Squeezebox Touch dumbed down by hifi dealers

[stevebrock]

I dd take a look at the Sneaky, but don't see the point as I already have an amp and DAC, SBT is the only sensible option for me!

 

[omnibeard]

SBT is the only sensible option for me!

Or a Mac Mini or ATV2.

 

[stevebrock]

SBT is the only sensible option for me!

Or a Mac Mini or ATV2.

correct me if I'm wrong but ATV2 does not stream 24/96? If it did I would get one

 

[CnoEvil]

I dd take a look at the Sneaky, but don't see the point as I already have an amp and DAC, SBT is the only sensible option for me!

Which is exactly what I was trying to say....in a fairly round about way!

 

[nads]

Steve, do you have an iThingy? if yes get iPeng for it and if you go for the play back add on your iThingy will behave like a squeezebox as well.

which can be useful.

yes I have an iMac, iPhone & iPad ( sorry )

i run iPeng on the iPhone and iPad.

 

[stevebrock]

Can anyone confirm then if ATV2 supports 24/96 streaming from a mac???

 

[Overdose]

SBT is the only sensible option for me!

Or a Mac Mini or ATV2.

correct me if I'm wrong but ATV2 does not stream 24/96? If it did I would get one

If you're hung up on 24/96, then you might be better off with the Linn.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

I bought a SBT today for £120, seemed a bargain from what many say, just gonna have fun or fury seeing if I can use it.

Will probably be asking many questions, beware ! :help:

 

[Andy Clough]

No problem Shanka, ask away!

 

[stevebrock]

Hi, I bought a SBT today for £120, seemed a bargain from what many say, just gonna have fun or fury seeing if I can use it. Will probably be asking many questions, beware ! :help:

grrrrr where from? Just ordered one from amazon for £199

 

[stevebrock]

SBT is the only sensible option for me!

Or a Mac Mini or ATV2.

correct me if I'm wrong but ATV2 does not stream 24/96? If it did I would get one

If you're hung up on 24/96, then you might be better off with the Linn.

yes I want to download some 24/96 hi res music the SBT supports this and it would be going through my rega DAC

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I don't care about dealers opinions or point of view, i only trust in my hearing.

My SBT through my Rega DAC, playing FLAC, 24/96 or 24/192 is better that some cd players that i've heard.

Hi-Fi Choice November 2011 ( issue nº 351) made a BLIND TEST between:

Cambridge Audio NP30 £400

Cyrus Stream X. £1400

Marantz NA 7004 £600 Hi-Fi Choice Recomended

Rotel RDG - 1520. £795 Hi-Fi Choice Recomended

Yamaha NP - S2000 £1400

Logitech SBT. £239 Hi-Fi Choice Group Test Winner

And I Quote:

" The Winner is...

WE DON'T HAVE TO AGONISE over this. When a contender in a group test sounds, at least, as good as the average, adds features the others lack and comes in a price that's 40 per cent lower than the nearest competitor and less than one-fifth that of the dearest, what is one to do? And even if you find the SBTouch's sound a bit lacklustre via its analougue outputs ( bearing in mind the strongest criticism we had was of a very slight lack of energy), you can upgrade it with a choice of popular external DACs and still keep the price the right side of £600. Heck, you may very well already own a DAC. And this unit is just so much fun to use. Proper audiophile sound with the very latest in look and feel - how could we not love it?"

 

[stevebrock]

Yes it's gonna go through my rega DAC should be delivered tomorrow!

 

[robfol]

Hi Steve

Add the £150 Arcam rLink upgrade DAC to your SBT and you will outperform a lot of VERY expensive bran streaming boxes

It does a pretty good job with e Apple TV as well, if fact anything with digital out will benefit

The Arcam rShop offers a 30 day return policy so have a go!

Cheers Robert

[Unpublished - House Rules]

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Got my little box yesterday, very easy to install even for me and plugged directly into my Caspian for some booze fuelled listening last night via spotify ( is this the right place to apologise to my neighbours !?)

Tried operating with the screen and the app on my mobile and found it a bit fiddly but maybe some practice over the weekend will sort that out, I am pretty sure it needs a dac as sq was acceptable but not thrilling, will try and compare against my dacmagic over the next week to see how they stand up to each other.
I will be getting a new dac for the caspian, comments on other threads, mdac seems in pole at present.

