[PhilCTTE]

Following on from previous thread regarding the never ending debate on which is the best sounding media streamer/player.

We've had a few volunteers in grouping together some equipment and doing a blind listening test.

So far we have interest from ....

Druboo - stock SB
Myself with a stock ZP80 - Location W.Mids
Norks27 or Vinze with Cullem Modified ZP90 - Location Surrey
MilesS3 - with Linn Majik
MedRep1 - Rotel and MF DAC Cardiff?

SlackAdders modified digital 2 SB by Audiocom ... arriving shortly
Autopilot any chance of getting hold of an SB Touch?
And I know I've missed some off who has a Linn Akurate.

Its probably well worth while waiting for moded versions to join the event so we'll hang on. I'm aware tho that this audtion could get close to Christmas , so date and location could get tricky...

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by PhilAllaway

Autopilot any chance of getting hold of an SB Touch?

Depends on the where and when, a definite maybe.

[rowlandhills]

Originally Posted by PhilAllaway

And I know I've missed some off who has a Linn Akurate.

That would be me

Adding locations into Phil's list, I think we have:

Druboo - stock SB - Location: ???
Phillallaway - stock ZP80 - Location: W.Mids
Norks27 or Vinze - Cullem Modified ZP90 - Location: Surrey
MilesS3 - Linn Majik DS - Location: ???
MedRep1 - Rotel and MF DAC - Location: Cardiff?
rowlandhills - Linn Akurate DS - Location: Hertfordshire

Possibles:

SlackAdders - modified digital 2 SB by Audiocom ... arriving shortly - Location: ???
Autopilot - SB Touch? - Location: ???

[Peter314]

Has davidbut dropped out?

Would be nice to include the SB+ in any listening panel testing...

[davidbut]

Originally Posted by Peter314

Has davidbut dropped out?

Would be nice to include the SB+ in any listening panel testing...

No, I'm still here, feel free to add me to the list.

[Slackadder]

Slackadder here!!

Based in Reading but work takes me to Dorset and Bristol areas!

Look forward to more info! I have a standard Duet but the modded one isn't here yet... should be here by the end of the week.

Anthony

[Medrep1]

Im up for it, and just to clarify I have a Rotel AV Pre/Pro with its own built in DAC, but will hopefully have a Mac Mini to throw in the mix soon! The MF DAC is Druboo's.

It will be hit and miss whatever fancy DAC I can get from my dealer whenever this bake off happens

Although im now curious over the new NAIM DAC, as its supposedly got some form of fancy jitter suppression tech?
Perfect for these jitter prone devices, such as the Mac!

I think logistically alone this is going to be a nightmare to organise lol!

[Slackadder]

Medrep,

Agree it might be tricky but hey, should be worth it and some fun!!!

Have some good digital cables to add to the mix (Chord Prodac and Signature) if that helps.... not going to mention the pesky Yter (Italian) speaker cables...... I'm still smarting from that hit to the wallet!

Anthony

[amcluesent]

Would be interested, just a stock TP in Cambs

[Slackadder]

Also frequent Essex, Norfolk and pass by Camridge!

Most important thing is parking and a good space to hold the gathering!

Anthony

[Druboo]

I'm over here somewhere




<---------------------

Also have a stock TP

Would offer to host, but it would mean banishing the tribe and the hound for a couple of days.

Quite happy to travel tho given enough notice

[rowlandhills]

Presenting the info we've got at the moment in a slightly different way:

Player	Possible Owner (Location)
stock SB + MF DAC	Druboo (Wiltshire)
stock ZP80	Phillallaway (W.Mids)
Cullem Modified ZP90	Norks27 (Surrey?) or Vinze (Surrey?)
Linn Majik DS	MilesS3 (???)
Rotel Pre/Pro + Mac Mini	MedRep1 (Cardiff?)
Linn Akurate DS	rowlandhills (Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire)
modified digital 2 SB by Audiocom	SlackAdder (Reading/Dorset/Bristol/Essex/Norfolk/Cambridge!)
SB Touch	Autopilot (???)
SB+	Davidbut (???)
SB Transporter	amcluesent (Cambridgeshire) or Druboo (Wiltshire)

[Slackadder]

Wiltshire is cool for me too!!! Quite convenient actually

[rowlandhills]

slackadder - do you just like travelling?

[Autopilot]

Shropshire here.

[rowlandhills]

Player	Possible Owner (Location)
stock SB + MF DAC	Druboo (Wiltshire)
stock ZP80	Phillallaway (W.Mids)
Cullem Modified ZP90	Norks27 (Surrey?) or Vinze (Surrey?)
Linn Majik DS	MilesS3 (???)
Rotel Pre/Pro + Mac Mini	MedRep1 (Cardiff?)
Linn Akurate DS	rowlandhills (Hertfordshire/Cambridgeshire)
modified digital 2 SB by Audiocom	SlackAdder (Reading/Dorset/Bristol/Essex/Norfolk/Cambridge/Wiltshire!)
SB Touch	Autopilot (Shropshire)
SB+	Davidbut (???)
SB Transporter	amcluesent (Cambridgeshire) or Druboo (Wiltshire)

[Slackadder]

My job involves being in the car quite a bit so no real bother!

Wiltshire though is sounding quite good for some though.....anyone in Oxford as this would help bring it back into the middle a little more.

Anthony

[Autopilot]

Could you disctibe in more details what the plan would be, what base system etc will we be running them from etc.

[rowlandhills]

Autopilot - I think that at the moment we're just trying to get a view on who's interested, what kit they could bring, and where they're located, to see if there's an obvious "central" place to hold it, at which point we can try to persuade someone to host it, confirm the base system, and try to find a date which people can actually make!

