of things that modern people pretend publically that they don't do. I'm used to paying for recorded music, so continue to do so, but I do like the convenience of buying just the tracks I want and not the filler crap on most CDs. That of course means the labels get less money from me. I think that eventually the music business model will change and downloaded music will become a free marketing tool and the big money will come from touring and merchandising. We're already starting to see that with Prince and others, and with the new deals that U2 and Madonna are cutting. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=46640 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Songs you use for critical listening
Little Red Rooster - The Persuasions, makes the hairs stand up on your neck on the right system Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughan, love that amplifier buzz! Brushed with Oil, Dusted with Powder - Scritti Politti. Great studio recording, as are all his albums OK - Talvin Singh, great recording of modern Asian music -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=46640 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Ripping Vinyl
bigfool1956;273081 Wrote: I've been thinking about digitising my singles. I haven't quite decided to what hardware to use as yet, but never mind. I have a ton of old 12 singles from the 80's, well perhaps not a ton, but more like 100 or so. Luckily I still have my old Pink Triangle turntable from the 70's which I feed through my amp into a M-Audio Audiophile 2496 and then use Audacity on my old PowerMac. It's laborious as you have to record at normal speed, but I leave all the clicks and pops in the recording as it transports me straight back to my youth! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=21836 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] ModWright Transporter experience: truth vs. beauty?
ted_b;270145 Wrote: The vile and unsupported criticism (i.e without ever hearing it) on this thread is embarrassing. Well to be fair, you kind of set yourself up for it be saying how much better your TP is than those of other posters on this forum. However true that is, it's bound to annoy. I'm definitely in the skeptical camp, most of the claims made by modders are pseudo-science and easily disproved, but what the heck, it's your money. For me, it's similar to whether something is a more accurate recording as opposed to being a more emotional experience. I love my old punk records, but are they well recorded? Nope. Put a big smile on my face? Yep. I'm sure it's the same for modded gear. It's almost definitely a step back in accuracy, but it feels more like music, or perhaps it's just apart of this hobby and doesn't need justification. One reminder for me of keeping it real was the recent outcry about mosquito sound machines in the UK, designed to keep teenagers from forming gangs around shopping centres. Apparently only the under-25 hear a painful noise, the rest of us can't hear a thing. So much for my ability to judge the tonal accuracy of a system when I'm only hearing a fraction of what's on the CD. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=43269 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] ModWright Transporter experience: truth vs. beauty?
Phil Leigh;270306 Wrote: There are CD's with stuff on up there - but you aren't going to miss it too much IMHO. I guess my point was that we ought to recognise that our ears are significantly degraded by age, loud concerts, iPods etc., so we shouldn't get too wound up about accuracy when in all likelihood we need boosted frequencies to actually hear everything in the first place. Meh. Just trying to present an alternate point of view, I suppose the sides are drawn up already. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=43269 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] SB3 VS the Transporter
Caad;263772 Wrote: If any have some ideas for more mods.. Please return.. How about cleaning up all the flux after you have soldered, it looks pretty nasty to see that mess and it's not good practice. Also, given that you are trying to achieve better sound quality, some of those joints look a little dubious and could well not be working that well. It really doesn't help your case for saying it sounds better than a transporter when the workmanship look a bit amateur. Seriously though, changing a few caps is not going to change the fundamentals of the SB3 significantly. It'll sound a little different perhaps, but it's still an SB3. I can put new wheels on a Lada, but it's still not a Ferrari. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=42840 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Million dollars to provecables areworth money
servies;237065 Wrote: As expected... And although it is being regarded as Pear chickening out, I doubt it'll affect their sales. Their customers are unlikely to have value for money concerns in the first place. http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/more-bull/pear-cables-withdraws-from-james-randis-1m-challenge-313361.php Not that I'd ever waste my money on stupid-money cables even if I had it. $7K is a lot of CDs and I would find it hard to live with knowing I'd fallen for their marketing drivel. Isn't there a rule of thumb that if your system costs more than your CD collection, then you've got the wrong priorities? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38902 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Million dollars to prove cables areworth money
zanash;233069 Wrote: Theres a thread on the audio asylum digital that puts this spurious challenge to bed with a spanked bottom. I don't particularly care one way or another, but I couldn't find a thread that clearly dismissed the challenge. As far as I know, he has the money held by a 3rd party and the reason for requiring a media presence is that he wants the reviewers or manufacturers to come forwards, not crazies. It would seem to me that you for one have confidence in your abilities to tell the difference, so why not go for it? If the rules are unfair, then what should they be? If someone can prove these cables do deliver what they promise, I'm sure many people would be happy. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38902 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] sound kval that supasses that of even the most exotic cd player
jaysung;229757 Wrote: PS.: Enjoy your tea. Which one came first? Milk or tea? PPS.: The english say that there is truly a difference caused by already resident milk slowly warmed up by flooding tea compared to a hot cup of tea which drastically warms up the milk which is being added. Actually the supposed real reason for adding milk first was that fine china used to be quite fragile and subject to cracking from the thermal shock of adding a hot liquid, so pouring a hot liquid into a cold one lessened the effect. Supposedly. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38653 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Affordable Audio review of SB3
fred7;227716 Wrote: I am glad that Sean clarified the fact that the SB does indeed draw slightly more power when decoding FLAC since someone was disputing this. Actually, I'm not sure he *did* explicitly say that. What I read was that although the Squeezebox has no power saving features, it does suspend processing in the threads when there is nothing to do. I guess the argument is around whether FLAC uses more processing and so there are less idle moments for the decoding thread than when decoding WAV, resulting in different power consumption profile. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38258 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Affordable Audio review of SB3
abelincoln;226246 Wrote: Amazing how many sound difference can not be statically identified in the double blind test. Stand back - I've got a double blind test invitation for an argument and I'm not afraid to use it! :-) Don't go taking all the fun out of this by suggesting we measure things! I agree 100% that double blind is important for reviewers, but I think the rest of us can just enjoy the gear we have. I'm not even sure that my old ears are up to it anyways. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38258 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] So, this new iPod Touch thing
opaqueice;225830 Wrote: But if it ever becomes possible, I'll be able to listen to my entire music library any place, any time (so long as I have phone service at least). Not bad, eh? ;-) Only if you have a flat rate data plan, otherwise be prepared for the massive bill shock at the end of the month :-) -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38195 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] So, this new iPod Touch thing
DCtoDaylight;225734 Wrote: Well, certainly those of us using iTunes to organize their music collections should be able to! But given Apple's refusal to have anything to do with flac, I would guess the rest of you will be out of luck I do have to say tho, I'm a little disappointed that it's a flash based player, I had been hoping for the capacity of a hard disc. Cheers, Dave There's a fair bit of speculation that they have arranged the product line so that the iPod classic with the extra disk space is for the audiophiles and the Touch is for the gadget freaks who have to have the latest thing to impress their peer geeks. The odd thing is that I have found that the more you use an iPod, the less memory you want. I used to have all my music on my iPod, now it's a lot less at higher bit rates and I only really listen to a fraction of the songs on the move. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=38195 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Should I replace my cables every 1000 hours
Mark Lanctot;214296 Wrote: But the skin effect is most pronounced at VHF and microwave frequencies. MHz or GHz, not kHz unless it's undersized. Crack detection frequencies for eddy current skin effect tend to be in the low to mid 100KHz, the lower the frequency, the deeper it goes. There are a number of research papers around on this topic, but it certainly doesn't need MHz to demonstrate voltage fluctuations with cracks in materials due to flexing and manufacturing. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36658 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Should I replace my cables every 1000 hours
Mark Lanctot;214328 Wrote: But still, at 100 kHz you're far from impacting audible frequencies. It's not like your speakers could even reproduce it, or that you could even hear it (not even dogs can hear this high). The point is that the lower the frequency, the deeper the skin effect, so a 10KHz signal exhibits a skin effect too, just a deeper skin. The speaker might reproduce 100KHz too, just at a very low level dictated by the response curve - it doesn't necessarily go to zero at very high KHz frequencies. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36658 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Design miss in SB3 digital output? or Slimserver problem ?
