2. digital
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CD transport vs streamer?

I am presently using a squeezebox unmodded and streaming via ethernet (not wi fi) uncompressed files from a Mac. I am feeding this into my Weiss Medea DAC (tried both Toslink and coaxial). However, comparing it to using my Jason transport, the sound is significantly worse. eg in Jazz at the Pawnshop, I can hear the liveness of the recording, on the streamed music it sounds like it was recorded in an anechoic chamber. Same when i stream from my apple TV via toslink.

Has anyone found a way of streaming that actually can outdo a high end CD player?
jglim

Showing 7 responses by jglim

jglim OP
16 posts
 
Hi Perrew

I tried running SB3 into the Medea DAC. Jason is purely a transport and I run that also into the Medea. I have also set the SB as bare as possible and still the failure of the SB3 to retrieve the finer details and the failure to potray the ambience/acoustics of the place in which the recording is made is disappointing.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
Hi Perrew

I have written on another thread that I have tried the Weiss combo straight into my Pass X-1000 and previously had a GNSC statement modded 270/27 into Krell FPB600. Preferred the sound with a preamp in (i have the ARC Ref 3)in both cases. Again seem to impart a greater illusion of physical presence to the images with the pre-amp.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
Has anyone here tried sticking an Apple Mac using the optical miniplug output straight into the DAC? Wondering if this more direct connection would outperform streaming
jglim OP
16 posts
 
I am using apple lossless.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
Thanks guys. I will certainly try recording in FLAC and then compare the difference. Hope to have some time this weekend to do it and will feedback. I suppose if there is an improvement, then FLAC with a transporter may even be better.

I have an alternative as Weiss may be working on an upgrade to the Medea which allows direct firewire from a MAC into the DAC. But there is no timeline for this upgrade yet!

Thanks again.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
I am using iTunes with apple lossless and i have set the digital vol control to max on the squeezebox and squeezecentre.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
I have just updated to the new 7.3.3 firmware. Not sure if its my imagination but there seems to be a slight improvement in the details now....
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