Small Green Computer's new option for Vortexbox Appliance

eclein · « **on:** 19 Sep 2011, 12:01 am »

I noticed this last night and took the copy and pictures from Small Green Computers website. They are offering a Vortexbox with a digital interface so you can take a signal directly from the VB. Here's the info from the website:
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With the new SOtM dX-USB-HD digital interface, it is possible to get a high resolution, ultra low jitter digital audio signal straight from your VortexBox.

Completely plug-and-play on your VortexBox appliance, this interface allows for Audiophile asynchronous USB playback up to 24 bit resolution at sampling rates up to 192 kHz.

This digital interface includes AES/EBU, SPDIF Toslink and SPDIF RCA ouputs to insure compatibility with your DAC of choice. This interface automatically switch's between USB power and external power. The external power source can be a battery or a linear supply. When using USB power the interface has a unique design incorporating an ultra low noise regulator circuit. This interface also has dual full size high quality oscillators.

Features
USB2.0 High Speed, USB Audio Class 2.0
16/24Bit 44.1/48/88.2/96/176/192kHz
Asynchronous mode operation
Indicate LED (Power, Sampling rate)
Powered by the USB bus, or external power supply
Power regulation circuit using ultra low noise regulators
400/500MIPS 32bit Multi-threaded Processors (XMOS)
Ultra high speed RS422 driver for AES/EBU, Coaxial , Toslink
High grade components: PPS film chip capacitor, conductive polymer capacitor, audio grade electrolytic capacitor
Dual full size high quality oscillator (one for 44.1kHz family, another for 48kHz)
105mm x 53mm x 150mm (WxHxD)
Approximately 490g
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Here is the website if anyone wants to check it out, I'm not affiliated with Small Green Computer...
http://shop.smallgreencomputer.com/

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 01:18 am »

Thanks for the heads up. I'm as computer dumb as a bag of rocks.

Why not just use a Vortexbox straight into a USB compatible DAC?

I've often looked at the Vortexbox idea, but again don't hardly know what I'm looking at.

TomS · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 01:47 am »

Quote from: JLM on 19 Sep 2011, 01:18 am

Thanks for the heads up. I'm as computer dumb as a bag of rocks.

Why not just use a Vortexbox straight into a USB compatible DAC?

I've often looked at the Vortexbox idea, but again don't hardly know what I'm looking at.

Some USB inputs on DACs will not accept rates all the way to 24/192khz natively. It looks like this box just converts USB to S/PDIF similar to the the Offramp, Wavelink, Audiophilleo, Stello, M2Tech, etc.

eclein · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 02:46 am »

I'd take the coax output to my DAC 1st choice, 2nd would be Toslink, 3rd would be USB. Thats just my thoughts on it...a coax signal is a nice and clean digital signal easy to convert. Toslink is optical and requires another conversion at the dac to convert the optical to a digital signal then convert. USB always seems to me to be the lost or last one I'd want to mess with and convert to a nice clean digital signal....but hey I could be wrong.

firedog · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 11:20 am »

Quote from: JLM on 19 Sep 2011, 01:18 am

Thanks for the heads up. I'm as computer dumb as a bag of rocks.

Why not just use a Vortexbox straight into a USB compatible DAC?

I've often looked at the Vortexbox idea, but again don't hardly know what I'm looking at.

This will give you a better quality signal out than you would get otherwise, and most DACs don't accept straight USB above 48K (most) or 96K (some); only in the newer up to date ones is native hi-res over USB possible

toddbagwell · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 01:47 pm »

Firedog, when you say "better" signal than usb what is the reference?

Is it the vortex usb output or the AES digital output?

Thanks,
Todd

JLM · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 01:58 pm »

It never stays simple does it?

But why spend twice for the USB/Coax-Optical-AES/EBU converter than the Vortex itself??

Seems elsewhere that the Stello U3 (for less) is the current favorite.

How bad is the jitter of the Vortexbox in case I just want to stay Redbook?

ratso · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 03:34 pm »

a step in the right direction for VB. now if they would get rid of the fan and allow it to stream from a NAS it would have it all IMO.

lcrim · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 06:08 pm »

This is, by definition, a NAS.
It also has digital outputs to go directly to a properly compliant DAC using its own player.
Used as networked device, it will rip to flac and index the flac files for you and utilyzing SqueezeBox Server as your player/index, it can stream to your SqueezeBox which is networked.
I would be concerned, like Ratso, that the fan and perhaps the internal HDD would be noisy. If you are going through the digital outs, in comparison to the better player software, I am skeptical re:playback quality.
The standard Vortex Box appliance, set up remote to the playback environment, seems to make more sense to me.

