The answers are it depends. :)
1) Stock SB was reviewed in recent Stereophile newsletter I believe. Might take a look at that. My guess is it competes well with most stock $1000 one box units.
2) A modded SB (I have an RWA full mod with most recent approach), is quite good. Total cost is around $800 with battery option. It would be better than most $1000 onebox solutions IMO. Mine is still breaking in, but sounds quite good.
The $1000 price point is where your questions become hard to answer.
I am using a TRL modified Sony dvp ns900 (shown at CES).
The total cost is around $1100 (mod is $750 and player used was $350). Many feel this unit is comparable to anything out there. Reviewers hear it and buy it. It is great digital. I make no claims about where it falls in the overall pecking order and could care less, but it is extraordinary by any measure.
There are also Modwright units that can be found here on Agon used for $1500-$2000 that many feel are in that same elite category.
My point is you can great digital for $1000-$2000.
The RWA SB3 is very good and the streaming interent radio is
a lot of fun. Is it as good as the TRL Sony 900? No.
If you add a dedicated DAC to it, then it can improved so you have that flexibility. Music on the hard drive also has soem real advantages.
There are also many other PC Audio solutions that people like (Empirical Audio, etc) that take maybe a higher end approach to PC Audio.
So, the answer is it depends. :)
I am of the belief that great digital, whether PC Audio or onebox solutions do not have to cost a fortune.
Good luck. Try Audiocircle Redwine Audio circle, look at Empirical Audio website, and do searches on Audio Asylum and here on PC Audio.
1) Stock SB was reviewed in recent Stereophile newsletter I believe. Might take a look at that. My guess is it competes well with most stock $1000 one box units.
2) A modded SB (I have an RWA full mod with most recent approach), is quite good. Total cost is around $800 with battery option. It would be better than most $1000 onebox solutions IMO. Mine is still breaking in, but sounds quite good.
The $1000 price point is where your questions become hard to answer.
I am using a TRL modified Sony dvp ns900 (shown at CES).
The total cost is around $1100 (mod is $750 and player used was $350). Many feel this unit is comparable to anything out there. Reviewers hear it and buy it. It is great digital. I make no claims about where it falls in the overall pecking order and could care less, but it is extraordinary by any measure.
There are also Modwright units that can be found here on Agon used for $1500-$2000 that many feel are in that same elite category.
My point is you can great digital for $1000-$2000.
The RWA SB3 is very good and the streaming interent radio is
a lot of fun. Is it as good as the TRL Sony 900? No.
If you add a dedicated DAC to it, then it can improved so you have that flexibility. Music on the hard drive also has soem real advantages.
There are also many other PC Audio solutions that people like (Empirical Audio, etc) that take maybe a higher end approach to PC Audio.
So, the answer is it depends. :)
I am of the belief that great digital, whether PC Audio or onebox solutions do not have to cost a fortune.
Good luck. Try Audiocircle Redwine Audio circle, look at Empirical Audio website, and do searches on Audio Asylum and here on PC Audio.