[craig223]

If I put a quiet PC into my system, it can function as a music server and HTPC.  With a good sound card and DAC, this seems to be a more cost effective and flexible solution than the SB or DAC.  Any thoughts, comments or recommendations?

[woodsyi]

Each has pros and cons.  What is your priority -- ultimate sound quality, ease of use, cost etc. etc.?

[csc]

Stereophile recently reviewed the Squeezebox and Sonos system:

http://stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/906slim/


http://stereophile.com/mediaservers/1006sonos/
From this statement though I don't think Mr. Atkinson understands about networking:

The beauty to me of a distributed-music system is that the noisy PC can be in a different room, and for that you need two ZP80s.

[fu_man]

Hey Woodsyi
dont  you have both a  modded SB and an EA USB converter? I am really keen on getting a  USB  converter to hook up to my computer, with the SB upstairs -  how do you rate them?

[woodsyi]

Hey Woodsyi
dont  you have both a  modded SB and an EA USB converter? I am really keen on getting a  USB  converter to hook up to my computer, with the SB upstairs -  how do you rate them?

I have a Bolder modded SB2 (not the latest since I have had it for a while) that I use with a lab grade HP power supply.  I also have an EA I2S Off Ramp.  I use both of these at the moment with an EA modded Northstar 192 DAC which has SPDIF (used with SB2) and I2S (used with off ramp) inputs.  I also have a relatively quiet BTX based PC in the room to run foobar for Off Ramp.  The music is stored in a remote NAS that is wirelessly accessed by both systems. 

Both systems are excellent.  I would rate the I2S off ramp with Secret Rabbit Code up-sampling to 96 and ASIO slightly better than SB2 digital out to the same DAC.  There is more organic feel to it than the SB.  The caveat is that SB2 did sound better when I tried it with the Ultimate PS1 (courtesy of Double Ugly) than with my HP PS.   I don't know how they would have fared face to face.  Another point is that unless you have an I2S capable DAC, Off Ramp will still convert USB to SPDIF.  I find that  SPDIF is much more prone to the vagaries of power supply than I2S but a well implemented PS like Wayne's Ultimate PS does a great job.  One thing SB has over Off Ramp is the convenience factor.  I come in the room, turn the power on and SB2 locks into the network and is ready to go.  With Off Ramp I have the turn the PC on, load on foobar, pull down playlists and start.  Not too bad, but there are times when I am tired and just go to SB to listen because it's at the ready.

[fu_man]

woodsyi,
thanks that's a great  help!  My SB is modded  by  Vinnie and  although  the  Bolder  ultimate   PS  is  reputed to  be one of the best, the price is  just too far out there for me anytime soon.
I am eagerly awaiting arrival of a  EA modded  Ack Dack1 ... the suspense is  killing me!   Held  up in customs at the moment.  this will replace my Xindak  DAC  which  the  SB  feeds. 
For some reason I  have been torturing  myself  with  curiosity  over the  Off-ramp converters  and how  they would  compare  to the SB,  nice to know that  i  may not be   missing out on too much.   
I had  two  RWA  SB's  but  sold one to  a  demanding  friend.  So when i get geared up for putting my second  system together  I  might try one of   Steve's Off-ramps. 
You use  slim server for the SB and  Foobar for the Off-ramp...So, using  a NAS you don't need to  turn the computer on?  that's the only pain in the butt  with my  SB - turning the computer on and  off downstairs.

[woodsyi]

woodsyi,
thanks that's a great  help!  My SB is modded  by  Vinnie and  although  the  Bolder  ultimate   PS  is  reputed to  be one of the best, the price is  just too far out there for me anytime soon.
I am eagerly awaiting arrival of a  EA modded  Ack Dack1 ... the suspense is  killing me!   Held  up in customs at the moment.  this will replace my Xindak  DAC  which  the  SB  feeds. 
For some reason I  have been torturing  myself  with  curiosity  over the  Off-ramp converters  and how  they would  compare  to the SB,  nice to know that  i  may not be   missing out on too much.   
I had  two  RWA  SB's  but  sold one to  a  demanding  friend.  So when i get geared up for putting my second  system together  I  might try one of   Steve's Off-ramps. 
You use  slim server for the SB and  Foobar for the Off-ramp...So, using  a NAS you don't need to  turn the computer on?  that's the only pain in the butt  with my  SB - turning the computer on and  off downstairs.

You load the slimserver on Infrant ReadyNAS (done through frontpage menu like setting up your network) then you don't need your computer on.   The NAS box just need to be plugged into your wireless router.  The Terabyte of storage appears in your "My Network Place" since it's network attatched.  Newegg has this one. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833329005
You can also look for a bare bone case and get the disks yourself and save a little more.  You just have to make sure to get 4 of the compatible ones listed on their site. 

BTW, Steve modded my DAC too and that may have been the single most improvement over all the others mods on the sources. 

[Paul_Bui]

Thanks woodsyi for the Newegg link.

[reddmadder]

Try the Olive, great sound,versatility,bnc/optical outs for an external dac,internet radio,burn cds etc...return policy.