Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems SB Touch

Hello,
I can't seem to find the answer on the following. I ripped all of my CD's to FLAC (used EAC) and play them back via JRiver Media Center and a SB Touch. The Touch is hooked up to my G68 using a digital cable. The sound is quite different from that of my G98. The G98 sounds warmer, but the Touch seems to have more stage. What am I doing wrong? I read and thought that the sound would equal (and that the Touch should outperform the G98 when 24/96 files are used). Can converting in squeezebox server have something to do with this and if yes, how to solve that. Thanks!

Nothing is ever equal. 808.2 does not equal 808.3 so why would you expect SBTouch to be the same as G98 ?

Have you verified the usual SqBox audiophile settings are done
i.e. volume control set to max ?

Is J river media centre hardware or an application ?

How do you play files using JRiver Media and a SB Touch?

Any way you might want to test your setup for BitPerfect-ness. See this WIKI article. http://www.meridianunplugged.com/wi...if%20your%20process%20is%20Bit%20Perfect

Hello Nick and George,
Nick: JRiver is software like winamp, dBpoweramp. The settings are all good (I think) and ofcourse the volume is up (what a difference!).I am not sure about the filetypes in SB Server.
George: In SB server you must point a file where you music is and a file for your playlistmap. I will follow your suggestion but I don't think the quality of my files is an issue.
Greetings, Paul.

The bitperfect test is not so much a test of the integity of your source files but more so of an assesment of whats's in chain between your files being read off the disc and the sound produced through your speakers. For example, if one mode of reproduction is employing replay gain or other digital volume manipulation (which may change the SQ and render it bit imperfect) and the other is not.

Cliff

Correct and rarely it can be incorrect settings on the rip side too. So it's actually a good idea to RIP a DTS CD (burn one if you have to) and then try to play that to test your work flow from A to Z. But if you do have issues, 99% of the problems are on play back and most of the time it's just that you're not playing at 100% digital volume.

Rawlander, I think you are confusing JRiver playing back. JRiver has NOTHING to do with SB Touch playback. That is between EAC and SqueezeServer. Never mind I misread you post. You said JRiver AND SB. Sorry.

I think that this is just a case of different, not necessarily better or worse. If you like warmer, then what you are getting from the Touch won't be to your taste, even if it might be a more accurate representation of the original file.

FLACs played via SB Touch through my 808.3 sound very similar to the discs spun in the 808.3 (not quite as good in some respects, but very similar in tonal balance) which tells me that the Touch and Squeezebox Server are doing a good job of reconstructing the accurate PCM stream from the lossless compressed files. You can choose to run the FLAC codec either in SB server on your PC or on the Touch. I don't know whether there is any difference - the default is to send FLAC files to the Touch and for the Touch to decode them and that's what I do.

I'm not sure if my English is good enough to reply again, but I will try. I tested my set up and it is bitperfect. I don't know if I understand your latest remark George.
As far as I know my set up works as follows (in Dutch we call this "stonecoal-English"). A wireless stream of FLAC is entering the Touch and the Touch will send it via a digital cable to the G68. At the end the internal DAC's of the 7000's will do their jobs. In SB server I did set filetype FLAC on native and disabled PCM. As far as I understand does that mean that the Touch process the FLAC files in PCM (The G68 says so).
Anyway, the music via the Touch sounds very good but on basis of what I've read I didn't expect that the sound would be so different of that of the G98. Hecd2 gets a similar tonal balance en that is not quite my experience.
Greetings, Paul. And please correct me if I'm (totally) wrong!

I am surprised at what appears to be a big difference between "bit-perfect" digital data played on more or less the same kit. What is the physical conection between your G98 and G68?

However, if it sounds good, then it's probably ok. You have set up to send FLACs wirelessly to the Touch, to decode them to PCM in the Touch and send the PCM stream to the G68. That's all is it should be. If something were wrong, it would likely be obvious - eg dropouts. I can't account for the difference you are hearing, but if you have Accurate Rips and the Touch is sending bit perfect data, then I would say that that is what the files sound like.

Jitter output (and Sample Rates) can have an Audible impact on the Sound produced by the System

Imho, that is why different sources can sound different when playing the same music. Once you have established that your System is Bit Perfect capable, then Source Jitter is what your left with

Meridian will display the same thing regardless how you setup SqueezeBox server. You should leave FLAC setting at default in SqueezeBox unless you know what your doing (making the change you did is asking for trouble especially if using WIFI).

Have you tried the DTS test yet or are you still busy twisting knobs you don't understand

I noticed tonight that the SB Touch made it on the TAS "Product of the Year" for 2010 list as best server (co-winner with Sooloos). Then I looked on my desk and there was the October issue of Stereophile with Kal's very positive review of the SB. Now I see how much fun Rawlander is having. They say good things happen in threes so I slipped onto Amazon and ordered one. Figured if I don't like it one of my nephews will have a happy Christmas.

By the way George



I have spent my life twisting knobs that I have no idea what they do. Looking at a picture of the SB I don't see any knobs. I hope I won't be disappointed

Gary