Sqeezebox Touch and High-Res Audio

I've always purchased CDs and I'm not big on downloading digital audio unless I only want one or two songs from an album. However, I'm considering a Squeezebox Touch and I'm looking for suggestions. I currently use iTunes for my music managing on my MacBook. I usually choose "Apple Lossless" for importing. A few questions:

1. What program should I be using to rip CDs to get the highest rez import?
2. What format should I be ripping them in? What sample rates do I look for?
3. Are there any good, legitimate websites that off hi-rez downloads for modern music? (i.e. Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Kings of Leon, etc.)

Thanks!

Hauger92 said:

I've always purchased CDs and I'm not big on downloading digital audio unless I only want one or two songs from an album. However, I'm considering a Squeezebox Touch and I'm looking for suggestions. I currently use iTunes for my music managing on my MacBook. I usually choose "Apple Lossless" for importing. A few questions:

1. What program should I be using to rip CDs to get the highest rez import?
2. What format should I be ripping them in? What sample rates do I look for?
3. Are there any good, legitimate websites that off hi-rez downloads for modern music? (i.e. Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, Kings of Leon, etc.)

Thanks!

Click to expand...

1. It doesn't matter about the programme - it is the format in which you rip that determines resolution. For instance - if you want to rip CDs at the highest possible resolution, use a lossless format (such as FLAC or Apple Lossless) and rip at 16/44.1 (CD's resolution - should automatically select that unless you configure otherwise).

1a. That said - if you have particularly bad, scratched or damaged CDs you may benefit in using a secure mode ripper such as EAC (Exact Audio Copy). Many people swear by it, however I have tested myself using EAC (to FLAC) and iTunes (to ALAC) and got exactly the same checksum when I transcoded to .WAV, so I'm convinced it doesn't really matter unless your CDs are badly damaged.

2. You may or may not want your rips (and purchased music) in an open format (FLAC is pretty much the industry standard) rather than something closed like Apple Lossless. In terms of absolute sound quality it won't mean diddly squat. And you lose nothing transcoding between one and the other.

The main thing is to use a lossless format [generally Apple Lossless or FLAC] in the native resolution for what you are ripping [for CDs - as above, 16/44.1].

You do mention the Squeezebox Touch - one point to note is that the Squeezebox family plays FLAC natively, however transcoding and third-party decoders are required for Apple Lossless playback. In this case, FLAC wins. Conversely, if you have an iPod/iPhone, it can't read FLAC and you'll be needing to keep two libraries and manually convert all your files from FLAC to a format that the iPod can read. In this case, Apple lossless wins. Apple always make things difficult.

3. I mostly rip mine from CDs, however you can try HDTracks.com. Also Linn have a good selection.

Amey01 pretty much covered the basics. Only thing I'll add is that the Squeezebox Touch can natively handle up to 24/96 files. If you ever decide to try higher-res (24/192, etc.), the Touch will downsample to 24/96. At this point it's not really much of an issue, as there is very little 24/192 material out there (there are a few boutique record labels offering that option), and also some debate as to whether that additional resolution is clearly audible.

If you do go the Touch route, I'd recommend feeding it into a higher quality outboard DAC. While the native Touch DAC is "decent" it's still the "weakest point" of the system.

In addition to HDTracks and Linn, a couple other sources for quality 24/96 (and higher res) downloads include...

Blue Coast Records, which offers a variety of formats (disc or download) and resolutions. Cookie Morenco is a phenomenal recording engineer, and offers a few free downloads here... http://www.bluecoastrecords.com/free-downloads

Her recording Blue Coast Collection/E.S.E Sessions is particularly impressive!

Barry Diament/Soundkeeper Recordings also offers high-res downloads, and has some free demo samples at various resolutions for comparison...
http://www.soundkeeperrecordings.com/format.htm

Hey Brian,

I switched the default setting on my MacBook to rip CD's to my iTunes library using "AIFF" because I believe the Apple Lossless does some compression. I then send the files to a ReadyNAS NV+ data storage device. My Squeezebox can pick up the wireless streaming music files from the NAS that I have in another room. I run an optical out from the Squeezebox to a "Benchmark DAC 1 usb" Digital to Analog Converter and then analog RCA's to my preamp.

Simple... not.

It's all sleepysurf's fault!

Satch

Gee whiz... sorry to have opened Pandora's Box for you
So, in the end, how does it sound?

BTW, I strongly recommend going wired/CAT5 into the Squeezebox (if possible), especially for 24/96 files.

Alan

Satch said:

Hey Brian,

I switched the default setting on my MacBook to rip CD's to my iTunes library using "AIFF" because I believe the Apple Lossless does some compression. I then send the files to a ReadyNAS NV+ data storage device. My Squeezebox can pick up the wireless streaming music files from the NAS that I have in another room. I run an optical out from the Squeezebox to a "Benchmark DAC 1 usb" Digital to Analog Converter and then analog RCA's to my preamp.

