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

[sota748]

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]

Hi Dan,

here sells someone in Germany a Transporter:

https://forums.slimdevices.com/showt...ssic-und-Touch


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

[schoeppi]

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]

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