High-end network music player - Page 9

I don't have any experience with Crestron...does this help?

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.cg...RemoteControls

I use the TP's digital output pre-set at max to an external DAC in my living room and I then can use the TP's analog output with volumn control to another room. Works really great. This toy is so nice that I am not watching movies near as much as I used to.

Anyone tried using the Transporter to get 'late-night' streaming audio a bit earlier?

I live on the West Coast and starting at about 8PM I check out selected East Coast stations that have gone into late-night mode. The three-hours helps. Few commercials, no talk and great music. Mid-day I am searching London late-night and there is some good stuff coming from Paris, too.

thats exactly what im planning on doing. glad it works for you, some reassurnace is always good.

...and someday I will find a less voluminous way to spell volume

it is my understanding that the tp outputs 24/96 but the sb only 44.1? is that correct? also, does that apply only when using the analog outs not digital out?

Here is a link to the Transporter User Guide (PDF), I believe it will contain the information that you are looking for. I read it cover to cover prior to ordering mine, but of course I do this for just about everything that I buy...

okay so i confirmed that the tp has a max sample rate of 24/96, whereas the sb has a 24/48. is this only the case when using the units internal dacs or does it apply when using the digital out (in my case into an external dac)?

I'm pretty sure it also applies to the digital out, although I've not been able to confirm that (I don't have any 24/96 recordings to try out)...

I tried a 24/96 CD from Chesky label and I loaded it into my G5 using apple losless. My external DAC still says it is receiving 44.1, while it gets a higher bit-rate from my satellite receiver with digital inputs.

Also, for what it is worth my external DAC always reads 44.1 even when I am getting 128 bits from a top notch streaming audio station over the internet.

A question on volume control.

I run audio out via balanced XLR to the pre-amp, and assume the Transporter volume control should be set at max?

Thanks,

Mark

Yes, it should be set to max. I use my Transporter as my preamp and don't feel there's any need for another preamp. I have my Xindak SCD-2 CD player connected to my Transporter via the optical cable for preamp/processor duties when playing CD's-something I rarely do since burning my CD collection to FLAC.

Has anyone recorded a higher quality-bit CD into a computer and then sent it to the TP and gotten a higher-bit feed out(into an external DAC)?

I'm still trying to figure out how to rip a 24/96 recording onto my Mac. Any help would be appreciated...!

Phil,

I too own a Mac (Mini) and use Max http://sbooth.org/Max/ for all my ripping needs, and just recently started to experiment with ripping 24/96 discs.

This program will rip a CD as well as encode existing files to almost anything available.

I do know that when choosing AIFF or WAV within Max, the software allows you to choose various bit rates for encoding/ripping.

The 24/96 CD's I have ripped do show as 24bit on the Transporter display.

However, I can't confirm that 96Khz was ripped, since the Transporter display doesn't show any info. I don't know why 96Khz doesn't show, since 44.1 files show accordingly.

Perhaps I'll search for software which can read the information within the music file to confirm 96Khz is in fact recorded.

Let me know what you come up with.

Mark

Thank you.

Folks,
Great discussion on the Transporter. I have some related questions, not specific to TP but to music servers, DACs and word clock inputs. I was intrigued by the TP but recently jumped on a used McIntosh MS300, essentially an Escient Fireball with McIntosh redesigned DAC (presumably). Looking to improve sound quality, possibly by adding DAC. Also have B&W802 w/ Classe. With external DAC I'm not sure I'll buy anything without reclocking the digital-out of the MS300. Not sure if the DAC alone will help with jitter - or maybe make it worse. Looking at Esoteric G-25U (I can get one used). I could place G-25U (clock generator) between MS300 and a good external DAC with clock input. 1) What DACs do you know of that provide word clock input (I know of Esoteric and EMMLabs - both major bucks). 2) Where does the word clock provide most value, clocking the DAC or clocking the transport, or both. In my case, the MS300 has no clock. Little confused regarding word clock - who clocks whom in the chain. Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks much.
Tim

so most cd recordings are 44.1 khz i assume, and only higher rez ones come out at 24/96, is that correct? and are all outboard dacs able to process this resolution?

Just thought I would pop in to point out a couple of excellent sites where non-DRM'd downloads can be had.

