Squeezebox Touch/Classic vs cheap USB DAC ?

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  • erland
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2006
    • 11322

    Squeezebox Touch/Classic vs cheap USB DAC ?

    Does anyone have experience how the audio performance is from a Touch or Classic with analogue signal compared to a cheap USB DAC (below $100) used with Raspberry PI/Wandboard/PogoPlug/SheevaPlug or similar ?

    Is the Touch significantly better than a cheap USB DAC ?
    What about a Squeezebox Classic compared to a cheap USB DAC ?

    Is it important if the USB DAC is synchronous or asynchronous at this price level ?

    I'm not really looking for a high-end solution, so something that's comparable to a Touch would definitely be good enough, I could live with something that's comparable to a Classic also but it feels pointless to invest in something new unless it's at least at the same level as a Squeezebox Classic with analogue outputs.

    Since this is a temporary solution while waiting for the Community Squeeze project to evolve, I'd prefer to not invest more than $100 or something similar.

    If it's worth to get a USB DAC for $100, does anyone have a recommendation which one to get ?
    Erland Lindmark (My homepage)
    Developer of many plugins/applets
    Starting with LMS 8.0 I no longer support my plugins/applets (see here for more information )
  • cadfish
    Member
    • Nov 2012
    • 78

    #2
    HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC

    Hi Erland,

    two weeks ago I bought a HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC based on good reviews I read after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as a toy ...

    I run it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.

    Just yesterday I did a comparison against a Linn Majik DS (€ 2400,-). A friend is kind of audiophile and he owns the right gear: Linn Majik DS network player and Linn pre-Amp, Threshold T400 power amp and high end CANTON speakers. Pretty impressive setup. He runs LMS and Squeezeboxes as well and feeds the Linn through SB controllers by means of Skweezy DS plugin - so it was simple to integrate piCorePlayer into his setup.

    We switched between the Majik and the SABRE: Admitted, there is an audible difference between the Linn and the SABRE - but you really have to look for it. We listened to Jeann Michel Jarre (Aero), Yello (Touch), Dire Straits (Brother in Arms) and Flim & the BB's - all in 44/16 - and some classical/acoustic music in 96/24. I had the impression, that for some extreme passages the sound was a tiny bit 'sharper' whereas the Linn masters even those parts a bit more relaxed - overall, the difference was too small to be noticed.

    This little thing sounds much better than the price would suggest - and I would certainly recommend it.

    Yesterday I learned in a dramatical fashion, that the amps and speakers are so much more important in order to have good sound than the DAC - and I got the impression that you're not even able to notice the difference unless you have such a potent gear.

    I'm curious to hear the opinion of others.


    Günther
    Last edited by cadfish; 2013-07-11, 04:22.
    Primary System: LMS on Win 7 PC, 4 SBT, 1 Duet, 2 piCorePlayer (HifiMeDIY Sabre II DAC & HifiBerry DAC), 2 Duet Controller, 2 iPods, 1 iPhone (iPeng), Sony XPeria Mini & ION, Android Tablet (SqueezeControl, OrangeSqueeze, SqueezeCommander) -- Secondary System: Mobile Server based on SqueezePlug on RaspBerry PI

    Visit SBNetIO - yet another remote control plugin.

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    • Julf
      Senior Member
      • Dec 2010
      • 2567

      #3
      Originally posted by cadfish
      Yesterday I learned in a dramatical fashion, that the amps and speakers are so much more important in order to have good sound than the DAC
      Absolutely. It is funny how a lot of audiophiles fuss over their DACs and cables, when shifting their speakers a few inches or even putting a couple of pillows on their sofa makes a much more significant difference...
      "To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953

      Comment

      • erland
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2006
        • 11322

        #4
        Originally posted by cadfish
        two weeks ago I bought a HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC based on good reviews I read after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as a toy ...

        I run it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.
        Thanks for the tips, it's also in the price range I was looking for.

        Have you done any comparison with any Squeezebox hardware devices ?
        Erland Lindmark (My homepage)
        Developer of many plugins/applets
        Starting with LMS 8.0 I no longer support my plugins/applets (see here for more information )

        Comment

        • Corelli45
          Senior Member
          • Mar 2012
          • 102

          #5
          I've used the Behringer UC202 with the PI. Decent sound comparable to the Touch. Seemed to have a slightly brighter more forward sound though I didn't level match. Problem was the sound would often break up and got tired of re setting the device. I now run the Touch through an MF Dac with the Pi Nas Ethernet wired to he router. Better and more reliable sound.

          Comment

          • squiggywidggy
            Junior Member
            • Dec 2012
            • 19

            #6
            It has gotta be the whole chain - but for me, switching the SBT to 'transport' to feed a DAC is the road I am going down.

            Comment

            • JimPro
              Junior Member
              • May 2013
              • 11

              #7
              Originally posted by cadfish
              Hi Erland,

              two weeks ago I bought a HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC based on good reviews I read after finding this thing on RaspiFy; I bought it just for curiosity, as a toy ...

              I run it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached to a Pi with piCorePlayer and I have to say - it's excellent.


              Günther
              Hi,

              I have used the HifiMeDIY SABRE DAC with my VAMP with good results, but I would like to understand what is meant by running it in adaptive mode with the recommended PSU attached.... What is needed to be done to tweak it as such?

              Comment

              • ReValveiT
                Member
                • Apr 2012
                • 93

                #8
                Can't beat the SBT DAC imo... It's much better than the Classic's, and way way better than, say, the Arcam rDac and the like.

                Logi just have no clue what they have (had). Fools.

                Comment

                • Gblenn
                  Member
                  • Jan 2009
                  • 90

                  #9
                  Hej Erland,

                  I have been thinking along the same line as you and decided to go for a solution with PI-Squeezeplug/SqueezeLite + NuForce uDAC 2
                  Review: The uDAC-2 digital analog converter from NuForce proves measurements don't always tell the whole story.

                  That's expected to set me back a total of max 1400 sek buying from webhallen. Assuming I will use an existing USB charger to power it and an SD card I have already.

                  I was considering Cambridge Dacmagic 100 until I stumbled on this one. At half the price it also provides a headphone output and volume control so it looks like a great solution for my needs.

                  My plan is later on to make similar testing as Gunther, towards my colleagues' setup using his Mac/Amarra + Weiss Dac. 38 times the price not even considering the cost of the Mac....

                  Comment

                  • JezA
                    Senior Member
                    • Nov 2008
                    • 310

                    #10
                    If you could go to $169, maybe the Audioengine D1 is worth considering? It uses the AK4936 DAC, which I believe was also used in the Transporter.

                    Here's a review; here's the manufacturer's website.

                    I haven't got one .. just happened to come across it and noticed the connection with the Transporter.

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