New SB3 Power Supply

Panelman · « **on:** 11 Oct 2007, 10:39 pm »

Hooked up the new VDC SB power supply just now and the improvements in the sound over the stock Squeeze Box 3 are marked. The detail is much sharper and the sound of individual instruments stands out in greater relief that with the switching power supply. Background vocals on Willie Nelson's "It Will Always Be" are now a distinct sound where previously they were part of the mix. Piano on Lyle Lovett's I've Been to Memphis have a resonance not present with the standard power supply. Voices in the choir on Church are now individual singers instead of a massed choir. Finally the soundstage is now deeper with the Squeezebox.

Very glad I tried to give the power supply a try. Regardless of the cost this is a great improvement on the sound and for $259 it is a great deal

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Oct 2007, 10:42 pm »

Thanks for the feedback.

dmatt · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Oct 2007, 05:31 pm »

Panelman, are you running your Squeezebox with analog outs or digital out (to an outboard DAC)?

Thanks.

David

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Oct 2007, 06:01 pm »

Quote

Very glad I tried to give the power supply a try. Regardless of the cost this is a great improvement on the sound and for $259 it is a great deal

I agree with Panelman. I got a much better sound with my digitally modded SB2 since I hook the CI VCD-SB in for over a week. My music is added smoothness but not less details and more soundstage. It is very pleasant to listen to my system now.

Panelman · « **Reply #4 on:** 12 Oct 2007, 06:37 pm »

Panelman, are you running your Squeezebox with analog outs or digital out (to an outboard DAC)?

Thanks.

David

David,

I am running the analog outs from the Squeezebox. Debating now if I will look at an outboard DAC as soon as I thought.
Thanks

denjo · « **Reply #5 on:** 12 Oct 2007, 09:13 pm »

Panelman

Wait till you run the SB3 via digital out (volume muted) into a decent DAC like CIAudio's DAC. The sound will take another quantum leap forward!

Best Regards
Dennis

ajy55906 · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 04:06 pm »

I run my SB3 into a Benchmark DAC1. However, my listening has been limited to internet radio. I will eventually use it with a pc.

Has anyone compared listening to internet radio with and without the new power supply. Did the power supply make an appreciable difference in that context?

If so, was an external dac connected?

Thank you.

Alan

Panelman · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 04:27 pm »

Quote from: ajy55906 on 14 Oct 2007, 04:06 pm

I run my SB3 into a Benchmark DAC1. However, my listening has been limited to internet radio. I will eventually use it with a pc.

Has anyone compared listening to internet radio with and without the new power supply. Did the power supply make an appreciable difference in that context?

If so, was an external dac connected?

Thank you.

Alan

Alan,

internet radio is improved with the new power supply, however the improvment is greater with music through my my iMac. I expect the higher resolution of the files, Apple lossless, better demonstrates the power supply's abilities. I don't have an external dac.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 05:06 pm »

Dennis:

Got me confused again. Not the first time. How do you run your SB3 digital out with the volume muted???
I run mine digital out to a DAC from the DAC to a preamp. If I mute the volume on the SB3 I don't get any sound.

See!!!! I told you I am confused!!

Cheers
Charlie

denjo · « **Reply #9 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 05:35 pm »

Hi Charlie

How are you doing? No worries, here are the steps you take to mute the digital volume.

Turn on your SB3. Click on your desktop slimserver and make sure it is running.
Go to "Home", then "Player settings for .......", then click on drop down box "Audio".
Once in "Audio", scroll down to "Digital Volume Control" and make sure it reads "Digital output level is fixed". Then click on box next to it, "Change". That is it!
Go to your remote control and test the settings by increasing the volume. If the volume remains the same despite you pressing the volume "up" then you have succeeded in muting the digital volume. You should notice a marked improvement in the music.

Drop me a pm if you still find difficulties.
Good luck!

Best Regards
Dennis

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 06:35 pm »

Quote

Turn on your SB3. Click on your desktop slimserver and make sure it is running.
Go to "Home", then "Player settings for .......", then click on drop down box "Audio".
Once in "Audio", scroll down to "Digital Volume Control" and make sure it reads "Digital output level is fixed". Then click on box next to it, "Change". That is it!
Go to your remote control and test the settings by increasing the volume. If the volume remains the same despite you pressing the volume "up" then you have succeeded in muting the digital volume. You should notice a marked improvement in the music.