When connecting to the dac i think I will get a 3 or 4m cable so as i can have the screen nearer my listening position ( which was on the floor last night ) but was wondering if anyone had any experience of any differing results with coax or optical.

I am going to have to buy a long cable and seeing I don't go for deluxe pricing on cables anyone got any suggestions.

Thanks again for any help, gratefully recieved as always.

 

[SteveR750]

Hi,

Got my little box yesterday, very easy to install even for me and plugged directly into my Caspian for some booze fuelled listening last night via spotify ( is this the right place to apologise to my neighbours !?)

Tried operating with the screen and the app on my mobile and found it a bit fiddly but maybe some practice over the weekend will sort that out, I am pretty sure it needs a dac as sq was acceptable but not thrilling, will try and compare against my dacmagic over the next week to see how they stand up to each other.
I will be getting a new dac for the caspian, comments on other threads, mdac seems in pole at present.

When connecting to the dac i think I will get a 3 or 4m cable so as i can have the screen nearer my listening position ( which was on the floor last night ) but was wondering if anyone had any experience of any differing results with coax or optical.

I am going to have to buy a long cable and seeing I don't go for deluxe pricing on cables anyone got any suggestions.

Thanks again for any help, gratefully received as always.

Psst! Qute...qute...qute

Take a listen before plunging for the M-DAC. The M-DAC arrives here Tuesday so will let you know how all 3 compare with the M2 and ProAcs, but you know, that little DM is pretty good. It's a lot of dosh for the improvement....

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Hi, Got my little box yesterday, very easy to install even for me and plugged directly into my Caspian for some booze fuelled listening last night via spotify ( is this the right place to apologise to my neighbours !?) Tried operating with the screen and the app on my mobile and found it a bit fiddly but maybe some practice over the weekend will sort that out, I am pretty sure it needs a dac as sq was acceptable but not thrilling, will try and compare against my dacmagic over the next week to see how they stand up to each other. I will be getting a new dac for the caspian, comments on other threads, mdac seems in pole at present. When connecting to the dac i think I will get a 3 or 4m cable so as i can have the screen nearer my listening position ( which was on the floor last night ) but was wondering if anyone had any experience of any differing results with coax or optical. I am going to have to buy a long cable and seeing I don't go for deluxe pricing on cables anyone got any suggestions. Thanks again for any help, gratefully recieved as always.

I've my SBT connected to my Rega DAC through a QED coax Reference line, they have 1m and 3m.

I've read along the way many tests about the SBT an they all highlight the coax output.

If you can have a demo of the Rega DAC with the SBT, I think you would like the results, the Rega DAC give's a very nice analougue touch.

:cheers:

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Shanka

Ooooh, streaming now....nice!

When looking at Dacs, the Chord and Audiolab are closer in presentation to the DM (though imo much better). If you haven't tried it, the Rega Dac is a must listen as well. The MF Dacs have a presentation that is probably in between Chord and Rega.

On cables I'm not so sure, though something in the back of my mind is telling me that for over 3m, you are better with optical (could be b*ll*x).

I think it can be down to individual Dacs as to which sounds better, though generally I believe Digital Coax does.....FWIW. I like Ecosse "The Producer", which is hard to find in 3m lengths, but some is offered here from Analogue Seduction (maybe worth giving Garry a ring to see if it's available with the right terminations): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ecosse-The-Producer-Digital-Interconnect-3-0m-RCA-BNC-/390470590728?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item5ae9dc6108#ht_3240wt_1139

 

[SteveR750]

Hi Shanka

Ooooh, streaming now....nice!

When looking at Dacs, the Chord and Audiolab are closer in presentation to the DM (though imo much better). If you haven't tried it, the Rega Dac is a must listen as well. The MF Dacs have a presentation that is probably in between Chord and Rega.

On cables I'm not so sure, though something in the back of my mind is telling me that for over 3m, you are better with optical (could be b*ll*x).

I think it can be down to individual Dacs as to which sounds better, though generally I believe Digital Coax does.....FWIW. I like Ecosse "The Producer", which is hard to find in 3m lengths, but some is offered here from Analogue Seduction (maybe worth giving Garry a ring to see if it's available with the right terminations): http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ecosse-The-Producer-Digital-Interconnect-3-0m-RCA-BNC-/390470590728?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item5ae9dc6108#ht_3240wt_1139

Hi Cno, but I'd disagree, the Chord is a million miles from the dacmagic. One is very upfront and in yer face, the Chord is just not there at all. It just seems to lift a veil from the signal that's all. In itself it dosn't sound exciting - it's really diffocult to describe in coherent language, but if you listened to it over a few days you'd understand what I meant. I don't find myself track hunting to "test" it out, I'm just playing music in the background, occasionally stopping to focus properly on what I'm hearing mostly because there is some nuance of detail I've not heard before in a familiar track.

