Best possible sound from "Squeezebox" - which way should I go

[sota748]

Hi,

sorry, the Transporter is not longer available, its making another user
happy already :-). but the Touch and the Classic are still there...

@Dan: I've not read the whole thread, but if you have an external DAC
maybe a good alternative to the transporter is a SMS 200 streamer from
SOTM. this device is also able to act as a squeezelite device and IMHO
it sounds better then the Transporter.

Cheers,

Schoepp

[sota748]

Best possible sound from "Squeezebox" - which way should I go

Hello
I have been a "hifi nerd" for about 30 years, newer had the completely expensive setups, but always had fun in putting something good together for the money I could/can spend on the hobby.
Today there are the following components in my system, almost everything is bought used (2 hand).
Speakers: B&W Signature 805 + B&W ASW 825 (sub)
Amp: Krell KAV300i
Turntable: Sota Sapphire + Moerch UP6 gold + Ortofon Kontrapunkt b + SAT Phonofix
CD system: Roksan ROK DP1 (transport) + Roksan ROK DA1 (dac)
Cables: No snake oil, just good products at a reasonable price, (I like Van den Hull's products)
Software: 3500 LP`s & 800 CD`s.
The best sound in my system comes from my Turntable but the CD system is not far behind

The last 1-2 years I wanted a Streaming system, but newer found anything I would like to own
I have had a SB3 for 10 years now I think, but not used it much, for 10 years ago I installed LMS on my Synology NAS but that was a slow and unstable system, no fun using that

At the Covid lock down in the spring, I have to work from home, and I needed music for the working room,
so I found the old SB3 and ordered a RPiB4, installed pCP on the RPiB4 and used my NAS as storage for music files.
Started to rip my CD`s (EAC or dbPoweramp) and after a month all 800 was on the NAS.
Listen to a lot of flac files, also a lot of different Radio channels and Podcast with great pleasure - I have found my Streaming system

Next task is to make/setup up the best possible system, in terms of good sound.
I have tried:
- SB3 analog outputs to amp., OK but nothing special
- SB3 SPDIF to ROK-DA1, not bad almost on high with my CD, but there is missing a little bit of all.
- RPiB4 USB trough M2Tech hiFace Two to ROK-DA1, great (= fantastic) sound stage but the sound of the high range is really sharp.

I have read a lot on the net, to find the best solution in terms of good sound, but there is obviously no recipe for this
So what`s the best way to go?
- RPiB4 USB to a Good DAC (most simple solution, and that way I thought I should go)
- RPiB4 with SPDIF hat to a good DAC
- RPiB4 with DAC hat to Amp.
- SB Transporter (maybe)
- Other solutions?

[fastfwd]

So what`s the best way to go?
- RPiB4 USB to a Good DAC (most simple solution, and that way I thought I should go)
- RPiB4 with SPDIF hat to a good DAC
- RPiB4 with DAC hat to Amp.
- SB Transporter (maybe)
- Other solutions?

AES out to a good DAC: http://www.pi2design.com/pi2aes.html

[guilux]

....

I have read a lot on the net, to find the best solution in terms of good sound, but there is obviously no recipe for this
So what`s the best way to go?
- RPiB4 USB to a Good DAC (most simple solution, and that way I thought I should go)
- RPiB4 with SPDIF hat to a good DAC
- RPiB4 with DAC hat to Amp.
- SB Transporter (maybe)
- Other solutions?

Hi Sota,

since you are already familiar with raspberry Pi and piCorePlayer, you might want to give a try to hifiberry (rasp + daughter card for good quality DAC)
I did try this, compared with my transporter and I found that the hifiberry is very good for its price.
(and far from being rediculous ....)

A transporter on the second hand market might be interesting also (price not the same - frankly you should give a try with the hifiberry, super product and super quality for this price)

cheers.

[Apesbrain]

"New Old Stock" knob-less Transporters are going for $500 on eBay with shipping. So long as your files top out at 24/96, it's as good as it gets.

[sota748]

AES out to a good DAC: http://www.pi2design.com/pi2aes.html

Very interesting, this could really be my solution.
But there is not many DAC`s with AES on market (mainly DAC`s for the pro area)

I like that the outputs is isolatet from the "rest"


Thanks for the reply

[sota748]

since you are already familiar with raspberry Pi and piCorePlayer, you might want to give a try to hifiberry (rasp + daughter card for good quality DAC)
I did try this, compared with my transporter and I found that the hifiberry is very good for its price.
(and far from being rediculous ....)

A transporter on the second hand market might be interesting also (price not the same - frankly you should give a try with the hifiberry, super product and super quality for this price)

I have looked at the HAT cards from hifiberry many times and not been sure that´s highend or not, maybe the new DAC2 HD could be a solution?

