[ted_b]

Dan, thanks, but here's the owners manual:
*  refer to SlimDevices/Logitech Transporter Owners Manual to plug in and turn on Transporter
*  Flip switch on back of Transporter to turn on power to tube section about 30 min prior to extensive listening (no wait for casual listening); when done listening, flip switch again
*  refer to SlimDevices/Logitech Transporter Owners Manual for everything else

 

[modwright]

Thanks Ted, I could have saved a lot of typing  .

I appreciate your support as always! 

Dan W.

[ted_b]

Mike (mgalausha) has updated his SB firmware selector that incorporates the ability to pick your fave Transporter firmware. 
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=58778.0
The theory is that there are sonic differences.  Has anyone glommed onto a favorite Transporter FW version?

[rydenfan]

I was using version 50 for awhile but I was experiencing intermittent random shutoffs of the TP, so I switched back to version 36. I could not detect any sonic differences between them. What would be the cause of sonic differences??

[rydenfan]

A few months ago we were discussing an octal based adapter to try out a different variety of tubes. I am just curious if anyone ever discovered one?

[Philistine]

Mike (mgalausha) has updated his SB firmware selector that incorporates the ability to pick your fave Transporter firmware. 
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=58778.0
The theory is that there are sonic differences.  Has anyone glommed onto a favorite Transporter FW version?

I'm currently using FW 50 - I haven't heard any sonic differences with the TP FW versions.

[gregeas]

I received my Modwright Transporter about two weeks ago and have run it continuously for about five days with the stock tubes. For now I have it connected directly to a Cary C5 multichannel amp via XLRs, with a Goldpoint passive pre in the middle to adjust the gain. Previously I was getting hum when the unmodded Transporter was connected directly to the amp, but the Goldpoint solved the problem. And with the modded Transporter in this system the background is dead silent -- quieter than before, I believe. My front speakers are Paradigm Studio 60s, and I'm awaiting the new Cary pre-pro to complete the package (at which time I will probably remove the Goldpoint).

I've had several high-end disk players in this system, but I gotta say that the Modwright is quite impressive. The soundstage is much bigger, with more depth, than I've heard before. And in my first listening session I had the amazing experience of being able to visualize, for the first time, what the musicians were doing in several complex songs that I know well. I'm on a Wilco and Radiohead kick, and both bands have a proclivity for experimenting with layers of strange sounds in their songs. Well, with the Modwright I was able to understand exactly what they were doing for the first time. (I'm a guitar player, so I often spend time in listening sessions thinking about what the musicians are doing. But until now several Wilco and Radiohead tunes had me stumpted.) The only other time I've had this experience was with a $2k tube headphone amp and a high-end universal player. But that system didn't have anything like the soundstage this has.

I've ripped several DVD-As at 24/96, so in the next few days I'll see how those sound. I also just rolled some NOS tubes. So far the Modwright has easily surpassed expectations. I might have to my other Transporter, in my main system, modded as well...

[ted_b]

As the anointed President of the Modwright TP fanclub, welcome aboard!!!

Even more kudos for the Radiohead and Wilco references!!  Saw Jeff and Co about 3 months ago here at a small venue in suburban Cleveland, then just saw Thom and Co. at Blossom Music Center (20th row center!!).   I've been tweaking my system with Hail to The Thief as a real good reference.  As you know, Nigel Goodrich and the Radiohead folks like to compress some of their stuff for effect, etc.  But HTTF is just an amazingly well-engineered album (Grammy for it) and it shines unbelievably via the MW Transporter.  Same is true, IMO, for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.  With my system dialed in as best as it's ever been (MW TP, 36.5, Spectron, SP Tech Revs) YHF has reached a new level of... well....levels.  The effects, subtle guitar loops and background landscapes that Wilco created here are just incredible via the TP. 

BTW, have you watched the documentary DVD "I am Trying to Break Your heart"?  It's a very good take on the almost realtime changes Wilco was going through, both personally (Jeff vs Jeff vs Jay), as well as battles with their old label (who dumped them upon hearing their new direction via YHF rough mixes, only to kick themselves when it was named album of the year by dozens of reviewers later on), finding a new label, etc.  Very cool video, with wonderful music.

Anyway...welcome.  When you find tube rolling success (or failure), please post over on the MW TP tube rolling thread.  Thx

[Philistine]

Welcome to the Modwright TP gregeas, a number of us found it takes a couple of months for it to fully burn in and it improves even more during this time.  You also might want to check out the tube rolling thread - it might save you time and money, or the opposite  

I've downloaded a few 24/96 files and find them to be a little smoother than the same tracks from a regular red book CD,  

[rydenfan]

Gregeas, welcome! I hope some of our discussions on AVS led you to upgrade your Transporter. I knew you would not be dissapointed 

BTW, If you enjoy Wilco and Radiohead I would like to recommend a lesser known band from across the pond named Elbow. "Asleep in the Back" is pretty incredible stuff.

[ted_b]

Gregeas, welcome! I hope some of our discussions on AVS led you to upgrade your Transporter. I knew you would not be dissapointed 

BTW, If you enjoy Wilco and Radiohead I would like to recommend a lesser known band from across the pond named Elbow. "Asleep in the Back" is pretty incredible stuff.

Listening to it now on Rhapsody.  Very nice!  Thank you David.

[rydenfan]

Awesome Ted! They should be right up your alley 

[gregeas]

Even more kudos for the Radiohead and Wilco references!! 

