NOT HAPPY with my mid-range hifi system

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Hello - this is a follow up from my previous topic "Happy with my mid-range hifi system"

The REASON I'm now unhappy is simulaneously a rant aboút squeezebox touch.

I thought getting a touch would be the final piece of the jigsaw - and that I'd convert all my discs to flac and live happily ever after - but this has not happened.

The logitech has a community of people trying to tweak and fix it to make it better and more audiophile. Obviously I want my touch to sound as good as possible so yesterday I got into a 12 hour odysey of trying to do all the things that people suggest. I have now come to the conclusion that I shouldn't have to do this - or worry about this - having just bought a piece of hi fi equipment. What audio kit buyer wants to be knee deep in terms like:

"kernal" "root" "factory reset" "tt -w" "mod" "winSCP" for 12 hours? I ask you!

The constant draw to improve the thing has left me feeling dead inside. After several factory resets of the device I compared it to my CD transport and felt that it was indeed lacking in comparison.

So now the process of converting all my CDs to FLAC seems like a bad idea - and I'm sending the touch back. I think.

Instead I will buy some CD cleaner - sort out my CDs - and spend the refund money on new CDs. I think.

Anyone caring to reinstate my bubble please write to this address.
 
A

Anonymous

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Additionally, I'm going to USB my PC to my DAC - which I didnt' really want to do - but then at least I can merrily listen to tons of new music - while at the same time purchasing CDs by my favourite artists.

Do you think this makes sense?

PS: epos M22, Creek Evo 2 Amp, M-DAC, Denon Transport
 

SteveR750

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Have you got a PC?

Before you give up on digital streaming, you might want to try the 30 day free trial of J River MC17 since you have all your discs ripped. It's tweakable but not the messing around in windows, it's just setting the programme up itself which is easy to do (It's extremely customisable). You'll be suprised by the results, I'm sure.

EDIT - cross post!

I can se you have a PC. That makes sense, but you need a good media player on your PC to see what is possible.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for the media player suggestion - I will certainly give it a try
 

SteveR750

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It's around $40 for a new license, which enable you to upgrade to new versions (MC18 has just been beta released) for around half the cost. For audio use, MC17 seems to have all you'd need, in fact version 15 was sonically as good, the upgrades have been to the video integration and the appearance / ease of use.

One neat facility in v17 (for when the licensing isue is overcome) there is directblink to HD tracks, so when you puchase and download from them they are integrated into the JRMC library directly without having to use the HDT downloader, save to a folder, and then file import.
 

drummerman

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The attraction of the Touch is undoubtedly the neatness, integration,versatility and low price for what it is. Can't you look at it like that and forget about trying to evaluate hifi minutia ie. just enjoy what it does well? - Simultaneously, I would suggest coming of the forums.

regards
 

chebby

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drummerman said:
The attraction of the Touch is undoubtedly the neatness, integration and versatility. Can't you look at it like that and forget about trying to evaluate hifi minutia ie. just enjoy what it does well?
Good advice in general.
 

ISAC69

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stee_doc said:
Hello - this is a follow up from my previous topic "Happy with my mid-range hifi system"

The REASON I'm now unhappy is simulaneously a rant aboút squeezebox touch.

I thought getting a touch would be the final piece of the jigsaw - and that I'd convert all my discs to flac and live happily ever after - but this has not happened.

The logitech has a community of people trying to tweak and fix it to make it better and more audiophile. Obviously I want my touch to sound as good as possible so yesterday I got into a 12 hour odysey of trying to do all the things that people suggest. I have now come to the conclusion that I shouldn't have to do this - or worry about this - having just bought a piece of hi fi equipment. What audio kit buyer wants to be knee deep in terms like:

"kernal" "root" "factory reset" "tt -w" "mod" "winSCP" for 12 hours? I ask you!

The constant draw to improve the thing has left me feeling dead inside. After several factory resets of the device I compared it to my CD transport and felt that it was indeed lacking in comparison.

So now the process of converting all my CDs to FLAC seems like a bad idea - and I'm sending the touch back. I think.

Instead I will buy some CD cleaner - sort out my CDs - and spend the refund money on new CDs. I think.

Anyone caring to reinstate my bubble please write to this address.

+1

A very good conclusion !!!

original cds playing on a good quality CDP will always sounds better than any other option !
 

SteveR750

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ISAC69 said:
+1

A very good conclusion !!!

original cds playing on a good quality CDP will always sound better than any other option !

