[drlee27]

Didn't someone posted that SB3's dac is comparable to benchmark DAC1? Due to space saving reasons, I would hesitate to add an external dac such as the Zhaolu. Just my 2 cents.

 

[yo2tup2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by C38368 Red Wine Audio Bolder Cable (scroll down)

also note the Bolder mods are for the mods to the unit only. a big part of the improvement is the power supply. the power supply isn't listed on the site yet, but they will be priced at $600 and $1000. With the more expensive one being much better of course. this doesn't include and also benefits with an upgraded power cord.

the rwa mods includes a full battery conversion and a battery power supply.

 

[yo2tup2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drlee27 Didn't someone posted that SB3's dac is comparable to benchmark DAC1? Due to space saving reasons, I would hesitate to add an external dac such as the Zhaolu. Just my 2 cents.

the analog outs of the sb3 are not comparable to a benchmark DAC1 unless you get it fully modified.

 

[breadcrumbs]

Pardon my stupidity, but could anyone tell me exactly what a Squeezebox is, what it does and how it does it? I looked on Google/Wiki but I couldn't find anything. Links are fine.

Thanks.

 

[n_maher]

For squeezebox info start here.

 

[breadcrumbs]

Doesn't data get lost as it goes wireless, even with a strong signal and a lossless codec? Or do you only use it with Ethernet?

 

[yo2tup2]

i'm the bandwidth of wireless is more than enough to stream lossless music. all of my cd's are ripped to wav and I've never had one hiccup

 

[breadcrumbs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 i'm the bandwidth of wireless is more than enough to stream lossless music. all of my cd's are ripped to wav and I've never had one hiccup

If that's the case, and the sounds is as good as the topic creator says it is, it sounds like a fantastic little gadget. I think I'll get one.

 

[Mr.Shadow]

The SB3 is not perfect, not even close, but for its price, it is not much far from it.

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 you also have to consider than the zhalou is a great dac besting the benchmark dac1 and lavry which retail at ~$1k

HA!

Based on a rather sketchy review the zhalou bests the lavry... but I wouldn't trust that thread as far as I could throw it.

[and no, this is not just me defending my purchase... trust me, I have my reasons]

As for the DAC1, the squeezbox sounds about the same according to a few people I've talked to that had both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yo2tup2 there's no comparison really. don't get me wrong, its decent, but a league under the zhalou. compared to the zhalou, squeezebox as a source is brittle, 2D, hard, doesn't image as well, smaller soundstage. if you get the sb3 modified tho, its a whole different story.

What amp are you using in this comparison? Or are you just plugging your headphones directly into the squeezebox and the zhalou? If that is the case I would hardly call this a good comparison between the two DAC's.

 

[utep10]

Using the SB3 as a transport/DAC vs. SB3 as a transport + DAC1 on my speaker rig:

The biggest difference for me was the wider soundstage and higher resolution of the DAC1. For me, there was a big enough difference to warrant the separate DAC. But for the price, the SB3 as an "all in one" solution is hard to beat. Just my $0.02.

 

[dwc]

I recommend getting the Squeezebox, and then seeing if you can test drive various DACs in front of it (without having to buy them first, or get them used an resell them). Your ears and system will tell you if it's a worthwhile upgrade to run an external DAC or not. I like the sound of the non-OS dac I'm using.
-Dan

 

[tyrion]

I had the squeezebox for a few weeks and thought highly of it. It was best when paired with a Bel Canto DAC2 but not bad without it. For the money it's a great piece of gear considering in addition to being a source of your music on your computer you can stream a bunch of different internet radio stations, internet archive and others. Between my tt and cdp, I rarely used it so I off it went.

 

[Ori]

I've listened extensively to the SB2/DAC-1 combo in a speaker-based system many times and it is a nice pair, but installing the stock Zhaolu 1.3 instead of the DAC-1 made a **BIG** improvement in all regards. There is no sense dissecting the details - it is unmistakably an upgrade.

Like going from a Miata to a Ferrari... Both are good, one is clearly better.
One time I've compared the SB2 headphone out to the SB2/DAC-1 through a tube headamp. On a brief listen with mainly MP3 tracks, the two were quite close overall, with a slight edge to the external DAC/amp.
Note that the SB2 and SB3 can be modified to improve their analog stage. Do not make any mods if you just go digital out to an external DAC!
Replacing the stock wallwart with a 5V linear supply is a good start, but the internal analog circuit still uses 12V from an internal switching supply. You can bypass that circuit and hard-wire an external 12V supply instead.
The internal opamp is cheap and can be replaced, but only if you're comfortable working with SMT. It's only 8 pins and large pitch, so it's nothing scary for the careful DIYer.
All these mods (and more) can improve the SB2 analog out but given the cost of a Zhaolu... Is it worth you time?!