[btuckey]

Hi,

My Tyan Tiger has just died from the well known ‘flaming power connector’ syndrome.  This was a dual processor rig that acted as a general PC and music server.  The audio was taken from the S/PDIF coaxial socket of an AudioTrak Prodigy 5.1/7.1LT sound card and fed into a modified ART DI/O and thence to an AKSA 100N+ amplifier and Acoustic Research 925 speakers.

I was going to build a dedicated music server anyway, but I am now wondering if I really need to build two new PCs.  Quality is paramount to me and I am (was!) using Foobar 2K as I really could tell the difference between it and Winamp and it sounded very, very good.  (I was using Prodigy’s ASIO drivers.)

The bottom line is that I am trying to ascertain if I could get the same quality from one PC and an SB3.  I would like to retain the DI/O and possibly modify the SB myself including an Andrew Weekes based PSU.  (I can’t afford Wayne’s rates!)  I would gratefully appreciate any views and guidance on the direction to go and what would be a suitable motherboard.  With reference to the latter, I don’t play games or watch many DVDs so maybe integrated video would be OK.

Cheers.   

[btuckey]

Hmmm... So nobody can, or wants to, justify their choice of SB!  Mind you, after visiting the Slim Devices Forum it seems that navigating around large music collections is a nightmare.  I think that I and my 1000 CDs will stick to Foobar...   

[AphileEarlyAdopter]

I considered the USB and the SB route seriously before buying the Squeezebox. I feel the jitter in the USB approach will be higher than the Squeezebox approach for the same money. The Squeezebox is a stripped down Linux that generates the SPDIF signal directly. I have Bolder cables's modded Elpac which cost me $135 totally and I will also be getting the digital mods for $175. I think for around $625 this will have a better jitter performance than any computer/USB-to-SPDIF converter approach.
I am not sure that navigating large collections is a problem with the SB. Even otherwise, this capability will be continuously improving as it is dependent on the server software (and hardware).

[tomjtx]

I was super happy with my SB3/Bolder Elpac/outboard DAC combo until I got a Transporter. The TP is a significant improvement if you don't mind the bucks. And the 1 box solution is nice.
Having said that , the SB sounds great and with the elpac is hi-end for my ears.
I don't think you would go wrong either way.

[bpape]

And I can tell you that the Transporter as is is significantly better than any dedicated music server I've heard.  And, Wayne's mods on the SB3 with a decent power supply and decent external DAC is still better than a stock Transporter. 

Navigation is not all that much hassle.  Scrolling is a pain but you can use the number keys to jump around quickly.   Add in the extra cost to get the convenience of remote control including volume, internet radio, browsing by genre, year, etc. and to me, I can have a better performing solution for less money and only 1 PC to maintain.

Just my 2 cents.

Bryan

[95bcwh]

From what I have heard at the RMAF, there's no doubt that Wayne's SB2 analog mod with his ultimate power supply sounded better than the Transporter..the difference is not subtle.

And I can tell you that the Transporter as is is significantly better than any dedicated music server I've heard.  And, Wayne's mods on the SB3 with a decent power supply and decent external DAC is still better than a stock Transporter. 

Navigation is not all that much hassle.  Scrolling is a pain but you can use the number keys to jump around quickly.   Add in the extra cost to get the convenience of remote control including volume, internet radio, browsing by genre, year, etc. and to me, I can have a better performing solution for less money and only 1 PC to maintain.

Just my 2 cents.

Bryan

[Thump553]

I have 951 albums (FLAC format almost entirely) in my Squeezebox setup and have no problem navigating.  If I'm browsing at the Sqeezebox (as opposed to at the computer) it can take some time to scroll through the artists or albums, but if you hold the scroll button down for a while the scrolling goes into a hyperspeed type mode.

