[A]

 Hi! I have been surfing here for a few months now and ready to ask some questions if some of you dont mine answering them.First let me tell you that i'm a nurd with computers and electronics.And also dont know how to operate a SB.I'm about to build a pair of the linkwitz orion open baffle loudspeakers and dont have a transport yet. An ATI 6012 amplifier will drive those babys and mayby a SB3 directly to the amp to play the tunes. So Q:1 Do i need analogue mods or digital? Or will digital mod with a dac be better?Q:2 Does the mods change or add something to the recorded material or only better the sound?Q:3 I live in HAMILTON,ONTARIO,CANADA and just heard that pandora is not available here,is this a major loss for me?Also the ATI amp input sensitivity is 1.0 volts for full rated power with a voltage gain of 28dB,will i need a kick ass power supply with burson buffer for optimum sound quality? Q:4 Is there a monthly fee to access internet radio with the SB?      THANKS.    AL.

[Bigfish]

A highly modified Squeezebox with high-end power supply is an excellent source but IMHO the main reason to go with a Squeezebox is convenience.  Once you rip all of your music to a hard drive you can access any song from the comfort of your listening chair. 

Analog versus digital mods:  If you plan to run direct from the S3 to the amps I believe you want to select the analog mods.  I am not certain you can conrol the volume from the S3 if you feed to a DAC and then to the amps.  I have a friend that uses an Altmann DAC and he has to go from the DAC to his preamp to the amps. 

If you go with the analog mods and want to directly feed the amps then I would definitely recommend the Burson Buffer.  It will make a very significant difference.

Based on everything I have read you will need an upgraded power supply with Digital or Analog Mods. 

I cannot help you with the Internet Radio Question as I use Pandora.

Good Luck,

Ken

[Daygloworange]

Hi Al,

Welcome to AudioCircle.

Today is your lucky day.    

I run a Bolder full analog modded SB 3 (currently with Bolder modded Elpac power supply) directly, sans pre-amp into a pair of ATI 1202 stereo power amps in a vertical bi-amp configuration into a pair of GR Research OB 5's & OB 7's (which are not too unlike the Orions in that they are open baffle mids). Also, I'm in Mississauga.

 So Q:1 Do i need analogue mods or digital? Or will digital mod with a dac be better?Q

A lot of guys run the analog outs only. Many have gotten rid of some high end DAC's and transports and replaced it with the analog modded SB2 and SB 3.

Having said that, there are those that chose the digital mod, and use their DAC of choice.

You can't go wrong either way. I believe Wayne from Bolder still prefers the sound of the analog modded version over the digital mods.

Q:2 Does the mods change or add something to the recorded material or only better the sound?

It betters the sound of the stock unit quite a bit, by using higher quality and better performing parts and simplifying the signal path and how and where some of the sections of the circuitry get their AC power.

Wayne removes the stock op amp, and replaces a lot of parts with the highest quality, and best sounding parts one can fit in the chassis of either the SB2 or SB 3. The SB2 has a larger chassis, and he can fit some larger stuff in there.

In doing so, every sonic aspect of the SB is much more transparent and dynamic. The power supply mods really take it over the top in terms of refinement. I've had Wayne's Ultimate PS II here for a few weeks to demo, and I can tell you it really makes a difference. Wayne has tweaked and refined the power supply some more with help from Hugh at AKSA, and says it's another step up.

Based on what I've heard from Wayne's products (in my system), and Hugh Dean's new amplifier at RMAF this year, I believe it must be every bit as good as both Wayne and Hugh feel it is.

Q:3 I live in HAMILTON,ONTARIO,CANADA and just heard that pandora is not available here,is this a major loss for me?Also the ATI amp input sensitivity is 1.0 volts for full rated power with a voltage gain of 28dB,will i need a kick ass power supply with burson buffer for optimum sound quality?

I run my modded SB 3 directly into my ATI 1202's. They are capable of full output with a 1 volt input. With one ATI 1202 and my 91 db sensitivity speakers, it was loud enough for most listening in a medium sized room, but wouldn't rock the house. The Burson will kick it up by another 6 db, and was pretty good at rocking the house. I had the first "stock" Burson that Wayne brought in on demo, but it died very shortly after I put it in, so I can't comment a whole lot on the sound.