[PhilCTTE]

Auto ...although I've had a hand in driving this thread somewhat. Its a democracy , so there is not one but many peoples views. I can certainly air some thoughts mind.
After we vote on location and date and time, I'm sure there will be less of us involved (hopefully not, but inevitable). At the moment your slightly more north than the rest , but it looks as though Oxford is the most central. What do you think the chance of finding a dealer in Oxford area, that would be willing to host?. I guess this may stimulate some forum members to purchase , but not necessarily with the host. So I'm just trying to justify why a dealer would get involved. And I guess there are rules on this forum in free advertising. The more I write this the more unlikely I think that a dealer would get involved.

I have volunteered to host, but if the feeling is that a more southerly location is needed then so be it. ...I'll re-address this later.

Regarding your initial query on equipment to be used. I've just had a re-count and we have 10 different players/streamers combinations. Amplification and speakers need to be of the high quality "revealing", but I feel should be static. So only DACS and players/streamers should be swapped in and out. ( you notice I haven't even mentioned cables). I also question using multiple DAC's ( more on this later ) This of course is up for debate and is only my view. The test has to be performed in a structured process - (scientifically) If we introduce to many parameters speakers cables amplifiers etc etc...then I think we will not achieve what we have set out to do. Not only will we run out of time , but the listener will become tired and we will not get accurate results.

Perhaps if we introduce a base platform of audio and play a collection of music for a predetermined time so that we all start from the same perspective. To allow the listeners to get used to the speakers amplifier and room acoustics.

Regarding DACS and player combination assuming analogue and digital outs from all but the Linns ( not sure someone will correct me ). I feel that this also is too many to consider (8 * no of dacs) + (10 analogues). I think that by the end of the listening debate even the most die hard amongst us, will leave us all feeling a bit "yea whatever.." So I 'd propose that we pick the DAC first ? I could do with a bit of direction here please join in... but there may be issues here with the output of some streamers with synced clocks to the DAC.

So any views ?

[rowlandhills]

There's a digital out on the Majik DS too, but not on my Akurate DS.

I wonder how many of the systems we could setup at once. We could probably (depending on the preamp) connect all of the analogue machines and one DAC, the just swap the digital inputs?

[PhilCTTE]

Although I'm willing , my lounge is a modest 17 * 12 feet, with (expensive) in-wall speakers firing across the room. My equipment is housed in a large cabinet. So its not ideal as an auditioning room. i.e to gain access to cabling etc...

I love the sound from my system , but others who have the ability to free stand a pair of B&W 802/3's 3 feet from the wall may feel that the sound is not as open airy 3 dimensional ( whatever else the mags describe)...I haven't noticed it myself mind ,but theres got to be a difference. So it's not the very pinnacle of audio, but close , but its certainly needs some thought on how to place the amp for easy access. Although who actually lives in a dem like room ?

[Slackadder]

Phil,

A good dealer in Oxford is Oxford Audio Consultants (was just there on Sat).

They have 3 demo rooms - one of which is huge and dedicated to two channel. Might it be worth a contact with them??

I am sure having X number of hifi fans visit might result in some business and is also a good promotional opportunity.

They could help with a base system and they are Naim dealers as well so perhaps the Naim DAC might be around by then to demo as well!

Anthony

[norks27]

The dealer demo room does sound like a good idea (if it is possible of course)

[Medrep1]

Wouldnt hurt if we all chipped in and gave the store/staff a xmas pressie? Few slabs of decent beer or some boxes of wine for their xmas party? If the store stocks any of the kit we want to A/B then all they are doing in reality is offering a large demo to a big group of people, just a very long one

I can bring along my B&W805S speakers, and my amp appears to be reasonably neutral??? Just my 2p worth.

[PhilCTTE]

I've been thinking thru what needs to be setup and it sounds like there is no way we can do this without forward planning a few things ... For instance the Sonos and Linn can be pointed to a NAS, but the SB variants have to have their proprietry software running on a server slightly more beefier than a straight forward NAS. I've assumed then that the Sonos will point to a library on any server, so we need to have in our hands a suitable SB server setup. With an agreed playlist.

Then there is the logistics of lining up these players and making the connection in and out as simple as possible. Of course all pointing to the same music source. All players would have to be configured connected to the network and have their music libraries at the ready. So the A/B switching is less time consuming, what we don't is to be faffing around in between each switch and getting the respective libraries setup and controllers connecting properly. All this equipment would then have to be screened to ensure a blind test is performed.

Whats the limit on the number of auditions ??? as previouosly mentioned 10 units * number of anague & digital outputs already puts this number at 19 . I think this has to be the limit. I think we need to settle down and listen to a cd player first and pick a dac of choice. With the exception of maybe Norks moded sonos which has been specifically configured with the PS audio DACIII.

[PhilCTTE]

Okay so fingers crossed I have sent an email to Oxford Audio Consultants. As a persuader is there anyway these chaps could get free advertising ? (mods?) as a banner to this thread or something. As this is no doubt a huge ask but the results would benefit so many on these forums.

[Slackadder]

Cheers Phil,

Look forward to hearing how the email is received.

The room I am thinking of is great! Also only a two minute walk from the station for those bringing small (SB/NAS) items by train!

Anthony

[nik41]

Only just seen this I would be interested in joining in I use an Apple TV into an aging Creek DAC, I live in Wiltshire.

Nik

[Mr_Sukebe]

I'm interested and am also located in Surrey. I've ordered a Touch, no idea when it will be here. Rest of my kit is in my sig.