[Folsom]

OK, I got EAC setup and recorded one CD worth of FLAC tunes. I still need to figure out how to configure a few things.

Setup EAC to create seperate folders like so:
Artist
   Album
      Songs

Right now, it's just plopping all the various songs on my H drive.

Then I need to figure out how to get the Squeezebox/Slimserver setup to recognize Foobar as my player.  

I'm getting there and really want to give this FLAC thing a go. Any help with the above would be appreciated!

This is what I do....

Folders go like this

Artists>Album> and then the songs are in the Album folder....

In the EAC configuration enter this...

%A-%C-(%N)-%T

Then what you do after the .FLACs are made you use Foobar2000's Masstager. You Highlight all of the songs in your play list, right click, go to mass tager, choose edit tags

When you are in the menu click "add" then scroll down to "guess values from file name", then in the box enter this "%artist%-%album%-(%tracknumber%)-%title%"

This makes it all easy.... I think the rest of the tags are silly personally but you can through them in. It will only do like three of the same seperation symbols perhaps two in a row, then you have to throw in some thing else, like I did for track number.

[mca]

I got the file naming in EAC figured out but it sounds like I have to create the artist and album folders each time myself?

You lost me on the importing to Foobar though. I see where I can just add files, but I don't understand the mass tager part.

Can you also explain how to setup the Squeezebox to use Foobar?

Thanks for the help so far.

[mca]

Now I understand that you don't actually use Foobar with the SB as that is what slimserver is doing. Correct?

But I did try creating an artist and album folder and moving the songs into it, but then the slimserver scan could not find any songs?

I'm getting there and hope to get better sound this way, but darn if iTunes does not make all of this much easier    

[Folsom]

I have no idea how to work with slimware....

I add the files to Foobar2000 by going to "playlist" then add directory..... I find the folders the songs are in, then add them.

After I add them in Foobar2000 I highlight them, rick click some where in the highlighted songs, then I go to masstagger, in the menu for masstagger I select edit tags.

Then after that you will have a new menu. Then under "actions to perform" click on add. Click on the drop down menu and go to "guess values from filename" then enter the "%artist%-%album%-(%tracknumber%)-%title%" in the box, after deleting the other stuff.

Then click run. If it gives you an error ignore it. Then click close. They should all now be tagged.

Tagging just makes the Foobar2000 and any other program that uses it, that much easier to deal with.

Do you have Colums UI installed?

Any how some one else will have to help with slimware but I would bet it uses Tags too.

[lcrim]

I hope I'm not adding to your confusion by offering a suggestion.
Slimserver is a player, Foobar is also a player.  If you are using Slimserver w/ the SqueezeBox then Foobar is unnecessary.
EAC can be set to examine the CD you are about to rip and than go online to a database that will tell it not only all the info about artist and other tagging information that you set but will also pull a bit count for each cut and use that as a checksum against what it rips from your CD and will then reread until it reaches an agreement.  
I don't use Itunes just EAC.  I have automated the process to the point where I just put a CD in the drive and change out the CD when it is ripped.  Instead of LAME to create MP3's, I use FLAC as my compression software.  
I can send you the metadata tags that I use.  I got all of this information online, mostly from the HeadFi forum on computers as source.  
I only use the digital out from my SB3 and run an inexpensive DH (Labs)-75 cable to a Scott Nixon Chibi Dac and to my ears the sound is detailed but very musical.
I use Foobar on the same laptop to play music in another system through a USB device, the Creative Audigy NX 2 and then to Scott Nixon Tube Dac+.  Foobar is a very nice player as well and can be used with online radio stations too.

[Nick B]

I have a new SB2 from RWA. It has the new opamp and Blackgate mods. So far, I have about 100 hours on it and it does sound bright. I am talking about sibilance, some harshness on vocals as well as an edge on guitar and violins for example. The SB2 is going direct into the amp for now as I've had trouble with my preamp. In addition to the new SB2, I also have all new Gregg Straley IC's and SC's. So this combination is brand new for me. The SB2 and
Straley wires are very revealing with a better overall presentation and separation in the soundstage. I don't recall ever reading about harshness with the Straley wires. Can the Blackgates sound harsh during break in? Could the harshness be a result of the stock power supply of the SB2? I've been very hesitant to commit to the battery power supply and really don't want to spend the money for power supplies in the $500 and up range. Any comments would be appreciated.

[konut]

Make sure replay gain is turned off.

[Nick B]

Volume adjustment/replay gain is disabled.

[Vinnie R.]

Can the Blackgates sound harsh during break in? Could the harshness be a result of the stock power supply of the SB2?...

Hi Nick,

The answer is a big YES.  Those black gates need over 200 hours of burn in (some say as much as 400 to 500 hours) to mellow out and sound like they really should.  Black Gates are notorious for this.

You need to make sure that your SB2 is connected to a load durning break in.  If you hook it up to your preamp or power amp, this will do the trick.  The preamp or power amp does not need to be turned on, but the SB2 needs to be connected for current flow out the output stage to burn in the caps.  

The OPA2604 opamp is generally considered to be a little on the warm-to-neatural side.  Those BGs are just too new and will need time to burn-in.  Kind of a pain to wait around, but I believe you will find it very much worth the wait.  

And YES, ditch the stock switching power supply (I have found it to cause brightness/harshness in the top end).  You don't need to spend much for a good quality linear regulated 5V supply.  I recommend one that has at least 1.5A (1500mA) output.  Search around here and on the Slim Devices forum....there are many recommendations for low $$$

Please keep us posted,

Vinnie

[Nick B]

Thanks Vinnie. Your comments are reassuring. If I can tame just a bit of that brightness/edge, I'll be really pleased with the improvement. I am running the SB2 with signal for at least 10 hours a day, so I'll have my minimum of 200 hours on it pretty soon. I'll review all the info again about the power supplies and will send you a PM or email as well.      Nick

[Nick B]

I received a PM about this subject this evening, so I'll give an update now. The SB2 now has over 250 hrs on it and a new power supply which I will only identify as "brand x" for now. The sound is wonderful. The SB2 is not bright, but very musical and revealing. In a few days, I'll be trying the Acopian ps, but for now, I'll be enjoying this new combo. If anyone is using the stock switching ps, pls ditch it. Well done, Vinnie. Glad your mod preserved the 2v output.

[fly_fish_nz]

Thanks for the update Nick.  

Can you comment on what differences you hear from burn-in (comparing pre and post burn using the standard power supply) and then the differences you hear after burn in when you switch between power supplies?  Any reason not to name the current ps you are using?  

Thanks again.

[Nick B]

Hi fly-fish-nz       I did not take notes. However, from memory, the improvement in resolution for the modded SB2 was obvious immediately. After a while, the soundstage settled in, but the harshness was present with continuing improvement until probably about 200 hours. At that point, I felt the harshness was permanent. Now, I really didn't have experience with power supplies and was unsure if this harshness was a result of the stock ps, my amp, or my speakers or any combination of all three. To date, this was the best resolution of detail I've had in my system. I was fortunate to be able to borrow the 2 power supplies I mentioned and was really astounded that a good/excellent ps could make such a difference. The sound is now so enjoyable that I have no urge to audition new amps for a while. I want to put some hours on the ps I'm now using and then switch to the Acopian. As to identifying "brand x", I just felt a bit unsure about doing so because both Vinnie and Wayne were kind enough to exchange emails with me and speak on the phone as well. I have sent you a PM though. Hope that helps      Nick