Squeezebox Transporter

datman · « **on:** 4 Sep 2006, 04:41 pm »

How many have ordered the Transporter? Just curious because I am planning to buy one.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Sep 2006, 06:30 pm »

I ordered one...just became a dealer for them, too...

Dokter_doug · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 03:54 pm »

I'm planning on ordering one. Can someone give us the 50 cent tour of what it is/does, and how it is better than Squeezebox?

Doug

Tim S · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 06:44 pm »

I just ordered one. . .

Tim

srayle · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 06:59 pm »

Izzisit?

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/07/technology/07slim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

looks good to me.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 07:11 pm »

Quote from: Dokter_doug on 7 Sep 2006, 03:54 pm

Can someone give us the 50 cent tour of what it is/does, and how it is better than Squeezebox?

As a transport:
- Better digital-out jitter performance
- More digital-out options (AES/EBU, SPDIF (coax RCA/BNC/toslink)
- Word-clock input for use with DACs using Master/Slave clock architecture (best jitter performance)

As a digital source:
- Better digital-to-analog converter
- single-ended and balanced output options (analog stage is true balanced design)
- Digital-input (can accept digital signal from set-top box, video game console, other "transport" sources)

Generally:
- Top-quality power supply/super-regulators
- RS-232 port allows for integration into whole-house systems (eg. Crestron controllers)
- Dual-displays for more visual/interface options

fajimr · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 07:48 pm »

phil

how might it compare to the Olive in your opinion????

TIA- jim

PhilNYC · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 08:11 pm »

Quote from: fajimr on 7 Sep 2006, 07:48 pm

phil

how might it compare to the Olive in your opinion????

TIA- jim

I have only heard the Olive Opus (in my own system for about 2 weeks), both as a transport and with its analog output. As a transport, I thought it was in the same ballpark as my SB2 w/Elpac power supply (and that it was outperformed by the SB2 with other modded/DIY power supplies (one by Boulder, one by AC member GBB). Assuming that the Transporter is significantly better than the SB2 w/Elpac as a transport, I would also asume the Transporter is a better performer than the Olive Opus.

Using the analog outputs, I was disappointed with the Olive Opus. I am a fan of Jeff Kalt's work with Resolution Audio, and perhaps my high expectations for the Olive Opus left me disapointed, but I did not feel it was anything special...certainly it was not bad, but the range of $1000K outboard DACs that I have had experience with (eg. Bel Canto DAC2, Benchmark DAC1, Stello DAC) all made better first impressions on me than the Opus.

I've never spent much time with my SB2 using the analog outs

.. I remember trying it when I first got it a year or so ago...and also found it to be fairly mediocre, with clear upgrades being found in the DACs I mentioned above.

Admittedly, having the CD-drive built into the unit was nice to have. In my home, my hard drive with my music sits with my eMac in a different room from my listening room. So if I have some new CDs I want to rip, I have to go to the other room to do it, whereas with the Opus, I could just do it right there. But I do have a regular CD transport in my system, so I can play a regular CD anytime I want without having to rip the CD.

I do know that a couple of folks here (Gordy, tianguis) have had very positive experiences with the Olive Musica used as a transport, so perhaps they can chime in a bit more about the Musica as an alternative. Also, a number of folks from the NY Audio Rave heard the Opus in a couple of different contexts, so maybe they can comment as well.

Just my opinion, and obviously as a SlimDevices dealer, it's somewhat biased...fwiw, between the two, what really pushed me personally towards the Transporter was (1) I didn't want to pay for an internal hard drive, and (2) I really like the SlimDevices user interface design. Obviously, I haven't heard the Transporter yet....hopefully I've made the right choice...

budbrew · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 08:58 pm »

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Transporter. I'm hoping some folks here can tell me how easy it is to use! Right now I have several hundred GBs of Apple Lossless files on a Mac Mini.

