Squeezebox Touch-tips, tricks & tweaks

steveinaz

Always run the SQB at full volume. You can lock it at "fixed" output in the LMS advanced options.

SCompRacer

dragon1952 wrote: »

Anybody tried any of the hi-res downloads with a Squeezebox Touch set-up?

Most of my hi-res are homemade vinyl rips and they have excellent SQ. Wish I had more time to rip more vinyl. I do have a couple hi-res downloads.

Most of the time I use the volume control in the Touch's Squeeze app for the convenience of one remote. Soundchecks 3.0 Toolbox also has you set the volume to fixed.

Sherardp

EndersShadow wrote: »

So I do have a question for you guys on volume control. For those of you using this with a pre-amp do you:

1. Keep the pre at full volume and use the volume control on the Squeezebox (so you have your volume and playlist navigation in one remote)
2. Keep the Squeezebox at full volume and use the pre's remote/knob (requiring you to use one remote for volume, one for navigation of playlists)

Since I run mine for outdoor use most of the time, I use option 1 for Zone 2. When using it indoors I use option 2. Now that I have a new Pio Elite and can use the Iphone/Ipad app I can gain volume control of my receiver. Just thinking about that floors me, technology is really advancing for the greater good.

PrazVT

To further Sherard's answer - I keep the volume of all my Squeezeboxes frozen at 100%, since they're all connected to receivers / amps. And like him, I use the Pio Elite app or the remote for volume and Squeezecommander for the SB.

nspindel

brgman wrote: »

If it works like mine did Neil after a while you will get a response from them through paypal saying they contacted you and told you some part was back ordered but it will now ship in a day or two.
Let me know if this is what happens please.

Never got the reply but today the wire came, so I just canceled the paypal dispute. Guess it takes a paypal dispute for them to ship your merchandise....

steveinaz

Doesn't the Touch require 3A capability? That might explain the heat probs.

heiney9

I don't think it requires it, but both the Welborne and CIA power suppy are high current units @ 3A and 4A peak respectively with a constant for the CIA @ 2.2A and around 3A for the Welborne.

The SB3 specs at 1A so I would think the heat issue with the PE PS might not be from that, but I don't know.

H9

nspindel

The Touch doesn't draw that much power by itself. It carries the higher rating because it has the capability of providing power to an external USB device.

polkatese

Found an awesome hi-res Jazz station that does 320 kbps: Linn Jazz Mainstream/Standard Jazz, btw.

you can do search on Touch to find it.

steveinaz

Cool! You the man.

nspindel

polkatese wrote: »

Found an awesome hi-res Jazz station that does 320 kbps: Linn Jazz Mainstream/Standard Jazz, btw.

you can do search on Touch to find it.

Listening to this right now. Very impressive. Sounds awesome!

EndersShadow

Sherardp wrote: »

Received my TeraDak power supply, and it is very nice. Pretty heavy and has a nice solid feel to it. Not bad for 150.00. I plan on installing it once my new Pio Elite arrives for the living room setup.

@Sherardp: You got the TeraDak hooked up and if so what are you impressions?

@Steve: Thoughts on wallwart v. upgraded CIA powersupply?

falconcry72

polkatese wrote: »

...hi-res Jazz station that does 320 kbps...

Isn't that an oxymoron?

nspindel

320kbps is about as hi-rez as you'll find on internet radio stations.

heiney9

320kbps and hi-rez in the same sentence is a misnomer and misleading, but then one always has to read between the lines in life to see what's really going on

jaycam

Hey guys! I've been using the SB Duet for a while now and am getting a Touch tomorrow! The upgraded power supply will have to wait a bit though...Thanks for the wealth of information in this thread!

steveinaz

EndersShadow wrote: »

@Steve: Thoughts on wallwart v. upgraded CIA powersupply?

To be honest, it's difficult to tell. It's certainly doing no harm, and I like NOT having that switching power supply upstream of all my other equipment.

steveinaz

jaycam wrote: »

Hey guys! I've been using the SB Duet for a while now and am getting a Touch tomorrow! The upgraded power supply will have to wait a bit though...Thanks for the wealth of information in this thread!

Good deal Jay, let us know when she arrives.

(In order of signifigance)

#1 priority-feed it lossless music
#2 priority-Connect to a "good" external DAC
#3 Priority-linear power supply
#4 Priority-other tweaks

falconcry72

steveinaz wrote: »

#1 priority-feed it lossless music
#2 priority-Connect to a "good" external DAC
#3 Priority-linear power supply
#4 Priority-other tweaks

I am pretty ****'ish about lossless files (see my above post about 320kbps mp3's), and my collection is 99.9% lossless; however, I have found that a well-encoded mp3 file being output to a quality DAC will sound better than a lossless file being output by a **** DAC, such as an ipod or computer's internal DAC.

Now the SQB's DAC's aren't half bad, so I've been told, so I don't know which would be better here.... but, Steve, I betcha 5 bucks that a well-encoded mp3 going out of your SQB digitally to your Benchmark would sound better than a lossless version of the same track being output through the SQB's analog outputs.


edit:

Just to be clear: I am in no way shape or form trying to condone the use of mp3's in a hifi setting! Friends don't let friends compress lossy!!!

heiney9

I dunno, I have yet to hear an excellent sounding mp3 through a top notch dac. So I'd probably have to disagree. If anything the better dac will expose even more flaws where as a cheaper dac will have a tendancy to mask the flaws when it comes to an mp3.