Ejorne;213967 Wrote: But i don't want to go further off-topic. This is a topic about the squeezebox and not about cdr. The thing about cdr was just to illustrate the common phenomenon. ... There is a belief in some audio circles that if you rip a CD using EAC and then burn a CDR with an exact copy, you get in effect a better pressing. In other words, EAC can do a better job of getting the data than a CD player and the resulting CDR is better that the CD because the pits are created in a non mass-production way and to a higher tolerance. However, it all seems to be based on the old misunderstanding between error correction and error concealment. In other words the CDR sounds different because the data has less errors, but the reality is that the data is the same after it comes out of the CD read buffer because errors are corrected in both cases. You might get a better CDR if you were able to extract data from areas where the CD player could only conceal them, but that's a very small minority of cases I would imagine. As for the original subject, I believe Sean's assertion that the data and process of decoding it is identical in both cases. However, I have personally seen software developers caught out in similar circumstances where they know how something is *supposed* to work, and have found that in reality there are subtleties from system interactions in the real world that cause differences. Not that I'm implying that's the case here since Sean has reviewed his design and the operation on the SB3 prior to posting comments. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36503 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Design miss in SB3 digital output? or Slimserver problem ?
Patrick Dixon;214001 Wrote: I think if there is any difference between a CD and a CDR it's more likely to be because the data got burnt with a more or less stable clock, which then affects the read clock, and hence the DAC clock. So jitter rather than errors. Presumably you mean the original master rather than the copies which are manufactured by another process other than burning. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36503 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Any good mods for Transporter out there? Validated?
seanadams;213966 Wrote: I have to disagree with you there. The reason it has a polarized plug is so that the fuse is assured to be on hot side. Isn't it also the case that mains switches also sometimes only switch the live and not both live and neutral? I do also remember reading somewhere that back at the power station that neutral is tied to earth, not sure how true that is any more. I admire your patience by the way Sean, although I wish you would stop using facts and measurements - they have no place on an audiophile forum and take all the fun out of it :-) James Randi would have a field day with this industry... -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36626 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Design miss in SB3 digital output? or Slimserver problem ?
Pat Farrell;214009 Wrote: Commercial CDs, and DVDs are pressed, not burned. They are stamped out much in the spirit of vinyl records. Not quite, the plastic part is pressed, but the pits are coated by metallising using a plasma. The pits are then covered in plastic, but you are right in that it is a copying process, not a mastering one like making a CDR. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36503 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Any good mods for Transporter out there? Validated?
Mark Lanctot;214011 Wrote: I thought he already did, with an article about cable magic, but I can't find it at his website anymore. http://www.randi.org/ -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36626 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Design miss in SB3 digital output? or Slimserver problem ?
Pat Farrell;214014 Wrote: This thin layer of metal is unstable and will oxidise if it is not protected by a lacquer. That just screams for audiophile products that remove the latent voltage potential from the plasma, and a range of pit stabilising green pens. As for the lacquer on my audiophile CDs, I insist on finest Chinese (preferably Ming red) lacquer. Back on topic, we seem to have eliminated the SB3 as a potential factor in there being a different data stream, but what about the server. Are we sure that it streams exactly the same data in both cases? Just trying to nail this one down as highly unlikely. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36503 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Any good mods for Transporter out there? Validated?
truckfighters;213231 Wrote: @sean: some audio devices sound different when turning the 230V power plug via 180 degrees (change phase). does this also apply to transporter? I've never heard that one before. You might as well say that it matters at what exact moment you play a track as you need to make sure that the music is exactly aligned with the absolute phase of the mains supply. And logically 50Hz units will sound different to 60 Hz units. It's also potentially lethal if you start rewiring units to reverse live and neutral in case only live is disconnected at any mains switch. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36626 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Any good mods for Transporter out there? Validated?
truckfighters;213251 Wrote: as far as I am informed it has something to do with several devices connected to each other via. e.g. RCA cable connection. you might get different potentials, if one device is connected out of phase and the other isn't. There are phase inversion switches on some gear for the audio output - nothing to do with mains supply. Some people believe that some recordings were made out of phase to others and by flicking the switch you can restore them to their correct absolute phase. It also might work in cases where other gear in the reproduction chain have reversed phase during amplification stages. In other words, you make the loudspeakers move in the same direction as the monitors in the studio. Given that recordings are made up of many tracks with all types of effects, compression and filtering on them, I doubt that this has any audible effect. Of course having one channel out of phase to the other is audible as it can cancel out pressure waves in the more monotonic signals at the low end. Personally, my ears are so shot by live concerts, I wouldn't claim to hear any perceptible differences! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36626 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Any good mods for Transporter out there? Validated?
seanadams;213245 Wrote: I wouldn't put it past anyone... Hey - you should check out my DJ-stylee LP stylus in tha' groove skillz, I've got my cue-in's down to microseconds to get that bass boost from riding the peak 'n' troughs. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36626 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Nice feature on why modern music sounds bad
http://funl.blogspot.com/2007/06/loudness-war.html It's down to compression of course. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=36476 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Sb4 ?