The way I understand it works, the audio files remain on the big external hard drive and SlimServer resides on the Mac, and I can stream to the Transporter located in another room with my audio system? Does the Mac Mini have to be always on, or said differently, do I first have to "wake up" the Mini before I can use the Transporter?

I just learned you can browse albums by cover artwork. That for me as a visual person is a fantastic way to find the album I'm looking for. So, to get the album artwork for the albums I've ripped can I just Google it or look for it on Amazon.com and copy and paste it into SlimServer?

Can the Transporter stream from iTunes rather than using SlimServer? I gather from the web site it can do this.

For some reason even though I'm semi-technically literate the Squeezebox concept has deterred me. But I think it may be my best option given all things and requirements.

fajimr · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Sep 2006, 10:30 pm »

Quote from: PhilNYC on 7 Sep 2006, 08:11 pm

Just my opinion, and obviously as a SlimDevices dealer, it's somewhat biased...

thanks phil for the great comparison... we all just need to get over the fact that all our opinions are biased but I appreciate you stating it up front (actually I know what you were getting at saying that you are a dealer but obviously you became a dealer because you believed in the product in the first place.... excuse my little rant but I am working on some qualitative research at the moment and was thinking about the "objectivism" that so many claim to in science)..

jim

lcrim · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 02:29 am »

I've been out of the country for a while but was under the impression that this device has not been shipped yet, much less been heard by anybody in any system. Still this unit is being compared in sound quality to others. Have you all completely taken leave of your senses? Freaking chill out! At least wait until you've actually heard it before anointing it as the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm frankly surprised at some of you whom I had previously held in high regard.

PhilNYC · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 02:46 am »

Quote from: lcrim on 8 Sep 2006, 02:29 am

I've been out of the country for a while but was under the impression that this device has not been shipped yet, much less been heard by anybody in any system. Still this unit is being compared in sound quality to others. Have you all completely taken leave of your senses? Freaking chill out! At least wait until you've actually heard it before anointing it as the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm frankly surprised at some of you whom I had previously held in high regard.

Yes, it is shipping on Sept 18...most of the discussion here is about its features/functions (which are either identical to the SB or easily understood...eg. the digital-in), and most of the comparisons of sound quality have been between the SB2/3 (w/various power supplies) vs. the Olive products (all are shipping and have been heard)...so I don't really see anyone annointing the Transporter anything at this point...

Occam · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 am »

Phil,

I really don't see why you're even mentioning the Olive Opus in comparison to the unheard Transporter. Yes, I've heard the initial (and IMO, botched) implementation of the Opus, but I've also heard the Musica/Symphony as both a complete source and as a transport. But frankly, I see no point in posting my evaluation if its going to be used to compare it to the heretofore unheard Transporter.
Given the SB design team's measurements uber alles attitude, I do fully expect the Transporter to be a fine transport, but a less than stellar dac. And since this thread seems to be oriented towards baseless speculation, I expect the real comparison to be between a Musica/Symphony vs Transporter, with both requiring an external dac for acceptable performance. I've never heard an AKM dac, which is what Slim Devices uses, that I particularly liked. Nor do I have any faith in SD's ability, or even willingness to acknowledge the need, to voice their output opamps. If the Transporter's internal DAC is less than stupendous, its additional inputs are moot. And given the price differential between the Transporter @$2k and the Musica/Symphony @ $900-1500, the laters inclusion of both hard disc storage, CDrw, and standalone capability shifts the apparent metrics away from the Transporter.
But as Lcrim has commented, any exuberance about the Transporter is presently a case of premature exhilaration.

FWIW,
Paul

GBB · « **Reply #13 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 10:35 am »

Quote from: Occam on 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 am

. . . I've never heard an AKM dac, which is what Slim Devices uses, that I particularly liked . . .

Gee Paul - I thought you were reasonably taken with the modified Art DI/O that I brought down to your place. It uses an AK4524 dac chip.