So I'm going to disagree. I occasionally listen to some HQ mp3's I have and I can always detect a slight loss in quality.

H9

falconcry72

heiney9 wrote: »

I dunno, I have yet to hear an excellent sounding mp3 through a top notch dac. So I'd probably have to disagree. If anything the better dac will expose even more flaws where as a cheaper dac will have a tendancy to mask the flaws when it comes to an mp3.

So I'm going to disagree. I occasionally listen to some HQ mp3's I have and I can always detect a slight loss in quality.

H9

In my experience, the increased dynamics and clarity of a good DAC make up for the more exposed flaws of the mp3.

H9, get a y-cable (1/8" headphone jack > male RCA's), and do a comparison in your PC-based setup with the Musiland.

Headphone jack straight to pre vs. usb > musiland > pre.

I know I'm right on this one when dealing with a **** DAC, as I said above, like an ipod or computer. I've heard it a million times. I'm not sure with the SQB, though, because the SQB has much better DAC's than an ipod or stock PC sound card.

This test is you and Steve's homework for the weekend.

Extra credit to the first one who turns it in.:biggrin:

EndersShadow

steveinaz wrote: »

(In order of signifigance)

#1 priority-feed it lossless music
#2 priority-Connect to a "good" external DAC
#3 Priority-linear power supply
#4 Priority-other tweaks

steveinaz wrote: »

To be honest, it's difficult to tell. It's certainly doing no harm, and I like NOT having that switching power supply upstream of all my other equipment.

Using your list above makes me wonder if I should get something like the benchmark for this given your #2. I have an older Integra (DTR 5.9) which supposedly has decent 192K/24 Bit DACs's (cant find lots of info on make/model though) and the plan was to purchase the Touch & upgraded PS. Then A/B the Integra's DAC's v. Touch's.

BUT if I DONT get the upgraded PS I might have enough (~500) to get a decent DAC to put between the Touch and the Integra, but not enough to really do both......

Choices choices........

heiney9

Ok, I guess we have different idea's of **** dac's. Your implication as I read it was the SQB Touch internal dac's are ****. They aren't ****, they are actually pretty good for what they are. So I disagree about playing a flac file through the SQB dac vs. a 320kbps encoded mp3 through a good dac. The mp3 will still sound worse comparatively. You can't magically add dynamic range and clarity to something that has had it stripped away. Everytime I play the same mp3 through a better and better dac, it sounds worse and worse.

Sorry, I dont use a headphone jack or a straight PC for any listening. To much degredation in those two area's.

Here's your homework

rip a flac and an mp3 of your favorite demo track. Then using the same delivery method and rig feed the SQB the flac using the internal dac and then feed the SQB the mp3 using your external dac. If you prefer the mp3, then perhaps we have different criteria for evaluating what sounds good.

H9

jaycam

steveinaz wrote: »

Good deal Jay, let us know when she arrives.

(In order of signifigance)

#1 priority-feed it lossless music
#2 priority-Connect to a "good" external DAC
#3 Priority-linear power supply
#4 Priority-other tweaks

Well, 98% of my music in FLAC (ripped from cd) and I'm slowly getting some hi-rez stuff from HDTracks. I'm going to have to rely on the Touch's DAC for a while longer. The next upgrade on my list is my receiver. So, I'm getting there...just gonna take a while :-)

heiney9

falcon, I agree with the iPod and computer statement as regards to being **** even for FLAC files. But that isn't how I read your initial post on the subject.

H9

steveinaz

Without trying to sound like a snob-**** dick-head, I would say that if a receiver is going to be used, I wouldn't see much advantage to a high priced external DAC. I'm just sayin I don't want you to waste money in that direction.

I would just do a comparo between the DACs in the Touch vs the DAC's in your receiver---whichever sounds better, wins.

falconcry72

heiney9 wrote: »

Sorry, I dont use a headphone jack or a straight PC for any listening. To much degredation in those two area's.

So what's your Musiland rig based on?

falconcry72

heiney9 wrote: »

falcon, I agree with the iPod and computer statement as regards to being **** even for FLAC files. But that isn't how I read your initial post on the subject.

H9

a well-encoded mp3 file being output to a quality DAC will sound better than a lossless file being output by a **** DAC, such as an ipod or computer's internal DAC.

Now the SQB's DAC's aren't half bad, so I've been told, so I don't know which would be better here.

Wasn't calling the SQB's DAC's **** at all.

EndersShadow

steveinaz wrote: »

Without trying to sound like a snob-**** dick-head, I would say that if a receiver is going to be used, I wouldn't see much advantage to a high priced external DAC. I'm just sayin I don't want you to waste money in that direction.

Geez, you dick-head :twisted:. Just Kidding. Right now I am in a HT/2 channel combined setup since my LSi's are downstairs and I normally listen to music down there. The plan was:

Squeezebox to Integra (either via SPDIF or MIT EXp1's)
Integra set to stereo (so it adds in the sub) or Direct (no sub)
Integra to Sunfire 200x5 via MIT EXp1
Sunfire 200x5 to (moddded) LSi 15's via Audioquest CV-4 38v dbs speaker cable

My hope was that the DAC's in the Integra are better than the Touch's but without putting my ears on em I guess I wont know.

steveinaz

Oh--so is your Integra used as a preamp? If so, that's a little different. I'd try it both ways--but listen to each set of DAC's for at least 2 weeks at a time (don't A/B switch). I've found that DAC's are a little easier to judge over a long term listening session. That's just my 2 centavos.