The Most Minimal Computer Music Converter

[terrybooth]

Here's an example of where this might be taken

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/my- ... sic-server

[terrybooth]

I now have two of these. I've just fitted the second with a DAC board based on Sabre Dac (the first has Burr-Brown). So I'm about to find out if that makes a difference to the sound.

[terrybooth]

This answer, to me ears, is that it does. The board with the Sabre DAC in it sounds slightly more veiled, plummy, closed in than the board with the Burr Browns. Mind you, there's about a gnat's testicle between the two.

[slinger]

So when does Booth Audio open it's doors to customers then?

[Keithh]

Well reading posts from terrybooth and Lazmo got me interested enough to have a go and I wanted to have something to compare to the Squeezebox Touch. After a short deliberation I plumped for the IQaudIO iDAC and here it is with similar case to Lazmo's:

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I also tried to use Volumio 1.3 but first attempt seem to get corrupted and at the second attempt with a new copy on the SD card I could not get it to recognise the Vortexbox NAS. I considered RuneAudio but that does not yet support the iDAC so I went for Squeezeplug. The set up was very simple (a good thing) with only one dip into Linux to make sure the correct modules for the board were loaded. I have it set up so I can use the same Squeezebox app on my tablet/phone as the Touch.

So what does it sound like? Well first impressions are good, using FLAC files none of the pops or clicks that I have read about and it is connect via ethernet rather than WiFi. In comparison to the Squeezebox though the bass is thinner and the treble seems to be smeared or splashy. This may be because I am just using a Samsung 2A wallwart and it needs something better, it may be that it needs more of a run in (the Squeezebox has certainly had that) or they may be other settings buried away that I need to play with. Any thoughts would be welcome.

[terrybooth]

It took me a little while to get Volumio working. I had to turn off DNLA sources before getting the NAS to work.

[Keithh]

Yeah I might have persevered and I got Volumio working streaming radio, but another problem is that it doesn't work on an andriod device. Squeezeplug does and gave me a chance to do a reasonably direct comparison. What I don' t know is how much the software affects the end result. Perhaps I will give it another go on another sd card.....

[terrybooth]

I assume you mean an android client to control Volumio. Sound@Home.
Web radio is definitely first step to check you have a working system. But note, not all the channels work.

[terrybooth]

Here's another variant http://www.8ballaudio.com/tablet/soldier.html

[Keithh]

Yes by way of clarification I couldn't get the WebUI to connect from my tablet only via a PC. I had partial success with MPDroid but that seemed flakey and stopped working but hadn't tried Sound@Home. Something to try now that I know that the hardware is functional.