[ecruz]

I received my new Touch yesterday.  I hooked it up and let it run overnight and all day today.  I was hoping that the sound would be close to my Bolder Modded SB3 (digital mods, Bybee filter and Bolder power supply).  If the Touch sounded ok, I would sell the SB3 and keep the unmodded Touch for a while, until I can afford the mods for it too.  Well, even with the Bolder power supply, the unmodded Touch isn't even close to the SB3!!  It's sluggish, harsh, etc.  My wife wants me to keep the Touch, she likes how it looks, but I'm not sure I can live with the sound.

I'm looking for comments from anyone who has gone from a modded SB3 to a modded Touch.  As they sit, it's no contest at all.  If I end up with keeping the Touch and eventually getting the digital mods, is it going to be that much better than the SB3?  Basically what I'm asking is, is it going to be worth it?

Thanks

[brj]

Wayne's answer to your question:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=100386.msg1012991#msg1012991

[ecruz]

Thanks for the response!

Yes, I had seen that thread.  I understand that the Touch can sound better and that it can sound better, for less money.  BUT, I already own the modded SB3.  So starting from where I am currently at, the Touch is going to take a bit of an investment. 

I guess I'm looking for responses from someone who's been in this situation and can tell me, how much better is the Touch going to be?  The SB3 is pretty darn good.  And it's paid for!  Is a $500 plus investment in the Touch & mod, going to be that much better?

[ecruz]

Just for reference:

SB3 w/digital mods, Bybee filter and Bolder power supply->
Bel Canto DAC 3->
Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3 integrated amp->
Gallo Reference 3.1's

[Wayne1]

I can't really tell you how you may feel about it, but I have $1300.00 worth of Statement level modded SB3 sitting, unused, on a shelf while the $600.00 worth of modded Touch is used constantly.

Others have commented on that thread how they prefer the modded Touch. There are other things you can try for no cost, such as the Soundcheck software mods. I think everyone who has tried them says they make quite a difference.

I can go into some technobabble about the lower noise level from the LCD screen vs the SB3 screen and various power supply routing, but all that matters is how it sounds to you.

Make sure you are updated to the latest server software. Try the Soundcheck mods. While there is no room to fit a Bybee Purifier inside the Touch, there are other ways to get one in your digital signal path. I can build one into a digital cable. I can make an adaptor with one inside. I might even be able to install one in your DAC, if you are willing to have the warranty voided.

At the end, all I can say is the modded Touch, with a Bybee Music Rail in my Ultimate PS playing into my modded EE MiniMax DAC is the best sound I have ever had in my system. This is even more apparent with the Daedalus Athena speakers that now serve as my reference monitors.

[KJ]

I guess I'm looking for responses from someone who's been in this situation and can tell me, how much better is the Touch going to be?  The SB3 is pretty darn good.  And it's paid for!  Is a $500 plus investment in the Touch & mod, going to be that much better?

I'm your huckleberry.  I can't say I was in your exact situation per se, but somewhat similar.

I have been fortunate to have Wayne mod a SB3 to the fullest extent followed a couple years later with him doing the same to a Touch.  Both instances entailed ripping the guts out of each and stuffing it into it's own enclosure so room was available to mod almost every facet of the product.  The SB3 mods were built up gradually over time, whereas the Touch was implemented with all the fixins immediately.

That said, a fully modded Bolder Touch w/ the Touch Toolbox 3.0 is a significant improvement over a fully modded SB3 hands down (IMO).  I don't think a stock Touch will compete with a modded SB3 until you throw some decent mods at it.  I will point out that I spent a lot of time minimizing the weaknesses in my system prior to undertaking the SB3 to Touch change (full acoustical room measurement and treatments, new speaks, amps, etc).  Ie, "minor" changes now have a fairly significant impact to the sound in my system.

Ultimately, it was well worth the change for me.  I think you'd be very happy with the overall results in the end.

[JLM]

Why not sell the SB3 to fund the mods to the Touch?

[lag0a]

What is the lowest latency setting for the SB Touch before you hear pops/clicks?

Also does anyone know why the source latency is in "ms," for example, usually sound cards talk about asio latency as low as 1 ms while the reclocker in your DAC is in "ps" so how much better would it sound if the source can send the data in "ps?"

Has anyone tried sending data from the source faster than the DAC's reclocker can reclock it?