Linn DS or Logitech Transporter ???

[admin_exported]

Having recently upgraded my system I have also ripped my entire CD collection to digital and all my music, dowloads and rips, is now stored in a Buffalo Terrastation Quad. I am now looking into a good quality Music Streamer to stream my music from the Buffalo through my AV amp. I have tried using the basic DLNA functionality between the Buffalo and my Pioneer SC-LX82, an iPod Touch connected directly to the Amp and also streaming music via my Popcorn C-200 - they all have their individual limitations be it file format recognition, quality or the access interface to the music. I have alos tried a Squeezebox Duet but was not that impressed.

I am probably looking for a nirvana but would be very grateful for some qualified advice on the best compromise of quality v ease of access v file format replay, with emphisis on the quality. All my CD's are ripped to FLAC and my itunes library are a combination of AAC lossless, AAC and MP3.

Any advice appriciated.

System details

Pioneer SC-LX82 AV reciever, Pioneer BD-LX52 Blue Ray, Toshiba XE1 HDDVD, Popcorn C-200 (1TB), Sky HD, Buffalo Terrastation Quad, Monitor Audio RS8, GSLC, RXFX, ASW12, KEF in Ceiling SB. Sony Bravia 46" LCDTV, All connected to my PC via GB ethernet network.

 

[manicm]

If you can stretch your budget and patience, I'd say a Linn Sneaky DS.

 

[Anonymous]

At that price level go for a Linn - either a Sneaky DS or stretch to a Majik DS

 

[John Duncan]

How did you connect the squeezebox to your amp? Via analogue interconnects or via a digital in on your Pioneer? I think the only thing you'd be getting with a Linn or a Transporter (generalising hugely) is much better quality analogue output than a Duet or similar (and in the case of the Sneaky, a built-in amp you wouldn't use).

But if you must have a shiny bit of kit, I'd probably get the Transporter (if you can hack the aesthetics).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that John.

When using the Duet I connected via optical. The quality was good but not 'great' - if you know what I mean. Also the unit kept hanging which was very frustrating, and this was on a wired network. Am just lookig for the best quality I can get.

What would you advise re: connectivity between the Transporter/DS and the Pioneer Amp for the best output ?.

Regards, Ian

 

[Anonymous]

Any chance of a reply to my last note ???

 

[nads]

running a Squeezbox through a Dac Magic and that is good.

i would be tempted to try a Dac on the duet (if you still have it) as i could tell the difference between the SB Dacs and the Dac Magics.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks.

Sent the Duet back, think it had a fault anyway at it kept hanging........ Loved the remote just not the reciever. I also have A Popcorn C-200 which is great for Video but still not soo good for music. After all the effort of ripping my CD collection was hoping this would be easy !!. Bring back my CD player !!

 

[satsurfer]

willcoxi: I also have A Popcorn C-200 which is great for Video but still not soo good for music.

but if you connect it with an external DAC (through optical output)?

will the C-200 not sound top?

my -older- amp:

D/A converters capable of handling 192 kHz sampling rates, and 24 bit data

The TX-DS989 also utilizes the Crystal SRC (Sample Rate Converter) chip that, although it can't increase the real resolution or bandwidth of the information feeding the DACs, may decrease the requirements of the DAC's reconstruction filter by upsampling the digital audio into a higher sampling rate.

A feature about the Onkyo's upsampling that I appreciated is that it upsamples to an integer of the original sample rate, i.e., 44.1 kHz to 88.2 kHz, and 48 kHz to 96 kHz, as opposed to some products which upsample unilaterally to 96 kHz. Something to remember about upsampling is that it cannot put back information that was lost. If the upsampling occurs at a direct integer, the upsampling creates new samples in between the original samples, calculating estimated values based on some form of interpolation and a low-pass filter, which in turn makes following DSP and analog filters that much easier to implement. However, aside from the non-integer-based upsampling method requiring more DSP power to generate upsampled values, upsampling to a rate that is not a direct integer of the original sample rate requires that the interpolation algorithms create ALL of the resulting samples, which means that without infinite processing power and bit length, the upsampling process LOSES information. Because of this, I was thrilled that Onkyo chose to adopt the simpler and superior upsampling method.

 

[John Duncan]

willcoxi:Any chance of a reply to my last note ???

Sorry willcoxi. In the case of the DS or the Transporter, I think I'd be more inclined to use the analogue outputs, since the quality of those outputs is why they're so much more expensive than your average streamer in the first place. if your receiver has a "direct" option to bypass as much of its electronics as possible, use it.

cheers

JD

 

[manicm]

JohnDuncan:How did you connect the squeezebox to your amp? Via analogue interconnects or via a digital in on your Pioneer? I think the only thing you'd be getting with a Linn or a Transporter (generalising hugely) is much better quality analogue output than a Duet or similar (and in the case of the Sneaky, a built-in amp you wouldn't use). But if you must have a shiny bit of kit, I'd probably get the Transporter (if you can hack the aesthetics).

But that's the whole point of the DS - and remember the top 2 models don't have digital outs.

Even with the Sneaky, I think you'd have to spend a heck of a lot to improve on its internal DAC - certainly more than your DACMagics and Beresfords - as excellent as they are.

I think the Sneaky should be given serious consideration at this price.

 

[amcluesent]

>Any advice appriciated.<

At the end-of-the day, the Pioneer AV Receiver remains using Class-D amps, loaded with DSP circuits. I doubt the sonic merits of the Linn or Transporter DACs would be retained unless using a 2-channel hi-fi amp.