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Where We Are and Why

The replacement transformers have arrived. I'm just waiting for some SMD parts and then we will:
- leave the RCA output with our resistors and 75ohm cable untouched
- install the transformer on the second out and connect (with some SMD parts) that to a 2nd RCA output. This will allow us to switch between the current output (which is already significantly better than stock) and the output with the upgraded transformer.

Thanks for the comments; I'm very interested in the other ways mentioned and will get one of those devices to compare.

Some have asked why we are doing THIS instead of THAT.
This is a vendor's forum. The idea was to see how far we can go with what we have on the shelf using the commonly and cheaply available Musiland (which gives us 24/192) and a computer transport.
To recap:
The Musiland needed a good clock, power supply, and the right cable. These things removed much of the performance bottleneck.
In addition the chipset likes and is able to swing more voltage so we made the circuit changes for that, but the transformers (already marginal) were unable to keep up. So we used resistors and this has taken us to the current level of performance.
Now we have the upgraded transformers and will try the next phase described.

Regarding some of the other ways to get digital music playback I received this interesting email:


"Brian,

I had a look at several of these Media Streamers. Reviews of many can be found at the MPC Club website, they are worth reading for the comments on the music side of things.

I do not wish to comment on the SPDIF output implementations in these machines, but yes, they work and bitperfect if the volume control is left at full.

All these machines have a most basic software and interface section for the Music part.

Worse, none to the best of my knowledge handle music playback in "gapless" mode, absolutely essential if live or classical albums are ripped into seperate tracks (or indeed such items the recent "Love" Album made from The Beatles back catalog or something like DSOTM by Pink Floyd.

The only way around this would be to rip such albums as complete images, in that case these players lack the support for .cue files that allow individual track access in these whole CD Images.

This basically precludes their use for music playback if one listens to anything where gaps inserted between tracks are unacceptable."
DIY - Done Right!



Edits: 11/18/09

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