[ToddSTS]

DoS,

How are you sending music to your squeezebox?  FLAC, WAV, FLAC on disk decoded by server to WAV instead of letting the squeezebox do it?  I'm asking because, while I can see where firmware in the player would make a difference, unless you have some sort of processing plugin running on the server side, SlimServer vs. Squeezecenter shouldn't matter a bit, it just sends the file to the player and it is decoded there.

Todd

[Folsom]

I use FLAC level 8 over wireless.

I have no plug ins of any kind running or installed.

I can not tell the difference between the SlimServer or SqueezeCenter, just the firmwares.

[zybar]

I thought a lot of my music was mastered poorly because the dynamic range was weak, but it was actually my firmware normalizing everything. I had no volume.

I thought the opamp modification might be worth it for impact. My vinyl side makes things shake, you feel people's voices... My Squeezebox (modified) I was hoping would pick up with a new power supply but that was not it (got one for free anyhow waiting on a plug). Well I switched firmware for phase, because it is the easiest solution. My dynamic range is back! The impact of everything is back!

Details.... Drums and everything have so much more space around them, this switch back to 15 unmuddled everything. I can compare the sound of drums on my stereo to the drums upstairs that are real and win because the drums upstairs suck.

I can not stress enough how poor the current firmware available is in comparison. I think it is meant to make you believe the Squeezebox is not an audiophile worthy device, just a music sharing device, and that you must spend $2k on a transporter, NO JOKE.

I thought the firmware made minor differences, but it is more than night and day. Plus I can get ear hurting levels. Here is the beauty though, I can listen to it quieter now and get more out of it! 

I have no idea what is going on in your system, but I am running SqueezeCenter without any issues and without and loss of sound quality.

George

[DSK]

I thought a lot of my music was mastered poorly because the dynamic range was weak, but it was actually my firmware normalizing everything. I had no volume.

Strange. Perhaps its really the Volume Adjustment/Replay Gain setting that's turned on? It's accessible from either the player setup or SqueezeCenter. I'm running SqueezeCenter, v.83 firmware on a Bolder mod'd SB3 and the dynamics are what they're supposed to be.

I agree. I was one of the dinosaurs who remained on 6.2.1/FW15 (with Bolder analog & digital mods) with speaker leads connected "normally". About 2 or 3 months ago I updated to 6.5.4/FW83 (and switched speakers leads at the amp end) and lost nothing at all. In fact, if anything it sounds a little better. I play FLAC files, decoded on PC side, and have all settings turned off (replay gain, normalisation, attenuation etc etc).

[PhilNYC]

I have no idea what is going on in your system, but I am running SqueezeCenter without any issues and without and loss of sound quality.

George

FWIW, when I installed SqueezeCenter v7.0beta over v6.5.4, a couple of my File-type settings changed.  My original settings were to convert ALAC -> WAV, but the v.7.0beta changed it to ALAC -> FLAC.  I notice an improvement by converting to WAV before sending over the network.

[art]

BTW-I use release 6.5.4 with FW83 and have no absolute phase problems.  I thought that this FW version sounded best but was told this wasn't true by the same jackass that says there is no difference in sound w/ a quality linear power supply vs. the OEM switch mode POS.

Jackass, indeed.........OEM SMPS........major POC.

I have spent most of the last week trying to get the noise out of a proto low-noise reg that only feeds the clock/SPDIF chip. There is so much garbage radiated, that it swamps my noise measurements.

OK, granted, I am trying to measure into the sub-millivolt range, but it is impossible to do so with the stock SMPS. I had to build a separate +5 V linear supply just to be able to measure the proto.

The only thing they share in common is the ground and proximity.

So, anyone who tell you the SMPS is ok needs a lobotomy. Or an iPod. Maybe both.

Pat

[Folsom]

How are you guys choosing to convert or not convert before the network? I am afraid I have not noticed this option?

[jman66]

How are you guys choosing to convert or not convert before the network? I am afraid I have not noticed this option?

I decode FLAC to WAV on the server side and stream WAV to the Squeezebox.  Less work for the Squeezebox CPU to do which means a bit less noise. I also blank the SB3 display, no screensaver or animations and have the wireless card removed.
IMO, I'd recommend streaming WAV only on a hardwired connection.

