[SlimDevices: Audiophiles] Moved to Squeezebox way of things... best strategy for my Hires/ DSD/ ISO files?

[Gazjam]

Ex SB3/Touch guy, went over to PC based audio with Jriver.
Decided to revisit Squeezebox recently, bought a Transporter and was
very impressed!
So much so I'm using the Transporter (into my Dac) as my main digital
music source.
Still use my music server /Jriver as an AV source, but the Transporter
for choons.
Something nice about a single black box with remote for music..makes me
kind of nostalgic. :)

So a question please?

In my music library I have a fair amount of 24/179 and 24/192 music, as
well as DSD music and SACD rips in ISO format.
Obviously the Transporter can play 24/96 and downsample anything
above...but I wonder now I'm setting off on this journey what my best
move would be regarding the DSD and SACD rips?

Audio quality is obviously important, so my initial thought would be to
use Jriver to create a copy of my DSD/ISO music is 24/96 PCM format,
using its file conversion tools. The originals would be stored on an
external drive somewhere out the road.
Seems ok?

The other question I have please is that as I've been away from
squeezeboxes a while, I'm not exactly sure my file format settings are
optimised for quality?
I'm one of those guys who can hear the benefit of encoding on the server
side rather than onboard, and my system is revealing enough, so would
prefer to do that.

Most of my music is in AIFF format, with a few hundred FLAC albums in
there, so again...I wonder what the best strategy would be?
I know you can code FLAC as PCM on the server side...but can you do this
with AIFF?

Coming from a PC music server background I'm very much grounded in the
benefits of getting the playback device to do as little work as
possible, so extra decoding/uncompressing steps in teh chain would be
something I'd want to avoid.

Use Jriver to convert AIFF to Flac? To WAV?
Is there a "best way" this old ocd audiophile could be happy knowing the
Transporter setup is optimised in the way I'm thinking? :)

Heres my current File Type settings.
Thanks very much.
'[image:
Loading Image...]'
(Loading Image....html)


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[darrenyeats]

It depends probably. I use encrypted wi-fi so the reduced size of FLAC
compared to WAV is probably a benefit - unpacking FLAC is not too hard a
task.



Check it, add to it! http://www.dr.loudness-war.info/

SB Touch
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[Julf]

Post by darrenyeats
It depends probably. I use encrypted wi-fi so the reduced size of FLAC
compared to WAV is probably a benefit - unpacking FLAC is not too hard a
task.

I agree. Probably best to have everything in FLAC, and pre-downsample
anything above 96k to avoid resampling on the fly.



"To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this
fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt
edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953
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[paulster]

One thing I'll add is that if you DAC can handle DSD then you might be
able to consider encoding your DSD music into DoP FLAC format, so it is
still native DSD but inside a PCM wrapper.

Only thing I'm not sure of is whether 24/96 is a sufficiently-sized
container for it. If it is then you wouldn't have to have any
conversion of your native DSD material, and the Transporter will merrily
think it's playing PCM.



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[Mnyb]

Post by paulster
One thing I'll add is that if you DAC can handle DSD then you might be
able to consider encoding your DSD music into DoP FLAC format, so it is
still native DSD but inside a PCM wrapper.
Only thing I'm not sure of is whether 24/96 is a sufficiently-sized
container for it. If it is then you wouldn't have to have any
conversion of your native DSD material, and the Transporter will merrily
think it's playing PCM.

No 24/96 is not enough for DoP .

I concur with the idea to use flac as much as possible for the
transporter I suggest not to use the highest compression rates for 24/96
something like -5 would do , Transporter can on rare occasions hiccup on
hard compressed flac files .

Do you already have such files ? Easy to fix flac them again with a
lower setting from the files you have . That's the Beaty of lossless .

On server decoding helps with some rare MP3 ( well documented ) . Aiff
possibly needed for higher rates it is soo on Touch it does not play
24/96 aiff . Alac TP does not play it Touch does but not hirez so server
transcoding needed .