Simple... not.

It's all sleepysurf's fault!

Satch

Click to expand...

hahahahah... All it took was a year and an honest to god NASA rocket scientist. Even he didn't know you could stream music from a data storage device. I also have it hooked up to my second system (PC) in my office. It sounds great on both systems. ! That said, now that I got the SME 10 turntable, it's hard for me to go digital for any serious listening. I think I need to find a really good DAC to give me that warm analog/tube sound that I crave. But that's just me. YMMV.

Ray

Alan,

Thanks for that Bluecoast link... cool stuff there. First I've seen of actual DSD format downloads. Now if I can just find a relatively painless method for ripping my SACD collection to high-res format. I know there are "ways" but from what I've read, they involve pain... but then what goal of any real value doesn't?

Cheers

Brian. I am not up to date w the squeezbox stuff but maybe someone can chime in. What about foregoing the touch and just looking at the squeezebox you can use the ipeng app for the itouch or iPhone and get a portable remote. Doesn't the sb touch need to be connected to the pre? Something to consider

timm said:

Brian. I am not up to date w the squeezbox stuff but maybe someone can chime in. What about foregoing the touch and just looking at the squeezebox you can use the ipeng app for the itouch or iPhone and get a portable remote. Doesn't the sb touch need to be connected to the pre? Something to consider

Click to expand...

The Touch is what he would want, as the older (Classic) Squeezeboxes can't stream 24/96 resolution (except for the Transporter, which has been discontinued). BTW, even though the Touch has a "touchscreen" it also comes with a remote, and can also be controlled via a web browser, or various Squeezebox apps for iPhone, Android, or Palm/WebOS devices. IMHO, the only downside to the Touch is that the display can be hard to read from beyond 10 feet. I use Squeeze Control on my Palm Pre to control mine, and also view playlists and album art.

Thanks sleepysurf. The 24/96 issue is definitely worth the extra I would think. How does the remote compare to an itouch or iPad with ipeng? I thought I saw the sb touch being sold with and without remote. I could be mistaken though.

On the same topic more or less is the berkley alpha dac still at or near the top of the heap for dacs?

Just a note here: The latest version of iPeng is excellent.

Great feedback guys! Thanks so much! I'm definitely considering an outboard DAC, probably Benchmark. Glad you brought up the Ipod/phone/pad app for the Squeezebox because I was wondering if it could be controlled remotely with a portable device. This helps a ton!

Sorry one more question. Since most of us obsess over little sound diffs - how does the touch feeding a quality dac compare to other digital options just from a sound quality perspective? In other words would a decent transport with dac equal or better the touch? I do not question it's other great features. Just talking sound quality here. Thanks. Tim

Considering the small screen on the SB Touch and the difficulty seeing it from a short distance, it would be nice if there was a monitor out on it to use with my TV. Oh well, I shouldn't have my TV on as a distraction anyway if I'm listening to music.

TomDac said:

Just a note here: The latest version of iPeng is excellent.

Click to expand...

I wish that they had a free trial version so that I could see if I like it. Will ipeng do a full library random song play? I've been thinking about giving it a try to see if I like it better than the touch controller.

timm said:

Sorry one more question. Since most of us obsess over little sound diffs - how does the touch feeding a quality dac compare to other digital options just from a sound quality perspective? In other words would a decent transport with dac equal or better the touch? I do not question it's other great features. Just talking sound quality here. Thanks. Tim

Click to expand...

Personally, I think the Squeezebox is better than a transport feeding the same DAC. But that is my opinion, and in my system. But the difference is so small it doesn't bear thinking about. Again - my DAC, my transport, my Squeezebox setup, my cable, my [anything else] that could change this.

Hauger92 said:

Oh well, I shouldn't have my TV on as a distraction anyway if I'm listening to music.

Click to expand...

You said it! That to me is the major selling point of the Squeezeboxes. If you wanted a screen flickering away in your listening room then you could always go for the Apple TV or any of the other multitude of "media streamers".

Amey you are the perfect candidate for my question. You have the marantz + mf x-dac. You are saying you prefer the touch + x-dac vs marantz + x-dac for cd sonically? I am guessing you have a/b'd it?

timm said:

Amey you are the perfect candidate for my question. You have the marantz + mf x-dac. You are saying you prefer the touch + x-dac vs marantz + x-dac for cd sonically? I am guessing you have a/b'd it?

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Just to clarify. I have the X-DAC v3 and the Squeezebox 3. Yes, I prefer the Squeezebox to the Marantz when playing redbook. SACD is another story altogether. And the Marantz’s internal DACs are very different, but again – to me – the X-DAC v3 has the edge.

Hocky said:

Will ipeng do a full library random song play?

Click to expand...

The answer is YES