Experiences with SlimDevices Squeezebox.

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.

Hi Everybody:

I picked up the Xitel Pro-HiFi link for $99 at a local CompUSA today. Very impressive indeed. It can play all my file types (AIFF, WAV, etc.). It also has both toslink and digital coax output. I simply plugged a USB cable into my computer and into the small silver interface box. From there, I plugged a glass toslink into my Genesis Digital Lens. For sake of completeness, the full path is as follows:

Computer via USB -> Xitel Pro-HiFi Link -> Genesis Lens -> ApogeeBB -> TacT RCS 2.0 -> Apogee BB -> dCS Purcell -> dCS Delius -> Placette Dual Mono Preamp -> Innersound ESL Monoblocks ->Martin Logan CLS II z's + 2 Vandersteen 2wq subs.

The Xitel Link is hooked to the Lens via Toslink and the Squeezebox is hooked to the Lens via digital coax. Otherwise the paths are identical except that the computer streams to the squeezebox via WiFi and the Xitel is hard wired via USB.

Bottom line is that both the Xitel and Squeezebox are both sonically excellent, but I must say that I prefer the Xitel so far. The advantage is that there are absolutely no dropouts or sonic glitches as I was occasionally seeing with the squeezebox. Additionally, I can use iTunes or anything else as my interface with the Xitel. With the Squeezebox, one is limited to the SlimDevices server software as an interface. With the Xitel, I simply went into system preference and set the audio output to the USB port. The Xitel worked immediately without a single glitch or dropout.

Sonically, I can currently say that the Xitel is at least as good as the Squeezebox, and possibly better.

So here are some advantages of xitel:

(1) Hard USB connection is more reliable than WiFi.
(2) Hard USB connection doesn't slow down family network and internet connection.
(3) Xitel allows use of any interface including iTunes. Any sound from any software can be directed to the USB port and out to the Xitel. Squeezebox requires proprietary SlimDevices server software
(4) Sonically at least as good as squeezebox, possibly superior.
(5) No drop outs, freeze ups, skips, noises, channel reversals etc. In all fairness, slimdevices is working hard to correct current problems.
(6) Xitel requires no firmware updates or server updates. It simply converts the USB output to PCM (or DD/DTS). It is MUCH simpler to use.

Here are the disadvantages of the Xitel:
(1) Requires wired USB connection. Less portability.
(2) No remote. All access is through the computer.
(3) There is no display on the box.

In summary, these devices are somewhat different in that one is simply an interface between the usb port of the computer and the stereo.....whereas the other is a more ambitious, but less reliable server based solution with WiFi potential and a remote.

For me the decision is a no brainer. With the squeezebox...I always had my computer in front of me for control anyway, and I felt that the WiFi aspect, while somewhat convenient, also led to lots of problems.

I'll be using the Xitel from now on...although I'll hang on to my squeezebox for now.

If anybody has any questions about this thing...drop me a line.

Harry