Flac and WAV works all the way to 24/96 unproblematic to use . However
the default setting in LMS is to server transcode wav to flac the
purpose is to save wifi bandwith it is a really good idea to keep it
that way .

Flac files have much better tag support so there it is again .

There simply is no need to transcode flac to pcm on the server .

The file types setting are not really " quality settings " they are
there to handle odd cases where the default rules don't work such as NAS
boxes and software players or very odd radio channels . With a "normal"
server and a Transporter you can just leave them at the factory settings
, you can often create you own problems by changing them to much.

I know that there is a shool of thought that server transcoding "sounds
better" but in fact the squeezeboxes outputs the exact same thing
electrically with every lossles format so whats on the outputs does not
change . if you " hear a difference " anyway when there is none.
I may suggest a properly conducted ABX test that should settle that and
make life and fiddling with LMS easier :)
And delete all reaplay gain tags in the flac files when doing ABX .

I think a large amount of FUD around FLAC vs WAV comes from the fact
that FLAC can use replay gain tags ,these tells the player hardware to
play the files with a differen and in 99% of the case lower volume !
that sound really different !

All gain functions can be turned off in the player settings , there are
many formats that use volume normalisation I prefer not to .
Also to guarantee bit perfect output to the DAC gain settings should be
off its not enough to have the volume at 100%

Another venue for experimentation is to actually not use 100% volume
with the external ( or internal ) DAC on some recordings . Not all DAC's
handle intersample peaks well , this can be an issue with modern over
compressed loudness war recordings .
Intersample peak,or intersample,over ismthe term to Google .



--------------------------------------------------------------------
Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x
MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3
sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4
Misc use: Radio (with battery)
iPad1 with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server HP proliant micro server N36L with ClearOS Linux

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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[Gazjam]

Thanks for that.

Post by Mnyb
No 24/96 is not enough for DoP .
I concur with the idea to use flac as much as possible for the
transporter I suggest not to use the highest compression rates for 24/96
something like -5 would do , Transporter can on rare occasions hiccup on
hard compressed flac files .
WILL DO.
Do you already have such files ? Easy to fix flac them again with a
lower setting from the files you have . That's the Beaty of lossless .
WILL GO THROUGH MY FLACS, NOT A MASSIVE JOB, MY FILES MOSTLY AIFF.
On server decoding helps with some rare MP3 ( well documented ) . Aiff
possibly needed for higher rates it is soo on Touch it does not play
24/96 aiff . Alac TP does not play it Touch does but not hirez so server
transcoding needed .
Flac and WAV works all the way to 24/96 unproblematic to use . However
the default setting in LMS is to server transcode wav to flac the
purpose is to save wifi bandwith it is a really good idea to keep it
that way .
Flac files have much better tag support so there it is again .
There simply is no need to transcode flac to pcm on the server .
The file types setting are not really " quality settings " they are
there to handle odd cases where the default rules don't work such as NAS
boxes and software players or very odd radio channels . With a "normal"
server and a Transporter you can just leave them at the factory settings
, you can often create you own problems by changing them to much.
I know that there is a shool of thought that server transcoding "sounds
better" but in fact the squeezeboxes outputs the exact same thing
electrically with every lossles format so whats on the outputs does not
change . if you " hear a difference " anyway when there is none.
I may suggest a properly conducted ABX test that should settle that and
make life and fiddling with LMS easier :)
And delete all reaplay gain tags in the flac files when doing ABX .
I think a large amount of FUD around FLAC vs WAV comes from the fact
that FLAC can use replay gain tags ,these tells the player hardware to
play the files with a differen and in 99% of the case lower volume !
that sound really different !
All gain functions can be turned off in the player settings , there are
many formats that use volume normalisation I prefer not to .
Also to guarantee bit perfect output to the DAC gain settings should be
off its not enough to have the volume at 100%
Another venue for experimentation is to actually not use 100% volume
with the external ( or internal ) DAC on some recordings . Not all DAC's
handle intersample peaks well , this can be an issue with modern over
compressed loudness war recordings .
Intersample peak,or intersample,over is the term to Google .

