Squeeze Box vs Transporter

[spike99]

Hi,

I have been looking for a music Server to play music from a NAS drive and also the ability to play either Spotiry or MOG.

I'm currently thinking about getting either the SqueezeBox or the Transporter and I'm a bit undecided.

I'll be playing High res music (some 24/96) and some Spotify...

I currently have an Integra pre-pro 80.3 and B&W CM8's speakers on my HT.

I'm currently leaning towards the Transporter because of the better DAC....

But wondering if I would get better sound with a SqueezeBox and a separate DAC and then go to my Integra.

I've seen some mention about having the SqueezeBox modded but again... Not sure which I would get better sound...

Also, Although Transporters DAC is good... My understanding is that the DAC (AKM AK4396) has been there for some time and may be old ?

Thanks for the suggestions...

[RonM]

Hi there, and welcome to the forum -- and to the Squeezebox world!

Just to be clear, "Squeezebox" refers to the whole product line, and not to one particular product.

The Transporter is undoubtedly the premium product in the line-up, but you will have difficulty finding one. It's no longer listed on the Logitech US website, and so seems not to be available as part of the current product lineup. You may be able to find some available from non-Logitech sources.

I suspect that the Squeezebox Touch may be your best bet. It has an excellent set of features, including a more-than-capable DAC as well as a variety of digital and analog outs. I think the consensus is that the quality of the output from the DAC is really excellent, and not necessarily in second place to the Transporter. Of course, you can use it with an external DAC should you wish. Personally, I'd advise you to use it by itself, and only decide to go external if after hearing it you really think you can do better.

I have both, and use the Transporter as my primary player. I bought it before the Touch was available, and would probably not do so now, it's really expensive. I'm reserving my Touch (still in the box) for when the Transporter dies (probably won't be able to get it fixed), or to replace one of my secondary players when I get around to it.

Ron

[w3wilkes]

As Ron says I think the Touch would do it all just fine for you. The Transporter will look really good stacked with your gear, but I don't think the look will make it perform any better than the Touch. Lukily my lowly Duets are both giving me everything I could want! They are the newest component in my systems. Main system is old Sony surround STRDB1070 driving older ADS -L810 speakers. This humble setup seems to throw my music at my old 60+ ears just fine!

If you really want to have some fun you should go ask this question here;
http://forums.slimdevices.com/forumd...?7-Audiophiles

[Mnyb]

Why not use a Squeezebox Touch and it's digital out to a digital input on the Integra ?

Does the integra really have a true analog passthru ? Otherwise there is no piont in using an analog input except for legacy support ( analog inputs would be digitised again so the integra's own DAC would be used anyway ).

And also if you want to use a subwoofer or any DSP modes , those functions are all digital , so then it's best to use the digital input.

But if your Integra have a true 2ch analog stereo mode and you want to use that use the analog out of the Touch .

Actually all outputs on a Touch is active at the same time so you can hook up both analog and digital to the Integra if you wan't .

The mods described on this fora is mostly mumbo jumbo , the simplest and best user experience is to actually use it as it is . Things works as expected and the UI and other interfaces also works as described and there is no complicated hoops to jump trough to get normal things to work .

[garym]

Hi there, and welcome to the forum -- and to the Squeezebox world!

Just to be clear, "Squeezebox" refers to the whole product line, and not to one particular product.

The Transporter is undoubtedly the premium product in the line-up, but you will have difficulty finding one. It's no longer listed on the Logitech US website, and so seems not to be available as part of the current product lineup. You may be able to find some available from non-Logitech sources.

I suspect that the Squeezebox Touch may be your best bet. It has an excellent set of features, including a more-than-capable DAC as well as a variety of digital and analog outs. I think the consensus is that the quality of the output from the DAC is really excellent, and not necessarily in second place to the Transporter. Of course, you can use it with an external DAC should you wish. Personally, I'd advise you to use it by itself, and only decide to go external if after hearing it you really think you can do better.

I have both, and use the Transporter as my primary player. I bought it before the Touch was available, and would probably not do so now, it's really expensive. I'm reserving my Touch (still in the box) for when the Transporter dies (probably won't be able to get it fixed), or to replace one of my secondary players when I get around to it.

Ron

Agree 100%. Get yourself a touch. And ignore all the mods discussed. Most are silly. One exception is triodes EDO plugin. But even it is really only useful if you need to drive a USB DAC or play 24/192 tracks. I have no current use for either.

[Squeezemenicely]

Welcome to the squeezeworld, the Touch is excellent and you should go for it, if you have the feeling you would like to change the way it sounds, get a Dac and you will still spend less than on a Transporter.

[spike99]

Thanks for the replys

Now a couple of answers...

Hi there, and welcome to the forum -- and to the Squeezebox world!

Just to be clear, "Squeezebox" refers to the whole product line, and not to one particular product.

The Transporter is undoubtedly the premium product in the line-up, but you will have difficulty finding one. It's no longer listed on the Logitech US website, and so seems not to be available as part of the current product lineup. You may be able to find some available from non-Logitech sources.

