I'll give my impressions using receivers - I started out with a Denon 1602, then an 1803 (for 6-channel). I didn't have a Squeezebox back then or very good speakers until the last few months with the 1803. The sound was good but when I compared it to an all-analog setup attached to the speakers I realized it was slightly cold/analytical/bright.
When it came time to go to 7-channel, I got a Marantz 7400, replaced in about a year with the 8400. I've used a Squeezebox 2, Squeezebox v3 and now a Transporter with the 8400. The Marantz units are better for music in my opinion. They are quite a bit warmer and sound richer. When I first tried the comparison between the analog and digital, digital was definitely brighter, almost "crystalline" if you will. Analog was much, much warmer, in fact downright muddy in the vocals. So I used digital. However in the last few months of Squeezebox v3 ownership I tried out analog again and I can't explain why, but the difference between analog and digital was not nearly as pronounced - I preferred analog. This is a head-scratcher that started with SlimServer 6.5.0 and its associated firmware. I was not the only one who experienced a sound quality increase and there was a thread on it but no one could explain why. So it's best to experiment with your equipment and see what you like best. Also don't be afraid to revisit your findings at a later date! -- Mark Lanctot ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mark Lanctot's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2071 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31497 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