JJZolx;211319 Wrote: Hmmm... Unless the new Squeezebox is a complete and total mess of a system including a CD-ROM drive, I don't see this end of things being improved upon. The best Logitech might do is to develop a jack-of-all-trades (and master of none?) music manager to be run on your PC. I dunno, that strikes me as a very big software project and a lot to give away just to sell $128.88 music boxes. An alternative would be to drop SlimServer completely and make future Squeezeboxes work in a more integrated way with iTunes and Windows media. Now that DRM has been dropped from some of the music and since iTunes is a complete music management suite, it would solve the need to maintain their own music management and server software in a stroke. It would need a thicker client and that's a diversion from existing philosophy, but it would make it more scalable as well. Of course there's already AppleTV, but there's still room for a multi-room/audiophile solution that doesn't need a TV in every room. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=35881 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Sb4 ?
cliveb;211367 Wrote: This is a joke, right? You can't be serious. Why would we ever want to be at the mercy of what Apple or Microsoft decide to do in the future? Because they own the mass market for music and if it's Logitech's aim to make Slim more mass market, then they ought to consider it. It eliminates a lot of the hurdles for the average user. In any case, many of us already use iTunes for managing our libraries and that doesn't mean using DRM or lossy formats. The only difference I'm suggesting is that you could consider putting some of what is in slimserver, i.e. reading data from network drives, into a Squeezebox. A thicker client that doesn't need the server to stream data to it. It's additional firmware that may need more memory and perhaps a hike in processor speed, but since we already use up spare cycles doing visualisers, why not use it to grab files directly from networked drives and use the iTunes XML library descriptors like Slim does now? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=35881 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Sb4 ?
erland;211452 Wrote: If I'm not mistaken, Apple provide their own streaming hardware in Airport Express, I'm pretty sure they would do everything they can to make it as hard as possible for a competitor (like Logitech) to make a tight integration with iTunes. It doesn't need to be that tight - as long as the SB can get access to the files via the network, it can read and decide them itself. It might need a small app to monitor changes to the iTunes directory and provide a socket for data transfer, but that can be much, much simpler than Slimserver. Personally, I'd write a plug-in for iTunes that keeps the player up-to-date. I've written several and one of them sends information to a remote connection. The Airport express probably uses hardware decoding as it's cheaper than using a general purpose CPU and all the ancillary hardware that that entails. erland;211452 Wrote: But making the SqueezeBox be a fat device instead of a slim device, would be a radical change of the current architecture. Some problems with this: - It would require everyone to by a new SB (SB4?) to get the functionality - It would probably not be compatible with previous SB versions, so if you have multiple SB's in your home you would have to replace them all. - The number of plugin developers would decrease radically since it is a lot different to program an embedded device compared to server software. At least there is less people available that have the knowledge to program an embedded device. I'm not sure that any of the reasons you give have any relevance to a product that is targeted at the larger mass market. They don't have pre-existing SB systems and if a plug-in is that useful, it should be in the product anyway. There is no reason to not keep the old software/systems going as well if it is profitable - the Transporter didn't make the Squeezebox obsolete. It's just a thought - I'm not suggesting it as the way to go as it is very different to the current philosophy, just that if I were part of Logitech's management I would be considering all options to make the system more attractive to the huge number of iTunes users (100 million at least). -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=35881 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Olive Musica
cliveb;208558 Wrote: Audio CDs without CD-Text simply don't have this information on them. I can say for sure that the vast majority of the CDs in my collection have no CD-Text on them. So how does the Olive read data from the CD when it's not there? I thought it had a built-in database of CDs and used that for tagging. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=21135 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] A photo of your Squeezebox setup (please)
A poll associated with this post was created, to vote and see the results, please visit http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=19817 Question: Should there be a new forum for photos? - yes - no - maybe crooner;203372 Wrote: Here are some updated photos of my setup. It now includes my spanking new custom made Super Squeezebox :-) and Enlightened Audio Designs DSP-7000 Series III with HDCD. Now that's how I always wanted the Transporter to be, clean and simple, but upgraded electronics. Nice work! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=19817 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Buying Transporters in the UK
cliveb;199530 Wrote: I fear that the future is not at all bright for the Transporter, which is a crying shame, because it's a *stunning* piece of kit. Well being as there is a sale on for Squeezeboxes, I would expect them to also become Logitech branded as well come June 1st when the sale ends. Perhaps even a new model or one with a new remote as well. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34313 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Tried the Mac Mini directly to the DAC
Nikhil;198747 Wrote: Can you elaborate please? I thought SlimServer wasn't supposed to cause clipping or any other modifications to the files other than transcoding if required. I have a problem that some tracks that I have recorded in Apple Lossless play back fine on iTunes, but have audible clicking sounds on peaks when they play back through SlimServer, exactly like clipping effects. It happens on a number of CDs. I even tried ripping via EAC to WAV, then to Apple Lossless, but no improvement and feed the same DAC from the PC and the SB2. I can't explain it myself, both routes use the same Quicktime CODEC, but perhaps something else in the Slimserver chain is causing a problem. I've pretty much given up on it now, I just play the CDs instead or use iTunes. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34592 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Tried the Mac Mini directly to the DAC
Kiwi;198591 Wrote: My conclusion is that creativepart had some reason to make claims that weren't factual so I am choosing to ignore what was said. I think that's a little harsh. I re-read his postings and didn't feel that he was trying to be disingenuous at all. I have a laptop connected to my DAC as well as a SB2 (with modded PSU) and there isn't a big difference in sound between the two. I wouldn't expect one unless the jitter performance of the laptop was really bad compared to the SB2. For those of us with some iTunes store purchases, it's a damn fine alternative, and even on lossless tracks that I have ripped myself, it can sound better since SlimServer seems to induce volume clipping when compared to iTunes playback of the same tracks. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34592 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Super Squeezebox Project
crooner;193511 Wrote: Did they cut the faceplate or did you have it machined for the display? A local light engineering company machined it out for me - it has a lip so I could fix a new acrylic display filter in place and two holes for the IR and a power LED. The opening for the display could have done with being a little larger in actual fact. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34291 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Super Squeezebox Project
crooner;193497 Wrote: I'm choosing a 1RU or 2RU rack mount enclosure from Par Metal. Cost effective and should look nice stacked on the DAC60... If you don't mind ordering from Italy, these guys do really nice enclosures - I rehoused my SB2 in one of their units with a 10mm front and included a new linear PSU (3 amp rated). It made a not insignificant improvement to the sound, but it still needs an external DAC. http://www.hifi2000.it/ Here's a picture of what the final unit looks like, it's the top unit. A little too wide for the other units, but pretty good nonetheless. It cost around 80 euros shipped to the UK I seem to remember, but I may have that wrong. +---+ |Filename: slim.jpg | |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2670| +---+ -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34291 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Apple Lossless a compromise?
