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[jakepunk]

I upgraded to Slimserver 6.2.0 today.  The 6.2.0 bundle contains a firmware upgrade that is automatically installed when the player reconnects.  You have to press a key on the remote to accept the firmware upgrade.  I usually don't like to upgrade things if they already work, but 6.2.0 fixes an annoying usability bug with the Safari browser on Mac.  

There are some new features, and the most notable is a more linear volume control.  Whereas before I would listen to music between 1 and 20, it is now approximately 1 through 30, meaning there is more granularity (especially at lower volumes).  There is also a new Christmas screensaver entitled "snow".

My music database had to be rebuilt, but all in all, the process was smooth and everything worked.  I was very impressed when the new slimserver.pl script couldn't find some newly required libraries and told me to run an included script that automatically downloaded and installed them!  Very slick.

[Paul_Bui]

Yep, I did the firmware upgrade and liked the changes, too.

[Music Machine]

The change to the volume control is something I can make good use of.  I try to avoid being an early adopter of software/firmware changes due to the one step forward two steps back that is so common.

Like this potential step back:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?s=e138cfb6c69f92282b4660174a0e203c&t=17269

As that thread progresses It seems more likely that quality may be impacted.
Evidence may only be anecdotal at this point, so wanted to ask here if anyone using the volume control feature has noticed a change to sound quality.

Regards,
Music Machine

[jkelly]

I think there might be something to that - I installed 6.2 and felt that the sound was thinner and less dimensional.  I have installed 6.11 back in and feel better about the sound.  I am keeping 6.11 installed.

Jeff

[jakepunk]

Just for kicks, I followed the instructions on the thread that Music Machine posted and compared firmware 15 with firmware 26.  The previous firmware sounds much better!  What I ended up with was slimserver 6.2.0 running with the previous firmware version 15.  Now I get my bugs fixed and keep the good sound.  Thanks for the link.

[Paul_Bui]

Jakepunk,

Could you share the tips how to do it?  Thanks.

[jholtz]

I also upgraded to 6.2 and the the firmware update. I also thought I  noticed a difference but my auditory memory wasn't that good since I didn't do a back to back comparison. I use the SB2 with a fixed volume level. Is the sound quality difference affecting fixed volume users as well as those using the digital volume?

Thanks!

Jim

The change to the volume control is something I can make good use of.  I try to avoid being an early adopter of software/firmware changes due to the one step forward two steps back that is so common.

Like this potential step back:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?s=e138cfb6c69f92282b4660174a0e203c&t=17269

As that thread progresses It seems more likely that quality may be impacted.
Evidence may only be anecdotal at this point, so wanted to ask here if anyone using the volume control feature has noticed a change to sound quality.

Regards,
Music Machine

[Val]

Jakepunk,

Could you share the tips how to do it?  Thanks.

Bump. This is a life-or-death issue for us audiophiles.

[jakepunk]

You need to fake out slimserver 6.2.0 by copying the previous firmware into its directory and telling it that the firmware version is 15 instead of 26.  I run FreeBSD with a Squeezebox2.  YMMV.

0. assume your slimserver 6.1.1 directory is /usr/local/slimserver
1. stop slimserver 6.1.1
2. rename the slimserver directory to slimserver.6.1.1
3. install slimserver 6.2.0 to /usr/local/slimserver
4. copy slimserver.6.1.1/Firmware/squeezebox2_15.bin to slimserver/Firmware/
5. cd slimserver/Firmware/
6. copy squeezebox2.version to squeezebox2.version.26
7. edit squeezebox2.version and replace all instances of 26 with 15
8. start slimserver 6.2.0 and verify via the web interface "player settings" link that the squeezebox is running firmware version 15


I think the auditory difference is independent of volume.  The bass sounded buzzy and unfocused with firmware 26.

[JohnnyLightOn]

Excellent info, jakepunk!

[jholtz]

I followed your instructions and actually upgraded to 6.2.1 in the process and then rolled back the firmware to 15 as you indicated. The darn thing does sound better. My CPU utilization is still high at around 16% - 21% which is a bit much for a 3000 Athlon 64, IMHO. It's not a big deal though and the SB2 sounds awesome.