[mcgsxr]

I have a fully modded Bolder SB3, with Rev1 PS with Jensen caps - I have over 500 albums, and have never setup a playlist from anything other than the SB3, in the basement (wirelessly connected to ho hum 3 yr old Dell on 2nd floor - well, actually that Dell was the dog's bollocks 3 years ago, but by todays standards...).

Never had an issue with scrolling problems - you can slice and dice the DB anyway you like - artist, genre, title, etc.

Up to you.

I use the analog outputs directly into my amp.  Never had better sound.  Period.

[bprice2]

Hmmm... So nobody can, or wants to, justify their choice of SB!  Mind you, after visiting the Slim Devices Forum it seems that navigating around large music collections is a nightmare.  I think that I and my 1000 CDs will stick to Foobar...   

There are no problems navigating one's music collection with the SB...at least I've never had any.  I started off scrolling through "browse albums", but now that I have nearly 400 cd's on hard drive that is not efficient.  However, it is as easy as it gets to simply use "search albums".  An even easier method is to utilize your notebook or wi-fi PDA while you sit and listen. 

Different strokes for different folks I guess, but it seems to me that if you have the money to shell out on an expensive sound card, you should also have the cash to pick up an SB on E-bay for $200 and try it out.  You could also sell it, if you don't like it, and more than likely get your 200 bucks back.

[randytsuch]

If you are if you will like the slimserver interface, get you PC, and run softsqueeze on it.  Then you can listen with the PC's build in sound card.  You don't get to play with the display on the squeezebox, but you can run slimserver, like you would if you were controlling the squeezebox with a PC.

BTW, using a notebook as a "remote control" for the SB is very cool.

I never really liked the foobar interface, I like the SB interface much better, using my laptop to run it.  Maybe because I was very adept at foobar, but I thought it was a pain to have to add all you CD's to foobar, where slimserver will just scan you music directory.

Randy

[ebag4]

I run a squeezebox for my 2 channel system and love it, but my HT uses a HTPC that I built, it uses FooBar to play FLAC files (the squeezebox and the HTPC both access the same FLAC files).  The interface I use is great, it does scan your files, it is freeware called Xlobby, see it here http://xlobby.com/  .  It can also be used for movies, photos, etc.  If you try it you will love it.

[randytsuch]

I run a squeezebox for my 2 channel system and love it, but my HT uses a HTPC that I built, it uses FooBar to play FLAC files (the squeezebox and the HTPC both access the same FLAC files).  The interface I use is great, it does scan your files, it is freeware called Xlobby, see it here http://xlobby.com/  .  It can also be used for movies, photos, etc.  If you try it you will love it.

I just glanced at the xlobby site, that looks like a really cool program.  My main home PC is in transition right now (I started an upgrade on it last night), but as soon as it is up again, I will download it.

Thanks
Randy

[mgalusha]

I've been using a modded SB2 for over a year and have (according to slim server) 3273 albums and just shy of 30,000 songs and navigation isn't a problem. I admit to being very fussy about my directory structures (genre/artist/albums/songs) and do most of my navigation by folder as that most closely mimics standing in front of the CD racks. I usually know what I want to hear and can get to most anything in a few seconds.

I too run my SB direct to my amps and my system is dead quiet and slim server rarely, if ever misbehaves. I do have a dedicated PC running slim server, it sits in my basement where I don't have to pay any attention to it. It has never given me even 1 problem. I do admit to being a computer geek, so it's configured in a very minimal fashion and is dedicated to this purpose.

I did build a dedicated audio PC prior to adopting the SB. Nice pretty case that looked something like high end gear, a stereo link  USB DAC that I had significantly reworked and a touch screen and an infrared remote so I didn't need a keyboard or mouse. It was nice but even with all the quiet parts in the machine I could still here it when music wasn't playing and I eventually became annoyed by it. IMO the SB is MUCH more convenient than the dedicated music server, it's certainly less intrusive in my room and the sound is excellent. The guts of the dedicated music server became my SB server, just moved them to a generic beige tower case so I could have more drives.


Mike