Author Topic: The Squeezebox????  (Read 10084 times)

Offline bpape

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Re: The Squeezebox????
« Reply #15 on: August 02, 2007, 11:47:15 AM »
Dunno Rich.

I have no noise issues.  I don't run on bright, don't run large font (use the analog screen saver meters), don't have high efficiency speakers, sit more than 10' away, and don't run direct to the amp.  I always run volume full out and use my preamp volume to control things so the bit loss isn't there.  The reduced output level can absolutely be an issue if driving an insensitive amp.

I'll agree that the stock unit won't compare to a transport/DAC combination - especially if you still have the switching power supply.  Good PS, digital out to external DAC, orders of magnitude better.  Modded analog out IMO more like an analog source than any digital source I've heard.

Bryan
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

mgalusha

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Re: The Squeezebox????
« Reply #16 on: August 02, 2007, 01:46:42 PM »
In terms of reliability mine has been running modified for right at 2 years with zero problems. Well, almost zero.. I dropped it about 4ft onto a concrete slab last week and busted the display. Fortunately I was able to obtain a replacement and all is well again. This was certainly no fault of the device. In time the VFD will fail as it's basically a vacuum tube and the cathode will wear out. Mine is wired, so I don't have any of the troubles folks associate with wireless. I do have an SB3 that's stock and wireless and it's been pretty good but it does get stupid sometimes, like every other wireless device I've seen. It does behave better than either of my laptops in this regard tho. :)

My SB2 is highly modified, probably more than 99.9% of them out there and IMO is a very good digital source. I am running it through a Burson Buffer and into a relay based attenuator for a volume control so I am not using the digital volume control. I don't have any noise problems and as for how loud I want to play it I have no problems. Most of this is due to the use of the Burson which raises the output level back up to just over 2V plus the amps I'm using have 28.5 and 30.5dB of gain plus any gain added by the Marchand XO. I have the XO adjusted so that I an just reach clipping with the amps. If the amps had a lower gain factor I could compensate so the low output of the modified SB is not an issue for me. Granted my system is not quite normal in that is uses an active XO and multiple amps.

In my time with the Altman I preferred the SB though I was able to get the Altman to where the differences were minor. For my tastes (and that's what it ultimately comes down to) the modified SB works very well. It buried my Parts Connexion/Underwood Hifi modded Denon SACD player, which is not a bad source.

One of these days I'm going to install it in a new chassis along with the power supply and it will look the part. I guess I'm one of the few who doesn't have any problem with the interface. I can find things on my music server pretty much as fast as I can looking through the CD rack and putting the disc in a player. I suspect this is because I never use the search and I have my server organized by genre/artist/album so that each disk has it's own folder and I always browse by folder. This is no different that having the disks alphabetized in the racks except it's broken down by genre. I can pull up anything in only a few seconds. I have one of the Nokia 770's on loan and while it works OK I find the interface lacking. If I were to keep it I would have to rework the UI to suit my navigational style. 

Just another viewpoint, worth exactly what you paid for it. :D

Mike

Black Sand Cable

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Re: The Squeezebox????
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2007, 09:39:36 AM »
Dunno Rich.

I have no noise issues.  I don't run on bright, don't run large font (use the analog screen saver meters), don't have high efficiency speakers, sit more than 10' away, and don't run direct to the amp.  I always run volume full out and use my preamp volume to control things so the bit loss isn't there.  The reduced output level can absolutely be an issue if driving an insensitive amp.

I'll agree that the stock unit won't compare to a transport/DAC combination - especially if you still have the switching power supply.  Good PS, digital out to external DAC, orders of magnitude better.  Modded analog out IMO more like an analog source than any digital source I've heard.

Bryan

Bryan, I agree with what you posted.

I'm back to using a SB3 as my Transporter is currently in pieces and I have the display on bright with a standard font and use the analog vu meters when something is playing and I also have the SB3's volume cranked. I get zero noise from any of the SB3's or Transporters I have had in my system and I have had my fair share.

I have seen the posts on audio forums about how much noise the SB3 puts out on the analog outputs and it always makes me wonder as I have yet to hear it or measure it. My stock SB3 running through an Equi=Tech 1.5RQ with my own ic's has dam near the same output noise as my McIntosh MVP-861 which is viewed by most as a decent transport. I honestly think if people are getting a lot of noise out of the analog outputs they should take a look at there current set-up before automatically putting the blame on the SB3.....which for $300.00 is a very decent little box and in real world testing, comes very close to the performance level of the Transporter for a lot less money.

Offline richidoo

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Re: The Squeezebox????
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2007, 12:34:43 PM »
I thought the noises were defects of my unit and I called tech support, who had no idea what I was talking about. I was about to send it in under warrantee, until I found threads on slim forum talking about the problems, complete with posts by the company president explaining the cause.

More info about the SB display noise.  And a Link to the white noise issue.

I agree with you John, SB is a great product, and I love it for what it is. 
Rich

Black Sand Cable

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I have noise!
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2007, 01:06:12 PM »
I have been playing around for the last hour and I'm happy to report that I now have noise!  :shock: I went back to a cheap set of ic's and plugged the SB3 into a regular outlet that isn't running off a dedicated breaker and I now have analog line noise. Not White noise that is mentioned in the links above but subtle, noticeable line noise.

Funny part is that in my system it's all power related. I swapped ic's a few times and the noise was still there. I plugged the SB3 into a dedicated outlet and although better, it was still audible although I must admit that I had to max out the volume on my pre to hear it. Then I brought my Equi=Tech back into the mix and the SB3 is once again dead quite. This leads me to believe that based on my own system that the SB3 is picking up internal ac noise and passing it to the analog outputs. When I tried the above using the just the digital out, it didn't matter what I did, there was no noise.

This is going to sound like a plug given my recent partnership with Equi=Tech but I'm going to say it anyway, the Equi=Tech is doing what it should and is filtering out the line noise that the SB3 is passing along the chain. This to me at least is a great example of balanced power at work.

If I had to pass fault, I would blame the SB3 for not having the proper shielding on the analog side. To me at least this isn't a big deal as in order for me to hear this noise I had to crank the volume on my pre to an insane level and if I was listening to something, I would never know it was there. It's also an easy fix. I know a few of the folks at Logitech and will pass along my findings. A few pennies worth of the proper isolation material and this problem is gone.....all without having to have the SB3 modded.

jrebman

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Re: The Squeezebox????
« Reply #20 on: August 03, 2007, 01:17:50 PM »
So, has anybody who has this problem done anything like  put a piece of ERS paper on the back of the display?

What John said about power continues to confirm how important power supplies are to the SB.  Reading the slim forums I'm still amazed to hear people say the jury is out on whether the power supply makes a difference.

-- Jim