Experiences with SlimDevices Squeezebox.

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

Interesting. I would still prefer the Squeezebox. My server computer is in the basement, running full-time. I never need to go down there because I manage it remotely using VNC from another computer when required. I don't want a computer running in the same room as the stereo if I can help it, and do not see the need to have a full screen open to access the music. I find the little Squeezebox client to be just fine for accessing the music. Where I think we also differ, is that I have a wired ethernet connection from my PC to the Squeezebox client - I found the WiFi painful with drop-outs and clearly inferior sound, particularly with full resolution wav files.

Since you are happy to run wired connection to the Xitel and then to the stereo Harry, why not try an ethernet cross-over cable from your PC to the Squeezebox and see how the sound/performance is then?

Redkiwi:

That's the next step....i'll try wired Squeezebox. But I still have the issue of the squeezebox eating up a fair bit of bandwith on our network. I'll give it a try though.

Harry

Anybody listening to Internet radio?

My only issue is the squeezebox can't play live365.com subscriber access which has higher bitrate streams and no commercials but require the live365 player.

Re dropouts it can be a problem but Apple lossless files dramatically reduce/eliminate drop outs in my wifi network compared to wav files and sound identical. Also the ethernet crossover cable that comes with the squeezebox will run directly from a pc to the squeezebox without impacting the network.

Yes...i forgot to mention this. The squeezebox also could not play streaming radio from Sirius because they have their own "player" interface...and the squeezbox server couldn't pick it up.

With the Xitel, I'm able to play the Sirius streams through my stereo. Incidentally, the streaming algorithms are improving and internet radio is becoming very tolerable from a sonic standpoint.

This stuff is going to get better and better!!!

Harry