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[Gazjam]

Thanks for that.

Post by Mnyb
No 24/96 is not enough for DoP .
I concur with the idea to use flac as much as possible for the
transporter I suggest not to use the highest compression rates for 24/96
something like -5 would do , Transporter can on rare occasions hiccup on
hard compressed flac files .
WILL DO.
Do you already have such files ? Easy to fix flac them again with a
lower setting from the files you have . That's the Beaty of lossless.*
Will go through my Flacs, not a massive job, my files mostly AIFF.*
On server decoding helps with some rare MP3 ( well documented ) . Aiff
possibly needed for higher rates it is soo on Touch it does not play
24/96 aiff . Alac TP does not play it Touch does but not hirez so server
transcoding needed .
WILL DO ABX OF SERVER SIDE VS NATIVE USING DIFFERENT FILE FORMATS,
SAMPLE RATES ETC
Flac and WAV works all the way to 24/96 unproblematic to use . However
the default setting in LMS is to server transcode wav to flac the
purpose is to save wifi bandwith it is a really good idea to keep it
that way .
OK, WILL NEED TO RECHECK MY SETTINGS AGAIN.
Flac files have much better tag support so there it is again .
There simply is no need to transcode flac to pcm on the server .
The file types setting are not really " quality settings " they are
there to handle odd cases where the default rules don't work such as NAS
boxes and software players or very odd radio channels . With a "normal"
server and a Transporter you can just leave them at the factory settings
, you can often create you own problems by changing them to much.
SO NO ADVANTAGE TO TINKERING THEN :)
I know that there is a shool of thought that server transcoding "sounds
better" but in fact the squeezeboxes outputs the exact same thing
electrically with every lossles format so whats on the outputs does not
change . if you " hear a difference " anyway when there is none.
I may suggest a properly conducted ABX test that should settle that and
make life and fiddling with LMS easier :)
And delete all reaplay gain tags in the flac files when doing ABX .
WILL DO ABX OF SERVER SIDE VS NATIVE USING DIFFERENT FILE FORMATS,
SAMPLE RATES ETC...
NOT MY IDEA OF FUN BUT ONCE ITS DONE AND IM HAPPY I CAN FORGET ABOUT IT!
I think a large amount of FUD around FLAC vs WAV comes from the fact
that FLAC can use replay gain tags ,these tells the player hardware to
play the files with a differen and in 99% of the case lower volume !
that sound really different !
YUP, VOLUME MATCHING NEEDS TO BE SPOT ON./B]
ALL GAIN FUNCTIONS CAN BE TURNED OFF IN THE PLAYER SETTINGS , THERE ARE
MANY FORMATS THAT USE VOLUME NORMALISATION I PREFER NOT TO .
ALSO TO GUARANTEE BIT PERFECT OUTPUT TO THE DAC GAIN SETTINGS SHOULD BE
OFF ITS NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE THE VOLUME AT 100%
**COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW TO DO THIS PLEASE?*
Another venue for experimentation is to actually not use 100% volume
with the external ( or internal ) DAC on some recordings . Not all DAC's
handle intersample peaks well , this can be an issue with modern over
compressed loudness war recordings .
Intersample peak,or intersample,over is the term to Google .
[B]Interesting, will look this up. Might be worth checking to see if it
makes Oasis more listenable! *

Thanks for all your help.
Regarding my File format settings, I've been tinkering a bit with them
(see my screenshot), do they look ok?
Am I better just to go back to defaults and not worry about it?

thank you!


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[probedb]

Post by Mnyb
I concur with the idea to use flac as much as possible for the
transporter I suggest not to use the highest compression rates for 24/96
something like -5 would do , Transporter can on rare occasions hiccup on
hard compressed flac files .

That's really odd. The compression has no effect on decompression time
for FLAC afaik. If you use a higher number to compress it doesn't make
it any more difficult to decompress.

