[Wayne1]

Slim Devices officially announced their new Audiophile unit:







I think it is VERY good looking.

It appears they are trying to do things right. Jung derived Super Regulators for the analog section. AKM 4396 DAC.

Still using a switcher for main AC input.

Hopefully ,I will have one to play with in September.

[Charles Calkins]

Now Now Wayne don't tell me I'm going to have to shit can my SB3?

                                               Cheers
                                               Charlie

[cryotweaks]

Just ordered mine.  Now the wait....

[seanadams]

Still using a switcher for main AC input.

Actually no, the power supply architecture is totally different from Squeezebox. Switchers are only used for certain non-audio, high-current stuff (displays, knob, CPU etc), otherwise they are not in the path at all.  Linear supplies are used for all analog, DAC, and digital clock paths, and they use toroid transformers to the AC line, with separate secondary windings for each function.

[yo2tup]

if you preorder, it comes with a free squeezebox.  anyone preordering want to sell me their free squeezebox? 

[davehg]

Wow. I really like the look, and the technical specs sure are impressive. Here is what I think rocks:

1. Great word clock input and output support, though most DACS can't take advantage of the inputs/outputs. Will make DCS owners happy!
2. Support for AES digital outputs for high end DAC owners
3. Full range of digital inputs/outputs
4. RS232 and remote support for home automation installation
5. buttons and visual display. Not sure what the rotary knob does, but it looks cool.
6. Substantial RAM buffers
7. Fanless
8. Dual antennaes for WIFI
9. Strong encryption
10. IEC connector for those who use exotic AC cords
11. Remote looks cool

Still, having dropped now about $850 alone for the SB3 (as terrifically modded by Wayne), the $1999 price is a tad high, only because you still need to add a computer/drives or NAS. But I expect the peformance to be pretty killer too, and would sure love to try one as a demo. I also wonder if Slim could offer a cheaper version sans the DAC and related PS, since it would be irrelevant to those using external DACS (especially considering all the outputs offered. No doubt, add $$ for wayne to upgrade the analog outputs and/or PS, plus bybees. Perhaps high end types will now take SLIM more seriously with this device, if only for the price and features.

Sean, congrats for paying attention to the high end, both in supporting the mods as well as coming out with this player. More than 6000 audiophile types have visited my SB3 blog http://musicserver.blogspot.com in the past 6 months, so you know the high end community is interested in this kind of product.

Anyway, even while everyone will scream about the cost, it strikes me as a fair deal given all the technology and features. Of course, at ~$1200, I could be tempted....

[Scott F.]

Actually no, the power supply architecture is totally different from Squeezebox. Switchers are only used for certain non-audio, high-current stuff (displays, knob, CPU etc), otherwise they are not in the path at all.  Linear supplies are used for all analog, DAC, and digital clock paths, and they use toroid transformers to the AC line, with separate secondary windings for each function.

Hi Sean,

Sounds like you've hot rodded the Squeezebox pretty well. It sure looks cool  I love the dual display.

Nice job!

[mr_bill]

I have a white SB3, wireless, that I would sell for $240 including shipping.
Thanks,
Bill

[shokunin]

1. Great word clock input and output support, though most DACS can't take advantage of the inputs/outputs. Will make DCS owners happy!

dCS, Esoteric, EMM Labs, and others could use WORD sync.

[Charles Calkins]

 Preorder now for $1999 and you get a $299 SB3 in the deal. Shipping late September. I wonder if it will be $1699 and no SB3 after the preorder deal runs out. Maybe around October.


                                   Cheers
                                   Charlie

[Wayne1]

Still using a switcher for main AC input.

Actually no, the power supply architecture is totally different from Squeezebox. Switchers are only used for certain non-audio, high-current stuff (displays, knob, CPU etc), otherwise they are not in the path at all.  Linear supplies are used for all analog, DAC, and digital clock paths, and they use toroid transformers to the AC line, with separate secondary windings for each function.

Mr. Adams,

I am sorry to have made the mistake of assuming you used a switcher for the main AC inputs.

