[PSB Guy]

Cornelis, looking at your systems page I see you have S/PDIF outputs. Those are a custom option for connecting to your AVA DAC?

Yes. My Vision EC DAC only has coax and TOSLINK, no USB. I'm sure Jim can provide more details.

Cornelis

Edit: I see by Austin's post that S/PDIF outputs may be the normal configuration.

[jsalk]

Well, S/PDIF is not a standard configuration - USB is.  It requires a slightly different motherboard.  But that is really not an issue as long as we know ahead of time that one is needed.

Austin08 is correct, only one of them can be used at a time.  If you have S/PDIF, there would be a menu item on our web interface to enable/disable S/PDIF and you would have to run it each time you switched from one to the other.

- Jim

[Austin08]

Ok, I misunderstand. When I took a look at the back of my SSP2, i saw an optical slot and though it was already configured. It is my bad, So spdif is an option not standard i like say earlier.

[SeaNile]

Can't wait to get my StreamPlayer and begin to rip all my CD's and listen via iPad.  I'm so used to walking across the room and trying to find that one CD for that one song.  Those days are gone! 

[srb]

Can't wait to get my StreamPlayer and begin to rip all my CD's and listen via iPad.  I'm so used to walking across the room and trying to find that one CD for that one song.  Those days are gone!

Welcome to the Light Side!

Steve

[Frans]

I use a 10" tablet so I don't have to wear my glasses..... You'll love having all your digital music at your fingertips!

Fellow Talk Talk fan here!

[PSB Guy]

Can't wait to get my StreamPlayer and begin to rip all my CD's and listen via iPad.  I'm so used to walking across the room and trying to find that one CD for that one song.  Those days are gone!

I was already a fan of having all my music at my fingertips with my previous set up of the Airport Express. Now I have the same convenience plus the MUCH better sound quality of the Salkstreamer. Winning, as Mr.Sheen would say.

Cornelis

[jsalk]

Ok, I misunderstand. When I took a look at the back of my SSP2, i saw an optical slot and though it was already configured. It is my bad, So spdif is an option not standard i like say earlier.

Actually, I purchased a number of similar boards for a batch of StreamPlayers I was building where one customer required S/PDIF.  So, yes, your unit does have S/PDIF output and it can be enabled/disabled in the web interface.  But the "standard" Gen II unit does not have S/PDIF capability unless it is specifically requested.

- Jim

[SCompRacer]

Good to meet another Talk Talk fan Frans!

Fellow Talk Talk fan here!

[Q3Di]

Jim,
Can it be upgraded with the SOtM USB audio card? Is there an option for I2S output that is compatible with the new PS Audio DirectStream DAC?

[jsalk]

Jim,
Can it be upgraded with the SOtM USB audio card? Is there an option for I2S output that is compatible with the new PS Audio DirectStream DAC?

There is a possibility it can be equipped with the SOtM card.  But I would have to determine if the card would fit in the case or not.

As for the I2S, I would have to do some research.  I have seen these on some DACs, but the connections on the DACs I have seen are proprietary.  So I would have to do some investigation.

- Jim

[Q3Di]

Can't wait to get my StreamPlayer and begin to rip all my CD's and listen via iPad.  I'm so used to walking across the room and trying to find that one CD for that one song.  Those days are gone!

Those days are gone!!! Rip all CD and store them in the basement along with the VCR. It makes my life much easier. All I have to do is to ask my children to borrow their iPad for controlling music.

[SCompRacer]

I’m no digital expert but did learn a lot building my Twisted Pear Buffalo III dual mono DAC. SPDIF has clock combined with data which the DAC must sort out. I2S has clock separate of data. I2S is a serial bus interface designed for short runs like inside a CD player. Which is better? Not a simple answer. It can depend on implementation and even the DAC chip used. ESS Sabre chips do not rely entirely on the embedded clock signal in an SPDIF signal and does a great job with SPDIF. (Check their white paper for details). Other DAC chips respond significantly better with I2S versus SPDIF.