Even my original Slim Devices SB3 has never once tripped on a single
FLAC, 16/44.1 or 24/96 and they're all done -8.



'last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/probedb)
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[Wombat]

Post by probedb
That's really odd. The compression has no effect on decompression time
for FLAC afaik. If you use a higher number to compress it doesn't make
it any more difficult to decompress.
Even my original Slim Devices SB3 has never once tripped on a single
FLAC, 16/44.1 or 24/96 and they're all done -8.

Unfortunately using higher compression adds slightly more stress on the
Transporter that was imho false advertised. On a PC the small increase
in decoding is hardly measurable but for the CPU and its decoder code
with the Transporter it is on the edge.
It can't decode 24/96 right. I had files stuttering especialy when using
a blocksize of 4608 at -8. Reencoding the same file using a blocksize of
4096 at -8 helps. In theory for 24/96 a blocksize up to 16384 is valid.
The Transporter already can't play files with a blocksize of 8192 at
all.
With something like default -5 all files play for sure though.



Transporter (modded) -> RG142 -> Avantgarde Acoustic based 500VA
monoblocks -> Sommer SPK240 -> self-made speakers
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[atrocity]

Post by Wombat
Unfortunately using higher compression adds slightly more stress on the
Transporter that was imho false advertised. On a PC the small increase
in decoding is hardly measurable but for the CPU and its decoder code
with the Transporter it is on the edge.

This was also an issue in the early days of the Touch.


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[Archimago]

Post by Wombat
Unfortunately using higher compression adds slightly more stress on the
Transporter that was imho false advertised. On a PC the small increase
in decoding is hardly measurable but for the CPU and its decoder code
with the Transporter it is on the edge.
It can't decode 24/96 right. I had files stuttering especialy when using
a blocksize of 4608 at -8. Reencoding the same file using a blocksize of
4096 at -8 helps. In theory for 24/96 a blocksize up to 16384 is valid.
The Transporter already can't play files with a blocksize of 8192 at
all.
With something like default -5 all files play for sure though.

Interesting comment Wombat.

I've always just used -8 with dBPowerAmp for all my FLAC encodes and
never had a problem with any of the SB devices
(SB3/Boom/Radio/Transporter/Touch). I vaguely remember there may have
been an issue with an old Transporter firmware but that was years ago...
I've never played with block sizes however - was there much size saving
going to 16K sizes?



Archimago's Musings: (archimago.blogspot.com) A 'more objective'
audiophile blog.
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[Wombat]

The blocksize doesn't do much. It averages slightly smaller with 8k or
16k at high bitrates.
For 16/44.1 a blocksize of 4096 even creates smaller files as the 4608
maximum at this rate.
For compatibility reasons the official flac defaults to 4096 for all
rates.
I remember the 24/96 Rebecca Pidgeon sample once used as example to
hickup Transporter playback had a blocksize of 4608. Reencoding it to
4096 made it play better. I don't know if i did write about it back
then. I use 4096 for everything since.



Transporter (modded) -> RG142 -> Avantgarde Acoustic based 500VA
monoblocks -> Sommer SPK240 -> self-made speakers
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[Mnyb]

Post by probedb
That's really odd. The compression has no effect on decompression time
for FLAC afaik. If you use a higher number to compress it doesn't make
it any more difficult to decompress.
Even my original Slim Devices SB3 has never once tripped on a single
FLAC, 16/44.1 or 24/96 and they're all done -8.

it is a cornercase probably even content dependent and also some flac
decoders are not developed by the flac project itself and can use novel
features .

A couple of years ago users reported this and it helped by reflac to -5
. SB3 cant trip on 24/96 as the server downsample to 24/48 flac . this
was only reported for 24/96 .

Btw was it the OP that wanted to knwo where the gain settings where ?


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--------------------------------------------------------------------
Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x
MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3
sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4
Misc use: Radio (with battery)
iPad1 with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server HP proliant micro server N36L with ClearOS Linux

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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[Gazjam]

Thanks for the help guys, and some interesting info about Flac
compression.
I'll stick to server side processing I think, just to be sure.