opaqueice;192974 Wrote: That's an extraordinary claim - my understanding is that SS converts apple lossless files into WAV *at the server side* before streaming it to the SB3, and therefore the packets the SB3 receives, and the processing it has to perform, are *identical* whether your music is stored as apples lossless or as WAV/AIFF. Isn't it the case that SS uses Quicktime to decode the Apple Lossless format? Are their any circumstances under which that process could result in less than perfect WAV or AIFF files? I find that some of my Apple Lossless files which play perfectly through iTunes exhibit clipping or clicking sounds when played back through my SB2 - it's one of the reasons I've been thinking about a radical change. When I play the same files back through my laptop into the same DAC using the laptop SPDIF connector, the artifacts are gone. So it's as though something in the SS transcoding is messing up gain levels. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34122 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
darkglobe;192411 Wrote: Have you considered the racket a laptop actually makes? Mine is very quiet - the fan only comes on if it is doing some serious processing and playing back music isn't that stressful. As far as USB DAC goes, I don't see why it should be prone to losing data if it is used in the mode of USB disk drives, they don't lose data and the transfer rate is adequate. I'll have to try it and see if I prefer the sound. I know most of you won't agree, but the SB doesn't work that well for me anymore. I feel that it's fallen behind the market in usability whilst not really improving in audio quality - the SB3 isn't really an audible improvement over the SB2 for example. Perhaps they'll be a new version soon that'll stop me giving up on Slim. If there was for example a version of the Transporter that dispensed with the displays and knob, kept the high end electronics and came with a Sonos-like remote, then I might think again, but right now I'm looking for a change to something that works better for me. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
opaqueice;193078 Wrote: But for the moment I'm happy - upgraditis will set in later :-). I just haven't been able to get the SB2 that I have up to where my CD player is in terms of audio quality. Every time I spin a disc it just reminds me that there is something not there and I do think it's the MF DAC since the network side is unlikely to have any significant effect on audio signal. The SB2 DAC is nowhere near the CD Player on its own. The Transporter just isn't for me, partly down to design and partly down to software and a big chunk down to cost. All I want is a top notch DAC with a network interface and a simple GUI remote, but to me Slim development seems to focus more and more on more knobs and whistles rather than the fundamentals of audio reproduction. I wish it were a more simple solution with a server that didn't remind me of a software version of Buckeroo. Just one more featuresproinng!!! All a personal opinion of course, I'm a big fan of less is more. I used to love my SB, now I want something more. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Ripping CD's
BigTony;192240 Wrote: So the question is, should I use Itunes to rip ro .wav, then FLAC the wav's - or is it not making a good digital copy? As far as I can tell, the advantage to EAC is that it can in theory get more off the CD if the CD is a bit suspect by repeated reads. Since the error correction data is on the CD and therefore the same for both iTunes and EAC, it can't actually repair errors any better than iTunes. What it can do is perhaps get the original data or get enough for correction on a damaged CD through repeated reading. I personally use iTunes for all my rips (to Apple Lossless) - EAC is just too slow and I have very few damaged or suspect CDs. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34156 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] EMI takes locks off music tracks
amcluesent;191970 Wrote: No DRM, 256kbit/sec AAC played via the SB3/Transporter may sound quite OK for pop-music. 256K AAC should sound more than OK for the vast majority of people, I doubt many consumers could tell the difference between that coding and lossless. I buy the odd song now and then that's hard to get in stores, or where the album isn't worth the outlay because of filler tracks, and my daughters buy a lot of tracks off iTunes, so this really good news for me at least. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34127 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/dac1/ I was previously looking at getting one of the new MF XDAC V8 with USB, but this looks more like it - straight through transmission of data via USB with no filtering or tweaking by the PC mixers software. Someone tell me why I shouldn't sell my SB+XDAC V3 and just hook one of these up to my laptop! The transporter was to be my natural next step, but with this I can use iTunes or any other player I like for lossless and listen to digital TV broadcasts as well through a USB tuner I have. I'm sorely tempted if I can find a way to have a remote control for my laptop! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] EMI takes locks off music tracks
Seineseeker;191983 Wrote: It's only EMI for the moment. 99p a track is a bit expensive though, when you can buy plenty of CDs new and old still for 5-8 pounds. That's true, but how often are there only one or two good tracks on many CDs released nowadays? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34127 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
johann;192001 Wrote: Without installation of other software, I don't see how it would possibly bypass kmixer and other limits as long as you run any kind of Windows else than Vista. They claim it bypasses kmixer on their website on other OS part from Vista, although it might be that it holds true if you have the volume set to maximum only. The main reason I'm not hitting the buy button right now for this is remote capability. I do like the idea of being able to see the album art from across the room on my laptop, which I could do with iTunes, but also being able to change song without getting up has become quite important to me. I guess part of it is also that that I have gotten tired of the Slim Web Interface and lack of graphical remote. I have written my own Java interface that runs on the laptop so that I can see album art, but if I have to have a laptop to get a decent GUI remote screen for SlimServer, then I think that I might as well dispense with the Slim part and stream direct from the laptop. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
ezkcdude;192006 Wrote: Well, a few reasons come to mind immediately: 1) It'll put you out a thousand or so dollars. true, but I'd be selling the SB and XDAc. ezkcdude;192006 Wrote: 2) It may not sound much better, if any. Absolutely, it would have to sound better, but it would also be a simpler set-up. ezkcdude;192006 Wrote: 3) You lose wireless capability. Not really, I can stream from iTunes via my laptop from another PC already via wireless into the DAC. Thanks for the comments though, I'm still not 100% sure whether I'll do it, but with the rumoured big price increase for the Transporter in the UK, it'd be the cheaper upgrade if the benchmark proves to be a better DAC. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] New Benchmark USB DAC1
adamslim;192022 Wrote: Looks good, but I doubt they'll sell you one direct to the UK. Their UK distro, SCV, sells the DAC-1 for £839 ($975), so that $1,275 is going to be well over a grand. I saw a quote for £999 for it and I suppose once you add in shipping VAT, etc., it does add up. It's still rip-off Britain though :-) no wonder 10% of the population has left already! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=34132 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Positive Feedback
CardinalFang;189297 Wrote: I'll open an account and put it up on sourceforge.net - thanks. If anyone wants to grab the source code and/or the jar file, it's all up at http://sourceforge.net/projects/slim-interface/ I'm not sure how much time I can put into it, but please feel free to modify it any way you like. I'm also new to setting up SourceForge projects, so if you want to join as a developer, I will have to do some research on how to achieve that! I've also modified the look slightly, but it's easily tweaked to how you want it. No documentation as of yet, it was a home brew hack to start with. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33777 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Cheap tweaks that really work