Are you using a similar analog output circuit to the one AK uses in their evaluation board?

http://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/product/ak4396/ekd4396-sbw1-01.pdf

[denjo]

I have an Altmann Attraction DAC (fed by Panasonic S47 DVD player) and am very pleased with the analog and non-fatiguing attributes of the DAC. While video killed the radio, I can foresee a time in the not too distant future when wireless devices like SB3, the Olive and now the Transporter, will entirely replace CD players and CD transports. Am I right to say that for those who already own an excellent DAC, the investment to mod a SB3 or the outlay to purchase the Transporter would be wasted since the digital signals will be diverted to an external DAC, bypassing whatever DAC is in the SB3 or the Transporter. In other words, if my only purpose is the have the ability to accurately transfer signals from my pc to my DAC, am I correct to say that a stock SB3 (perhaps only upgrading the digital connectors) is all I need? Do the Red Wine Audio or Bolder Ultimate mods to the power supply make such a BIG difference to the transmission of accurate data from the pc to an external DAC? My understanding is that the power regulators and supply only makes a HUGE difference to the DAC. Would appreciate your valued comments and views.

[PhilNYC]

In other words, if my only purpose is the have the ability to accurately transfer signals from my pc to my DAC, am I correct to say that a stock SB3 (perhaps only upgrading the digital connectors) is all I need?

Obviously it is tough to say since no one has heard the Transporter in action, but its published jitter specs are much better than the jitter specs published for the stock SB3, so from that you would expect it to sound better than the SB3.  Enough to justify $1700 more?  Only you can answer that question. 

For me, I do know that the $1300 I spent getting my Sony S7700 dvd player (which I use solely as a transport into an external DAC) modded by Steve at Empirical Audio was worth every penny from a sound-quality perspective, so its my opinion that power supply and other mods can greatly affect the transport (and not just the DAC).  To my ears, the SB3 as a transport is a little better than the stock S7700, but it does not match the EA-modded S7700. 

[Wayne1]

I feel the power supply in ANY transport plays a very big part in the end result of the sound.

For a transport, it's job is to get the digital signal out of the box and into the DAC section. The signal has to start somewhere and it starts with the power supply. It the supply is "noisy" the noise will carry over into the signal to the DAC. If the supply is slow or has problems maintaining control, you will have overshoots and ringing.

Everyone is so concerned eith the magic word "jitter" that they forget to look back to what actually causes the signal to exist.

A very good power supply for a transport CAN and WILL change the sound of the system.

Zybar has had different supplies for hi SB2 system feeding a TacT EQ/DA. I believe he has heard differences with different power supplies.

Barry in Houston is now comparing the same thing.

There is far more to the sound of a digital system than just "jitter" specs. Beyond the power supply there is what the analog circuit is made up from. What kind of coupling caps are used in the signal path? These will have a greater affect on the final sound that what type of DAC chip is used.

What op-amps are used? Many folk report quite a varience of sound with different op-amps. How is the power supply run to the op-amps? What sort of caps are used in the op-amp supply?

All of these non-sexy parts play a great role in the end sound of the source. There are not a lot of published specs that can be found and easily related to. One thing you can be certain of is that NO electrolytic signal coupling cap sounds as good as a film and foil coupling cap.

[zybar]

I feel the power supply in ANY transport plays a very big part in the end result of the sound.

For a transport, it's job is to get the digital signal out of the box and into the DAC section. The signal has to start somewhere and it starts with the power supply. It the supply is "noisy" the noise will carry over into the signal to the DAC. If the supply is slow or has problems maintaining control, you will have overshoots and ringing.

Everyone is so concerned eith the magic word "jitter" that they forget to look back to what actually causes the signal to exist.

A very good power supply for a transport CAN and WILL change the sound of the system.

Zybar has had different supplies for hi SB2 system feeding a TacT EQ/DA. I believe he has heard differences with different power supplies.

Barry in Houston is now comparing the same thing.

There is far more to the sound of a digital system than just "jitter" specs. Beyond the power supply there is what the analog circuit is made up from. What kind of coupling caps are used in the signal path? These will have a greater affect on the final sound that what type of DAC chip is used.

