Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Moving to a Streaming Setup (A Bit of a Ramble, Sorry)

Hi Tintin,

I certainly agree with you that "storage can be a lot simpler outside the M system, but could you please elaborate on what server would compare in SQ to a Sooloos plus ID40 or MS600, going into a Meridian digital system? I bought my set up because I understood that there wasn't really anything else in the same league.

I think that would be line with this thread topic.

Aloha,

Well that's tricky as I never got round to using an ID40 with the MC200. I was being deliberately vague as I'm not in a position to compare (unlike yourself). It's more the theory I was hinting at. There's not much special sauce here, it's about clocks/jitter and there's plenty people out there going down the same road. I would be interested to hear Linn servers.

I found an old mac mini sounded pretty good compared to an MC200. As I understand it, using an asynchronous USB reduces jitter, using an SSD reduces the noisy environment and the newer ones have low power consumption. The result is very good but I'm not in a position to compare. There is quite a bit of tinkering available here, running the pc in 64 bit kernel, using different operating systems, using different players. Upsampling and filters are available. Fiddling eats up listening time and you forget where you started but at least you get to play, which M don't let you do.

Cheers Tintin

I haven't compared all products in this space. But I would say that on SQ the ID40 does trump anything else that I've played.

However, the SB3 via digital to G68 & DSP was very close to the 598 that it replaced. The modified SB+ was better than that and (as detailed a few years ago here on HH) gave a very interesting afternoon's listening test with a standard 800 player. Given the price difference it was quite a result.

So, I would not agree with Dolf's suggestion that all streamers are giving away something in SQ. They aren't all the same.

Thanks for the clarification. So I stand corrected that there are close alternatives to an ID40, but my understanding from other threads is that these are modified systems that are beyond my KISS needs.

Edit: I want to make sure that I am not giving Seeker wrong information.

1. My experience and what I understood from M in Bristol is that Sooloos SQ without an ID40 or MS600 will not equal an M spinner SQ. Does anyone disagree with that statement?

2. Therefore my opinion is that a Sooloos without the extra M box is a poor ROI.

3. My opinion is that there are server solutions available that are very inexpensive that provide SQ close to Sooloos that provide terrific ROI as long as one can accept SQ less than an M spinner. The decision as I understand it, comes down more to OS.

4. My opinion, that I think is pretty well a consensus, is that the Sooloos with an ID40 or MS600 is as good or better SQ than an M spinner. My understanding is that this is at the present the top of the server SQ available.

5. I do not have the level of sophistication to say if there are less expensive alternatives to Sooloos with ID40 or MS600 that come close in SQ. I hope in time to learn more about this as I am not thrilled with being stuck with Sooloos storage.

I hope that clarifies and I am on more solid ground.

Aloha,

1) Most probably
2) Agree
3) probably (Ronnie's the man for this one IMO)
4) Agree except ID40 in an 808.3 is possibly better than ID40 in 861v6. To be proven/tested.
5) Agree but at least there are options for big HDD's now which should help solve it in the MD600

cheers

OK this puts the ID40 card into a mystical place I'd like to know more about.

Out comes the cynical hat (excuse me for a moment...). It's �1000. Looking at things like AC12, MC200 maybe, the ID40 may be about �200 worth of kit. I imagine it re-clocks. What else does it do that �300 elsewhere doesn't do?

The ear evidence is there, Dolf has a good pair. No doubt about that.

What am I missing? "pulling the sound" is something an Asynchronous USB does. Can we have it in layman's terms, no snakeoil.

Cheers Tintin

Imagine if you could insert your SB3 or SBT right into the middle of your player or processor. No more SPDIF cables, clocking worries, jitter etc. Imagine if you ran it with minimal extras (like the displays, wifi, WEP keys etc). You hope the reduced box count might help keep things simple.

Well, that's what the ID40 is. And to my ears it really is quite excellent.

OK I get that, what about the MS600, is that supposed to be on par, ie MC200 MS600 combo? A further network connection and an SPDIF out. That's �1750 but with DAC/digital outs, what's does this bring to the party digital domain wise?

"The MS600 is not a PC" was the answer that we were given at Bristol HH2.5.

If true then it did make sense for why the MS600 might be better than the C15, Ensemble (although this has other reasons to be inferior as noted by Ronnie) and MC200. The MC600 has no HDD, PC motherboard (?) etc and is probably a much quieter environment.

However, I don't think it would be on par with either ID40 solution because it is still a box feeding another box by external wires. Exactly how much difference that makes is anyone's guess.

Several users have reported very good analogue outputs from the MS600.

Cheers

Unless you feed the DSP speakers directly; in which case, architecturally, I see no difference (RJ45 network connection in, SpeakerLink out). There may, of course, be a difference in the overall audio engineering, but who can say without extensive listening?

Thanks for all your contributions but I'm now more confused than when I started.

So should I forget streaming for the time being, save my pennies for an 808 and get an ID40 first.

I don't think you should do that, No.

You could do Three things now, each at Minimal Cost, and none of which will ever go to waste, in that they can always be used as part of a longer term solution anyway:

1) Buy a Squeezbox Touch for �180 on Amazon or elsewhere.

2) Buy a 128Gb (or 64Gb) USB Memory Card for about �140 (the 128Gb will allow around 400 CDs........good for a start).

3) Use dBpoweramp and your Laptop and start Ripping your CDs.

Transfer and Store the Ripped CDs onto the USB Card.

Insert the Card into the back of the SB Touch; select what you want to listen to and press Play. Obviously connect the SB Touch to your Meridian by Coax / Optical.

See what you think of the Sound Quality and Convenience.

Then remember that all the other BS that we all go on about here are just evolutions of the above, allowing more CDs to be stored, and perhaps some other options

If you're apprehensive, start with the above; minimal expense to allow you to see what all the fuss is about.