jeffmeh;191077 Wrote: Well, from a quantum mechanics standpoint it is possible that this could work. Of course, it is also possible that an elephant will quantum tunnel to a position above my head and strike me dead before I finish typing thi The double slit experiment is fundamental to quantum physics, but the wave/particle duality could only apply to electrons, not sound waves, which are obviously sound pressure waves and never particles. The really weird part for me is that the Copenhagan Interpretation, which is probably the most widely accepted explanation for the experiment, is that electrons and other quantum objects exist as probability waves until they are detected, when they become particles. In other words, nothing really exists as a particle unless someone is looking at it. If you try to watch the individual electrons passing through the slits, they appear as particles, if don't, you see an interference pattern. It's called collapsing the wave function. Taken to its extreme, that also implies that if there wasn't someone or something observing the universe, then it would still exist as probability waves, and therefore it proves the existence of God, because something has to be observing the universe to collapse the wave function. Either God, or the flying spaghetti monster. Or in Peter Belts' world, if you avoid measuring or looking at the electrons in your HiFi system, they won't exist as particles any more, and your HiFi won't work properly. Or is it the other way round. In any case, you should ask for a refund if your HiFi becomes a probability wave. It also means that your TV has no picture on it unless you are looking at it, and you really can't be sure if the light really does come on in your fridge if you are not watching. Hello nurse, time for my shot already? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33956 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Cheap tweaks that really work
Pat Farrell;191123 Wrote: To me, proper placement is 5 feet from all walls, but even in fairly hi end audio shops, far too many speakers are pushed up against the wall. So clearly some people have not gotten the memo I use some fairly old Rega Ela speakers that supposedly were designed to be placed much closer to the wall to reinforce the bass, but I find that this collapses the imaging. Five feet into the room wouldn't work for me either - here in dear old England, rooms, especially in older houses, tend to be compact and bijou, to use a well-worn phrase. My compromise is toed-in, a foot or so off the rear wall. My other favourite cheap tweak is to pull out and re-insert cables now and then to clean the connectors, although I have never tried contact cleaner - does that work for anyone? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33956 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Cheap tweaks that really work
Here's a good one - cup your hands behind your ears. It's amazing how much more detail you can hear, but your hands get tired after a while. :-) OK, so it's not entirely serious, but I do remember seeing cardboard ear amplifiers at a HiFi show once in the UK! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33956 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] SB+ review by TNT - Audio
opaqueice;190258 Wrote: Another clueless reviewer. That depends on what he means doesn't it? What if he means that WiFi bandwidth for some devices is generally insufficient for lossless formats, like FLAC, so typically lossy formats are used, whereas with wired connection higher quality lossless formats are more successful. I do tend to agree though that it is more likely that he is repeating biased and incorrect viewpoints from other audiophile reviewers. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33917 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Positive Feedback
crooner;189160 Wrote: Nice review but I can't help but wonder why he prefers Apple Lossless and iTunes to manage his music. FLAC is a much better format and iTunes simply sucks IMHO. It's so bad I prefer Rockbox to run my iPod. Full FLAC support as well! I agree with him to be honest. I use iTunes because it is so much easier to manage a library and create playlists than SlimServer, plus ripping is a breeze and to my ears accurate. It is simply far more consumer-friendly, my kids use it all the time and shy away from the Squeezebox. As for Apple Lossless, since both it and FLAC are lossless, there should be no audible difference, so it's down to open source vs proprietary and again ease of use. FLAC is not technically better than Apple Lossless, but if your qualifier is whether it is open source or not, then that's your choice. Most people in this world want slick, easy to use software. Firing up EAC every time you want to rip, combined with the non-obvious set-up is too much fuss for most audio lovers, me included. I do't have any deep-seated requirements that my audio be open source, just good. And look at how reviewers continually misunderstand digital audio - is it any wonder they gravitate towards the easy solutions? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33777 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Positive Feedback
adamslim;189233 Wrote: Surely the perfect reason to ditch iTunes - keep the kids away from the stereo! ;) No, no, no! It's the Squeezebox they hate, they leave it alone and use iTunes all the time, plus they can buy music they like instead of suffering my stuff. They don't like the Squeezebox because it is hard to use by comparison (their words), doesn't display pictures and they can't search for music easily, so they leave that for me. I even wrote my own Java app to control the Squeezebox from a laptop so that I can see the album artwork for the song that's playing and get fast interaction with selecting playlists, tracks etc. Screenshot below in case anyone is interested. It gives me back some of the immediacy and clarity that iTunes has and the Slim web interface sadly lacks. It's not perfect by any means, but works better for me. +---+ |Filename: slimjava.jpg | |Download: http://forums.slimdevices.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2566| +---+ -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33777 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Positive Feedback
P Floding;189278 Wrote: That Java app looks extremely useful! Any thoughts about making it available for other SB-users? What does it interact with, SS or some iTunes? It uses CLI to talk to the SlimServer. My installation uses Slim on a Mac outside the listening room and I have the laptop with this Java app on it in the room since it is silent most of the time. As for the source code - it's very suboptimal, a real hack and needs more work, but if there's a place to upload it so that others can improve it or change it to their suiting, then I'm happy to do that. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33777 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Positive Feedback
P Floding;189290 Wrote: Finding such a place won't be a problem. I can put it on sourceforge.net for you, or you can start your own account there. Rgds I'll open an account and put it up on sourceforge.net - thanks. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33777 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter Review in Hi-Fi News (UK)
seanadams;188912 Wrote: Have you considered the possibility that it is complete nonsense? I have no time for reviewers most of the time, they are rarely qualified and mostly self-elected experts, however they do hold a lot of sway and a review like this damns the Transporter with faint praise. I personally think that traditional HiFi company DACs with USB input where the reviewers feel on safer ground will get better reviews. I also think there is a time window where the Transporter can still make a mark as a reference component. Why not invite the reviewers to do the old double-blind test at Slim HQ? Surely leaving things as they are simply cements the notion that computer-based audio is still not true HiFi and is allowing the reviewers to spread misinformed opinion on your products? Perhaps I have it wrong and it is totally irrelevant to future sales. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33276 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Transporter review at Audioholics
johann;188628 Wrote: BTW, I have now a new Musical Fidelity DAC for test, the X-DACv8. First impression is a better sound than the X-DAC-v3 but I need to listen some more and then also try to AB test it. :) I'd be really interested how it compares with the Transporter. I have a V3 I use with my SB2, but the V8 also has USB inputs, which I read can be a better digital source than SPDIF - someone please correct me if that's wrong. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33368 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Sonos with Transporter
sting;186663 Wrote: I'm thinking about getting a Transporter to use with a Sonos ZP80. The plan is to use a Sonos hanheld controller and the ZP80 will output digital signal to the digital in on the Transporter. The Transporter is mainly going to be used as an external DAC (and potentially as a player for non-16bit music). If you prefer the Sonos remote, then to me it would make more sense to buy a ZP80 and a good external DAC, like the Lavry, Benchmark or any of the others recommended in these threads. Alternately, have a look at the Nokia 770/800 as a remote control for the Transporter. Whatever happened to the remoured fancy LogiTech remote for the SB that was hinted at just before the LogiTech takeover? Has it been shelved? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33454 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