The first one is "High Definition Tape Transfers" which is taking out-of-copyright master tapes and putting them on the net in 24/96. These are mainly classical offerings. The "Dvorak Violin Concerto" and "Violin Showpieces" are excellent. They were having minor teething problems with the downloads (yesterday) but have superb customer service. Link is http://www.highdeftapetransfers.net/cart.php

Another class act is Linn Records at http://www.linnrecords.com/ . These guys have achieved a high form of modern recording with many of their albums having ambience in the spirit of, and probably beyond, the best of the "golden age of classical recording". For some of the catalog (which is mainly classical and jazz) they offer "Studio Masters" which are the original digital tapes usually in 24/88. These are superb performances as well as excellent recordings. I recommend Pizzaro's "Complete Piano Works of Ravel Vol. 1", "Mozart Serenades" by the Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and anything by Barb Jungr (Jazz). Oh, and "Liszt: Sonata and Etudes" by Greek, but London-based, pianist Lazaridis.

Also, my Wavestream Linestage Serial No. 1 has arrived. It is the one that was shown in Vegas at CES 07. It is astounding and has caused me to tear my music room (which is also our living room) to pieces to improve the sound. I am waiting on new cables to complete the transition. However, this definitely calls for a BADAAS (is that the new name?) meeting as soon as I get it together again.

Wouldn't a Squeezebox with an external DAC (like the Benchmark) be a much better sounding and cost effective solution than the Transporter?

For some people, it might. For others, it might not. Personally, I don't like the Benchmark at all...

I guess I was just using the Benchmark as an example. Insert your favorite standalone DAC instead. I have to believe that would surpass the D-A capabilities of the Transporter.

Actually, I think if you're looking at DACs in the $1000 range to pair with the SB3, it's pretty tough to find something that is definitively better than the Transporter's analog out (subjectively, it is easier to find something you might like better). Once you start getting above that price range, the cost/benefit becomes less clear.

Think about it this way...the Transporter as a stand-alone unit using its internal DAC does not have to deal with the challenges presented by an SPDIF interface, which is inherently higher in jitter than a "direct" connection from digital source to DAC in a one-box unit. So that alone gives the Transporter an edge in performance. Also, the DAC chip in the Transporter is no slouch...there have been arguments about the choice of components and materials used around the DAC chip, but it does seem that most of those arguments are relatively subjective as well.

From my perspective, unless the outboard DAC has a significant advantage in terms of things like the selection of power supply, or quality of the analog stage, it will be tough for an outboard DAC to be "definitively" better than the standalone Transporter. Of course, DACs in higher price ranges do much in those and other areas to diferentiate themselves, but they are priced accordingly...

I heard comments that SB3+Benchmark is not in the same league as the TP. TP is much better/musical. This guy's new reference system is a TP/EMM dcc2 SE combo. His reference were Linn CD12, Linn Unidisk 1.1, Audio Note DAC5 Signature.

The folks at Slimdevices tell me that I get no difference using a squeezebox or Transporter when using an external DAC. I am using an external DAC into my main listening room and, to me , the Transporter works better and I do hear the difference between it and the Squeezebox.

It could be jitter, I don't know.

I am also running the Transporter's analog output to my office so is serves two rooms at the same time.

Transporter is a great break-thru product and worth every penny.

I'm surprised to hear that, because they have published jitter measurements for both, and their Transporter measures significantly lower (half) of the SB3's measurements. I do know that a couple of guys I've talked with at SlimDevices tell me they can't hear the differences, but they also note that their systems are mid-fi/mass market stuff....

FWIW, those same guys say they can hear a definite difference between the TP and SB using analog outs, even on their mid-fi systems...

I am a bit frustrated. I have set aside in my Macintosh G5 a particular playlist consisting of something approaching 1,000 songs.

Question: why do I have to go through so many steps to get to 'Random mix, playlist 5'? Is there anything I can do that will just get me there? I hit 'add''--nope. I hit favorites---nope.

Also, I have just a (very!) few internet streaming stations I often listen to. Must I go through so many steps to get back to where I was?

P-l_e_a_s_e. with all do respect...can someone give me the simple prompts...to get what I had without re-teaching what should be remembered.....?

Has anyone downloaded and/or loaded into their computer a 24/96 Cd and then gotten the Transporter to acknowledge this? I tried, Rocky Horror, nothing better than '44.1' at my DAC, when my DAC can acknowledge feeds from my DVD player, DVD-AUIDIO, etc. as a better feed. Is it that my Apple G5 can't get it?

What does it take to get the Transporter to recognise a better feed?