Sorry, this is slightly misleading. It's your opinion only, have you actually heard a well set up PC + DAC? A Good quality streamer?
 

gregvet

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ISAC69 said:
Yes of course it is my opinion only but based on my exepriance .Have you actually heard a high end CDP ?

Its all opinion, of course, but I have heard high end streamers and CD players, and I feel streaming lossless or even HiRes files can match and even beat the equivalent CD players, in the right system.

I certainly havent heard a CD player under stupid money that can match my linn majik DS as a source.
 

SteveR750

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well, depends on what your definition of high end, but you claim "any decent CDP is always better"

I compared CDPs up to £2k and my laptop was not inferior (which was £1k), and to my ears was better than the Cyrus CD6SE / Kandy K2 player by some margin. I spent a bit of time on a couple of occasions going through all of the Cyrus options and it was only until we had the 8SE with a PSX did I think it was at the same level.
 

MajorFubar

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ISAC69 said:
original cds playing on a good quality CDP will always sounds better than any other option !
Sorry to correct you again, but that just isn't the case, and it isn't even just opinion. For a start, streaming and downloads offer the potential of much better resolution than CDs, both through increased bit depth (24bit+) and a higher bitrate (96kHz+). There is much debate over whether humans can actually hear the benefit of these increased resolutions, but the fact remains that CDs don't offer that flexibility.
 

ISAC69

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SteveR750 said:
well, depends on what your definition of high end, but you claim "any decent CDP is always better"

I compared CDPs up to £2k and my laptop was not inferior (which was £1k), and to my ears was better than the Cyrus CD6SE / Kandy K2 player by some margin. I spent a bit of time on a couple of occasions going through all of the Cyrus options and it was only until we had the 8SE with a PSX did I think it was at the same level.

Hi Steve

I am hearing loosles music files as well due to budget limtations but I am buying cds from time to time; clasic and jazz music

always souns better to me in cds ( exept maybe the high resolutions files) in other types of music the difference is almost not obvious , connecting a DAC improved the sound dramatically from my computer but I still prefer my CDP .
 

SteveR750

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ISAC69 said:
Hi Steve

I am hearing loosles music files as well due to budget limtations but I am buying cds from time to time; clasic and jazz music

always souns better to me in cds ( exept maybe the high resolutions files) in other types of music the difference is almost not obvious , connecting a DAC improved the sound dramatically from my computer but I still prefer my CDP .

The streaming software that you use on your PC can make a huge difference. iTunes and Windows Media Player are never going to compete with a half decent CDP when installed on a PC, though iTunes on a MAC can be as good as anything off a computer.
 

Ambrose

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stee_doc said:
Hello - this is a follow up from my previous topic "Happy with my mid-range hifi system"

The REASON I'm now unhappy is simulaneously a rant aboút squeezebox touch.

I thought getting a touch would be the final piece of the jigsaw - and that I'd convert all my discs to flac and live happily ever after - but this has not happened.

The logitech has a community of people trying to tweak and fix it to make it better and more audiophile. Obviously I want my touch to sound as good as possible so yesterday I got into a 12 hour odysey of trying to do all the things that people suggest. I have now come to the conclusion that I shouldn't have to do this - or worry about this - having just bought a piece of hi fi equipment. What audio kit buyer wants to be knee deep in terms like:

"kernal" "root" "factory reset" "tt -w" "mod" "winSCP" for 12 hours? I ask you!

The constant draw to improve the thing has left me feeling dead inside. After several factory resets of the device I compared it to my CD transport and felt that it was indeed lacking in comparison.

So now the process of converting all my CDs to FLAC seems like a bad idea - and I'm sending the touch back. I think.

Instead I will buy some CD cleaner - sort out my CDs - and spend the refund money on new CDs. I think.

Anyone caring to reinstate my bubble please write to this address.

Hi,

I know exactly where you are coming from. I have done the same thing and has taken me best part of a year to get to a good (really good) well balanced system using the SBT.

The TT mod changes the sound and can emphasise areas of spectrum but conclusion by many were that the Logitech defaults were best. I agree. However, I think there is mileage from some of the tweaks in that turning off parts of touch that are not being used to reduce noise.

I think sorting the SBT PSU really cleaned up background noise so that more detail was apparent. Also, putting a switch Netgear I have between router and touch. Finally hard connecting. All this helped. Alot of pain it has been!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some of biggest improvements recently are Stands, using carbon fibre spacers on stands and positioning stands.