---Gary

PhilNYC · « **Reply #14 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 12:33 pm »

Quote from: Occam on 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 am

Phil,

I really don't see why you're even mentioning the Olive Opus in comparison to the unheard Transporter.

Because I was asked:

"phil

how might it compare to the Olive in your opinion????

TIA- jim"

...and the Olive Opus is the only Olive product I have heard. And I never compared it to the Transporter...I compared it to the SB2 w/various power supplies. Perhaps I should have compared the Musica (which I have never heard) to the Transporter (which I have never heard)?

Quote

But as Lcrim has commented, any exuberance about the Transporter is presently a case of premature exhilaration.

How does

Quote

Obviously, I haven't heard the Transporter yet....hopefully I've made the right choice..

qualify as "exuberence" or "premature exhilaration"?

jermmd · « **Reply #15 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 12:35 pm »

Quote from: Occam on 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 am

And given the price differential between the Transporter @$2k and the Musica/Symphony @ $900-1500, the laters inclusion of both hard disc storage, CDrw, and standalone capability shifts the apparent metrics away from the Transporter.

FWIW,
Paul

Not to belabor a point made numerous times before, many of us believe having your own hard drives, CD recorder/players in a seperate PC is an advantage of the Squeezebox. I am certainly in favor of the remote, customizable server method for media storage. Ethernet media streaming to the Squeezebox is a huge advantage IMHO. As far as the DACs, op amp implementation, and more importantly-the sound, wait and see. I expect it's going to sound very good. The present SB3 already sounds pretty damn good. The transporter will very likely sound better.

jermmd · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 12:54 pm »

Also, for those people considering purchasing the Transporter, order it from Phil. He can give you the exact same deal you'll get from Slimdevices and he might be able to do a little better.

Plus, it's good to support fellow AC members!

woodsyi · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 01:01 pm »

Quote from: jermmd on 8 Sep 2006, 12:54 pm

Also, for those people considering purchasing the Transporter, order it from Phil. He can give you the exact same deal you'll get from Slimdevices and he might be able to do a little better.

Plus, it's good to support fellow AC members!

More better for some if I understood Phil correctly!

fajimr · « **Reply #18 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 01:08 pm »

paul/lcrim

yes I was the one who asked Phil for the comparison and then said 'thanks for the great comparison'... my bad for the later comment

because when I went back and reread Phil's commentary, I realized he didn't compare. Yes, guilty of reading posts in this circle quickly when I should be working instead. Most of the post was his comments about the olive, except for the first part when he said:

"I have only heard the Olive Opus (in my own system for about 2 weeks), both as a transport and with its analog output. As a transport, I thought it was in the same ballpark as my SB2 w/Elpac power supply (and that it was outperformed by the SB2 with other modded/DIY power supplies (one by Boulder, one by AC member GBB). Assuming that the Transporter is significantly better than the SB2 w/Elpac as a transport, I would also asume the Transporter is a better performer than the Olive Opus."

I think he was pretty careful to avoid any direct comparison (he did say 'assuming' a couple times there at the end). In any case, I was grateful and appreciative for his insights and experiences on the SB2 and the olive and what he knew about the transporter. My that's just my own reading of this and my subjective opinion.

jim

woodsyi · « **Reply #19 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 01:31 pm »

I don't believe the factors that drive people to either go with Olive units or Squeezebox are changed with the introduction of the Teleporter. Some choose Olive for the integrated server/transport/storage in one box solution. Others choose Squeezebox so as not to have redundant server/storage function which they already have with home PC. I think the more appropriate question is whether the stock Teleporter at it's $1700 price (if you sell the bonus SB3) would be better than a SB2/3 with $1400 worth of after market modification. But as Paul noted, I can't quite see why one would choose the Teleporter over an already excellent transport in SB2/3 if it is going to be used with an external DAC. One further point to consider would be that a Teleporter may have the potential to be much better with further tweaking but we will have to wait until Wayne and others have had a chance to go at it.