[Wayne1]

Computer Audiophile was sent my stock DUET and a modded one with a prototype PS for review.

Here are his comments.

While it appears he is not the biggest fan of the SqueezeBox, I do take heart from his comments:

"The stock Duet is a convenient niche product with decent mid-fi sound. The Bolder Cable modifications take that sound up a notch or two by squeezing every ounce of performance possible from the device. Simply put, if you like the Duet now you'll like it even more with the Bolder mods. In fact the Duet with Bolder Cable Company modifications may rival the more expensive Logitech Transporter."

[zybar]

Congrats Wayne.   

I expect nothing less from anything that you work on.

George

[Wayne1]

Thanks, George.

Tyson has finally resurfaced. He ordered Analog mods with V-caps and WBT connectors for a DUET. That should go out to him today.

I'll be working on a power supply for him next week. He is going for an Ultimate with Bybee Purifiers. I hope we will be reading some comments from him in the near future.

Wayne

[mr_bill]

Am I missing something or does COmputer Audiophile really like Mac at this website and not like Slim Devices.

Do the macs really give that much better performance than using an analog modded Squeezebox or Duet or the same with a high quality outboard dac?

I've used SB3 with Benchmark and also Transporter and although the Transporter was a little better, they both delivered.

Congrats Wayne and I'm not trying to steal your thread.

[Felipe]

  It seemed to me like a very mediocre review to what the SB stands for.

He clearly says that he considers the sound of modded and unmodded very mid-fi.
And also that any quality DAC can surpass the analog output, when wayne's thoughts are the exact opposite...

I dont know this guy system and what he uses with the SB so i cant comment why he thinks this way.

[Wayne1]

Chris at Computer Audiophile was the only person willing to review the DUET, stock and modded.

I did ask Enjoy the Music and 6Moons, but I was told the reviewers were all booked up.

Chris was able to review the units quickly.

I have not heard any of the DAC's he mentioned. I do not care to have a computer in my listening room.

If there is a reviewer out there who would be willing to review the DUETs, stock and modded, please get in touch with me.
Chris is sending the units back to me today or early next week.

I sent Tyson out his modded DUET. He can compare that to a stock SB2. I also sent him the CIA power supply. Hopefully he can offer some opinions on that.

[pc604]

Wayne, was the prototype Duet PS you sent to Chris equivalent to your Ultimate PS or is it closer to your Standard Linear PS? He doesn't sound convinced that the Bolder mods can squeeze more than a "notch or two" more than mid-fi from a Squeezebox or that any SB can sound any better. Maybe you should send him your "all out assault" modded SB3 and Ultimate PS IV.

This is actually my first ever post, although I've been lurking for a while and actually bought a Bolder modded SB3 (equiv to a full enthusiast mod with gold Bybee on the digital out) and a Ultimate PS II with Bybee second hand, and it has completely blown away my previous unmodded SB3 in dynamic contrasts, musicality, background noise, etc. Basically all across the board. I'm wondering what amp/speakers/cables Chris is reviewing with. All good audio reviewers should disclose what equipment they are using and then describe how the reviewed piece compares to their "reference", prefereably in a similar price range. This is the first audio review I've read where there is no mention of differences with regards to soundstage, tonal balance, musical detail, etc. The only points I picked out from the entire review is that the modded Duet smoothes out the sound a bit and proclaims the modded Duet a 25% improvement over stock, whatever that means, which is exactly 20% more than his initial impression of 5%. Who needs descriptive adjectives for a audio review when you can use precise objectives numbers?

I don't know if he's a "pro" reviewer (I guess he must be since he's selling ad space), but I would say his review isn't even 5% better than most user reviews I read in this forum. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Guys - Thanks for reading the review. Based on what I've read here it sounds like there is some disagreement with the review. I'm totally cool with that. Each of us has our own styles and tastes. I don't conduct every review the same way and I don't write them all up in the same formulaic structure that many reviewers do. I hear you guys asking for more details and that's something I certainly won't ignore, but at the same time I won't change my style. As they say, you can't please everyone all the time.

The system I used during this review consisted of McIntosh tubed components, Avalon Acoustics speakers, Kimber Select Cable, dedicated power circuits for every component, Weiss Engineering Minerva DAC, Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC, Benchmark DAC1 PRE, and a few Richard Gray power Cables.

Thanks again for the comments guys. Even if we disagree it's a good conversation.

[pc604]

Thanks for providing the list of review equipment, Chris. I actually don't disagree with the review or the findings. Personally I was just looking for a bit more "meat" in the observations, especially in key areas where there were more significant gains with the Bolder mod.

[jesterbot]

Hey Wayne,

Did you send him a base-level "fully modded" DUET with Gen2 caps, or upgraded with Sonicap Platinums or V-Caps?

Also, was it fully broken in (PS as well)?

Just curious!



~ Kevin (you should have just received my DUET for modding)

[playntheblues]

Congratulations Wayne, you always do a great job! 

[Wayne1]

The units I sent for review were the "prototypes" I used to develop the mods. They were well broken in.

These were the exact same units I brought over to mgalusha's place. They were discussed here

The modded Receiver had V-caps and WBT RCAs. The power supply was the same circuit and design as the Standard, but it was in a smaller case and it used 40,000 uFd of capacitance vs the Standard's 60,000 uFd. No Bybee purifiers were used.

I have been selling quite a few of the Standard PS. I haven't been able to keep one on hand long enough to break-in fully. That is why I sent the prototype "compact" PS.

The DUET has been generating quite a bit of interest. I wanted to get them reviewed and to show what mods can be done and "improvements" that the PS and mods make. I believe The Absolute Sound just reviewed the stock DUET system.

The Statement SB3 and Ultimate PS have been at a reviewer's for over a year. I do not know if a review will ever be forth coming.

I have been contacted by a writer from Great Britain about the DUET. I will have to build a "Standard" PS for him to try, so it will be a few months before that review will be published.

[bpape]

Congrats Wayne.

Glad it's working well for you and people are happy.  If it's anything like the 2 Bolder PS's I have for my 2 SB's, I'm sure it sounds great.  Good luck with further reviews.

Bryan