El Duderino;409064 Wrote: > Hi, > > I am currently A/B'ing my SB3 and new Transporter to determine whether > the significant price differential between the two units is justified, > or whether the 30 day money back guarantee is the way to go. > > At present, I have the SB3 hooked up through its RCA analog output to a > Bel Canto Pre1 which is wired via XLR to a Bel Canto 200.2 amp. The > Transporter was initially hooked up to the Pre1 via RCA but is now > connected using the balanced XLR connectors. > > I have noticed significant improvements with the Transporter but want > to ensure that this is as controlled as possible. Firstly, I need to > confirm that my setup is volume leveled. I have both the SB3 and > Transporter "synchronized" with the volume set to "fixed" via the > options menu in Squeezecenter. The volume digital readout on the Bel > Canto is set to the same level for all inputs. > > To my ears, it sounds like the Transporter may be a little louder...but > this may be a function of the lower noise floor and, overall, fuller > presentation/wider soundstage/etc. If it is the latter cause, then I > keep the Transporter. If, however, the perceived improvements are > simply due to volumes which are not 100% identical, then I cannot > possibly justify the price difference between the two and the > Transporter goes back. > > My question is: with the aforementioned setup, is there any possible > way that the volumes could be different? Does use of the XLR connector > on the Transporter vs. the RCA outputs on the SB3 bias volume, all > other factors being identical? > > Thanks in advance.
If you are going to use FLAC or some other lossless format and can afford the Transporter, keep it and enjoy the music instead of wasting time setting up incorrect/incomplete testing procedures. First, common sense should tell you that you are wasting your time as well as ours because the DAC chip, DAC circuits, power supplies, and analog output section in the Transporter are superior to the SB3 in every department! Second, your ears can't be trusted as they are connected to you brain that uses all available information at its disposal to make conclusions. You may ask if you're listening what other info is available? I will tell you, your eyes and any misconceptions, biases, or conclusions you have already arrived at. An Audio Engineer friend and I have proved this many times with an experiment we repeated many times with the exact same result every time. Bias and pre-conclusions win out over actual facts when one is depending on ones ears to form test results. Download the software that Phil and I have been using and eliminate the faulty part of your testing IE your brain, eyes, and ears. Third, if you don't already know that XLR Balanced outputs are superior to RCA outs, then don't bother wasting your time and ours. The SB3 has a 6.0Vpp RCA line level output and the Transporter XLR is 8.5Vpp so it had better sound louder into the same pre-amp line level input! Should it sound clearer and cleaner, it should, but because of the better DAC and accompanying circuits. Not the fact that XLR has more oomph. Again the ears are misleading the conclusions and the brain is making assumptions. -- iPhone *iPhone* Media Room: Transporter, VTL TL-6.5 Signature Pre-Amp, Ayre MX-R Mono's, Vandersteen Quatro, VeraStarr 6.4SE 6-channel Amp, VCC-5 Reference Center, four VSM-1 Signatures, Runco RS 900 CineWide AutoScope 2.35:1 Living Room: Duet, ADCOM GTP-870HD, Cinepro 3K6SE III Gold, Vandersteen Model 3A Signature, Two 2Wq subs, VCC-2, Two VSM-1 Kitchen: Squeezebox BOOM Bedroom: SB3, GFR-700HD, Thiel 2.3, Second Boom Home Office: SB3, NAD C370, two VSM-1 Home Gym: SB3, Parasound Vamp v.3, Thiel PowerPoint 1.2 House Portable: SB3, Audioengine A5 Thunderbird: Duet, Mac Mini Expedition: SB3, ToughBook ------------------------------------------------------------------------ iPhone's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13622 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=61686 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