Thanks for the reply

[sota748]

"New Old Stock" knob-less Transporters are going for $500 on eBay with shipping. So long as your files top out at 24/96, it's as good as it gets.

Unfortunately, these are only found in the US, and import duties are expensive (about 1/3 of the price) in Denmark where I live , if I only could find one in the EU
This would be the nicest looking solution, I really want to hear a transporter on my system

Thanks for the Reply

[jd68]

Transporter

Hi Dan,

here sells someone in Germany a Transporter:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?113024-Verkaufe-silbernen-Transporter-und-SqueezeboxClassic-und-Touch

But I don't know whether it is still valid.

[sota748]

sorry, the Transporter is not longer available, its making another user
happy already :-). but the Touch and the Classic are still there...

@Dan: I've not read the whole thread, but if you have an external DAC
maybe a good alternative to the transporter is a SMS 200 streamer from
SOTM. this device is also able to act as a squeezelite device and IMHO
it sounds better then the Transporter.

Thanks for the feedback

I will take a look at the SOTM SMS 200 streamer

[Nissen]

Thanks for the feedback

I will take a look at the SOTM SMS 200 streamer

Maybe you should take a look at the "Digione Signature" HAT for your RPi4B.
The SPDIF output is isolated from the RPi4B side.

[yvrmike]

Hi Sota,

since you are already familiar with raspberry Pi and piCorePlayer, you might want to give a try to hifiberry (rasp + daughter card for good quality DAC)
cheers.

I did exactly this using piCorePlayer, although I had a now older Schiit Bifrost DAC already on hand and idle, so am using a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT to provide S/PDIF output to the external DAC.

in A-B comparisons (the Bifrost allows me to switch between Coax/TOSLINK inputs) between playing ripped CDs directly, or through the Pi4 running piCorePlayer with a Hifiberry Digi Pro into the DAC, I can't hear a difference... which makes sense. It's a digital signal in both cases until converted by the DAC. If others with better ears can hear a difference it doesn't matter, they aren't sitting in my office or living room and never will be.

Originally I'd split the player and server into two Pi4s but decided for my office space to run them both on one, playing through the Schiit DAC into my all analogue ARCAM FMJ A19 integrated amp.

In the end, I decided to consolidate player and mass storage on one Pi4, running Raspberry OS (Lite) instead of piCorePlayer, configured to boot off a 1TB SSD in a USB drive dock. I wanted a Debian based OS for this server and am running some other services (samba, wsdd, minidlna).

Being very happy with the audio results, and low cost, I'm looking to get a second Hifiberry product - possibly a DAC this time - for a second player on the livingroom system although I might yet again go for an external DAC like one of the well-reviewed and very inexpensive Topping DACs and again feed it from a Digi+ Pro.

And then there's an original Squeezebox kicking about here I may put back to work.

Pi4 and mass storage tech and prices being what they are, this is a golden age!

Hopefully, Google opens up an API for Youtube Music. A plugin for that would be terrific.

[sota748]

Maybe you should take a look at the "Digione Signature" HAT for your RPi4B.
The SPDIF output is isolated from the RPi4B side.

Nice thing this Digione Signature, I really learn some new "components"

[sota748]

Originally I'd split the player and server into two Pi4s but decided for my office space to run them both on one, playing through the Schiit DAC into my all analogue ARCAM FMJ A19 integrated amp.

- for a second player on the livingroom system although I might yet again go for an external DAC like one of the well-reviewed and very inexpensive Topping DACs and again feed it from a Digi+ Pro.

DAC`s i didn´t know, Can you anything about the sound from them?

[yvrmike]

DAC`s i didn´t know, Can you anything about the sound from them?

Hi Dan,

My needs are more modest than yours I'm sure; I'm a "good sound at a not painful price" sort.

That said you might want to experiment a bit more (as you have been) before committing which is why I threw out the inexpensive DAC idea.

You could incrementally experiment with a Pi4 by acquiring a digital output hat supporting at least Coax output and feed that to -> your existing DAC. If you are happy with that, based on your first post it seems you'll need a second DAC.

The Topping brand ranges from the inexpensive but well-reviewed and beyond. You'll find all manner of DAC brands reviewed on Audio Science Review:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?forums/digital-to-analog-dac-review-and-discussion.10/

They are generally technical reviews not audiophile but may serve as a good starting point for exploration. The entry-level Topping units offer good value and surprisingly good technical performance. I haven't bought one yet but intend to and look forward to comparing it to my now some years old Schiit DAC. I'll probably get the low-cost Topping E30 which is readily available here in Canada (edit, ordering it now for the family entertainment centre, or my office, whichever use case wins ;-) ) - it has 3 digital inputs (USB, TOSLINK and Coax S/PDIF) selectable from the front panel. No balanced output, only RCA - they do have units with XLR out.

Best of luck with your streaming system build - have fun!