Thank you for your help!

Best regards,

Jim

You need to fake out slimserver 6.2.0 by copying the previous firmware into its directory and telling it that the firmware version is 15 instead of 26.  I run FreeBSD with a Squeezebox2.  YMMV.

0. assume your slimserver 6.1.1 directory is /usr/local/slimserver
1. stop slimserver 6.1.1
2. rename the slimserver directory to slimserver.6.1.1
3. install slimserver 6.2.0 to /usr/local/slimserver
4. copy slimserver.6.1.1/Firmware/squeezebox2_15.bin to slimserver/Firmware/
5. cd slimserver/Firmware/
6. c ...

[Paul_Bui]

Neat tricks!  Thanks so much jakepunk for sharing with us your valuable information.

[mgalusha]

If you are running Slimserver on Windows and you upgraded over the 6.1.1 changing the firmware version is as easy as editing the squeezebox2.version file. Make a backup copy first! Just in case something goes wrong...

The default install on Windows puts this file in:

c:\Program Files\Slimserver\server\firmware

As Jakepunk stated, just change all instaces of 26 to 15. Of note, this file has a UNIX format and will look odd if opened in Windows Notepad.

To make life easier, I have posted it at: http://home.comcast.net/~mikegalusha/squeezebox2/squeezebox2.version.15

To use it, make a copy of your original as squeezebox2.version.26 and save the new version as squeezebox2.version

This assumes you did an upgrade and your firmware directory contians the squeezebox2_15.bin file. If not, you can download the 6.1.1 software from slimdevices and extract it.

I had to power cycle my SB2 to have it notice and download the new (old) firmware.

Hope this helps.

mike

[Tweaker]

I too have rolled back the firmware and have to agree that it is better sounding, a little less digital, perhaps. Good job!

[Tweaker]

The latest nightly pre-release has solved the problem with the poorer sound quality that many of us heard when upgrading to the the 6.2 firmware. Here's the link:
http://www.slimdevices.com/dev_nightly.html
(Make sure you download the pre-release).
  I disabled the digital volume control in the Slimserver player settings page which made it all a moot point. It resulted in a noticeable improvement in sound quality, so I would recommend anyone using a Squeezebox with a preamp or receiver to do the same. No need for two volume controls.

[Val]

I disabled the digital volume control in the Slimserver player settings page which made it all a moot point. It resulted in a noticeable improvement in sound quality, so I would recommend anyone using a Squeezebox with a preamp or receiver to do the same. No need for two volume controls.

I am glad the volume control problem has been solved and I also agree the issue is moot when using a preamp or a DAC, but with a fully Bolder-modded SB2 + Sonicap Platinum bypass caps + Deluxe PS, I'm trying to minimize the number of components and cabling and, if I can keep the volume control high enough, take advantage of the SB2 24-bit conversion too.

[BRN]

I'm waiting for my SB2 and did not download the 6.1.1 version. I looked on Slim Devices webpage but did not see it. Does anyone have the link or is the new version of slimserver that Tweaker posted make the above changes unnecessary?

[Tweaker]

Here is a link to the Slimdevices forum thread about the new nightly solving the problem with the new volume curve causing poorer sound quality.  
 http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=18439&page=4

Scroll down to the Andrew Weekes post "back again...".
I think you can feel confidant that the new nightly I linked to will cure the problem. However, just in case you don't feel comfortable trying it here is a link to 6.1.1

 http://www.slimdevices.com/downloads/

[agentsmith]

OK this is a really freaky problem.  After 6.2.X, I encountered very nasty distortion only on one particular album (Bach/Zimmerman Solo Cello ECM).

The distortion is extremely nasty, I had to run to switch my amp off, I thought my amp was blown out/

Strange thing is this:

1. Only on this album
2. Only on FLAC (convert back to WAV OK)
3. Only on SB2 (PC play OK)
4. Only with 6.2.X and 6.5 (6.1.1 OK)
5. When happened the volume level seemed to have shot up

This is a freaky problem as it does not make any sense.  Has anyone heard of this problem?  I have subimt my bug report (link below)

http://bugs.slimdevices.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2651