BTW daft quesion?
In Advanced settings\File Types...
Setting to Disabled means server side decoding, as opposed to Native,
meaning decoded on teh TRansporter?


Thanks, just checking.


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[Gazjam]

Post by Julf
I agree. Probably best to have everything in FLAC, and pre-downsample
anything above 96k to avoid resampling on the fly.

Thanks Julf.
Agree that after some listening the trade off between AIFF over Flac
isn't worth it sound quality wise, so will be making a copy of my music
and converting it to FLAC for playback on my Transporter.
Playing same files from Jriver the AIFF sounded better than the Flac
version, not a lot but more noticeable than playing through the
Transporter.
Interesting!
But overall the Transporter sounded better than Jriver.

Was curious about resampling on the fly vs pre-downsampling to 24/96...
Took a SACD rip ISO in Jriver which strips out all the individual
tracks, picked one and converted it to 2 Flac files for comparison.

1: No downsampling - 24/352 file.
2: Downsampling to 24/96

Interestingly, the 24/352 sounded better. Fuller sounding, instruments
better separated, more open soundstage.
24/96 converted Flac was flatter in comparison, still good but just not
quite as good.
Cool, good to know.

Only thing is file size?
24/96 is 92.8MB
24/352 is 200MB!

No problems with hard drive space, but taking the view that as I have a
LOT of DSD/SACD stuff it makes sense to only keep my favourite albums I
listen to, audiophile recordings, classical at 24/352, the rest can be
24/96.
Seems a good way to do it.


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[chrissy]

Post by Gazjam
So much so I'm using the Transporter (into my Dac) as my main digital
music source.
Still use my music server /Jriver as an AV source, but the Transporter
for choons.

Hi,

what a waste! A Raspberry Pi would do the same job. If you go via USB
into a recent DAC that plays DSD natively ( for example the IFI Mico or
Nano) you wouldn't even have to bother about converting Highres files
into something the Transporte understands.

Greets
Chris


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[Gazjam]

Hi,
what a waste! *A Raspberry Pi would do the same job.* If you go via USB
into a recent DAC that plays DSD natively ( for example the IFI Mico or
Nano) you wouldn't even have to bother about converting Highres files
into something the Transporte understands.
Greets
Chris

no, no, no, no, no. :)
Not quite there they imo!


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[probedb]

Post by Gazjam
no, no, no, no, no. :)
Built one and all the faffing about with linux aside, sound quality
isn't quite there yet.
Big computer audio guy here, if it was better I'd be using one!

Depends what you use for output, my Pi has nothing to do with it, just
an I2C S/P-DIF out.

It also takes sod all technical knowledge.

Burn SD card image
Put in raspberry Pi
Follow simple instructions on picoreplayer site.

Done.



'last.fm' (http://www.last.fm/user/probedb)
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[Julf]

Post by Gazjam
Built one and all the faffing about with linux aside, sound quality
isn't quite there yet.

Even when using an external DAC?



"To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this
fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt
edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953
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[chrissy]

Post by Gazjam
no, no, no, no, no. :)
Big computer audio guy here, if it was better I'd be using one no
mistake.

Well, I'm not "big", just rather tall and slim, but I doubt if size
matters in technical facts. It should not matter, which code transforms
flac to pcm,as long as it is correct. Nor should the protocol affect the
resulting pcm stream. I don't hear any difference on my cubietruck if I
output streams up to 24/96 to toslink/spdif or usb/asio. Coax spdif
supports only streams up to 24/192 but no dsd neither does
toslink/spdif. Conversion from dsd to pcm is doubtful, see these
articles :

http://www.audiostream.com/content/qa-thorsten-loesch-amrifi
http://www.audiostream.com/content/qa-thorsten-loesch-amrifi-audiostream-addendum-pcm-vs-dsd

I guess ( since I don't know which dac you are using) what you hear is a
different implementation of spdif and USB in your dac or you simply
have used a different dac for usb and spdif.