Larry

eclein · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 06:38 pm »

It seems that they are leaning toward turning VB into an all in one solution and eventually a NAS+Media Streamer/Player.....LOL...I think the original VB appliance idea and the application is going to be better for me, let my SB touch be the player into my DAC into my Pre etc...The fan and HDD would be an issue for sure but maybe the fact that its a separate unit outside the VB helps that....I don't know. I'll get a reg VB when I jump....don't need this new thing myself.

JLM · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Sep 2011, 10:03 pm »

The VB seems cheaper than other solid state hard drive/fanless options. But if you could keep it in a different room and use something like a Squeeze Box in the listening room, it would address the self noise.

lcrim · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 12:03 am »

Quote from: JLM on 19 Sep 2011, 10:03 pm

The VB seems cheaper than other solid state hard drive/fanless options. But if you could keep it in a different room and use something like a Squeeze Box in the listening room, it would address the self noise.

Then why pay an additional premium for the model w/ the digital outputs?

Larry

firedog · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 07:49 am »

Quote from: toddbagwell on 19 Sep 2011, 01:47 pm

Firedog, when you say "better" signal than usb what is the reference?

Is it the vortex usb output or the AES digital output?

Thanks,
Todd

These USB to SPDIF converters exist for 2 reasons: 1)Many DACs don't have a USB input; 2)even on those that do the quality/capacity often isn't the best.

In general, you will get a lower jitter, electrically cleaner signal to your DAC using one of these boxes as opposed to a direct USB>DAC USB connection from your server to your DAC. Look around the web (and this forum) and you will see lots of reports of how users say their SQ has improved using a dedicated box like this.

JEaton · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 05:22 pm »

Why would anyone want a "NAS" that supports no more than one hard drive? And pay a premium for the privilege?

Where is the optical drive for ripping CDs? Is it an external drive connected to the USB port?

Sometimes when you fire at three or four different targets you don't hit any of them. I'd say this thing is a good example of that.

lcrim · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 05:32 pm »

Quote from: JEaton on 20 Sep 2011, 05:22 pm

Why would anyone want a "NAS" that supports no more than one hard drive? And pay a premium for the privilege?

Where is the optical drive for ripping CDs? Is it an external drive connected to the USB port?

Sometimes when you fire at three or four different targets you don't hit any of them. I'd say this thing is a good example of that.

+1

eclein · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 06:27 pm »

Check the website---this piece is part of the entire package, the appliance itself has all the things you said were missing and more, its always a good thing to look at the website......

JEaton · « **Reply #16 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 06:40 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 20 Sep 2011, 06:27 pm

Check the website---this piece is part of the entire package, the appliance itself has all the things you said were missing and more, its always a good thing to look at the website

Ah, I see. The web site isn't particularly well done. From the description I thought that box was also a NAS. So it's a USB to S/PDIF interface that they bundle with their ripping NAS. Gotcha.

It's interesting that they don't sell the SOtM interface by itself.

jacko2x · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 07:35 pm »

If you want to get the interface by itself, you could get it from sonore.us . Price is on the site and if you want more details, you can contact Jesus and he'll get you hooked up. I placed an order last friday and according to him, it'll be coming in from Korea this week so I should probably get the unit end of the week or early next week. I used to use a HiFace and gave it to a friend and I'm hoping the SOtM dx-USB-HD interface does better then what I had.

Cheers.

lcrim · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 08:01 pm »

For the sake of clarity here, I just reread the website linked at the top of the page.The device has a gigabit connection and has SqueezeBox Server installed as well as a Terabyte HDD and automated ripping and indexing. That is a NAS device.
The question is why the addition of digital connections since you can't install any of the better playback software associated w/ iTunes. If you put the device near your playback environment, to connect to your DAC, there may also be noise issues from the the HDD or fan.
Then the post above about another device from sonore.us has described another animal altogether, which seems to do what a Vortex Box does.
Can we get some clarification here? It looks like the USB connection is a B connector.
Larry

jacko2x · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 08:15 pm »

i visited the vortex site earlier and i think that price is referring to a package deal. vortex box + the external usb interface (pic on the site). I'm guessing they didn't include the vortex box pic.

The reason for the usb interface is to get a clean low jitter signal out from your music/media server (vortex box) and into your DAC. The low jitter signal delivered by a dedicated asynchronous usb-spdif interface like the SOtM dx-usb-hd should improve the SQ of your system.