So I think you can achieve really good results with SBT but may take a little time and experimenting. For me the convenience (including duet controller) is essential due to family life.

Please feel free to ask anything!

Ambrose
 

cse

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I find using a CD based system (Marant Peal-Lite), to be much more convenient. I listen to classical and buy CD's/SACD's, via recommendations in Gramophone magazine. I am interested in streaming, in order to not have so many Discs, but the solutions all seem too much hassle. For a start, many of the Gramophone choices are not even available as downloads and you don't get the colour information booklet about the composer and artist. Furthemore downloading is slow and means I have to use a computer, which after work I like to liberated from. I've used the USB on the Marantz, but in the end the quality isn't as good and it is easy to misplace, whereas i don't think I've ever managed to lose a CD. Finally, Hi-Res downloads cost alot more than CD's and need a reiable computer and constant updating, whereas the Marantz is totally reliable for at least 10 years, without any tweaking needed. I try and keep my CD collection down to around 250 and every now and again have a clear-out and take the ones that I no longer like and don't listen too very much to the charity shop or give to friend.
 

Gerrardasnails

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I have to agree with the guys that have knowledge of computer based music. I have heard very good cd players but XBMC (free media centre) on my pc with a decent DAC is hard to beat as a transport. OP, save your FLACs and give it a whirl - its free and you get artwork, library and convenience on top of great sound. I won't buy another cd player.

Ps, I've also tried J River (very good too but not better than XBMC and not as nice to look at).
 

ISAC69

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cse said:
I find using a CD based system (Marant Peal-Lite), to be much more convenient. I listen to classical and buy CD's/SACD's, via recommendations in Gramophone magazine. I am interested in streaming, in order to not have so many Discs, but the solutions all seem too much hassle. For a start, many of the Gramophone choices are not even available as downloads and you don't get the colour information booklet about the composer and artist. Furthemore downloading is slow and means I have to use a computer, which after work I like to liberated from. I've used the USB on the Marantz, but in the end the quality isn't as good and it is easy to misplace, whereas i don't think I've ever managed to lose a CD. Finally, Hi-Res downloads cost alot more than CD's and need a reiable computer and constant updating, whereas the Marantz is totally reliable for at least 10 years, without any tweaking needed. I try and keep my CD collection down to around 250 and every now and again have a clear-out and take the ones that I no longer like and don't listen too very much to the charity shop or give to friend.

+1

:clap:
 

MajorFubar

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I think we can all agree that there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a CD-based system. I love the packaging (maybe not jewel cases, but certainly digi-packs), the bookets, and the idea of having bought a physical 'something', instead of a virtual album via a download.

But, and it's a big but, the notion that CD based systems will sound inherrently superior to streaming/computer based systems needs to be taken outside and shot, right now. If anything, streaming/computer-based systems have the potential to sound superior to CDs, not the other way round.
 

MajorFubar

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Yes hi-res files, but not just hi-res files. Don't forget that Linn, the well-known Scottish HiFi manufacturer, recently discontinued all of its CD players because the sound quality of its network music players was superior.
 

RobinKidderminster

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ISAC - I think we should accept that cd and flac are different flavours and as Major says the quality on good eqipment will be similar. Benefits of each is clear tho digital files 'can' better cd's.

Cheers
 

SteveR750

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I'm not happy with my "high end" PC based system. I have a problem with my laptop which is sick and throwing up all over my carpet. It is intermittently freezing or does a blue screen. Windows thinks it's perfectly healthy, but clearly it aint, and I am musicless until I can fix it. This is where the good idea suddenly is less so, I've never had a problem with any laptops or PCs of my own or used from an employer until now. Peed off is an understatement... |(
 

MajorFubar

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One good thing Steve is that if your PC turns out to be unfixable, then assuming you've backed-up your files, you could be up and running with a cheap second hand one in no time.
 

ISAC69

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MajorFubar said:
I think we can all agree that there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a CD-based system. I love the packaging (maybe not jewel cases, but certainly digi-packs), the bookets, and the idea of having bought a physical 'something', instead of a virtual album via a download.

But, and it's a big but, the notion that CD based systems will sound inherrently superior to streaming/computer based systems needs to be taken outside and shot, right now. If anything, streaming/computer-based systems have the potential to sound superior to CDs, not the other way round.

If you are hearing hi-ress files on high end streaming/computer/DAC based systems you may be correct

but to tell you the true I didn't demo such kind of a system yet .
 

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