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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
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
mlsstl
1,428 posts
 
Jglim, I'm still curious about the file format you're using for the Squeezebox. Some formats are not native to the device. While they will play they require transcoding by the server software, so that could be an issue for you.
jglim OP
16 posts
 
I am using apple lossless.
mlsstl
1,428 posts
 
I am using apple lossless.
That could be one factor. ALAC is not native to the Squeezebox so has to be transcoded by the Squeezecenter software and streamed to the Squeezebox in a different format.

Check your settings to see which format is being used to stream from Squeezecenter to the box. That could explain the situation, particularly if a setting is off.

And, for an experiment, take a CD where you've noticed a quality difference between your CD player and the Squeezebox and rip that CD to either wave or FLAC format. Both of those are natively decoded. It would be interesting to see if that makes a difference for you.
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