Anybody else using a PC as a transport ?

[sleepysurf]

Well, finally got my Squeezebox2 and Buffalo Linkstation set up and running. Tres Cool!!

I have an older Compaq Evo N600c laptop in my Home Office, with a wired ethernet connection to a 300 GB Buffalo Linkstation and Linksys Wireless B BEFW11S4 router (both located in my Master Bedroom Network hub). I am using EAC to rip CD's to FLAC (set at default 5 compression), and storing on the Linkstation. The Compaq also runs the SlimServer software.

I have the Squeezebox2 (connecting via Wireless B) in my family/listening room, with optical out to a Yamaha RX-V1000 (as pre/pro) with pre-out to a Sunfire Cinema Grand 200 ~five driving my Aerius i's.

So far, cannot discern ANY difference between CD vs. Squeezebox (even using Wireless B). Eventually, I'll upgrade the router to Wireless G, for even better bandwidth. Only dropouts I've had are when the kitchen microwave runs, which is known to interfere with both Wireless B and G.

In fact, with EAC I've been able to rip some badly scratched CD's (that skipped on my CD player ), and now have bit-perfect FLAC files, which are pristine sounding.

I have about 800 CD's to rip, but can casually do so from my Home Office. I don't see myself ever using a CD player again!!

Squeezebox/SlimServer also offers a wide selection of streaming Internet Radio Stations, which sound superb on my system.

 

[Kaliar]

Well, finally got my Squeezebox2 and Buffalo Linkstation set up and running. Tres Cool!!

Hi sleepysurf,

Glad to see you're happy with your setup ! It's always nice when results are up to the expectations you had. Just for fun, what CD player have you used for your comparisons ?

No matter what, good luck with the CDs you're about to rip. 800 CDs should keep you busy for quite some time !

Have fun !

 

[sleepysurf]

Admittedly, I do not have a high-end CD Player/Transport or DAC for comparison. Nor do I have a way to play vinyl. I had been using a Toshiba SD-3750 DVD/CD player, which, to my ears, was better than an older Sony ES series CD player it replaced.

There are current threads in the PC-Audio section of Audio Asylum, where folks are comparing the Squeezebox2 to high-end transports/DAC's. I'm anxiously waiting THEIR measureements and opinions.

As an aside, I'm willing to accept a MINISCULE degradation in quality (if that's the case using the Squeezebox2), in order to have the convenience of instantaneous access to ALL of my music. I've already listened to albums and tracks I had forgotten about, as they were buried in my archives. EAC (Exact Audio Copy) has allowed me to salvage some badly scratched CD's which I previously couldn't listen to in their entirety (such as the 1989 CBS compilation "Jubilation").

I think streaming digital media (audio now, video later) is here to stay.

 

[sleepysurf]

Wow, can't believe how fast streaming audio is catching on! The Squeezebox2 approach seems to be taking off, and now there is a Terabyte Network Attached Storage option that includes the Slimserver software...
http://www.infrant.com/support.htm#download

I would've gotten this, had I not already bought the 300 Gb Buffalo Tech Linkstation. Guess I'll need to start saving $$ to upgrade my digital storage device, just like upgrading audio components <g>.

Also, FYI... Slimdevices has dropped the price on both the wired and wireless Squeezebox2's.

 

[sleepysurf]

Seems the SB2 is finally garnering a fair bit of high-end attention, as evidenced by discussions at www.audioasylum.com, www.audiocircle.com, and others. Interestingly, both Bolder Cable and Red Wine Audio are now offering SB2 mods, claiming to obviate the need for an outboard DAC.

Anybody else using SB2 audio streaming with their ML system? If so, are you using an outboard DAC?

 

[ASLayerAODsk]

you use winblamp for FLACs? ewww...try out foobar2000...MUCH better quality playback...winblamp i always find so muffled
they MAY be popular..but that doesnt mean they know what they are doing

I have been using a PC setup for playback for a couple of years now. My library consists of approximately 3000 CDs in FLAC (approximately 1.3 TBs). These drives are stored in a seperate server (for noise control) outside of my listening room. My playback PC accesses the files over an ethernet network an outputs via USB to an Edirol UA-1000 external soundcard. The UA-1000 converts USB to SPDIF. The signal then goes to my TacT S2150 for volume control/signal amplification. From there out to my ML Ascents and Decent. PC is used for library management, along with digital room correction (DRC) which replaced my TacT RCS 2.0. Playback software is Winamp. I certainly have no interest in turning back to CD based playback.