SB3 Break In Period ?

oris98 · « **on:** 12 Dec 2005, 05:14 pm »

Hi all,

I got my Digital mod with battery option (no analog output mod) yesterday from Vinnie. I am wondering how long does it take for the unit to fully break in for best sound qty ?

I have it setup in 30 minutes and it sounded ok in comparing my Cal lab Icon MKII transport. It should do much better than that ! I hope..

Thanks in advance..

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Dec 2005, 06:54 pm »

Quote from: oris98

Hi all,

I got my Digital mod with battery option (no analog output mod) yesterday from Vinnie. I am wondering how long does it take for the unit to fully break in for best sound qty ?

I have it setup in 30 minutes and it sounded ok in comparing my Cal lab Icon MKII transport. It should do much better than that ! I hope..

Thanks in advance..

Hi Oris98,

Thanks for posting.

I recommend you give it at least 100 hours of total use before doing any critical listening. Then you should hear what the buzz has been about. Zybar had his SB2 modded the same was as your SB3 (with WBT digital output jack):
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=21078

Also, make sure you set the digital output to "fixed" in the Slim Server setup. Make sure dynanic compression options are turned off as well.

Regards,

oris98 · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Dec 2005, 05:07 am »

Thanks Winnie.

In fact, after 48 hrs of non stop playing, I noticed that the sound has surpassed my CAL LAB ICON MKII in battery mode. It is quieter and blacker in the background. I thought I had a pretty good noise control with my PS Audio PP600. With the batter DC mode, it goes couple steps further. Musicall instrutments are further separated with more air in between and the edges are smoother without lossing details. The problem of my system was lacking the mid bass. With this modded Digital SB3, the weight is improving. I cannot imagin how far it can go when it hit 100 hrs..

jp1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Dec 2005, 04:49 am »

the sb3 remote still can move the sb3 volume up and down even when i switched the setting in slimserver to locked volume output. is that correct?

oris98 · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Dec 2005, 07:02 am »

Ever since I locked the volume, I cannot no longer be able to use volumen up down button from the remote control. Volume now is only controlled by the preamp.

JLM · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Jan 2006, 12:34 am »

A quick A/B between my well seasoned Sony S7700/Ack dAck! v.2 and wireless Red Wine Audio modded Squeeze Box 3, that has maybe 30 hours on it, revealed very little difference to me. Note that an instant A/B isn't possible as the Ack dAck! has the high output option. Note too that I'm only getting about 40% signal strength, so an external antenna is in order.

Once the SB3 is broken in, antenna is added, and I have battery power to it (like the Ack dAck!) a more involved comparison will be done. Based on what I'm hearing I expect there will be a new champ in the house (and the S7700/Ack dAck! will go on the used market).

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Jan 2006, 03:44 am »

Quote from: JLM

A quick A/B between my well seasoned Sony S7700/Ack dAck! v.2 and wireless Red Wine Audio modded Squeeze Box 3, that has maybe 30 hours on it, revealed very little difference to me. Note that an instant A/B isn't possible as the Ack dAck! has the high output option. Note too that I'm only getting about 40% signal strength, so an external antenna is in order.

Once the SB3 is broken in, antenna is added, and I have battery power to it (like the Ack dAck!) a more involved comparison will be done. Based ...

Hi JLM,

Glad to hear that you are up and running with your SB3. It will only get better with lots of break-in on the Auricaps and Black Gates...

Paul_Bui...thanks for taking the time out to help JLM. This is much appreciated and is what makes AC such a great place.....helping each other, sharing ideas and experiences....

Happy New Year to you guys!

JLM · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Jan 2006, 05:51 pm »

Of course I've thanked Paul for helping me out last Friday, but wasn't sure if he wanted to publically be known as the EAC/FLAC/SB free consultant to the computer worn. We've e-mailed back and forth for years beginning in another audio forum. He bought his speakers based in part on my recommendations and I bought the Clari-T based in part on his recommendations. In fact Friday was the first time we'd ever "talked".

Vinnie, can you increase the output of the SB3? Several of us would like the option of forgoing a pre-amp as it provides radio and library sourcing, but need a doubling of the output (especially with these small amps). I've noticed that the high output option on my Ack dAck! to be most useful in this regard (although it does limit the usable range of the volume control and makes it quite sensitive).

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #8 on:** 4 Jan 2006, 12:32 am »

Quote from: JLM

Of course I've thanked Paul for helping me out last Friday, but wasn't sure if he wanted to publically be known as the EAC/FLAC/SB free consultant to the computer worn. We've e-mailed back and forth for years beginning in another audio forum. He bought his speakers based in part on my recommendations and I bought the Clari-T based in part on his recommendations. In fact Friday was the first time we'd ever "talked".

Vinnie, can you increase the output of the SB3? Several of us would like the option of ...

Hi JLM,

The analog output of the modded SB3 is taken directly off the burr brown dac chip, bypassing the opamp stage that follows it in the stock unit. The opamp provides a larger output voltage than the approx. 1 Vrms output of the dac, but adds more components (complexity) in the signal path.

Increasing the voltage output would require voltage gain (ex. opamp, discrete transistor gain stage, transformer, etc.). These will give you more output, but will have tradeoffs in the sonics (which may or may not be to your liking).

Regards,

JLM · « **Reply #9 on:** 4 Jan 2006, 01:34 am »

Thanks for the explanation Vinnie. You'd probably said all this elsewhere but it didn't sink into my brain. That difference of 1 volt rms from the modded SB3 versus the 5 volt rms from my high output Ack dAck! sure explains what I was hearing (about 8 dB).

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #10 on:** 4 Jan 2006, 02:52 am »

Quote from: JLM

Thanks for the explanation Vinnie. You'd probably said all this elsewhere but it didn't sink into my brain. That difference of 1 volt rms from the modded SB3 versus the 5 volt rms from my high output Ack dAck! sure explains what I was hearing (about 8 dB).

5 Vrms out of the Ack!??? Wow! Thats a pretty hot output!