Ted_b:

That's funny -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was the first album I listened to critically with the Modwright TP. Quite amazing. Just saw Wilco in Brooklyn a few weeks back, and they put on a great show. They've really learned how to scale up their sonics for bigger venues (the first time I saw them was back in '95 at the Mercury Lounge, which can hold about 200 people!). I have seen I am Trying to Break Your Heart and always think about how they make those sounds with electric fans... Still haven't had the chance to see Radiohead but have been listening to them quite often. In Rainbows gets heavy rotation these days...

Rydenfan:

Yes, you planted the seed in my head for the modded Transporter. Thanks! I was originally trying to get one for my main system, but my "rack" is an antique oak armoire, and Dan recommended against squeezing hot tubes in there...

I will check out Elbow for sure... Thanks for the tip.

Philistine:

Thanks for the burn-in advice. Good to know the Transporter will keep improving.

Right now I'm using a Mullard 5AR4 and RCA Cleartop 6CG7s...

[rydenfan]

Gregeas, I would also recommend picking up a pair of 6H30 DR's from Parts Connextion to try as well. Those and the cleartops are my two fave's 

[Geardaddy]

Can you guys comment on the Transporter and compatibility with future hi rez music (beyond 24/96). 

[ted_b]

Future hirez music might be an oxymoron.  I am totally committed to hirez, both 2 ch and mch (huge $$ invested in identical SP tech 5.1 ITU setup, my Modwright Denon 3910 along with Oppo 980 are my 8th and 9th universal players I've owned, hundreds of SACD's and DVD-A's, even a couple Blu-Ray audio only discs).  I am VERY happy with the MW TP's 24/96 capability and believe that any pcm-based (read: rippable) 24 bit recordings will be negligibly better in 24/176 or 24/192 (not a big issue with me).  As you know the SACD and DVD-A early adopters (like me) have a plethora of software, but heavily weighted toward classical.  The SACD software releases continue, but DVD-A is relatively stopped.  I'd love to see blu-Ray really take off as the next hi-rez medium (like Neil Young's commitment), but it's currently a "japanese receiver" type of mentality...i.e make sure the features/functions are there in spades, but the price points don't lend themselves to audiophile-level quality per se, neither in the player decoders nor the current set of processors decoders/analog stages.

Net/net,  I think the TP supports what we know as hirez pcm today, and through MW's great implementation, will shine in 24/96 much better than most 24/192 implementations.  For the future, it's probably not TP's domain...but with thousands of hi-rez, and millions of redbook, it has it's work cut out for a long long time.

[rydenfan]

Very well stated Ted, and I echo the same sentiments.

I also want to add a bit of a different take. Dan's Transporter will help you to re-appreciate how good standard redbook can sound. Many SACDs that I own are multi-layer discs. I have done multiple comparions of the redbook layer played back MW TP > MW 36.5 and high-rez version Oppo 980 > Integra 9.8 via HDMI with the Oppo converting the DSD to PCM and to me there is no comparison, the Modwright combination wins in spades. Of course the ability to be able to play high-rez through the Modwright combination would be wonderful but I think you will be very pleased with how standard redbook can sound.

I am an absolute believer that Blu-Ray is the future for high resolution audio. Anyone who has read Neil Young's comments or listened to the Blu-Ray high-rez that Nine Inch Nails released knows what I am talking about. The new Pioneer Elite 09 player further shows major companies commiment to this new format. From that player I hope we will see a new universal player, including Blu-ray, from Esoteric. I would order one today  Also, with CEDIA just a few weeks away it will be crazed with HDMI 1.3 processors from companies such as Arcam, Parasound, etc. I think the huge success that concert Blu-Rays such as the Dave Matthews Live at Radio City have had shows these companies that there is a calling for high resolution audio and Blu-Ray is able to deilver both video and audio. I for one believe it is the brightest future we have had in awhile for mainstream acceptance. Sorry for the rant...

[Geardaddy]

Ted, thanks for the detailed answer.  I agree with your sentiments.  I felt intuitively at this point that a 24/96 ceiling is a moot issue for the forseeable future.

Rydenfan  , I found your rant informative.  I too had heard good things about Blu-ray.  Time will tell if that indeed gets the momentum it needs....

[kenreau]

Hope this is the right folder/thread for this?

I'm on the hunt for a remote replacement for my standard oem slimdevices rc.  My desktop cpu/monitor/music drive are in a separate room and I have my MWI TP buried in a cabinet where the display isn't readable.  I usually put together a play list in one room and go into the other to listen.  Kind of a pain.

I really like the looks of the new Duet Controller and just read it is now being sold separately for $299(ouch!).  The only drawback, besides the price, is the smallish screen size.

The Ipod touch sounds appealing as well, especially with its larger display.  I've seen these around used for about $200 which is my budget pain threshold.  Can these be used with out activating some monthly wifi or similar service? 

Any recommendations out there for something along these criteria?

Thx,
Ken

[Bigfish]

Ken:

I use a laptop computer as my means to control the ModWright Transporter.  The desktop computer upstairs serves as the server and the laptop is just used to select the music I want to hear.  Use the following to set-up the laptop:

Just point the browser on your laptop to http://<slimserver_ip>:9000/ , but putting the IP address of your desktop server pc in place of <slimserver_ip>.
>Do I need to have the slimserver installed on my laptop along with Softsqueeze <
No.
>is that the same ip address that I am showing on the Squeezebox<

It's the IP address of the server your squeezebox connects to. On the SB Menu do Settings->Information->Server Information and scroll down to Host IP address.

The advantage of using a laptop is that you can browse the internet while you listen to music.  A good used laptop can be found on Craig's List for $300 to $400.

Good Luck,

Ken