[dcguy73]

I received my RMA-modded Squeezebox 3 a few weeks ago, and have been burning it in 24/7. (Unfortunately, my wireless network has fits and starts from time to time, so 24/7 is more like 15/7.) I had both the digital and analog output stages upgraded.

Vinnie predicted that the modded SB3's analog stage would give my Ack Dack! 2.0 a run for its money. Upon first receiving the modded Squeezebox, this was not the case. The digital out sounded much better than the analog out, which sounded compressed and flat.

Two weeks later (and >200 hours of burn-in, I believe,) the race is much closer. I have the SB3 hooked up to the 2 inputs of my Singlepower MPX3 via 2 runs of Audience AU24 interconnects. I can switch back and forth with the turn of the dial. I would say that the modded Squeezebox's digital BNC-out-to-Ack! Dack 2.0 connection is still in the lead, with a little more sparkle and life to it than the analogue RCA-out connection.

I will report back more observations after 250 hours... but the Squeezebox sounds much better than the Airport Express, even if the control interface is a little goofy.

 

[kmcdonou]

Your topic is of special interest to me. I just got my SB 2 back from Bolder Cable with the digital and analog mods and upgraded power supply. For the analog mod, I paid extra for a Sonicap Platinum bypass capacitor, which is the same capacitor used in the high resolution version of my Ack Dack 2.0.

I also had a Singlepower MPX3, which is currently being upgraded to a Supra. Since I haven't got my Supra yet and SACD lover is using my Ack Dack 2.0, I won't be able to compare the digital out of the SB to the analog out for a while. I just started burning-in my SB 2 so that it is ready when I get my other equipment back. It already sounds amazingly good and I am listening to it through the headphone jack of a $200 Onkyo integrated amp. I can't wait until it is fully burned-in and am listening to it through the Supra!

I, too, am wondering if the modded SB will upseat my Ack Dack. I would feel kinda sad if that happens. I really love my Ack Dack, but the modded SB's have received some really, really good feedback.

 

[dcguy73]

The Ack Dack 2.0 remains clearly in the lead. I've tried switching out cables and interconnects, but the outcome remains the same. The Squeezebox modded analog outs sound a little veiled and a little smoother than the modded digital out (to the Ack Dack), which has more sparkle and reveals more treble up top.

I'm not sure if this will change or not, or if your configuration with the Sonicap will be that much better, but I'm happy I held on to the Ack Dack! It really shines with the BNC-BNC connection.

 

[dcguy73]

I love this setup! The RMA-modded SB3 rocks! Doesn't anyone else have one?

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dc_guy The Ack Dack 2.0 remains clearly in the lead. I've tried switching out cables and interconnects, but the outcome remains the same. The Squeezebox modded analog outs sound a little veiled and a little smoother than the modded digital out (to the Ack Dack), which has more sparkle and reveals more treble up top. I'm not sure if this will change or not, or if your configuration with the Sonicap will be that much better, but I'm happy I held on to the Ack Dack! It really shines with the BNC-BNC connection.

I would look at this from another perspective. It may not be so much that Ack DAC 2.0 is better than SB3's analogue out. An important reason Ack Dac sounds better may be because SB3's digital out is so superior. Have you tried comparing SB3's digital out to other transports' digital out?

 

[dcguy73]

Interesting...I hadn't considered comparing it against other digital outs. I guess I figured the Ack! was a superior DAC and that was the end of it.

Unfortunately, the only digital out the SB3 has is a BNC-out, so although I could compare it to my Airport Express (optical out), to my Monarchy DIP (S/PDIF out or AES out), or to my Electrocompaniet ECD1 (S/PDIF out), wouldn't that be like an apples-to-oranges comparison?

I don't have another BNC-out to do a comparison...

 

[Val]

dc_guy, can you detail the modifications done to your SB2 (battery, capacitors, etc.)?

 

[dcguy73]

Go directly to the source for that info.

http://www.redwineaudio.com/SB2_Mods.html

 

[dcguy73]

 

[kmcdonou]

Quote:

Unfortunately, the only digital out the SB3 has is a BNC-out, so although I could compare it to my Airport Express (optical out), to my Monarchy DIP (S/PDIF out or AES out), or to my Electrocompaniet ECD1 (S/PDIF out), wouldn't that be like an apples-to-oranges comparison? I don't have another BNC-out to do a comparison...

