Experiences with SlimDevices Squeezebox.


I've been using this to stream AIFF and WAV files into my 2 channel system with excellent results. Is anybody else using one of these?
128x128hbrandt
Sonance...I posted your response in another forum and Tonycdk replied in the following manner;

"Having a correct bit stream is not the problem . Almost all
players derive the correct bit stream (except for read errors that
may occur from really bad CDs).

Accurate digital reproduction requires that the original sampling
of the analog waveform from the microphone occurs at exactly
equal time increments, and then is converted back from digital at
exactly equal timing increments. If there is any slight variation in
the timing, either in the recording process or the reproduction
process (the two are independent of each other) the reproduced
waveform will not be exactly the same as the original.

It is basically more or less impossible to build hardware to
provide absolutely perfect timing. The slight scatter in the actual
length of the timing ( it is usually in the hundreds of pico second
range) results in what we call "jitter" and a slightly imperfect
waveform reproduction.

In any digital recording there is absolutely nothing we can do
about 'jitter' introduced by timing spread in the recording
equipment. This effect is encoded on the recording and can not
be removed. Fortunately most recording gear seems to be
reasonably good these days - although that may not be the case
for some early digital recordings.

Mostly, what we hear as 'jitter' results from the accuracy of the
timing in our gear. Having a perfect bit stream does not affect
the timing. This is why we put so much emphasis on accurate
clocking of the data stream - for example, why so many of us use
the Big Ben for re-clocking.

The short answer to your question is that having an accurate bit
stream is good, but is unrelated to the jitter issue."

This is why reclocking the signal pertains to the squeezebox even though the data stream originates from a hard drive!!!
That fits with my understanding of the issue, I think. Jitter can occur at any point in the chain but can be put back in its right place by clocking it right - which is the purpose of the Big Ben (I want one!), but of course jitter in the recording process cannot be fixed in the playback process or vice versa. The added jitter I thought I experienced with WiFi was possibly power supply issues when using WiFi causing the crystal clock in the Squeezebox to operate less effectively.

Just on this jitter issue - I am no engineer, and what I am about to say will probably anger anyone who is, but my playing with stuff is unbounded, and I think there are possibly other issues than just hitter at play in digital cables etc. I suspect that digital cables pick up EMI and RF to different degrees and therefore induce more or less noise into the analogue parts of any audio system. The reason I think that is that I have done blind tests where me and a couple of buddies have been able to pick which digital cable was which based on how those two same cables sounded when used as analogue interconnects!!! Wierd I know, but some of the characteristics of the cables when used as analogue interconnect cables, could be heard when the same cables were used as digital cables.

Therefore the Big Ben, or Benchmark DAC or whatever reclocking you use, does not necessarily mean you do not need to play around with 'flavours' of digital interconnect - and implies some things about use of decent fiber cables instead.
Redkiwi and others:

Here's something you might be interested in. I haven't tried it but it looks like a possible squeezebox alternative:

http://www.xitel.com/product_phfl.htm

Harry
Here is a link to various DAR's (digital audio receivers) on the market:
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/kb13/mp3/
http://reviews.cnet.com/Home_audio/4502-6739_7-0.html?tag=dir.dmh

I have fooled around with different ones over the years and found very few satisfactory. For some unknown reason few have digital outs (duh!!) and even few support lossless formats other than WAV.
I bought a SLIMP3 (previous version of the squeezebox) but ultimitley exchanged it for an Audiotron; the resaons are many, esoteric and probably irrelevant, although in the end i just found the audiotron more reliable. I also hated what the SLIMP3 looked like, ecspecially next to my other gear. I even went as far to to fashion a custom case for it (major dork) http://www.geekmods.com/neilslimp3/case.htm
The squeeze box looks like a vast improvement over it's predessors. However I personally think that the Audio DAR is a dead end, rather spend your money on a custom HTPC (proabably put one together for around $1400) have video capability as well, support for endless format, the DAC that you want and a cast the is outright gorgeous.....
this is my next project http://www.ahanix.com/dvine5.html
For what its worth, my Squeezebox, with 25 metres of ethernet cable, through a router down to my computer in the basement is outperforming my now run-in TEAC VRDS transport, except for slightly better extension at the extremes from the TEAC. The Squeezebox is more precise and more musical. I am going to modify both over the next month and see how the order of preference changes. Unlike Harry, neither is benefitting from an intermediate devide, they are both going into a Northstar Model 192 DAC.