[lmmo]

Hi!

I currently have the Sennheiser HD650 headphones connected to a April Music's Stello HP100 amplifier. However, my source is a laptop (CD ripped to FLAC) with a simple headphone to RCA connector. (the laptop doesn't have a digital out)

So, what is the best option?

1) Squeezebox (not a perfect DAC, but increased usability);

2) Dedicated DAC with USB port (probably best sound);

3) Squeezebox + DAC (best of two worlds but more expensive);

My budget is around 500 EUR.

If you prefere the DAC options, please let me know which are the good recommendations.

Thanks!

Luciano

 

[ashmedai]

DAC with USB input. I'm just using a $200 EMU 0404 and it does the job quite well. For 500€ you would have a number of options. I'd really start by lurking around FS/FT since you'll probably get the best result that way, but availability is obviously not what it would be from a retail source.

What's the point of the Squeezebox BTW?

 

[lmmo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashmedai /img/forum/go_quote.gif DAC with USB input. I'm just using a $200 EMU 0404 and it does the job quite well. For 500€ you would have a number of options. I'd really start by lurking around FS/FT since you'll probably get the best result that way, but availability is obviously not what it would be from a retail source. What's the point of the Squeezebox BTW?

Well, with the Squeezebox I can be away from the computer and have all my music on a nice remote. Check the photo and website:

Squeezebox™ Duet Network Music System: Listen to the music you love in any room in your home

 

[paaj]

You could get the squeezebox first for its ease of use, and upgrade the DAC section later (it has s/pdif out right?)

Otherwise, with a small USB-S/PDIF converter (search turtlebeach, ±$40) you can use any DAC you want and you are not limited to USB inputs.

 

[ashmedai]

Er, for that same $400 that page says the squeezebox costs, I could get a 32GB iPod touch. I'm pretty sure it has wifi, which you could then use to remote-control stuff like foobar or a bevy of other apps. But get a squeezebox if you like it and it does something you think is $400 of important before alternative upgrades.

 

[iriverdude]

Squeezebox > MP3 player like ipod or iriver, for home audio. I have SB3 and far prefer it over a Ipod or similar in a dock only 32GB storage and have to mess around with other stuff to get it to work from remote. No thanks. About 400GB on server mostly flac - ipods cannot compete in storage. Also digital out so superior sound quality to ipod.

Duet is quite a bit more expensive than Sb3 though. if you have a wired LAN and prefer VFD/IR remote they're really cheap now about £130.

btw have two SB3's, for both using digital out to a DAC & AV pre-amp. Analogue stage is supposed to be so-so not high end.

 

[ashmedai]

Didn't say anything about putting the iPod in a dock and using it for storage. Use it as a remote to control a computer, which has a few terabytes shoved in it. (Hmm, I need to look into this...I bet I could find a used low-capacity one for about $100...)

I wouldn't even get the $400 model for that, just brought that one up in comparison to the feature he said the squeezebox provided as an alternate way to do it. That's what I'd prefer, more control and no one saying what I can and cant install or who I have to buy it from, but maybe your priorities are different or it does other things that haven't been brought up yet. It sounds like a low-end media server with a pretty box so far.

 

[iriverdude]

Nothing low end about it.

Quote:

Use it as a remote to control a computer

With SB I have multi-room audio. Can you do that with a ipod and a single computer? Nope. Can you use the computer for videos/htpc/gaming whilst having music in multi-room at the same time? Nope.

Do I even need a computer for SB? Nope. Just require a Slim Center capable NAS.

Buy one before you brush it off.

 

[ashmedai]

Show me where it has SATA connectors for my 12TB RAID, and we'll talk about low end.

SB is just a computer in a box. Anything it can do, another computer can do with sufficient programming. Fortunately a lot of these functions are pretty cool, so there are FOSS solutions for many of them.

Music doesn't take much processing power. Multi-room audio is just a matter of inputs and outputs - and can work over a network if you have a different computer more conveniently located (seeing as speakers need current, something has to be in the room or connected via wires one way or another).

I'm not brushing it off, just saying that it sounds like a retail version in a pretty box of something I could do with a homebrew solution which would give me more control in exchange for more configuration. Which you haven't directly denied or given a counterexample to (besides the generic "computers can't do it" response which was just false).

 

[iriverdude]

Can you build a silent low power computer with LAN, VFD, IR remote control, analogue & digital out, headphone out for £130? Also a single free, easy to install package that all works together, and takes a few minutes to setup? I have a HTPC and I cannot have three zone audio from the singe computer whilst gaming. I would require multi soundcards and spend dozens of hours configuring it.

It's going this way, for example Sonos, Roku, Naim.

I would suggest you buy a used SB3 and try it out, rather than sounding ignorent.

Quote:

and can work over a network if you have a different computer more conveniently located (seeing as speakers need current, something has to be in the room or connected via wires one way or another).

You have a Sb3 in each zone since it's IR only, or if you have multi-room audio with the amps in central place, duets neat that. Or Duet's in each room.

 

[ashmedai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif You have a Sb3 in each zone since it's IR only

That must make walls rather interesting.

No, I'm not going to buy one. I'm not made of money which I can blow on testing every little product that does something I already have a perfectly good solution for. Why would you think I would?

If I had cash to blow, FS/FT would get it away from me fast enough anyway...collecting more amps & phones >>> buying some random product that doesn't do anything new.

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

That must make walls rather interesting.

You can then use a RF touchscreen remote to control each SB. Yes similar to your Iphone, in fact good idea if it connects to webpage, but the point is on the streamer side it works far better and cheaper than a PC in each room. All you need is a single storage unit with Slimserver. And that's it.

I do like the Duets RF functionality, but not sure about the remote. I think I would prefer the Duet Receiver only, but then use a decent universal remote touchscreen for complete system control (bigger screen than itouch) Pretty sure you can buy the receivers seperatly.

Sb3 and Duet are quite different beasts depends what you prefer.

Quote:

No, I'm not going to buy one. I'm not made of money which I can blow on testing every little product that does something I already have a perfectly good solution for. Why would you think I would?

I thought since you have a computer in each zone, you'd be well off. Guess not then.

 

[ashmedai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought since you have a computer in each zone, you'd be well off. Guess not then.

When did I say anything about having zones? Although I certainly have enough computer components in active use or in storage to populate a decent-sized house...but that's several years worth of accumulated components, not an indicator that I can go on arbitrary sprees of redundant parts. Or that it would even be a priority. O_o

Hmm what I need to test one of these days is how well those linux gumstick servers can handle streaming data from a network connection onto a USB connection. That would be rather useful...

 

[iriverdude]

The whole functionality of SB is zones, the ability of SB is easy to add zones at any time. If your system is so great you can just do that and get it working within 5 minutes. Bet you can't. I've got a HT and a Hi-Fi system, a SB in each. So I can listen to my entire music collection on either system. All I need to do is press a button my remote to power everything up.

Multi-zone audio is now not in the realms of football stars, if you've got a family it's worth it. Pretty affordable- buy a SB in each room, with a single computer storing music and running Slim Center service.

 

[ashmedai]

My receiver does zones, if I really wanted something to quickly. Anyway, haven't we established that I'm less interested in the quick way than in tweaking it to work the way I want?

The family thing I work out by having a media server. Anything new gets ripped to that, and anyone that wants can access it anywhere on the network. Cake.