I agree with Dennis both of my system with SB2 and SB3's volumes are muted makes the sound more lively and full with huge soundstage.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Oct 2007, 09:04 pm »

Dennis and Guys:
I got it set as Dennis suggested. The volume reading on the SB3 remote still goes up and down but the volume never changes. Preamp now controls the volume. I like this better because before I had the SB3 volume at 100% and used the preamp for volume control. I was worried that something would go wrong and I'd have max. volume. Big load off my small brain!!!

Any other tweaks?

Cheers
Charlie

denjo · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 08:53 am »

Charlie, glad to hear you succeeded in muting your volume control!

One other tweak is to turn off the display on the SB3 when you are playing the music! I understand that the fluoroscent display can affect the audio signals. The change is quite subtle.

For some reason, when I switched from wireless to ethernet cable, I seem to find greater resolution, transparency.

Best Regards
Dennis

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 09:13 am »

About 18 months ago I tried ethernet vs. wireless to my modded SB3 and thought I heard improvements, but others thought I was nuts. Just shows that the current state of physics (at least how I understand it) can't explain everything.

Science should be a method to be used, not a dogma to be worshipped.

USAudio · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 03:44 pm »

Quote from: denjo on 14 Oct 2007, 05:35 pm

...No worries, here are the steps you take to mute the digital volume.

Turn on your SB3. Click on your desktop slimserver and make sure it is running.
Go to "Home", then "Player settings for .......", then click on drop down box "Audio".
Once in "Audio", scroll down to "Digital Volume Control" and make sure it reads "Digital output level is fixed". Then click on box next to it, "Change". That is it!
Go to your remote control and test the settings by increasing the volume. If the volume remains the same despite you pressing the volume "up" then you have succeeded in muting the digital volume. You should notice a marked improvement in the music. ...

FYI - If you are using only the digital outputs and NOT the analog outputs of the SqueezeBox3 then some folks on the SlimDevices forum have also reported sound quality improvement by changing the "PREAMP VOLUME CONTROL" setting on the same page Dennis mentions above to '63' (i.e. OFF - mutes internal DAC).

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 05:01 pm »

Found the preamp volume control box but it says it only applies to the analog output. Still think I should go for it?

Cheers
Charlie

tanchiro58 · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 05:15 pm »

Quote

For some reason, when I switched from wireless to ethernet cable, I seem to find greater resolution, transparency.

Dennis,

I thought so too since I have a chance to compare between my SB2 (ethernet) and SB3 (wireless). It also depends your system synergy and where your system located and how you tweak them. My main system (with SB2 ethernet) is in a small but treated with eightnerve and a living room system (SB3 wireless) is in a big room with no treatments which seems to have more transparency than the other. I am beginning to tweak the SB2's PS with BHP and Promitheus DAC (in living room system) also with BHP. The main system now has more transparency and details and living room system has more focus and layers and separation with less transparency but more musical.

USAudio · « **Reply #17 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 05:35 pm »

Quote from: Charles Calkins on 15 Oct 2007, 05:01 pm

Found the preamp volume control box but it says it only applies to the analog output. Still think I should go for it?

Cheers
Charlie

That's right -- I don't know how/why it would have any impact on the digital output but as I said, by shutting down the DAC, some folks swear it does. Personally I didn't notice any dramatic difference in my system but it's a simple change and worth a try, shouldn't hurt anything. Just start with your preamp volume control all the way down first and give it a go! You can always set it back to 0 again later.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #18 on:** 15 Oct 2007, 09:24 pm »

Okie Dokie. I'll give it a try.

Cheers
Charlie

knut_the_viking · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 Oct 2007, 08:07 pm »

Stumbled upon this device:
http://www.netgear.com/Products/Storage/ReadyNASNVPlus.aspx

Home file server with a built-in SlimServer!

I think my quest for a home NAS device is over.
Of course, I don't have a SqueezeBox or DAC or stereo yet, but I'm getting close to start buying