My laptop sounds better than my Squeezebox
- Thread starter Bluedroog
- Start date
Igloo Audio
Registered User
Hi Bluedroog,
Quick question, have you compared the two with identical / shared ripped files and not just Qobuz?
Regards,
Peter
whatsnext
Naimless
The SBT/MacBook are the sources n'est pas?
Kindly explain how those sources connected via optical/toslink are galvanically connected/not isolated. How do those electrons get down that optical cable? Do they go via a round about route as you see it?
Hi Peter, Thanks for your replies. I have only tried with Qobuz, the Mac is actually my Mrs and just had a load of compressed music, my laptop is out of action so streaming is my only source at the moment.
Re USB on the Touch to me it sounds a little better than the other outputs but I tend not to use it in favour of coax as it seems to build up noise somewhere in the chain after a while.
Igloo Audio
Registered User
Thanks for the info.
I always like to know why something sounds different, so my starting place would be a quick A/B between the Mac/iTunes USB and Touch S/PDIF using a ripped file, and then... etc etc.
Peter
The Touch is wired the laptop is wireless.
Mains.
Just as the Touch isn't really designed for USB output, its volume control is a compromise, too . . . both factors might disqualify it from further expenditure.
Rethinking your system with the better quality computer as a front end might lead to several gains - for instance, you can use the laptop to access more streamed services, and you can probably upgrade it to contain your whole library, without network storage.
The money you'd make selling the SBT would go a long way toward a better remote-controlled DAC with a better-implemented volume control. This would have further advantages, in that you could also connect your TV, iPod, phone or other source to the same system . . .
Just a thought.
whatsnext
Naimless
So it isn't the galvanic connection some your customers live in fear of and brings them to buy cables with separate power supplied instead of that passing down the sub cable.
I'll leave you to promoting your products
Three re-reads later - still nothing. I'd like to respond, because I sense you're angry, but I literally can't understand what you're saying.
USB and mains cables conduct electricity; optical cables don't. Not sure how things went astray from there . . .
onlyconnect
pfm Member
The Touch with EDO and USB output sounds great to me.
I replaced my Caiman with a Teac UD H01 (as heard at Scalford recently) and thought it sounded better though did not blind test.
I use the Touch with wired internet, shouldn't make a difference but a bit more robust than wireless.
Concerning the troubleshooting:
It does make sense to make sure the difference still exists in blind testing - unless you are of the view that blind testing somehow does not work. However unless you do, there is always the possibility that the difference is not caused by the actual sound that is produced, and so will be hard to fix with a technical solution.
Also, did you check that the Mac is not tweaking the digital output? I forget the details, but isn't there something you need to set to ensure bit-accuracy?
For an accurate comparison, have both Mac and Touch set to maximum volume on the digital out.
Isn't audio fun?
Tim
I replaced my Caiman with a Teac UD H01 (as heard at Scalford recently) and thought it sounded better though did not blind test.
I use the Touch with wired internet, shouldn't make a difference but a bit more robust than wireless.
Concerning the troubleshooting:
It does make sense to make sure the difference still exists in blind testing - unless you are of the view that blind testing somehow does not work. However unless you do, there is always the possibility that the difference is not caused by the actual sound that is produced, and so will be hard to fix with a technical solution.
Also, did you check that the Mac is not tweaking the digital output? I forget the details, but isn't there something you need to set to ensure bit-accuracy?
For an accurate comparison, have both Mac and Touch set to maximum volume on the digital out.
Isn't audio fun?
Tim
The Touch (with EDO) sounds great in my setup used via coax to a Beresford Bushmaster MKII DAC.
Something I have tried lately is to chuck out the walwarts feeding both the Bushmaster DAC and the Touch and feed them both with DC Battery Power.
I found a 26000 mah 12V external battery on Amazon. The 12V feed powers the Bushmaster DAC and the USB 5V on the same battery powers the Touch. So for a fraction of the cost of fancy Linear Power Supplies I now have both items free of walwarts.
The introduction of battery power resulted in a not trivial improvement in sound quality. I used to use S-Boosters on both my Bushmaster and Touch with mains power. However, the cheap external battery improved significantly on the mains plus S-Booster setup. This mod would put your Touch on a level playing field with the Laptop (in that both would be receiving battery DC power).
Something I have tried lately is to chuck out the walwarts feeding both the Bushmaster DAC and the Touch and feed them both with DC Battery Power.
I found a 26000 mah 12V external battery on Amazon. The 12V feed powers the Bushmaster DAC and the USB 5V on the same battery powers the Touch. So for a fraction of the cost of fancy Linear Power Supplies I now have both items free of walwarts.
The introduction of battery power resulted in a not trivial improvement in sound quality. I used to use S-Boosters on both my Bushmaster and Touch with mains power. However, the cheap external battery improved significantly on the mains plus S-Booster setup. This mod would put your Touch on a level playing field with the Laptop (in that both would be receiving battery DC power).