What op-amps are used? Many folk report quite a varience of sound with different op-amps. How is the power supply run to the op-amps? What sort of caps are used in the op-amp supply?

All of these non-sexy parts play a great role in the end sound of the source. There are not a lot of published specs that can be found and easily related to. One thing you can be certain of is that NO electrolytic signal coupling cap sounds as good as a film and foil coupling cap.

I have not only tried different power supplies supplied by Wayne, but I have also tried the battery route from Vinnie as well.  My SB2 feeds into a modified (improvements in the power supply and dac card) TacT  and I can say each power supply absolutely sounds different.  Ultimately, I went with Wayne's Ultimate PS as it did the best job all around.  I will try to get a final review out on that in the near future.

I previously did own an EA modified S-7700, but unlike Phil, I didn't feel it was better than either Wayne's or Vinnie's SB2 + upgraded power supply when used as a transport only.

George

[seanadams]

Are you using a similar analog output circuit to the one AK uses in their evaluation board?

http://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/product/ak4396/ekd4396-sbw1-01.pdf

The schematic is quite similar, but the layout and types of components used are very different from the eval board.  The eval board used a 2-sided pcb, socketed through-hole parts, and of course does not include Jung regs. Our design is smt parts, very high quality passives, wide power rails on the internal planes, gold plating etc. It outperforms the eval board by a wide margin!

[Wayne1]

The schematic is quite similar, but the layout and types of components used are very different from the eval board.  The eval board used a 2-sided pcb, socketed through-hole parts, and of course does not include Jung regs. Our design is smt parts, very high quality passives, wide power rails on the internal planes, gold plating etc. It outperforms the eval board by a wide margin!

Are the coupling caps similar to the SMD electrolytic types used in the SB2 and 3?  Are you using the SMD version of the 5534?

Thank you,

Wayne

[davehg]

Denjo, I've got two SB3's, one stock and the other with Bolder's digital mods. I also got Wayne's Deluxe powersupply (no bybees). I heard an improvement going from the stock unit to the digital mod (all with the stock power supply), but an even greater difference by adding the deluxe PS. Both (digital mod and PS) are necessary to achieve the best results.

Comparing (in theory) to a Transporter is a tougher call for me. A well-modded SB3 will run about $900 ($300 for SB3, $175 for digital mod, and $500 or so for the power supply). If you are using it with a DAC that doesn't do the fancy word clock generation and you don't need balanced outs, the price becomes a tougher call.  I'd add $500 to the SB3 to account for the value of the features and inputs of the Transporter, which means you have about $600 in remaining "value" to justify.  Of course, the DAC may be better (irrelevant for me), and you may not have to add too much in mods to the transporter, plus factor in the no-hassle issue for those with cold feet about modding, and you get pretty close to the asking price.

For me, without a listen but with faith in the published specs, I would justify $1200 without a problem.  If I lacked an external DAC or had one with lots of input requirements or word clock issues, I could easily justify $2000.

[lcrim]

The math justifying a $2000 outlay for the Transporter rests on the assumption that the DAC employed is utterly first rate w/o mods.  Until it can be heard, it is impossible to judge.
Even if it is that good, the very fact that it makes no provision for advances such as but not limited to the implementation of I2S, makes it a destination product that's worth could be devalued quickly.
The arrival of PC audio is an excellent illustration of the pace of change in digital playback.
I chose to implement PC audio in an architecture that employs the SB in one system and a USB device in the other as transmission devices only.  I absolutely agree that power supplies are a critical aspect in this regard.  But if an advance is made, which I see as inevitable and quick, the $2000 destination product will be financially painful to replace.

[PhilNYC]

I previously did own an EA modified S-7700, but unlike Phil, I didn't feel it was better than either Wayne's or Vinnie's SB2 + upgraded power supply when used as a transport only.

FYI - I've never heard Wayne or Vinnie's modded SB2, so I never commented regarding whether the EA S7700 in comparison to those units.  I've only compared the stock SB2 with an upgraded wall-wart to the EA and found the EA superior...