SB Touch vs ID100 vs HP-P1 vs Audiophileo

[warpian]

Hello all,

I just thought I'd share some funny experiments I recently conducted.

I have a Squeezebox Touch (SBT) and I love this device. I am an early adopter of SB's, starting with the classic SB, then the Duet and then the Touch. I tweaked the SBT with Soundcheck's Touch Toolbox, first using the 2.0 version and the 3.0. The results are satisfactory. I use my SBT in conjunction with a Wadia PowerDac 151 and Dali Mentor Menuets. The Wadia has digital inputs only, I use SPDIF over RCA from the SBT.

The Wadia PowerDac 151 is a fine piece of equipment and just for kicks I hooked it up with a new Linn Akurate DS which has a digital output (lord knows why). In this setup the Wadia sounds really analog and smooth, pretty amazing as would be expected. Yes, it does sound a lot better compared to my usual setup with the SBT and Wadia. Of course this setup doesnt make any sense, since the Akurate DS has analog outputs that outperform the Wadia. But as I said: just for kicks.

Once you've heard a certain sonic bliss... well for some folks (including me) there's no stopping really. But I love my SB server, even wrote a plugin for it (Just Covers). So how do I upgrade the digial source and still use the SB server?

This is what I tried: run iPeng on an iPod Touch and have iPeng stream to the iPod. This is a feature that can be activated within iPeng and which involves some extra cost (no brainer). Then I used a Cambridge Audio ID100 iPod dock. This device extracts the digital signal from the iPod and turns it into a SPDIF output on the back. Results: really cool sound, very clean... but IMHO on par with a SBT, not beating it. Still not a bad result for an iPod dock!

Then I tried: again run iPeng but now have it stream to a Fostex HP-P1. This device is actually a headphone amp but it too can extract a digital signal from the iPod and it has a toslink output. Results: wow! this sound is on par with the Akurate DS as digital source to the Wadia. The HP-P1 beats the tweaked SBT, the difference in my opinion is not subtle. The HP-P1 sounds much more natural. The highs are less stressful and there's no more listening fatigue (often associated with digital audio). The lower frequencies are more defined. There is more space in the overal presentation of most music.

Draw back of using a HP-P1: it is expensive (about 580 Euro for me), iOS does not support high res audio, there is no gapless playback from iPeng, it does not recharge the connected iPod. But even with all these shortcomings I am not switching back to my SBT, the sound is just too addictive.

That is... until John Swenson figures out how to get async USB audio from SBT stable and without pops and clicks. When that happens I am going to take my SBT out of the closet and attach it to an AudioPhilleo USB to SPDIF converter which will then feed my Wadia. I expect this setup to equal the HP-P1 and in that scenario none of the above mentioned shortcomings apply.

I realize I am rambling here. Many people will probably take me for a geeky audio idiot. If you read all the way down here I salute you, you must be an audioholic like me, cheers mate :-)

regards,
Tom

[garym]

That is... until John Swenson figures out how to get async USB audio from SBT stable and without pops and clicks. When that happens I am going to take my SBT out of the closet and attach it to an AudioPhilleo USB to SPDIF converter which will then feed my Wadia. I expect this setup to equal the HP-P1 and in that scenario none of the above mentioned shortcomings apply.

re: USB audio, I assume you've followed this thread:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...light=usb+test

[warpian]

re: USB audio, I assume you've followed this thread:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showth...light=usb+test

Yes, I have been closely monitoring John's work. The idea of using async USB audio from a SB is just brilliant and it is a pain in the butt for it not to get resolved. John is already a hero in my opinion and if he nacks it I am going to come over and kiss him (naaaaaah just kidding).

On a side note: the HP-P1 actually uses async USB to connect to an iPod which may be related to its high performing SPDIF out. Another thing that may account for its performance is that it is battery driven.

[warpian]

In case anyone is interested. I am now comparing the Audiophilleo 1 to the Fostex HP-P1.

I set up both devices for use as a substitute for a Squeezebox like this:

1. Desktop -> Squeezeslave -> USB -> Audiophilleo -> SPDIF (coax) -> Wadia 151

2. iPod Touch -> iPeng -> USB -> Fostex HP-P1 -> SPDIF (Toslink)-> Wadia 151

Note: both USB connections are asynchronous audio class 2.

I can't seem to make up my mind which sound I prefer. Both these devices produce an incredibly clean SPDIF signal, IMHO superior to a tweaked (Soundcheck) Squeezebox Touch.

So there you have it: (yet another?) way of having proper audiophile sound combined with a Squeezebox network.

Side note: the Audiophilleo has an interesting feature to check wether the signal path is bitperfect which is kind of reassuring when fiddling with software to output sound from a desktop.

[johnnydarko]

In case anyone is interested. I am now comparing the Audiophilleo 1 to the Fostex HP-P1.

I set up both devices for use as a substitute for a Squeezebox like this:

1. Desktop -> Squeezeslave -> USB -> Audiophilleo -> SPDIF (coax) -> Wadia 151

2. iPod Touch -> iPeng -> USB -> Fostex HP-P1 -> SPDIF (Toslink)-> Wadia 151

Note: both USB connections are asynchronous audio class 2.

I can't seem to make up my mind which sound I prefer. Both these devices produce an incredibly clean SPDIF signal, IMHO superior to a tweaked (Soundcheck) Squeezebox Touch.

So there you have it: (yet another?) way of having proper audiophile sound combined with a Squeezebox network.

Side note: the Audiophilleo has an interesting feature to check wether the signal path is bitperfect which is kind of reassuring when fiddling with software to output sound from a desktop.

I too have used an Audiophilleo [with Squeezeslave]. Definitely a superior sound to the stock SBT feeding the same DAC.

[jonn68]

Hi,
- Ipod/Iphone/Ipad with Fostex HP-1 + Itunes(on PC or Mac runing) with HighRes files can you streaming in high resolution to your idevice
- Ipeng has got gapless playing

jonn