You could get a BNC-RCA adapter. In fact you should have one that came with the dack. My NAD 541i does not have a BNC fitting either, but the adapter provided with the Ack allows me to use it as a transport (when I am playing CDs). According to Chris (manufacturer of the Ack) using an adapter at the source is not near as limiting as using it at the dack itself.

My modded SB 2 from Bolder Cable is really starting to sound nice after a week of 24/7 burn-out. What still shocks me is how good it sounds through the headphone out of a $200 Onkyo integrated amp. Man, when I get me Supra I know I will be in awe.

 

[dcguy73]

Switched to the Ack! Dack Analog Connect silver cabling to match the Ack! Dack BNC-to-BNC Digital Connect. The sound has a little more body than with the AU24 cabling. I feel like Bill the Cat. Ack ack ack.

 

[dcguy73]

Hmm, I will do comparisons at some point...too much work to move stuff around.

So you have the upgraded power supply from Bolder Cable? I wonder how that sounds compared to battery power. If my power (crappy old old wiring) wasn't so substandard, I would have gone with electric, but I feel like I'm getting a lot of mileage out of the battery supply. Much quieter background, even compared to stuff I have plugged into the heavy BPT signature 3.5 power conditioner thing/paperweight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmcdonou You could get a BNC-RCA adapter. In fact you should have one that came with the dack. My NAD 541i does not have a BNC fitting either, but the adapter provided with the Ack allows me to use it as a transport (when I am playing CDs). According to Chris (manufacturer of the Ack) using an adapter at the source is not near as limiting as using it at the dack itself. My modded SB 2 from Bolder Cable is really starting to sound nice after a week of 24/7 burn-out. What still shocks me is how good it sounds through the headphone out of a $200 Onkyo integrated amp. Man, when I get me Supra I know I will be in awe.

 

[Loftprojection]

dc_guy, very interesting topic. If you have an opportunity to verify how good a transport the SB3 is I would really appreciate. You don't have a CD or DVD player you could use as a transport into the Ack versus the SB3 into the Ack? I've been looking at the SB3 to replace my current CD player but I'm still not sure it will be able to match the performance of my player. Thanks.

 

[dcguy73]

It's true, I haven't done a comparison yet. I would suspect that my Empirical Audio-modded ECD-1 is going to perform a bit better as a transport because its power supply and transport mechanism (the old-school Philips CD 2.0 thingie) have been seriously upgraded. But I will test the two out and let you know how it does.

I would be surprised if the SB3 sounded better as a transport than your Arcam. Chris Own, the guy behind the Ack! Dack 2.0, wrote me the following in reply to a note I sent him extolling the virtues of the
Ack 2/Squeezebox3 pairing:

"You may be surprised ... the dAck! should still have a fair bit of headroom beyond (the SB3) for sources with even higher levels of performance, but on paper the SB3 with mods should be one of the top pieces in the marketplace right now as far as computer sources go (my emphasis)."

He tunes the Ack Dack! using CEC belt-drive transport mechanisms, so that's his bias.

I don't know if computer audio has surpassed heavy-duty CD transports yet overall. I love the SB3 for its convenience and its very decent sound.

 

[dcguy73]

Update on my Squeezebox setup:

I was getting some annoying wireless dropouts with the Squeezebox (arrggh!) , so I bought an Intel Mac Mini and hooked it up to the Squeezebox via Ethernet. No more droupouts, ever.

This finishes out my computer audio setup. I have two firewire 250 GB external hard drives full of Apple Lossless files that I have hooked up to the Mini. The new Mini is great -- very quiet, and with Apple Lossless files (as opposed to FLAC), I can switch between my Squeezebox setup and my Airport Express setup on a whim.

My Airport Express is setup right now to feed my stereo (Airport Express-->Monarchy Upsampler-->Denon receiver). My Squeezebox is hooked into my headphones rig.

I have a number of remote control setups I can use for either setup--

- the basic Squeezebox remote, which is decent.
- my Treo 650, using Salling Clicker and Bluetooth,
controls the Squeezebox or iTunes
- my laptop, using a web browser to control Squeezebox
or using Timbuktu Pro (a remote control program) to control iTunes

Now all I need is a 10' cable (on order) to hook my K1000s to my souped-up MPX3 Slam and I'll be all set.