The transporter is quite an old piece of hardware, it should rest in
piece :-)

Greets
Christian


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[paulster]

I'm just going back to the original post. Why would you go for a
Transporter when you've come from a Touch? Especially if you're using a
DAC.

The Touch can output 24/192 over USB with the EDO application, which
means you can get an asynchronous connection that will also allow you to
stream DSD in DoP format.

Aside from having a pretty box, this doesn't make any sense. The
processor in the Transporter is marginal at being able to handle 24/96
content as has already been discussed, so it's always operating at or
close to its limits with high resolution audio, and you've already said
you have material that is beyond its capacity to start with.



Two track 1's and no track 2 after a scan for new and changed? Please
vote for serious scanning bug '17782'
(http://bugs.slimdevices.com/show_bug.cgi?id=17782)
Receiver stuck at blue LED state after reboot? Please vote for bug
'17462' (http://bugs.slimdevices.com/show_bug.cgi?id=17462)
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[Mnyb]

What's wrong with pretty box :) transporter is a classic . Personally I
have a Touch and as digital transport it's exatly as god as my meridian
DVDA player ( as any decently functional digital transport nowadays any
oppo or better ) .

The TP is darn cool , re " old " digital audio took giant leaps in the
80's and early 90's anything past 2k has the potential to be
transparent including the old TP .

These discussion is most like how many Angels can dance on top of a pin
holding a pin with more dancing Angels ...

A functional digital transport is just that , async USB is technically
better if correctly implemented but you won't hear that . A decent spdif
is certainly good enough .

Old DSD64 SACD rips are probably best at 24/48 pcm so that the
ultrasonic cruft can be removed.

But Touch is more flexible it has a value to be able to play more
formats without invoking the server transcoding .

On the other hand it's solution in search for a problem IMO .
You have a 24/192 of an album make a 24/96 copy or why didn't you buy
the 24/96 in the first place and save some $$ they sound the same .

DSD the very very few musically valid downloads you can get comercially
guess what they are often aviable as 24/96 :)
On the other hand the very few DSD only downloads can probably be
converted too .
Or you have the excellent play DSD plugin at hand I have 2-3 DSD albums
very good recordings indeed , novelty value .
No music I care for is released DSD only .

For 99% of your music collection as a pure digital transport TP , Touch
or DIY PI thing (tm) will be the same .
For the 1% hirez oddities you have they will differ but you won't hear
it unless the conversion path is broken .

The Transporter has value due to,it's DAC with selectable analog out
attenuators .

Hmm I would certainly not mind the transporter as a functional bit of
audio history :)

But when my Touches bites the dust , I would probably nag you all in the
picore or something else tread ..



--------------------------------------------------------------------
Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x
MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3
sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4
Misc use: Radio (with battery)
iPad1 with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server HP proliant micro server N36L with ClearOS Linux

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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[Gazjam]

Post by paulster
I'm just going back to the original post. Why would you go for a
Transporter when you've come from a Touch? Especially if you're using a
DAC.
The Touch can output 24/192 over USB with the EDO application, which
means you can get an asynchronous connection that will also allow you to
stream DSD in DoP format.
Aside from having a pretty box, this doesn't make any sense. The
processor in the Transporter is marginal at being able to handle 24/96
content as has already been discussed, so it's always operating at or
close to its limits with high resolution audio, and you've already said
you have material that is beyond its capacity to start with.

Hear what your saying Paul,
but I've been away from Squeezebox for a number of years by going down
the PC audio route.
Bult own music server, pretty good imo, but it is a lot of hassle and
extra boxes compared to Squeezebox way of doing things.
Had a Touch, loved it, but wasn't as good as my PC based server playing
music.
Afer a number of years wanted to simplify, so bought a Transporter on a
whim.
One box does it all.
The BNC SPDIF digital out of the Transporter is better than either the
SPDIF or Edo USB output of the Touch in my opinion.
Anything over 24/96 is wasted disk space...the improvement is arguable
and most of the time hard to tell. For a file size 4 times bigger its
not worth it.
For my own DSD and SACD rips I'll make a copy and convert to Flac, happy
knowing LMS downsampling them to 24/96 is good enough.

