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Squeezebox 3/Transporter/that Olive hard drive based player probably does flac/Nova Memory Player/VRS II (40k).
Are you including computer based systems? Because depending on the imod you have... I did a week long comparison between imod 4th gen and an EMU 0404 usb and it was basically neck and neck. The EMU 0404 usb had a sweeter/fuller/more upfront midrange and the imod had a slightly more recessed midrange but the recession emphasized some details that while present were definitely more subdued with the EMU 0404 usb. And the EMU 0404 usb is a 150-200 dollar item... I don't doubt a slightly more expensive dac can crush the imod.
1. is there a write up with respect to your comparison?
2. the squeezebox et al. are transport options, yes? so i'd be looking at a dac as well, right?
3. what is "that Olive hard drive based player..."
best option for flac including computer options all the way up to the amp?
Not really much more extensive than what I've posted. I spent a week with the two and didn't really take notes. Blessingx met up with me for a shootout and came up with the same conclusion. Since I am a details guy I did feel the imod slightly edged out the EMU 0404 usb. Blessingx felt the EMU 0404 usb edged out the Imod since mids were more key to him. So personal preference... take the average and we have near equality in my mind.
http://www.redwineaudio.com/Olive.html <- This thing is the olive thing. Redwine mods it. I believe warror05 uses one as you can see in his sig in post 2 on this thread ;p And I think he posted highly of it somewhere or other.
I think the Squeezebox has analog outs? I know the transporter does. Yeah I just checked it does. The Transporter uses the AK4396 dac which the EMU 0404 usb dac uses though of course DAC chip is only a single piece in a source's sound signature... also the Transporter does balanced analog out.
They did a shootout at the regional meet in cali between two Squeezeboxs/a Transporter and an Oritek modded Zhaolu and yes it was meet conditions and the amp was a Corda Aria? I think some midrange Meier amp that may have been somewhat of a chokepoint in how revealing it can be... but between the various people that gave the shootout a shot... they all felt (Including I think Ori) that it was too close to call. Again, meet conditions though it was in the Singlepower room which was relatively low traffic and limited in the # of rigs (Probably the quitest out of the 3 rooms: Main room/K1000 room and Singlepower room). So really perhaps there's no need to go much past the Squeezebox 3 unless you really need balanced analog output or whatever random features the Transporter has.
olive symphony is crazy expensive! my budget's only $500 or so. would any DAC like entech be my best bet? I'm confused with morphsci's comment about how iMod would be expensive for what i would get if home set up is what i'm after...:wtc:
best home option to get from flac to the amp?
Linear Mode