Re: [SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Mac OSX, Lossless and alternatives to iTunes
I use Apple Lossless exclusively because it lets my kids play music on their PCs as well as letting me listen via the SB. I use an old 500MHz G3 Mac as a server on a 802.11g network with no problems. Apple Lossless is transcoded to WAV on the server on my system, but has the advantage that it stores tags, which I don't think AIFF does. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=33182 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Definitive sonic differences between itunes and eac/flac
adamslim;175432 Wrote: Hey, this is fun :) I suspect that CD correction is not inaudible (otherwise, why not use it for compression, none of this messing with FLAC and MP42). However, I have no evidence for this, thoughts welcome. Since the read buffer of the CD or iTunes or EAC ends up with the same correct data, I don't see how error correction affects audio quality. Error correction requires extra data on the disc, so not terribly useful for compression. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32212 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Definitive sonic differences between itunes and eac/flac
cliveb;175624 Wrote: Not sure exactly what you mean by damaged, but if you are talking about scratches and the like, these aren't the only ones that need error concealment. In my experience, the majority are not as a result of scratches, but that the CD was originally pressed with uncorrectable errors from the start. Most of the CDs I've seen with uncorrectable errors look absolutely pristine - they are just badly made. I initially did mean those that have been badly scratched, but yes you are right, an awful lot are just badly made. Interestingly, the clear side can take quite a scratch before it gets really bad since they will tend to be out of focus to the laser because the pits are much closer to the label side. So a less deep scratch on the label could actually cause a lot of damage. I also have a couple of disc that are old and have oxidised slightly making them unreadable - I guess that's the fate of all our CDs... cliveb;175624 Wrote: *All* CDs require C1 corrections, typically on every sector. It's in the nature of the beast. Especially in those discs that are deliberately corrupted by copy protection mechanisms :-( cliveb;175624 Wrote: Are you sure that EAC has error concealment? My understanding is that if it fails to get a clean read, it leaves the data in whatever state it found it. I must admit I'm not sure - I don't use EAC, too slow and too much fussing about to set up. I thought it had concealment via the drive electronics, but you could be right and it does nothing. In that case, EAC would be creating audibly broken rips on bad discs rather than a barely-audible concealment. Is that really the case? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32212 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Audiophile shops
In the UK I would say that there is a huge amount of snobbery involved, plus a decent helping of ignorance based on iTunes and iPods being the public perception of computer audio. Most audio shops regard computer audio as MP3 quality and I doubt many have sat down and listened to a well structured system based on SB3, Sonos any other lossless capable transport fed into a good DAC. There is also the notion that if it is more conventient, then it can't be as good - the old LP vs CD debates spring to mind here too. The fact is that computer based audio is cheaper to buy and mainly online too, so not interesting to these guys, and also requires skills that they may not have, hence their fear of it. They much prefer the networked solutions from established audio companies, like Linn and Naim who charge vastly inflated prices for standard computer drives and hardware in a nice box. One of the biggest obstacles I can see though is that established experts suddenly become learners again, so it is much easier to dismiss new technology than admit your opinions are no longer pearls before swine. I see mentions of 12,000 tracks and so on, just how many people buying HiFi actually have that number of CDs? Are we assuming that everyone really does benefit from having their library on tap, or perhaps they prefer the physical pleasure of closing the machined from a solid billet of unobtanium lids on their transports as they insert one of their twenty or so CDs of Barbara Streisand? Having said all that, it won't be long before audiophile stores catch on and start selling and recomending audiophile grade hard drives, cat6 cables and feng-shui wooden blocks to go under your keyboard. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32232 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Definitive sonic differences between itunes and eac/flac
adamslim;175363 Wrote: However, EAC will make a difference. iTunes will take the first rip it gets, and will use error correction (i.e. guessing) if there is a problem; EAC will make sure that the rip is correct by rereading dozens of times, if necessary. (This is simplified, but close enough) Sorry, but that's just plain wrong. Error correction isn't guessing, it's using additional data on the disk to fix missing data perfectly. Error *concealment* is when a drive has to make up data by interpolation. Only damaged disks require concealment, most disks have error correction but are bit perfect after correction. iTunes is a good as EAC on normal disks. EAC may have an advantage on damaged disks, but it too will resort to concealent if it can't read the data. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32212 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: New DAC sorts out SB3
jeffmeh;174050 Wrote: I am not an Itunes user, but does error correction mean that it will do some type of interpolation/extrapolation when it finds an error? Conversely, EAC will slow down and reread many times until it either gets a good read or gives up. In the latter case, it tells you that it encountered errors. Error correction means just that, the error is corrected and the data is as it should be. Error concealment happens far less frequently and requires interpolation between good samples and this is when EAC tries to re-read data. My biggest problems with ripped CDs appear during playback when some tracks appear to overload DACs, or at least there are some errors being introduced by very high recorded levels in the digital data. I have one or two CDs that start to break up via my SB2/MF DACv3 combination on fast and loud transients, whereas the original CDs sound fine. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32037 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: New DAC sorts out SB3
totoro;174138 Wrote: I deal with that by setting the attenuation very high in my inguz configuration (16db!). That's what I had to do to make sure that clipping is very rare in my playback. Recent ecm records seem to be terrible this way. I'm not using Inguz, but still get clipping or distortion during playback. It should be the same data as the CD since I have the digital output fixed, or is there some gain being added in the SB? I don't understand why through the SB I get clipping... -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=32037 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: ok, may be i am just crazy, but how can i be so lucky
etfun2000;171604 Wrote: The only rationale explanation i see: the fact that flac is native versus wma lossless bring some difference, evne thouhg i think i red in some forums this should not impact. I don't know the details of the formats that well, but is it possible that one is 16 bit and the other 24 bit or float, or that there has been some volume adjustment in the conversion? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31833 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: AppleTV
ezkcdude;168698 Wrote: I think both the TV and iPhone miss the mark. There are numerous solutions that do what the AppleTV does, and the iPhone is way too expensive for what it does. Although, I agree with the above poster that a nice SlimServer skin would make it more appealing, in that it could be used as a Wi-Fi remote. I think it is too expensive for the iPod user market, most have Nanos or shuffles, but it is not expensive compared to Smartphones, such as Trios, SonyEricssons, Nokias and others that cost in the region of $500. What is scary though is that you have to sign up for a 2 year contract to get that price and there is no mention of monthly charges as yet. It gives you an idea of what it would cost without contract. In the UK we're used to getting handsets for free or under £100 with a year's contract. So the question is - will an iPod user shell out for the phone and ditch the handset and iPod they currently own, or will business users switch? The business users may well want to stick with exchange-based devices from Microsoft, or encrypted devices like the Blackberry. The real big plus point is it now means that the other manufacturers have got to smarten up their act and produce handsets that are easy to use to compete. I think the AppleTV will be a big success, £199 in the UK compares very favourably with SB3, especially if you already have a TV and I would imagine leaves Roku and Sonus wondering what to do next. We may scoff at proprietary file formats and closed nature of the beast, but consumers simply don't care - the many millions of downloads on iTunes testify to that. I will probably buy one because the interface is far better for my family to use, the SB is so geeky in comparison - they have used both and never come back to the SB. The SB survives because of audio quality, but I may well ditch it if the AppleTV sounds as good through my DAC. I rip all my CDs to Apple Lossless anyway so that my kids can use iTunes on their PCs, so it would just make life a lot easier for all of us. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: AppleTV