There are no long distance run I2S standards that I am aware of. Using three feet of wire or more can add latency and affect the clock signal resulting in poor sound. If the DAC re-clocks the long I2S run you avoid the long run issue. Is there isolation between devices via chip or transformer? Isolation without re-clocking adds latency. (You can already buy SPDIF adapters that provide isolation and re-clock).  No isolation results in a direct ground connection between devices. Sometimes connecting devices via ground can be an issue by adding noise.

I modded a Denon 3910 for I2S out using a Neutrik D panel Ethernet connector. I used a three foot long ethernet patch cord to connect to the DAC. Results were less than stellar. The Denon player has low output compared to other players (1.5v versus 2.0v) which may have been a factor.  Twisted Pear designed some Teleporter modules that use LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling). The one in the Denon set to transmit, the one in DAC set to receive. Now I can have up to a 100 foot long etherent cable run without issues. Great sound out of the Denon via I2S now.

Well implemented are the key words. That is well implemented I2S can sound better than poorly implemented SPDIF and vice versa.

[Ern Dog]

I've had my Salk Streamer for over a year now and just recently tried adding a nice external power supply instead of the stock wall wart.  I chose Teddy Pardo's 19V, 2 amp: http://www.teddypardo.com/powersupplies/generic/teddy12-2.html.  I've had the unit on 24/7 for 8 days and wanted to share some of my impressions. 

In a nutshell, there is more foundation to the music- everything has more weight to it.  There is more extension on the highs and lows.  I love bass!  Now it has more growl and goes deeper.  Not flabby bass, but clean and tight.  I also notice more resolution.  The micro details are more fleshed out.  Lastly it has more sense of space and 3D.  All of this together, just makes the music sound more realistic and engaging.  Teddy's power supply squeezes out more performance from the Salk Streamer and in my opinion it's totally worth the $400.

Next up for future experiments will be to try adding one of Steve Nugent's Off Ramp USB converts to reduce jitter.  I used an Off Ramp 4 previously when I was using my Macbook Pro as a source and it made a nice improvement, but I had to sell it to help pay for the Salk Streamer.  Has anybody tried a USB converter with their Salk Streamer?

Cheers,
Ernie

[Austin08]

Ernie,

It is good to know that the Teddy Pardo power supply is working out great for you. I may follow your path. So is it a custom one 19v-2A? The link you provide is only show 12V-2A.

Austin

[Ern Dog]

Well, it's 19V for streamers with the on board 1 TB hard drive and it's less for the versions without the hard drive. 

Yes, it's a custom one, but it's the same price as the one I linked.  Teddy told me to order the 12v-2a and to let him know I need it 19V.  It arrived from Israel fairly fast.

[Paret]

Happy to report that I now have my Salk Gen II streamer w/ 2TB up and running.

Glad to add that dbPoweramp now has a Mac Beta that works look a charm.

I have been ripping albums for hours today while I listen to the awesome sound the unit produces.

USB connected to my PS Audio PerfectWave DAC into my Van Alstine Transcendence 8 pre to my Van Alstine Synergy 450.

Using my iPad and the Mpad remote.  Fantastic!

 

BTW Jim has been extremely helpful answering all my questions.

Luis D. Paret
Keller, TX

[PSB Guy]

Still loving my Gen II Salkstreamer, once it's set up it's simple to use and works without a hiccup. Mine has been up since I got it, never had a crash or any other issue, for that matter. I have made a habit of doing a reboot once a day, but not because it's needed, just out of my own OCD. I hope Jim continues to offer it (or something like it) for a long time. I noticed that the Salkstreamer web page still hasn't been updated, hopefully he's just too busy...

Cornelis

[Ern Dog]

Glad to add that dbPoweramp now has a Mac Beta that works look a charm.

I'm still using XLD for ripping and taking advantage of the up conversion feature, so now my cd rips are 24 bit/ 88.2 hz.  It sounds like there is a subtle improvement in sound quality over the standard 16/44.1.

I'll have to try the dbpoweramp beta and compare it to XLD rips.  Everything matters.