Theres more to digital than 1's and 0's.
Why does digital playback equipmant sound differenet?
Why would Sean Adams build the Tranporter the way he did?

Doesn't matter, I'm happy. :)


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[Gazjam]

Post by chrissy
Well, I'm not "big", just rather tall and slim, but I doubt if size
matters in technical facts. It should not matter, which code transforms
flac to pcm,as long as it is correct. Nor should the protocol affect the
resulting pcm stream. I don't hear any difference on my cubietruck if I
output streams up to 24/96 to toslink/spdif or usb/asio. Coax spdif
supports only streams up to 24/192 but no dsd neither does
toslink/spdif. Conversion from dsd to pcm is doubtful, see these
http://www.audiostream.com/content/qa-thorsten-loesch-amrifi
http://www.audiostream.com/content/qa-thorsten-loesch-amrifi-audiostream-addendum-pcm-vs-dsd
I guess ( since I don't know which dac you are using) what you hear is a
different implementation of spdif and USB in your dac or you simply
have used a different dac for usb and spdif.
The transporter is quite an old piece of hardware, it should rest in
piece :-)
Greets
Christian

Jeez...
I say "big" as in I'm a fan of computer audio as opposed to physical
media like CD or minidisk.
(Though Vinyl is better...infinite samplerate :))

Whats my Dac got to do with anything?
It can process 32/384 digital files, but my question was about setting
LMS up to best process my SACD/DSD files.
Best way forward for me (after listening) was to convert to FLAC and be
done with it.

My belief is that theres more to digital than 1's and 0's.
Assume you know about digital being analogue waveforms representing
voltage...right?
(See...I can do sarcasm too :))


You know Vinyl playback began in 1890's?
Still the best sounding format imo!
Newer isn't alwasys better!

Chill, its all good.


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[Julf]

Post by Gazjam
I say "big" as in I'm a fan of computer audio as opposed to physical
media like CD or minidisk.
(Though Vinyl is better...infinite samplerate :))

Can't let this pass... :)

Maybe "infinite samplerate" (for whatever that means), but a definite
upper frequency limit of maybe 24 kHz, so the equivalent information
content of 48 kHz/12 bits on a good day.

Post by Gazjam
You know Vinyl playback began in 1890's?

And digital, electrical "streaming" started in 1804 or so. :)



"To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this
fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt
edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953
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[Gazjam]

Heh.
touche. :)

No axe to grind chaps, just getting back into the swing of things.

As always, more than one way to skin a cat.


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[Mnyb]

Post by Gazjam
Heh.
touche. :)
No axe to grind chaps, just getting back into the swing of things.
As always, more than one way to skin a cat.

Or play a Vinyl , lot of chaps here are actually digitising their stuff
, they do retain the cherished euphonics of their origin (test have been
done decades ago you cant hear the difference )

with the wonder of dither (since the early 90's ) a digital system
actually behaves like the perfect analog system that never was a signal
and a noise a very low noise floor the noise of the same character as
tape hiss sounds familiar i does :) no stairsteps or "fragmented
resolution"

have a fun saturday with this video http://xiph.org/video/vid2.shtml



--------------------------------------------------------------------
Main hifi: Touch + CIA PS +MeridianG68J MeridianHD621 MeridianG98DH 2 x
MeridianDSP5200 MeridianDSP5200HC 2 xMeridianDSP3100 +Rel Stadium 3
sub.
Bedroom/Office: Boom
Kitchen: Touch + powered Fostex PM0.4
Misc use: Radio (with battery)
iPad1 with iPengHD & SqueezePad
(spares Touch, SB3, reciever ,controller )
server HP proliant micro server N36L with ClearOS Linux

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html
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[Gazjam]

Fascinating video, thanks very much.
Guy giving the talk seems kinda cool too :p


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