Having said that, I'll be able to reference my experience properly after hearing the M-DAC properly.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Thanks for the info, think I might need at least 4m so 5 to be safe and stop people tripping over it, if that means optical have found a couple on ebay that should do the trick.

I was going to go coax but if your balls are telling you there may be an issue over that length then it might be worth giving them a listen, if anyone else has a view on this it would be much appreciated.

Heard the Rega dac and thought very little between that and the mdac, mdac had a bit more flexibility , remote, display , headphone socket so it won out on features and just shaded on sq but very little between them in my view, both excellent.

The MF Dac was a huge dissappointment tho, sounded sluggish and muffled compared to the other two,I personally have been flumoxed by the reviews it has had , I have heard it on two seperate occasions with different retailers and came to the same conclusion.

Even more puzzling then that the MF clic is the best dac I have heard with caspian/proac set up,better comfortably to me than either rega or mdac, I still am at a loss to understand this.

Will try and give the qute a listen this week to see how that performs alongside the mdac,is over budget and less connectivity but I might be swayed.

Thanks again for all your input, have a good weekend.

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Cno, but I'd disagree, the Chord is a million miles from the dacmagic. One is very upfront and in yer face, the Chord is just not there at all. It just seems to lift a veil from the signal that's all. In itself it dosn't sound exciting - it's really diffocult to describe in coherent language, but if you listened to it over a few days you'd understand what I meant. I don't find myself track hunting to "test" it out, I'm just playing music in the background, occasionally stopping to focus properly on what I'm hearing mostly because there is some nuance of detail I've not heard before in a familiar track. Having said that, I'll be able to reference my experience properly after hearing the M-DAC properly.

Personal taste aside, you are in a much better position to comment, as I'm basing my judgement on the more expensive Chord Dac, and the general Chord signature sound, which is too forward for me.....the Qute could well be dialed back a notch.....and TBF, I did say it was much better than the DM.

The fact that you have been relatively happy with a DM, suggests that our preferences do differ....either that or you will increasingly find it hard to go back to, after hearing something much better.

 

[CnoEvil]

. I was going to go coax but if your balls are telling you there may be an issue over that length then it might be worth giving them a listen....

It just means that you need a second opinion from somebody who really knows what they are talking about!

 

[stevebrock]

Same here my SBT arrived from amazon yesterday...... Very impressed so far going through my rega DAC on coax!

i just downloaded 50 words for snow - Kate Bush in 24/96 and its sounds superb and defiantely ahead of the red book cd.

i am streaming wirelessly from my iMac to SBT - all good so far!

just worried I might get addicted to 24/96 downloads might try Muse new album.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

Same here my SBT arrived from amazon yesterday...... Very impressed so far going through my rega DAC on coax!

i just downloaded 50 words for snow - Kate Bush in 24/96 and its sounds superb and defiantely ahead of the red book cd.

i am streaming wirelessly from my iMac to SBT - all good so far!

just worried I might get addicted to 24/96 downloads might try Muse new album.

Not only 24/96 sound good through the SBT, download as well some FLAC files from good recorded albums and you still be impressed!

If you really want to be impressed get a NAS and rip all your cd's into FLAC files and you can ear what ever you want without getting up from your chair and without losing resoluction, just with the point of your finger tip and a iphone or ipad.

 

[stevebrock]

Same here my SBT arrived from amazon yesterday...... Very impressed so far going through my rega DAC on coax!

i just downloaded 50 words for snow - Kate Bush in 24/96 and its sounds superb and defiantely ahead of the red book cd.

i am streaming wirelessly from my iMac to SBT - all good so far!

just worried I might get addicted to 24/96 downloads might try Muse new album.

Not only 24/96 sound good through the SBT, download as well some FLAC files from good recorded albums and you still be impressed!

If you really want to be impressed get a NAS and rip all your cd's into FLAC files and you can ear what ever you want without getting up from your chair and without losing resoluction, just with the point of your finger tip and a iphone or ipad.

yes I've been ripping in apple lossless only up to D and dire straits bothers in arms sounds identical to red book cd