Robin Bowes;168860 Wrote: 1. FLAC is open source, not proprietary Apologies for jumping into your discussion, but how does that affect audio quality? It's more of a personal issue whether you care or not about open source vs proprietary and it doesn't make either technically superior to the other. They are both lossless and take up less file space. I like choice too, but I'm not a zealot either way. I've never used FLAC because the tools take too long to use, if it were as slick as iTunes, I might switch, but then I like the to being able to use iTunes for playback on a PC as well. Robin Bowes;168860 Wrote: 2. FLAC itakes up less space than AIFF, That is a good reason, but so does Apple Lossless and with disk space so cheap, it's probably the tagging aspect that is more relevant. Robin Bowes;168860 Wrote: Nope. The microwave/phone/xmas tree will still affect the signal. R. Is that another Apple convergence device? It cooks your brain and pokes tinsel in your eyes at the same time when you are calling home at Christmas? :-) -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: AppleTV
Robin Bowes;168892 Wrote: Audio quality should be identical, given that all file formats under discussion here are lossless. R. Exaxctly. They are audio file formats and the only way to judge superiority is on their performance in that role. Judgement based on Open Source vs Proprietary is irrelevant in deciding the superior format, it's just a personal view of philisophical approach to the formats. I like Open Source because of the community aspects and I also like proprietary because it is designed for one product - the one I own. But they are my personal reasons and not due to measurable technical superiority. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: AppleTV
Robin Bowes;168923 Wrote: You seem to have unilaterally decided to define superior as technically superior. R. Perhaps I did, but it's the most meaningful way to compare audio formats within the context of the original discussion which was about FLAC being genuinely lossless. Anyway, the orginal discussion was also based on a misunderstanding, so let's let it rest eh? -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] AppleTV
So what do we think? http://www.apple.com/appletv/ At £199 (in the UK) it's very good value with a 40G drive thrown in. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: AppleTV
Matt B;168668 Wrote: and the iPhone looks neat. I wonder how the handheld or nokia skins would work well on it? They should work well - it's a full Web 2.0 browser. Mind you $499 plus 2 year contract to Cingular for a remote is a bit steep! (yes I know it does a lot more than that for the money) The Nokia 800 still looks the better bet. My main gripe with it is the need for a new HD TV, I wish it had RGB so you could attach a cheap monitor. It does have optical out, so use of an external DAC is on the cards, and it suppports Apple Lossless, so I'll be keen to read some reviews of the audio side. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31480 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: poor sound quality, advice please!
caroline nixon;168693 Wrote: can anyone explain what one of these is, and how it would help ?! I would back off buying any new gear until you track down the source of the sibilance (the sound) - it's usually down to a peak in response around 5-10KHz. One thing you could try is replaying music using another lossless format, like FLAC, WAV or Apple Lossless to double check that it isn't the WMA encoding/decoding? It shouldn't make a difference, but you never know and it costs nothing to try! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31477 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Personal Introductions: Please Make This a Sticky!
highdudgeon;158363 Wrote: 1. You post about your music experience, your audio experience, what drives you in this hobby, what brings you to Slim Devices, etc. I'm not aaudio engineer or anything like that, although I have a degree in Applied Physics and have studied acoustics and solid state physics. My first job was actually in electronics, but now I'm a CTO of a new company developing consumer products (not competing with Slim by the way!) I know a fair bit about embedded software, 3D and multimedia as well as Internet site development. I also used to do robotics and games. I was into music from my teens and have a pretty decent collection of singles and LPs from the 70's to show for it (Sex Pistols on EMI, early Stiff and of course the obligitory Iggy and New York Dolls LPs.) I also used to be a bit of a plank spanker, although I stupidly sold my Strat in the 70's to buy a HiFi - sorry to all your audiophiles out there, but it was a bad swap. I picked up guitar again about five years ago and now have a couple of electrics (Suhr, Gibson) and an acoustic. I got a SB2 after a recommendation and getting fed up with all those CD cases lying around the place. I don't see that mentioned often on these forums, the sound is great, but it also clears up a whole load of mess from the listening area. highdudgeon;158363 Wrote: 2. You post about your current, past, and future (hopefully!) rigs. Discuss your room, speaker placement, cables, whatever. My gear reflects a fairly simple approach to HiFi, no fancy cable, classic looks and a neutral performance. I have a Pink Triangle turntable which I bought new in 1978, Copland CD and hybrid Amp and currently running some old Rega speakers - they're next for an upgrade, hopefully to some Anthony Gallo's. Prior to that I had Naim Nait 2 (actually I still have it) and a Transcriptors deck, looked wonderful, but the PT was so much better sounding. highdudgeon;158363 Wrote: 3. Say something about your audio philosophy. For example, do you believe in blind testing or not? Why? Never bothered with blind testing for my own choices - if it sounds good to me, that's all I care about. I like to compare gear with my own fave test CDs, currently they are Vaughan Browsers - Family Style, Persuasions - Man, oh Man, Yello - Stella and Eric Bibb - Spirit and the Blues. I've just added a new one to the list Rodrigo y Gabriella, some Mexican thrash metal flamenco. Where I do believe blind testing has a place is proper reviewing, as do measurements as they usually provide evidence for what is heard. My reason is simply that those people have the power to influence people's purchases and therefore should accept the responsibility to carry out thorough evaluation of technology. My view on modders is that they definitely have a place, although some of the pseudo science seriously detracts from the credibility of the scene and I personally have some qualms about after market changes affecting long term safety of products (I would doubt that many of the small concerns have got the means or facilities to do long terms soak testing or critical electrical safety testing). For your own home, just buy what you like. highdudgeon;158363I Wrote: 4. Say something about what brings you to the forum and what you hope to get out of it. I came here to learn about the SB from real users before buying it, now I stay here because I enjoy chewing the fat with interesting people. I'd love a transporter, I don't care much for the looks, but it is the best component out there for networked music playback. If only it had a better remote! -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=30141 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: TP changes with break in
chinablues;157143 Wrote: Surface corrosion of copper cables would effectively make the cable slightly thinner...with the current now flowing in this thinner cable. This would make little difference until the cable got exceedingly thin. That's not exactly my point - if the surface is corroded, then the higher frequencies will tend to travel through corroded or oxidised metal. I once worked for an inspection company that measured surface cracks in metal using AC current and measuring voltage drops. It isn't a timing issue, but one of current travelling through a higher resistance surface to the orginal clean surface. And the frequencies don't need to be that high. Whether you can hear it is debatable, but it can be a genuine effect on cable conductivity. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29025 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Audiophilia as a religion?
