[poseidonsvoice]

Steve,

I contacted Rick Cullen and he said it is definitely possible but he wanted to check in with you to see if the Pace Car can be configured for the Touch. He said it would cost $200 from his end to modify the Touch for the Pace Car.

For the Touch in this configuration would an external shunt regulated linear power supply make a difference in sound quality? Same question for Pace Car, although I see you have a Monolith battery supply for this unit as well.

I would be using the Pace Car with the I2S connection to the RAKK dac Mk III, seen here. You will see he has options for I2S use although he cautions that if the transport being used is not the PS Audio Perfect Wave transport (PWT) that the I2S interface adapter with his DAC needs to be configured properly. Given that I am planning on using the Touch->Pace Car w/I2S output, I think I need to plan this carefully or I may have to send the I2S interface board to you.

Sorry, that's a lot to chomp on...

Thanks,

Anand.

[audioengr]

I have done a few Touch mods myself and the customers seem to be happy.  The problem is that it is a difficult mod compared to what Cullen has done in the past.  I dont believe he can do it for $200 BTW due to the metalwork that needs to be done.  I have not decided to continue doing these mods or to outsource it yet.

When the Pace-Car is used, the power supply for the Touch should not matter. Improving the PS for the Pace-Car makes a difference, particularly if the Pace-Car uses Ultraclock.

The I2S options for the Pace-Car should work in any single-ended I2S application. The PSAudio is differential.

Steve N.

[poseidonsvoice]

So...does that mean that with the I2S interface board that is available for the RAKK dac Mk III, that the Pace Car would be incompatible, since that board is designed to be with a differential I2S output instead of a single ended one?

Anand.

[firedog]

Just got my Pace-Car I modified to work with the Touch (Steve also modded the Touch). My main reason was so I could play hi-res files in native resolution.

I can now play all typical file types, 16-24 bit, up to 96k, in native resolution.

First impressions:

The Touch: Like the Touch in general. It is a little more heavy and solid feeling than I expected. The touch screen works well, although I have a few quibbles with it. The included remote doesn't have a screen, but works well and is useful. A better solution would be a Duet Controller or an iPod Touch/iPhone as a controller (there's an app for it to work as controller for Squeezebox).

One useful feature of the SB Touch: it has a reset/restart button on back. Very useful when paired with a Pace-Car, as the Pace Car has to be turned on first. The reset button allows restart of the Touch, so you don't have to unplug it everytime you turn the Pace-Car on and off.

As far as the sound: quite good. I don't really know how it compares to my previous Duet overall (as the Duet is not compatible with the Pace-Car), but 24-96 material definitely sounds superior to what I heard through the Duet (with downsampling done by SBS), and also sounds much better than even native 24/96 playback from SPDIF out of my soundcard>Foobar (kernel streaming)>to DAC.

Conclusion: the SB Touch+Pace Car is a good combination. With a Pace-Car II I'm sure it would be even better.

Sound is much more dynamic and fuller sounding, improved sound stage. Straight SPDIF from my PC Soundcard (M-Audio 192) sounded a bit lacking and thin in comparison.

[audioengr]

So...does that mean that with the I2S interface board that is available for the RAKK dac Mk III, that the Pace Car would be incompatible, since that board is designed to be with a differential I2S output instead of a single ended one?

Anand.

Correct, this would be incompatible.

Steve N.