Squeezebox Touch/Classic vs cheap USB DAC ?

[erland]

Does anyone have experience how the audio performance is from a Touch or
Classic with analogue signal compared to a cheap USB DAC (below $100)
used with Raspberry PI/Wandboard/PogoPlug/SheevaPlug or similar ?

Is the Touch significantly better than a cheap USB DAC ?
What about a Squeezebox Classic compared to a cheap USB DAC ?

Is it important if the USB DAC is synchronous or asynchronous at this
price level ?

I'm not really looking for a high-end solution, so something that's
comparable to a Touch would definitely be good enough, I could live with
something that's comparable to a Classic also but it feels pointless to
invest in something new unless it's at least at the same level as a
Squeezebox Classic with analogue outputs.

Since this is a temporary solution while waiting for the Community
Squeeze project to evolve, I'd prefer to not invest more than $100 or
something similar.

If it's worth to get a USB DAC for $100, does anyone have a
recommendation which one to get ?



Erland Isaksson ('My homepage' (http://erland.isaksson.info))
(Developer of 'many plugins/applets (both free and commercial)'
(http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/User:Erland).
If you like to encourage future presence on this forum and/or third
party plugin/applet development, 'consider purchasing some plugins'
(http://license.isaksson.info))
You may also want to try my Android apps 'Squeeze Display'
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.isaksson.squeezedisplay)
and 'RSS Photo Show'
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.isaksson.rssphotoshow)
*Interested in the future of music streaming ? 'ickStream - A world of
music at your fingertips'
(http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?98467-Pre-Announcement-ickStream&p=743516)*.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
erland's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3124
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[cadfish]

Hi Erland,

two weeks ago I bought a ' HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC '
(http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=87)
based on good 'reviews'
(http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifimediy-sabre-usb-dac/reviews) I read
after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as
a toy ...

I run it async with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with
piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.

Just yesterday I did a comparison against a Linn Majik DS (€ 2400,-). A
friend is kind of audiophile and he owns the right gear: Linn Majik DS
network player and Linn pre-Amp, Threshold T400 power amp and high end
CANTON speakers. Pretty impressive setup. He runs LMS and Squeezeboxes
as well and feeds the Linn through SB controllers by means of Skweezy DS
plugin - so it was simple to integrate piCorePlayer into his setup.

We switched between the Majik and the SABRE: Admitted, there is an
audible difference between the Linn and the SABRE - but you really have
to look for it. We listened to Jeann Michel Jarre (Aero), Yello
(Touch), Dire Straits (Brother in Arms) and Flim & the BB's - all in
44/16 - and some classical/acoustic music in 96/24. I had the
impression, that for some extreme passages the sound was a tiny bit
'sharper' whereas the Linn masters even those parts a bit more relaxed -
overall, the difference was too small to be noticed.

This little thing sounds much better than the price would suggest - and
I would certainly recommend it.

Yesterday I learned in a dramatical fashion, that the amps and speakers
are so much more important in order to have good sound than the DAC -
and I got the impression that you're not even able to notice the
difference unless you have such a potent gear.

I'm curious to hear the opinion of others.


Günther



Primary: LMS on Win 7 PC, 4 SBT, 1 Duet, 1 piCorePlayer & HifiMeDIY
Sabre II DAC, 2 Duet Controller, 2 iPods, 1 iPhone (iPeng), Sony XPeria
Mini & ION, Android Tablet (SqueezeControl, OrangeSqueeze,
SqueezeCommander) -- Secondary: Mobile Server based on SqueezePlug on
RaspBerry PI
------------------------------------------------------------------------
cadfish's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58296
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[Julf]

Post by cadfish
Yesterday I learned in a dramatical fashion, that the amps and speakers
are so much more important in order to have good sound than the DAC

Absolutely. It is funny how a lot of audiophiles fuss over their DACs
and cables, when shifting their speakers a few inches or even putting a
couple of pillows on their sofa makes a much more significant
difference...



"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
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Julf's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=42050
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[erland]

Post by cadfish
two weeks ago I bought a ' HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC '
(http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=87)
based on good 'reviews'
(http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifimediy-sabre-usb-dac/reviews) I read
after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as
a toy ...
I run it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with
piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.

Thanks for the tips, it's also in the price range I was looking for.

Have you done any comparison with any Squeezebox hardware devices ?



Erland Isaksson ('My homepage' (http://erland.isaksson.info))
(Developer of 'many plugins/applets (both free and commercial)'
(http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/User:Erland).
If you like to encourage future presence on this forum and/or third
party plugin/applet development, 'consider purchasing some plugins'
(http://license.isaksson.info))
You may also want to try my Android apps 'Squeeze Display'
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.isaksson.squeezedisplay)
and 'RSS Photo Show'
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.isaksson.rssphotoshow)
*Interested in the future of music streaming ? 'ickStream - A world of
music at your fingertips'
(http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?98467-Pre-Announcement-ickStream&p=743516)*.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
erland's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3124
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[JimPro]

Post by cadfish
Hi Erland,
two weeks ago I bought a ' HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC '
(http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=62&product_id=87)
based on good 'reviews'
(http://www.head-fi.org/products/hifimediy-sabre-usb-dac/reviews) I read
after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as
a toy ...
I run it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with
piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.
Günther

Hi,

I have used the HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC with my VAMP with good results, but
I would like to understand what is meant by running it in adaptive mode
with the recommended PSU attached.... What is needed to be done to tweak
it as such?


------------------------------------------------------------------------
JimPro's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=59881
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[ReValveiT]

Can't beat the SBT DAC imo... It's much better than the Classic's, and
way way better than, say, the Arcam rDac and the like.

Logi just have no clue what they have (had). Fools.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
ReValveiT's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=55767
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[Gblenn]

Hej Erland,

I have been thinking along the same line as you and decided to go for a
solution with PI-Squeezeplug/SqueezeLite + NuForce uDAC 2
http://www.digitaltrends.com/headphone-amplifier-reviews/nuforce-icon-udac-2-review/

That's expected to set me back a total of max 1400 sek buying from
webhallen. Assuming I will use an existing USB charger to power it and
an SD card I have already.

I was considering Cambridge Dacmagic 100 until I stumbled on this one.
At half the price it also provides a headphone output and volume control
so it looks like a great solution for my needs.

My plan is later on to make similar testing as Gunther, towards my
colleagues' setup using his Mac/Amarra + Weiss Dac. 38 times the price
not even considering the cost of the Mac....


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gblenn's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=22759
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[JezA]

If you could go to $169, maybe the Audioengine D1 is worth considering?
It uses the AK4936 DAC, which I believe was also used in the
Transporter.

'Here's'
(http://www.avguide.com/review/audioengine-d1-dacheadphone-amp-playback-54)
a review; 'here's' (http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-D1) the
manufacturer's website.

I haven't got one .. just happened to come across it and noticed the
connection with the Transporter.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
JezA's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=21219
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[Corelli45]

I've used the Behringer UC202 with the PI. Decent sound comparable to
the Touch. Seemed to have a slightly brighter more forward sound though
I didn't level match. Problem was the sound would often break up and got
tired of re setting the device. I now run the Touch through an MF Dac
with the Pi Nas Ethernet wired to he router. Better and more reliable
sound.




------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corelli45's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=55246
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141

[squiggywidggy]

It has gotta be the whole chain - but for me, switching the SBT to
'transport' to feed a DAC is the road I am going down.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
squiggywidggy's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=58391
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=99141