highdudgeon;157140 Wrote: To my English friends out there: I am kidding. Actually, it's an odd fact that some 4,000 words in our two versions of the language have taken on different meanings, or no longer even exist in one of the versions, and this is to say nothing of the spelling differences. Strangely enough, or perhaps not, scholars seem to agree to British English is more and more influenced by the American version rather than the other way around. I suppose that has something to do with our almighty empire. Actually I believe that American English is more reflective of the state of the English language at the time when the founding fathers came across. Words like skedaddle and fall were in common use in the UK with the same meaning as in the US now and it was mainly the Victorians who gave us modern UK English. If you watch TV in the UK right now, English is more influenced by Estruary English and the Chav culture than American English. I haven't heard the phrase Look at the 20 inchers on me Nova, it's well phat innit! on any US rap video lately, but you hear something similar everytime you walk the streets. A lot of the speach is also derived from Jamaican patois too, with a few bits of rap terminology thrown in. It's hard to find anyone who speaks the Queen's English in most town centres. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29972 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Audiophilia as a religion?
tomsi42;157223 Wrote: English has been under the influence of many languages from before it was even English! Even us vikings have done our part! I guess that makes it more difficult to express us in English at times, because it sounds right to us, but it actually isn't... That's because we got invaded so many times and each invader left their own bit of language behind. Most of our justice system is French language, there's a lot of Viking words in the North, especially place names and of course many Roman words and places too all over the country. Many village names show the rich heritage of invaders. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29972 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: TP changes with break in
opaqueice;156682 Wrote: And don't forget we're talking about, say, a 10-gauge speaker wire carrying a current of around an amp. Not exactly a major stress. I don't think we're talking about cables wearing out as such, but there is degradation due to corrosion and UV light on insulators for example. The question is, is this a positive or negative effect? If you are carrying AC power to a motor, it really doesn't matter if there's a tiny bit more resistance, but since AC at higher frequencies travels on the surface of cables, a corroding surface may well make things worse for audio - or just different. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29025 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Audiophilia as a religion?
I think some of the debates get very close in nature to some of the creationism discussions - since there are gaps in the fossil records, evolution is flawed, goes the argument, a kind of reverse proof based on destroying alternative rather than providing evidence. Or in audio terms, since there are things that it doesn't seem possible to measure yet, engineering theory is flawed and you should just use your ears. Everyone will have their own point of view on whether someone selling a product should prove the effectiveness of that product, but my view is that we tend to get more or less bothered by the lack of evidence according to our own backgrounds, such as whether we are engineers or studied science at college or come from an arts or creative background (why you can't be good at both I don't know, Leonardo DaVinci seemed to have a grasp on scienec and art) Myself, I get irritated by products like Bybees and expensive cables because as someone with a physics background, the poor science is almost an insult to people who have studied hard and made genuine discoveries. When someone then compounds it by saying but engineering just isn't good enough yet to measure how they work, my feeling is that it may well be true that accuracy may not be there or the test hasn't been devised yet, but that doesn't excuse not trying if you are in a position to do so. I do wish I'd been able to use that line during my finals though, it would have saved me a ton of work. At the same time, I buy gear based on listening to it to see if it excites me and pay scant attention to data sheets. Contrary I know, but I do assume whoever built it engineered it correctly and it's good if it is based on solid science because it means it that I have some respect for the company and they aren't insulting my intelligence either. The first sign of psuedo science and my money goes elsewhere. At the end of the day, you are free to spend your money how you like, but if you buy a product that is in any way out there and talk about it on a forum, it seems you will invariably set off a stream of counter views that generally start off by taking what what was previously said to the extreme to make it seem idiotic rather than providing a point by point considered response. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29972 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Does your Transporter love acoustic guitar?
Mark Lanctot;155774 Wrote: For some reason my Transporter really plays acoustic guitar songs well.As I remember, a lot of acoustic guitar is in the midrange, so the Transporter must particularly excel at that. If you love acoustic guitar, try some Antonio Forcione, Tommy Emmanuel, Clive Carroll, Michael Hedges or Eric Roche - I particularly like Eric Roche's version of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground. Sadly he died recently, but his work is outstanding, as are the others. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29827 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Does your Transporter love acoustic guitar?
PhilNYC;155912 Wrote: I've been listening to Tommy Emmanuel's Endless Road CD (uh...ripped CD... :-)) a lot recently. Really tremendous stuff, and quite amazing what a guy can do with a solo acoustic guitar...and the percussive stuff he does with the guitar body on the last track on the disc is really fun! I've seen Tommy Emmanuel live a number of times in the UK - he's a superb entertainer too, not at all serious and stunning live. He has a really whacked out transducer set-up in his guitars so he can do the percussive stuff - the highpoint is his tribute to Aboriginal music called Initiation. You either love it or hate it, a Marmite song if you know what I mean. Thoroughly recommended for a good night out. Also, search YouTube for some videos of the man, he really is *that* good. Having said that, his older stuff with electric guitar does nothing for me... -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29827 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: A photo of your Squeezebox setup (please)
A poll associated with this post was created, to vote and see the results, please visit http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=19817 Question: Should there be a new forum for photos? - yes - no - maybe ModelCitizen;155430 Wrote: As I've just taken a photo for another thread I thought I'd upload it here. Here's my system... complete with racing playlist. Not SB3 strictly, but a Transporter. All Naim, PC OB1s and a Transporter. MC Damn you, I'm really jealous now...that's a fine layout. I still have my racing minis in the loft that I got for my 21st birthday, I must dig them out this weekend. I used to have a nice set when I was a kid too, but it suffered from additional realism, like 3-in-one oil for oil patches and meths for the occasional fire :-) I can't imagine my kids getting up to the kind of stupid stuff I did when I was their age, it's too scary! I'm a fan of Naim gear too, although I'm currently all Copland for the main setup. I still have a Nait 2 that I use in the kitchen coupled up to some Linn ceiling speakers, a fine old amp that can still hold its own. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=19817 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Transporter review
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/08/slim-devices-transporter-reviewed/ Unfortunately engadget are now compounding the mediocre review, whether this results in lost sales is very debatable, but can't be good for the future of the Transporter. Lose the displays, handles and buttons, put in a cheaper alphanumeric display, apply heavy damping, drop the price and I suspect the reviews will be kinder. You *are* paying a lot for things that don't improve the sound IMHO. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29450 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Re: Transporter review
ezkcdude;153415 Wrote: They're just quoting the other review. Exactly, and engadget is one of the most highly read tech sites out there. They have a fair amount of influence, perhaps not with audiophiles, but pretty soon it can become common knowledge that a product is mediocre unless some good reviews come along. -- CardinalFang CardinalFang's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=962 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=29450 ___ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
