Squeze Box Question

Bill, to answer your question(s):

I am using the Transporter to the D2. Slimdevice people tell me that, with an external DAC there is no difference between the Transporter and the Squeezebox...but I disagree as the Transporter also has the AES/EBU output.

No, I have not upgraded to ARC, although I really want to. I am finishing a (years long) addition to my house and will go ARC when I finish my room.

Over at AVSFORUM.com, there is a year's old thread on Anthem and the ARC is close to pure perfection amoung people who are otherwise very critical/opinionated.. I can't wait for my 'first time...'.

Kana - I don't want to get in a pissing match here and as long as you are happy, that's all that matters. BUT for the newbs out there, please consider these quotes from the Analog Research website - or should I say sales pitch:

...when it comes to RF interfaces, and ones as poorly conceived as SPDIF, it is essential that cable (and equipment ) designers have a thorough knowledge of the subject. Alas, few do.

ED I feel better already

OK, now the bad news:

The cable is around 16' long, and is only available with BNC connectors.

Why so long, you ask.

Well, let us say that a detailed explanation would give too much help to the competition. There is a reason, and that reason is to minimise the effects that reflections. The good news is that you don't have to stretch it out, all over your listening room. It can stay rolled up, in a neat coil, and tucked away.

ED because coiled cables are not very good antennas??? you can find any number of threads here arguing that 1.5m is the perfect length for a SPDIF cable. An equal number suggesting that you never coil a signal cable.

But, your equipment has those nasty RCA jacks. Once again, this shows how poorly conceived the SPDIF interface is. However, all is not lost. We can supply BNC - RCA adaptors. Will this will have a somewhat deleterious effect, it will still allow you to utilise most of the benefits of our cable.

ED yes, coax - which is what we are talking about here - uses BNC - a great connector - who knows why more people don't use them - maybe because Cardas and WBT don't make them so they can't figure out how to charge enough???

We will proudly match our cable up against any cable, regardless of price. Even those costing 10 times as much. We believe in it that much. (The ironic part is: the better the equipment design is, the less difference there is between cables. So why pay over $1000 for a cable when you can have one that is just as good, and costs substantially less?) ...Even if the equipment wouldn't pass the muster at our lab or uses RCAs, you will still hear a marked improvement.

ED wow - not only can these guys save me money but they can overcome all the design flaws in my crappy gear

Come on

Peace

Ckorody-

After making a statement like:

"My point is simply that most of us could not afford a "name" 15'. And there is no compelling reason to run one to connect a computer rig to a DAC."

It's very obvious that you have a closed mind when it comes to PC audio set up.

If you like having PCs in your listening room, great, but please don't tell people they shouldn't use and can't afford a high quality long SPDIF cable.

Kana -

I have been at this for five years now - in that time I found one SPDIF I liked - it was $350 used for 1 meter - the old Stealth Varidig

I have helped an awful lot of people figure this out - literally hundreds of posts here and hundreds more on AA -

Perhaps more relevant to our mutual readers is that I have read thousands of posts - you are the first and only person advocating a 15' SPDIF - and the only person who has ever mentioned this supplier.

As I said, the main thing is that you are happy - but you are certainly not representative of what most people have experienced

Plus with no PC in your listening room, SPDIF like USB and Toslink has the huge disadvantage of being one way - no easy way to control your source -

If removing the PC from your listening environment is the goal, Squeezebox/Roku is probably the best solution

enjoy the music

Ckorody-

Glad to read that you found at least one SPDIF cable in five years that you could recommend to people.

I'm not advocating that everyone use a 15' SPDIF(Some people may need a shorter run),I'm just taking issue with your statement that "there is no compelling reason to run one to connect a computer rig to a DAC." I know lots of audiophiles that don't want PCs in their listening room.

There are lots of easy ways to control a remote PC Music Server connected via a long digital cable to a DAC in the listening room.

Also, there are lots of posts about analogresearch-technology on the audiocircle lab and slimdevices DIY forums. If you're an outside the box plug and play guy, you probably wouldn't run accross them.

I agree. The Squeezebox is an easy way to get started
in PC Audio.

Aloha