Squeezebox Touch basics.

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Dave the bass
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#226

Post by Dave the bass »

Tell ya wot though 'Pops, if you've got an old PC knocking about you could have a play with turning it into a Vortexbox and use it as a very cheap intro into music streaming.

I'm thinking of doing exactly that with the old PC we use here at home. Its due for replacement soon and rather than dumping it I'm going to have a go at using it as a VB and using it as a Music Server at work.

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pre65
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#227

Post by pre65 »

I would need a soundcard with an SP/DIF output and they can be expensive.

Unless you can suggest a different way that does not involve a Squeezebox or excessive redemption of beer vouchers. :lol:
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Greg
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#228

Post by Greg »

I'm with Phil on this. The whole complexity of doing digital streaming seems to me to be a total nightmare.

I recently made a definite decision not to pursue digitally created music further...ever. I have spent some time getting my vinyl system properly set up and although I have a quality CDP which has been heavily tweaked and a Squeezebox, neither of them can reproduce music in my living room like my vinyl system can. They are very poor alternatives in terms of sound reproduction even if they might be alot more convenient. I think it is the convenience aspect that sucks some of you guys in. What else can it be? Sound reproduction in comparison is crap. Maybe you just forgot what a good TT with a good arm/cartridge can rearly do?

My turntable makes me want to play LP's all the time. My digital sources don't. I don't care if the availabilty of new recordings is restricted for the vinyl medium. I've got plenty of other stuff that will last me a lifetime anyway.

For me, having got my TT really properly set up, digital is dead....completely dead.

I'll never go there again. Honest Injun!
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Dave the bass
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#229

Post by Dave the bass »

Yup, I agree, it is very convenient but for me personally, it's another 'source' rather than a replacement for any other source. I also find it very interesting. I can understand why some folks are put off by it all but like it or not 'Digital' music is going to be around for a while I think.

I still have my DIY TT and CDP, they're going nowhere, same as my 600+ CD collection and 2500+ LP collection. They've taken years to accumulate, since 1973 actually! I enjoy them both immensely, they let me listen to music, so does the VB and Touch.

For me its a bit like a logic gate.... 'And' not 'Or'... :-)

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Paul Barker
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#230

Post by Paul Barker »

I agree with Greg if I had a room with a set up and somewhere in that room to properly store my vinyl. But I don't even have my arm on my deck or a cart in my arm and they are wall mounted on a target wall mount (which is great) in the wrong room etc etc.

So I have learned to "enjoy" digital. As Greg says entirely because of convenience.

I have found that I can thoroughly enjoy listening to Buddy Guy from my Samsung Galaxy SII through it's mini jack. I ttoally enjoyed playing the same type of music off laptop through the muse spidif ak4396 whatsitsname.

Vinyl blows it away but if you change your point of reference you can still get satisfaction.

It may be years or never before I have my life sorted enough to have a room in which I can once more enjoy vinyl properly.

But I haven't taken digital to the SB or streaming level, since the music I want to listen to is quite capable of being stored on the internal memory of the SII. The sound output of the SII blows away the ipod touch and is just as good as the aforementioned gizmos. So they are dead in the water now.
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pre65
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#231

Post by pre65 »

I am intimidated by the complexity of some facets of digital music reproduction. FACT. :wink:

But, although I am aware of vinyl being ultimately better (given spending an awful lot of wonga) I am not dissatisfied by listening to lesser sources.

The only exception is the radio in my van which is just crap, even on CD.

One can adjust to various levels of music reproduction without loosing the essence that makes enjoyment possible, and that enables one to enjoy music for many more hours a day. :D
Last edited by pre65 on Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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al newall
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#232

Post by al newall »

I use this useful little gadget with a laptop, and it sounds quite involving to my ears.
You can still use your existing DAC.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MUSE-USB-Opti ... 231883a661
Much to learn there is.
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#233

Post by Nick »

pre65 wrote:I would need a soundcard with an SP/DIF output and they can be expensive.

Unless you can suggest a different way that does not involve a Squeezebox or excessive redemption of beer vouchers. :lol:
Not tried it, but this looks to have a digi out

http://www.ebuyer.com/229053-startech-c ... -pcisound7
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#234

Post by Paul Barker »

al newall wrote:I use this useful little gadget with a laptop, and it sounds quite involving to my ears.
You can still use your existing DAC.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MUSE-USB-Opti ... 231883a661
Thats the one I have but it is bettered when connecting through the ak4396. Just need the splif off it.
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#235

Post by ed »

I would need a soundcard with an SP/DIF output and they can be expensive.


I've put this up in many threads over the last couple of years, I've demonstrated it at owston/eggborough a few times.......

not a word of criticism...ever...so wtf is wrong with it

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/behringer-uca22 ... face/23856


maybe you all think it's too expensive?

I won't mention it again, I promise[/quote]
Last edited by ed on Tue Apr 17, 2012 5:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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al newall
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#236

Post by al newall »

Paul Barker wrote: Thats the one I have but it is bettered when connecting through the ak4396. Just need the splif off it.
Thats exactly what i'm doing. :)
Much to learn there is.
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#237

Post by cressy »

phil, ive got an old squeezebox classic here if you want to borrow it to have a go with? if you like what you get from it im sure it can be let go of for bugger all. its sitting unused in a cupboard so it might as well see some use. the other half got me an apple tv for christmas so i use that to stream music to a beresford dac, or should i say, she uses it more than me.

i do agree with greg on this one, my tt sees more use by me that either the cd or the apple tv, but for her the streamed music is perfect, convenient, access to just about any bit of music we have and doesnt require her moving about too much to actually play something :D

however, i do think that its the future and people will have to get used to that and i see no real drawbacks to digital streaming other than the fact that it isnt as good in terms of sound quality as a well set up deck with a carefully considered arm and cart combo.

i'll never be getting rid of my tt, but im glad i have the option of my digital collection, and my old mans system using sb touch and mf dac is definitely a tough act to follow for any other source. it sounds incredibly good for the money it costs and i can see why he wouldnt part with it. it gives my jbe/rega and the kenny a real run for its money.
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Dave the bass
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#238

Post by Dave the bass »

ed wrote:
http://www.gak.co.uk/en/behringer-uca22 ... face/23856


maybe you all think it's too expensive?

I won't mention it again, I promise
^^^ I'll bite :lol: I like... I want one.... etc etc etc

What is it that limits it to 48Khz? Is it the 'type' of USB its fed from I.E. USB1/2/3 or summat?

Cos y'see this here -> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Native-24bit- ... 2899wt_921

...reckons it'll handle 24/192 natively. Its got a shiny silver box but is twice the price.

I think my existing PC (which is about 8 yrs old and runs XP which I'm toying with the idea of turning into a VortexBox/streamer anyway) has a separate sound card which TBH I never realised in all 8 years we've owned it. Duh! I believe its got analogue in/out on 3.5mm sockets and optical AND coaxial out too. I'm ashamed to say I've never used it or noticed it was there until I was raking around the back of it removing the keyboard so I could reboot and prompt the Vortexbox yesterday. Double duh!

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#239

Post by The Stratmangler »

Dave the bass wrote:What is it that limits it to 48Khz? Is it the 'type' of USB its fed from I.E. USB1/2/3 or summat?
It's usually OS drivers that limit things to 48kHz.
Chris :happy3:
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Dave the bass
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#240

Post by Dave the bass »

The Stratmangler wrote: It's usually OS drivers that limit things to 48kHz.
Aaaaahhhh, so, in a case where I turn our old home PC into a VB it'll be Linux/Fedora that governs the max sampling rate of xxkHz yes?

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