[tonyptony]

How are you guys choosing to convert or not convert before the network? I am afraid I have not noticed this option?

I decode FLAC to WAV on the server side and stream WAV to the Squeezebox.  Less work for the Squeezebox CPU to do which means a bit less noise. I also blank the SB3 display, no screensaver or animations and have the wireless card removed.
IMO, I'd recommend streaming WAV only on a hardwired connection.

jman, you may already know this, but once the ethernet port is in use the wireless card turns itself off (according to Sean at Slimdevices/Logitech). Also, putting the display up at full brightness during play is supposed to be no worse than turning it off. But any intermediate choice is not recommended.

[jman66]

jman, you may already know this, but once the ethernet port is in use the wireless card turns itself off (according to Sean at Slimdevices/Logitech). Also, putting the display up at full brightness during play is supposed to be no worse than turning it off. But any intermediate choice is not recommended.

True, the wireless card does get turned off when one uses the ethernet port.  I have no use for wireless so the card was promptly yanked! I use a tablet PC to control playback so the FL display need not be on.
Piece of mind or obsessive, however you look at it. 

[AphileEarlyAdopter]

[..
IMO, I'd recommend streaming WAV only on a hardwired connection.

Right, I used to stream WAV to my SB3. But with the new SqueezeCenter and fw 86 it looks like streaming FLAC sounds better. Must be something to do with the wireless hard at work. Probably better with Ethernet.
As soon as I install I go through making sure I got all my settings right. It is quite possible I did not spend enough time evaluating this thoroughly.

[Folsom]

How are you guys choosing to convert or not convert before the network? I am afraid I have not noticed this option?

I decode FLAC to WAV on the server side and stream WAV to the Squeezebox.  Less work for the Squeezebox CPU to do which means a bit less noise. I also blank the SB3 display, no screensaver or animations and have the wireless card removed.
IMO, I'd recommend streaming WAV only on a hardwired connection.

I do not understand. Are your music files saved as WAV? Is there an option server side to make it do this? I do not follow. What is decoding it?

If I updated firmware I would always have my SB out of phase or my turn table, one of the two. That is one reason I have not experimented with switching. All I know is 15 sounds different, but that does not mean my later version I had before was running right.

[jman66]

I do not understand. Are your music files saved as WAV? Is there an option server side to make it do this? I do not follow. What is decoding it?

Nope, the music files are in FLAC format, get decoded by SqueezeCenter (or SlimServer - your choice) to WAV and steam to the Squeezebox as raw WAV.
If you're running SqueezeCenter, click on Settings --> Advanced --> File Types.
This brings up the page that lists the known file types that SC handles and how those file types get decoded and steamed to the SB. In order to stream FLAC as WAV adjust both the FLAC and WAV File Formats settings as this:

File Type          Stream Format       Decoder
FLAC                FLAC                    Disabled
                      MP3                      Disabled 
                      WAV                     flac 

WAV                FLAC                    Disabled 
                      MP3                     Disabled 
                      WAV                    Native

And don't forget to click on Apply to save the changes.

Just my opinion but I wouldn't stream WAV if you're running wireless...

[Folsom]

Yeah my network would probably prefer not too. I am not sure if I will run wired any time soon though. I might try it for fun though when no one else is using the network.

Thanks for explaining that to me.

[DSK]

FWIW I stream WAV wirelessly (Netgear WPN824 MIMO wireless router) and have never had a dropout in 2 years. Signal strength always seems to sit at about 73%.

Can't say I really A/B'd but heard no apparent difference between decoding at PC side and SB2 side.

Did a quick A/B with wireless vs ethernet and heard no apparent difference either. May try this more carefully when I have some time though.

[Folsom]

FWIW I stream WAV wirelessly (Netgear WPN824 MIMO wireless router) and have never had a dropout in 2 years. Signal strength always seems to sit at about 73%.

Can't say I really A/B'd but heard no apparent difference between decoding at PC side and SB2 side.

Did a quick A/B with wireless vs ethernet and heard no apparent difference either. May try this more carefully when I have some time though.

Works better for me, less lag on the SB itself. My computer, can not tell the difference, takes no real CPU power.