I suspect that the Squeezebox Touch may be your best bet. It has an excellent set of features, including a more-than-capable DAC as well as a variety of digital and analog outs. I think the consensus is that the quality of the output from the DAC is really excellent, and not necessarily in second place to the Transporter. Of course, you can use it with an external DAC should you wish. Personally, I'd advise you to use it by itself, and only decide to go external if after hearing it you really think you can do better.

I have both, and use the Transporter as my primary player. I bought it before the Touch was available, and would probably not do so now, it's really expensive. I'm reserving my Touch (still in the box) for when the Transporter dies (probably won't be able to get it fixed), or to replace one of my secondary players when I get around to it.

Ron

Apologies... I actually meant that I was considering SqueezeBox Touch vs the Transporter.

Transporter is listed in Logitech's website.... : http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speake...-music-systems

As Ron says I think the Touch would do it all just fine for you. The Transporter will look really good stacked with your gear, but I don't think the look will make it perform any better than the Touch. Lukily my lowly Duets are both giving me everything I could want! They are the newest component in my systems. Main system is old Sony surround STRDB1070 driving older ADS -L810 speakers. This humble setup seems to throw my music at my old 60+ ears just fine!

If you really want to have some fun you should go ask this question here;
http://forums.slimdevices.com/forumd...?7-Audiophiles

I'm really just trying to get into high res musice.. And assumed that the Transporter would be better in that department...

Why not use a Squeezebox Touch and it's digital out to a digital input on the Integra ?

Does the integra really have a true analog passthru ? Otherwise there is no piont in using an analog input except for legacy support ( analog inputs would be digitised again so the integra's own DAC would be used anyway ).

And also if you want to use a subwoofer or any DSP modes , those functions are all digital , so then it's best to use the digital input.

But if your Integra have a true 2ch analog stereo mode and you want to use that use the analog out of the Touch .

Actually all outputs on a Touch is active at the same time so you can hook up both analog and digital to the Integra if you wan't .

The mods described on this fora is mostly mumbo jumbo , the simplest and best user experience is to actually use it as it is . Things works as expected and the UI and other interfaces also works as described and there is no complicated hoops to jump trough to get normal things to work .

Yes, my Integra does have a Analog pass thru... My understanding was that using the Analog inputs in Integra would not use Integra's internal DAC... But again... just a begginer... and wouldn't know.

Yes, I do have a 5.2 system... and would be using 2 Fronts and 2 SUBS.

I had seen some posts regarding Touch mods.. and from the comments of ppl that their units modded... they had good feedback... but again... I wouldn't know... that's why I'm asking

Agree 100%. Get yourself a touch. And ignore all the mods discussed. Most are silly. One exception is triodes EDO plugin. But even it is really only useful if you need to drive a USB DAC or play 24/192 tracks. I have no current use for either.

Welcome to the squeezeworld, the Touch is excellent and you should go for it, if you have the feeling you would like to change the way it sounds, get a Dac and you will still spend less than on a Transporter.

You know.. after your comments... Maybe I really should get the Touch instead... And then later get an external DAC and see if it makes a difference or not... If not then return it...

Also, I do know that CEDIA is on Sept 6 and was pondering if I should wait until then... and see if there are more products like the Touch ? By the way... Can the touch do 24/96 with a NAS ?

[Mnyb]

Re subwoofers , my understanding is that almost all modern HT gear I ever heard of have the sat/sub filter digitally implemented so in that case using a digital input would be the obvius choice as all analog inputs would be digitised anyway so then you would have an DA - AD-DA signal path this migth not be the best fidelity depending on gear .

But in pure 2ch analog mode you can benefit from a better external DAC , or the Touch itself ( if it improves on the Integra ,I never heard Integra so I would not know ) .

My thought was that you do not have to choose you can use it both ways depending on music style and preferences

[garym]

Thanks for the replys

Now a couple of answers...


Apologies... I actually meant that I was considering SqueezeBox Touch vs the Transporter.

Transporter is listed in Logitech's website.... : http://www.logitech.com/en-us/speake...-music-systems



I'm really just trying to get into high res musice.. And assumed that the Transporter would be better in that department...



Yes, my Integra does have a Analog pass thru... My understanding was that using the Analog inputs in Integra would not use Integra's internal DAC... But again... just a begginer... and wouldn't know.

Yes, I do have a 5.2 system... and would be using 2 Fronts and 2 SUBS.

I had seen some posts regarding Touch mods.. and from the comments of ppl that their units modded... they had good feedback... but again... I wouldn't know... that's why I'm asking







You know.. after your comments... Maybe I really should get the Touch instead... And then later get an external DAC and see if it makes a difference or not... If not then return it...

Also, I do know that CEDIA is on Sept 6 and was pondering if I should wait until then... and see if there are more products like the Touch ? By the way... Can the touch do 24/96 with a NAS ?

Yes. A touch can handle 24/96 natively. And in my opinion there is nothing with the capabilities of th SB touch and lms on the market at Even 10 times the price.

[Squeezemenicely]

Yes 24/96 works perfectly, streaming the files from a NAS myself.

Why wait, get the Touch and a Bifrost ( sorry am very biased, but for me it is a match made in heaven)