USB Ext Sound Card Vs. Squeebox


I need your opinion on the following setups. Which system will sound better?

1. Mac Mini with USB Sound Card + DAC
2. Mac Mini with Wifi Squeebox + same DAC

I am playing WAV as the music format.
I assume option 1 is better but option 2 is a cleaner setup for me. Has anyone tried both setups? And is there a noticeable difference?

Thanks.
Sean
seanchau

Showing 1 response by cytocycle

There were no sound difference between wireless and wired except for when my wireless router would drop (thanks to my neighbors cordless phones... changing my wireless channel away from stock and going to 5.8ghz phones solved this problem) Of Course having a Squeezebox without the wireless card will reduce contamination and that will probably make it sound better going wired, but the fact that TCP is a reliable transport that isn't colored by air or copper..(IT humor sorry)

The SB3 is thin sounding stock and not full unless you get a modified powersupply (not just cheap linear ($30-100) powersupply which I did not hear an upgrade) Once I went to my Bolder ultimate powersupply I had body again.

There were no other jitter changes or timing issues. in my comparisions.....so if you have a better DAC and digital cable things are probably different...

I still have a stock SB2 and powersupply to do direct comparisions into my DAC on another input and both can be playing the same song at the same volume level for comparisons.

My Setup
Thecus N5200 Pro Nas (music in FLAC), XP PC running Slimserver and DVR software, Wireless SB3 Bolder Digital mod and Bolder Ultimate powersupply and Bolder power cable, connected via Transparent Reference digital cable to my Theta Gen VIII (which has a Jitter Jail built in for fixing incoming digital inputs) to Theta Citadel amps to Wilson Maxx speakers.

Steve we get the point that you make the Pace Car.. but is it really necessary to tell everyone on every thread that this will fix everything??? I think not... slow down your posts, people do search for answers.