Squeeze Box Distortion Problem!!!!!!

[Zing]

Does the quality of Digital Optical Cables matter?

Absolutely not.

 

[PaulyT]

Yeah, it's beginning to sound like there may be some issue with your SB's DAC. I haven't found the analog output level on the SB to be significantly lower than other devices. Are you hooking them to the same inputs on your AVR, just to make sure it's not an issue with those?

I believe I got my optical (toslink) cables from Blue Jeans. but it shouldn't matter too much. If you have coax digital on your avr, though, you can just use a regular rca cable.

 

[heeman]

Does the quality of Digital Optical Cables matter?

Absolutely not.

I thought that Fiber Optic Cable had different performance characteristics depending on grade/quality...................I guess I am wrong? No Problem.

I will order one tomorrow.

 

[heeman]

Yeah, it's beginning to sound like there may be some issue with your SB's DAC. I haven't found the analog output level on the SB to be significantly lower than other devices. Are you hooking them to the same inputs on your AVR, just to make sure it's not an issue with those?

I believe I got my optical (toslink) cables from Blue Jeans. but it shouldn't matter too much. If you have coax digital on your avr, though, you can just use a regular rca cable.

1. No, the SB is connected to the AVR via the TV/CD Input and the CD Player is connected to the PC Input. I can try to switch.

2. Yes, there is a coax (orange) digital on the AVR, do you mean that I can just connect the single RCA Cable and the DAC in the SB is bypassed???? Cool......

3. I am confused with this issue because it is only with some, yes some albums. It does appear that the common theme on the once that distort are the ones with the higher recording levels......HUM.........

Thanks!

 

[Zing]

Does the quality of Digital Optical Cables matter?

Absolutely not.

I thought that Fiber Optic Cable had different performance characteristics depending on grade/quality...................I guess I am wrong? No Problem.

I will order one tomorrow.

It has "different" characteristics than a coaxial digital cable but different doesn't mean better or worse, just different. The difference relates to susceptibility to interference and signal loss but that's almost always exclusive to lengthy runs. Over a short distance, they'll be identical. Remember, a digital signal is nothing more than a series of 0s and 1s so, in essence, digital is digital. And in the digital cable world, it'll either work exactly as it needs to or it won't work at all. It can't work any better or worse.

 

[AndySTL]

For cheap prices on cables, I usually go with parts-express.com. Amazon has some basic cables too. It's hard to go wrong with Amazon.

 

[Yesfan70]

.........If you have coax digital on your avr, though, you can just use a regular rca cable...............

.....2. Yes, there is a coax (orange) digital on the AVR, do you mean that I can just connect the single RCA Cable and the DAC in the SB is bypassed???? Cool....................

I would like to add, that the RCA cable needs to be 75 Ohm rated. So not just any "regular" RCA will do. If you have any old composite video cables around (single yellow), those will do just nicely. If you have a spare component cable you no longer need, you can split them apart and use one of them.

 

[heeman]

.........If you have coax digital on your avr, though, you can just use a regular rca cable...............

.....2. Yes, there is a coax (orange) digital on the AVR, do you mean that I can just connect the single RCA Cable and the DAC in the SB is bypassed???? Cool....................

I would like to add, that the RCA cable needs to be 75 Ohm rated. So not just any "regular" RCA will do. If you have any old composite video cables around (single yellow), those will do just nicely. If you have a spare component cable you no longer need, you can split them apart and use one of them.

Thanks, yes I have quite a few.

 

[heeman]

IT'S FIXED AND NEVER SOUNDED SO GOOD.......................

I connected the Digital Coax Connection and OH MY GOD.................My Collection will now sound like it is supposed to.

So the SB must either have a real low quality DAC, or a defect.

Thanks Guys for all of your help!!!!!

 

[Yesfan70]

^^ Your SB's DAC has probably gave up (or is giving up) the ghost. The DACs in the SBs are of high quality.

 

[heeman]

For the past half hour or so I have been listening to some of the material that I would consider to be system audition quality and I have now discovered that I have been suffering for years with this problem.

I told all the guys at the GTG last weekend that I can not understand why when I listen to music, my system sounds like sh#t, well now I have the answer/solution and you can't believe how happy I am right now!!!

 

[Dennie]

For the past half hour or so I have been listening to some of the material that I would consider to be system audition quality and I have now discovered that I have been suffering for years with this problem.

I told all the guys at the GTG last weekend that I can not understand why when I listen to music, my system sounds like sh#t, well now I have the answer/solution and you can't believe how happy I am right now!!!

That's great to hear Keith! :text-bravo:

Great guys and gals around here! :bow-blue:



Dennie :eusa-clap:

 

[Flint]

Whoot!!!

 

[Towen7]

I'm so excited for you. I know how important this stuff is to you.

Congrats on the repair!

Happy listening.

 

[PaulyT]

One thing you might check is in the web control settings (the one you look at via your regular web browser, do you know how to open that?), check the "player" tab, go to the "audio" menu for that player, and look at "Preamp Volume Control" - it should be ZERO. Which is non-intuitive; if you look at the help, it's actually an attenuation value for the analog outputs (only), and if it's up higher, it makes them not produce as much voltage which may account for what you were seeing. I had some issue with this at one point and it took me a LONG time to figure out that's what it was.

But of course, it sounds like you've got it working digitally, which I think is better overall anyway, because (as I said earlier) you're avoiding an unnecessary cycle of DAC-ADC.

 

[PaulyT]

And yeah, I can only imagine your relief! And you don't have to build a whole new room to get better sound! I'm really very happy for you.

Yes, the complexity of our modern "convenient" equipment can certainly bite us in the ass at times.

 

[yromj]

Glad to hear that you got it going!!!! :music-rockout: :music-rockout:

I still say build the room though.

John

 

[heeman]

One thing you might check is in the web control settings (the one you look at via your regular web browser, do you know how to open that?), check the "player" tab, go to the "audio" menu for that player, and look at "Preamp Volume Control" - it should be ZERO. Which is non-intuitive; if you look at the help, it's actually an attenuation value for the analog outputs (only), and if it's up higher, it makes them not produce as much voltage which may account for what you were seeing. I had some issue with this at one point and it took me a LONG time to figure out that's what it was.

But of course, it sounds like you've got it working digitally, which I think is better overall anyway, because (as I said earlier) you're avoiding an unnecessary cycle of DAC-ADC.

Paul,

I just checked the Pre-amp volume and it is set at 0.

I will leave it connected digitally.

Thanks,

Keith

 

[heeman]

The dedicated room is still a future plan, however in the meantime, I have my great sounding system back!

 

[heeman]

I'm so excited for you. I know how important this stuff is to you.

Congrats on the repair!

Happy listening.

Thanks Tom....................did I mention that to you once or twice or a dozen times during our trip???