Squeezebox - What should I do?

[S-Man]

I'm rather pleased with the SB3 that I bought for my kitchen system.

I built a simple linear psu for it (bit or R-C filtering and 7805) which filled out the sound and made a decent improvement.

In my main system it does lack some grunt and spice but actually sounds very nice - sufficiently good to make me think I should be seriously investigate an SB variant for my main system.

Here are my options:
1/ Buy another SB3 and mod it
2/ Buy a trainspotter
3/ Buy an SB+

Option1:
It seems to me that the DAC in the SB3 is fairly well regarded and providing it with a decent PSU is very worthwhile. The analogue o/p stage runs off 9V, which I assume is generated by some sort of buck-boost IC, this seems likely to be a limiting factor along with the JRC opamp used. Therefore a good 5V supply for the DAC and a separate analogue stage (with decent PSU) should give excellent results.
Fitting a decent clock module may also be worthwhile (although my experiments in CDPs with aftermarket clocks has left me slightly underwhelmed).

Option2:
The easy way out. Commercial product, therefore easy to sell on, but I'm concerned about "round earth" comments on this site. Also - it seem a lot of money for another display, a Jung reg and a few other bits.

Option3:
An unknown. Patrick Dixon is at the other end of the country so not much chance to listen.
Surely I ought to be able to do almost as good a job as PD? (Hmmm maybe not - he seems to know a lot of stuff judging from his posts here and on the Slim Forum).

So what do you reckon?

 

[Squires]

I went for option 3, and have not regretted it at all. The sound is fantastic, although I have not compared it with a 'trainspotter'.
Patrick is great to deal with; why not give him a ring and listen to what he has to say?

 

[MarkS]

Surely I ought to be able to almost as good a job as PD? (Hmmm maybe not - he seems to know a lot of stuff judging from his posts here and on the Slim Forum).

So what do you reckon?

ermm...no, I don't think so

 

[Robert]

Option3:
An unknown. Patrick Dixon is at the other end of the country so not much chance to listen.

So what do you reckon?

Where are you based?
I'm in NE London and would be happy to dem the SB+ to you.

 

[S-Man]

ermm...no, I don't think so

I guess it's pride:
I have been building and modding hifi for 15+ years, have a degree in electronics (not that that means much!) and I like to plough my own furrow eg I don't particularly like the Linn or Naim sound and most valve amps don't do it for me either.

OTOH my knowledge of digital electronics leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[S-Man]

Where are you based?
I'm in NE London and would be happy to dem the SB+ to you.

Many thanks for your kind offer.

I'm in Leeds. I do occasionally travel around the M25 on business so I will bear your offer in mind and maybe drop you a PM as and when appropriate.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[SteveC]

Just to say if you used a Transporter with valve amps I can't believe you'd regret it, so don't close off that option if you decide you like the ready-finished product.

 

[S-Man]

Thanks all.

I have booked a dem with Mr PD himself, in a few weeks time.

I liked what he said on the phone, no hair-shirt stuff in the SB+. The only downside is the loss of the h/p socket.

 

[bottleneck]

option 4

get a SB3 and an external DAC.

 

[Mr Tibbs]

S-Man, don't you hate opamps?

Why not go for a SB3 / NOS DAC? You could help the SB along with a PF flea-clock...

I might have a go at this myself -- just to see what the SB/NOS DAC fuss is all about. If it doesn't work out, the stuff could be sold on for not much loss.

Mr Tibbs

PS I'm sure PD's SB+ will sound very very good.

Enjoy the dem - I look forward to reading your review ;-)

 

[MarkW]

I have the SB3 and Shek NOS-DAC, both fed from their manufacturer-supplied psus and I love it.

Not a very scientific appraisal I know, but music is supposed to yield an emotional response. My set-up does.

Mark

 

[S-Man]

S-Man, don't you hate opamps?

Why not go for a SB3 / NOS DAC? You could help the SB along with a PF flea-clock...

I might have a go at this myself -- just to see what the SB/NOS DAC fuss is all about. If it doesn't work out, the stuff could be sold on for not much loss.

Mr Tibbs

PS I'm sure PD's SB+ will sound very very good.

Enjoy the dem - I look forward to reading your review ;-)

"Hate" is perhaps a bit too strong. I believe I said: "I have never been able to get op-amps to sound as good as a good discrete circuit".

With regard to NOS DACs, I tried NOS-ing my Arcam Alpha+ some time ago. I can understand why some people like the sound but my opinion is that the sound was not quite right in some fundamental way - there was no space around instruments. OTOH I have heard an AAA5 (at Les W's) and thought it was very good.

BTW, I think I'm going to sell my restored Gale 401s. They don't sound as good as a friend's do in his system (if ever there was a case of synergy, his system is it), the midrange is the culprit.

Still - it's all good clean fun!

 

[Dan.Scott1234]

Hi there, just wondering what you thought of your demo? Maybe interested in the SB+ myself and would welcome your feedback!

Thanks
Dan

 

[S-Man]

Hi there, just wondering what you thought of your demo? Maybe interested in the SB+ myself and would welcome your feedback!

Thanks
Dan

Hi Dan,

The demo was conclusive - the SB+ is significantly better than the SB3 with external PSU. End result - I bought an SB+.

 

[Dan.Scott1234]

Hi S-Man, thanks for that, do you still use CD's or is this your only digital source these days?

Thanks
Dan

 

[S-Man]

I have hardly spun a CD since my SB3 arrived a couple of months ago. Now that the SB+ has arrived the SB3 can go in the kitchen which is what it was originally bought for. The SBs are just so damn convenient (except when the kids run the Sims!!).