[RogueM3]

I'm on the cusp of purchasing an SB3, and I have some questions on the digital out mod. I will be hooking it up to a Theta Casablanca III w/Xtreme DACs, and in the past, I tried the Roku and didn't like the sound. It simply paled in comparison to an old Audio Alchemy DDS Pro transport hooked up via AES/EBU. I've found that the balanced connection to produce the best sound compared to RCA/coax, with the worst sounding connection of them all, Toslink.

Is there a way to modify the SB3 for AES/EBU digital output? How much difference does the coax digital only mod make--anyone has any experience they can share?

[Wayne1]

The SB3 is not designed to be used with a balanced output. Not to mention there is no place to mount the connector on the unit.

The one time I tried a digital transformer on the digital output it resulted in some harshness from RFI pickup. I have just finished 2 digital only mods of the SB3. One is on it's way back to it's owner now. It will be a few weeks before any kind of conclusive results can be obtained.

Scott Faller has a stock SB3 and a few modded SB2s. He is using digital out into a couple of different DACs. He plans to write up his observations on Enjoy the Music.

The Gateway Audio Society is getting together at his place this weekend. They may post some thoughts on what they hear in their Circle.

[Scott F.]

Scott Faller has a stock SB3 and a few modded SB2s. He is using digital out into a couple of different DACs. He plans to write up his observations on Enjoy the Music.

The Gateway Audio Society is getting together at his place this weekend. They may post some thoughts on what they hear in their Circle.

Hiya Wayne, RogueM3,

Tomorrow I plan on taking all the the SB's and connecting them to my NEC AVX 910 remote switching unit. We'll sync all the units and do a progressive listening from the Stock SB3 to your standard mods to your Uber modded unit. Along the way we will listen to the stock power supplies, a cheap replacement, and your two levels of custom power supplies. Then we'll get into the digital mods, stock, yada yada.

Mike D is supposed to be bringing his Wadia, I've got my Njoe Tjoeb plus we have DACs on hand that range from average to way too damned expensive (think used car price range). I'm really curious how your units compare to the Wadia.

This should be really interesting. I've listened to all of them but not side by side. There's going to be lots of good music coming out of my listening room tomorrow  

Over the next few weeks I'm going to be doing the same tests except without the influence of alchohol    I'll write about it in the coming months at ETM (not sure I can make this months editorial cutoff).

Should be loads of fun

[RogueM3]

The SB3 is not designed to be used with a balanced output. Not to mention there is no place to mount the connector on the unit.

Actually, I was thinking a "pigtail" of sorts. In any case, is the new RCA connector that you use in the mod a 75-ohm connector?

I suppose I could hook the coax output out to a Perpetual Technologies upsampler, then output via AES/EBU. Although I have found the Perpetual unit to actually impart a signature of it's own.

I'm really hoping that a modded SB3 will finally be the solution for me. I've been meticulously ripping my library, and rewriting them onto expensive gold CD-R's to get better sound! I know--into the realm of "he's nuts," but I can't help it...  

BTW, it was the owner of Theta Digital that turned me onto the Squeezebox after I told him about my Roku experience earlier this year. Not sure he was aware of the availability of third-party tweaks.

[RogueM3]

..loads of fun.

I'll be waiting anxiously to read some of your impressions!

[CornellAlum]

I finally have mine up and running, and my intial impressions are very favorable.  I am letting it break in for about 100 hours, so 80 to go before I post a review of sorts.

D~

[Wayne1]

Congratulations Daryan!!

I know you had some trouble getting it up and running.

Perhaps you can post in the Square Circle in Mark's confesion's of a sn noob what you had to do.

The connector on the digital output is actually zero impedance. If you take a close look at how impedance is measured, you will find it is the diameter of the middle conductor against the diameter of the outer conducter. the WBT has no outer conductoer that completely encircles it. It is meant to be used with the WBT nextGen male or Eichmann Bullet plug. Then the only impedance is that of the cable itself.

The biggest and best thing you can do with a stock or a modded player is to try an aftermarket linear power supply.