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Hello,

I'm looking for some feedback from you technical guys or gals out there, regarding the audiophile considerations that will be coming down the pike with setting up the Isabella (getting the best source quality to the DAC).

Vinnie's current setup is as follows:
Laptop -to- USB -to- Isabella

However, I'm one of the guys who might have to use a Desktop on the other side of the room as my source, with a setup like this:
Desktop- to -WiFi Transmitter (or Ethernet)- to -Squeezebox (or Linksys Music Bridge)- to -Toslink- to -Isabella

I'm wondering what kind of compromises in audio quality I might encounter with this setup compared to Vinnie's?  What the magnitude of these issues might be on a highly-resolving system and if there are ways to limit the impact?  Questions like, does the Squeezebox (using Toslink output) add jitter, should the Desktop connect to the Squeezebox with Ethernet (instead of wireless), etc?

Also, Vinnie seemed to indicate in another post that using the Toslink into the DAC will filter out any AC noise that might be generated by the Desktop, Squeezebox, and other components so I'm assuming that solves the noise problem?


thanks

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A reply from Vinny about this.  Please add comments if you have listening impressions between your Squeezebox and a quality CDP or USB DAC.


Good question!  Dirty power from a computer can result in degraded S/PDIF digital output signal... no matter if it is transmitted via coax (electrical) or TOSLINK (optical).  With regards to transmitting this digital signal, with TOSLINK you can at least isolate any potential ground noise or hum.  I am not saying that Toslink is superior to coax and vice-versa.  If you have the chance, I recommend you try both and see if you can hear a difference and decide which one you like better.  This goes for any dac that offers these digital inputs ... not just Isabella's.

Isabella's dac will also offer a USB input.  The USB signal is converted directly to I2S to feed the Isabella's dac chip.  The signal is not converted to SPDIF and then to I2S.... it gets converted directly to I2S.  This is the cleanest transfer and while the coax and optical inputs still sound very good, the USB input o(I'm using a MacBook's USB output to feed the Isabella's dac) is the best I've heard!

I'm wondering if a desktop-WiFi Transmitter-Squeezebox-Toslink-Isabella chain (as opposed to a laptop-USB-Isabella chain) creates any compromises in the audio quality, like added Jitter from the Squeezebox or something like that.

The Squeezebox's SPDIF digital outputs offer low jitter specs and you'll get very nice results, but as mentioned above, use USB for the very best results.

Best regards,

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

The Squeezebox's SPDIF digital outputs offer low jitter specs and you'll get very nice results

I forgot to mention that I recommend you upgrade the Squeezebox's power adapter.  Go with a linear regulated 5V power supply (with a minimum of 1.5A output current) to replace the stock switch-mode wall-wort.  Even better would be an SLA battery power supply... but you need to regulate the voltage to 5V and again, output of at least 1.5A is important (i.e., heatsink that regulator!).

Vinnie

[Hifidelityaudio]

If you have to run a digital cable to the Isabella or any dac please make sure the cable is of high quality.Like myself I sell the very inexpensive Oppo digital 980 for example and put in better parts quality in several key areas including the word clock which is a major weak link in many even high end players or transport mechanisms, this and have a good IEC connector put in a seperate decent quality power cord will give you a better signal and rf is not a problem or noise if using the right grounding isolation schemes.
please note: if using a transport ,a dvd player in stock form is not good and you are defeating th purpose with all that jitter.
 The above statement is what it takes if you want a high quality performance at reasonable cost.