Squeezebox Touch with an Oppo BDP-105

Tuneman,

You can use the USB as an output, but you have to install a third party app to make it work. It isn't a bad deal, though. From what I understand, the third party app was written by a guy that was on Logitech Squeezebox team. The app is call "Enhanced Digital Out" and can be installed directly from the Squeezebox via the internal menu. You just have to enable all third party apps. The little mod also allows the SBT to do 24/192.

EDO also allows you to disable the analogue outs when using digital.

There's also a little app written by the same guy that disables the screen. The screen will come back on with a key press, but will go blank after a set time. When the app kicks in, it completely disables the screen. I was surprised at the difference that disabling the screen made.

I don't use the EDO app, because I have no need for the USB mod. I use a "Toolbox" mod that did improve the quality of the sound for me. If you want to check that out, just do a search for "Toolbox 3.0 Squeezebox Touch."

After applying the mods, I could not tell a difference in sound quality when going with a linear power supply. I just went back to using the wallwart because it's smaller.

As for the sound quality of optical vs. coax, you'll just have to try them both to see what sounds better to you. If you go coax, make sure that your cable is 1.5m long. There are a few threads on the subject. I don't remember the exact reasoning behind it, but can say that going from an 18" cable to a 1.5m cable made a small, but noticeable difference for the better in my system.

I've messed with my SBT quite a bit applying tweaks and such. You can get some good sound quality out of it. I've also found that just about any external DAC of reasonable quality will improve the sound quality versus the internal SBT DAC.

Tuneman, really, I don't even remember if the Touch will play 24/192 files without the "Enhanced Digital Out" third party application. If you are getting an unsupported file error with 24/192 files, you should try installing the "Enhanced Digital Out" third party application.

As far as having your server (whatever it is that you may be using) doing the decoding, your success is going to be dependent upon your setup.

If you are feeding files over a wireless connection, you may run into problems because sending the decoded file over the network takes up a lot more bandwidth. If you run into problems having your server doing the decoding, just leave the setting so that the Touch is doing the decoding.

I have my NAS and Touch on a wired network and have never had any problems having the decoding done on my NAS. I use a Synology Disk Station.

Loftarasa,

After reading your post, I went and removed TT 3.0 and reinstalled the EDO app. I've been meaning to try it anyway, since I jut got a different pre amp.

When going from the TT 3.0 to the EDO app, in my system, the stage got wider, but I lost some depth and the vocals are more recessed. I'm gonna run it like this for a while and see, but I think I'll ultimately go back to using TT 3.0.

All we're ultimately doing is tweaking the priorities of the threads to get the sound that we like. Apparently, TT 3.0 and EDO use different priority settings for the different threads, hence the change in the character of the music, along with the improvements that we get by killing unneeded things like wireless and analogue outs.

A little while back, I happened across a thread by a guy that took the time to isolate the interrupts controlling the threads that affect the character of the music. You could make changes on the fly to A/B the effects of the changes, then write the changes that you liked into the config files. For the life of me, I can't find the thread now.

Isn't a shame that you can't do the same with a CD player? I really like my SBT.

There you go. That was it. I found it to be a bit of a PITA too. No need to mess with them, really, with TT 3.0 and EDO, which are pretty much tweaked as it is.

I've continued to listen using EDO and I'm finding that the image is also a bit less defined. I'm going to listen more tonight, but think I'm going to go back to using TT 3.0, when I feel like reinstalling it.

I don't know how much of this stuff is system dependent. I really can't tell you how much of a difference disabling analogue outs or wireless makes.

I can say this, tough. With TT 3.0, you can use an SSH program to switch the display on and off, on the fly. I use my iPad to do this. When switching the display on and off, there is a definite audible difference for the better when you switch the display off. It's as though a slight veil has been lifted.

Of the two, I'd say that EDO is easier to deal with. It installs from the Touch itself from the 3rd Party App menu. Once you install it, all available changes can be made from the Touch, through the menus. When you want to uninstall it, you just go back to the menu and choose to uninstall it. Just make sure to uncheck the option to automatically reinstall it after an update, otherwise it will just reinstall.

TT 3.0 is a bit more involved. It requires a terminal program to transfer files to the Touch. It isn't hard and the instructions are pretty clear. All adjustments and available options are accessed through the use of the SSH program. The upside is that removing it requires nothing more than a hard reset.

Oh, TT 3.0 suggests that you change an option in the server software allowing the decoding to be done on the server. Be aware that if you are running wireless, you network may not be able to handle the bandwidth necessary for hi res files; the operative words being "may not."