What it did do was kick up the gain. What it didn't do, was anything immediately apparent in changing the sound I had before the Burson.

Based on the ears of members here who's opinions I've learned to trust, the Bolder Burson, is an improvement to the stock Burson.

Q:4 Is there a monthly fee to access internet radio with the SB?  

There are a lot of internet radio stations you can access for free. There are dozens and dozens, in many genres of music.

It's become (another)one of my favorite things about going to the SB 3.  

Cheers

[A]

     Thanks for your replies guys. I now need to figure how much this is gonna cost me. I have just seen the price list and it kinda confused me. Is the enthusiast analog only mods the same quality of the analog portion of the statement mods? If not and decide to go with the statement at a $1000 + SB $300 + nirvana ps ???

[Wayne1]

Hello A,

Sorry for the confusing website pricing. Maybe some year, I will take the time to make all the options clearer 

The best "deal" for analog only is to order the Enthusiast analog only mod and the Statement analog upgrade. That will come to $875.00.

You would get most of the sound of the Statement, but without quite to low end authority that the Full Statement internal PS upgrades offer.

The Ultimate Nirvana PS would go for about $1500.00 plus DC and AC cables.

You can easily spend $3,000.00 on the SB and mods. You may also need to look into using a Buffer of some sort.

I normally suggest that most people go about this in steps. That is why I have set up this confusing price structure 

You do not have to spend all the money at once. You can get the SB and and figure out how to use it and start ripping your CD collection to a hard drive. Then you can pick up a linear PS. Next step should be to send the SB to me for Enthusiast mods. Upgrade next to the Statement, Then go for Ultimate Nirvana PS.

Thanks for your interest.

Thanks for your comments, Ken and Denny.

Denny,

If you ever have another listening session at your place, get in touch with me. Maybe I might be able to send an Ultimate Nirvana across the border for the Northern brethren to audition.

[jcpix]

I'm new to this game also and have another question.  Why the (modded) Squeezebox and not the Transporter?

Thanks.

[Panelman]

Al,
there is no fee for internet radio through the Squeezebox.   Regarding controlling volume from the Squeezebox, it can be done but is not the ideal way to do it as the digital volume control reduces resolution.

Sean

[Daygloworange]

Denny,

If you ever have another listening session at your place, get in touch with me. Maybe I might be able to send an Ultimate Nirvana across the border for the Northern brethren to audition.

Wayne,

I'll have another open house after I get done with this run of CLS 9 line arrays we're in the midst of doing. When I have my pair broken in I'll open the doors for a listening session. That will really show off the capabilities of the Bolder SB 3.

In the meantime, I'll be sending you my SB 3 for the full Statement mods so that it'll be broken in as well. 

Cheers

[Wayne1]

jcpix,

'm new to this game also and have another question.  Why the (modded) Squeezebox and not the Transporter?

The Transporter measures suberbly. It has a very nice appearance. Unfortunately I do not care for the sound of it. The analog section simply does not sound as good as a modded SB3, to me. I have tried various things to mod the Transporter to reach the level of an analog modded SB3, and I have not been happy with the results.

Others may have different opinions.

With the latest Ultimate Nirvana PS, the modded SB is even more head and shoulders above the Transporter.

Recently, a local AC member compared the modded digital output of a SB2 with the latest PS to a modded Transporter into a modded Behringer DCX. The modded SB2 digital out was preferred over the Transporter.

[jcpix]

Thanks, Wayne.  Since my post I've done some searching and found other threads on the modded SB vs. the Transporter and all lean towards the SB.  You will be hearing from me in the New Year.    Jeff

[mcgsxr]

A, welcome to AC, and welcome to Wayne's Circle, you have started off in a great spot!

I live just down the QEW from you, in Burlington.

I run a Bolder modded SB3 directly into an old tube amp, via the analog outputs.  There have been several iterations of mods from Wayne for this unit, and trust me, you cannot go wrong no matter where you land with a modded SB3.

Some good advice already posted, if you ever want to play around with one, drop me a PM.

All the best,

[A]

   THanks Mark,i'm leaving for 2 weeks and i still have to build my system so it could be a while. AL.