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i-170/SB/duet/slim devices transport........HELP

Can anyone shed some light on all this new tech for me?
I'm trying to take advantage of the convenience of my 160g I-pod with my main rig. I just bought a Bel Canto Dac-3 and was planning on buying an i-170 until I heard about the sb. Seems like a much better idea....I can leave the files on my ipod at 320k instead of uncompressed, for one thing.
My main questions are what do I need to get an sb up and running w my main rig? A router? A wii fi setup? I'm pretty computer illiterate. To be clear, what do I need in addition to the actual sb.

Secondly, there seem to be more options than just the sb. What is a duet? An upgraded sb? Also, there is a Slim Devices transport listed on Agon for $1200. Anyone hear one of these? Is there a big difference? I've even seen sb's w upgraded power sups going for up to $2000.

I'd love to hear thoughts from anyone who has experience with these devices. Thanks.
trank
trank OP
10 posts
 
Yes, that's probably the route I will go. My computer is upstairs and main rig is downstairs. Any opinions on sb vs duet vs Slim Devices Transport? The Sonos and other hi-end servers are more than I want to spend right now.
eslaudio
118 posts
 
My understanding is that the squeezebox and duet are very similar internally--the main difference being the display of song and album information. With the SB, the display is on the device itself, while the duet uses a sophisticated remote that displays song info, album art, etc. I would probably go with the duet for the versatility. You do not need to spend the extra money on the Transporter, which costs significantly more primarily because of the high quality DAC it uses. Because you already have an outboard DAC that you'll be using, the SB or Duet are all you'll need. Both units can be modified in a variety of ways if you choose (e.g. upgraded power supply, upgraded connectors, upgraded internal parts, etc.). I would check out Bolder Cable, which specializes in SB and Duet mods.
trank OP
10 posts
 
Very informative. Thanks a lot. It looks like PS Audio is coming out with a really slick device, but I'm not sure it's been released yet and it's about $4000.

If I can access all my music from my computer for just a few hundred, I'm all over it:))

Read up on the Slim devices a little. Considering selling the Bel Canto, and using the Slm dev dac. Simpler, a little cheaper..........and It'll play hi rez formats. I'm thinking it's a little more future proof.

Still deciding. Thanks a lot for your input.
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