bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 353
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Post by bencat on Dec 2, 2023 10:17:23 GMT
Well I have been brave and bought one of these rare beasts . For those not familiar this was Logitechs answer to the clamour for a better quality unit than the Squeezebox Touch . They were £2000/2000 usd when new and that was over twenty years ago . I know what many are thinking , why but old tech in the area were new tech is changing weekly . Well a bit like Early CD Players they were better built and better sounding than we were often told by the press . I also noted that this unit is fitted with a word clock input which is absent on most units today . So it will fit straight in to my LMS ecosystem and I know the menus and controls inside out . Ahh nearly forgot the main thing they have VU Meters on the front as well , not real ones but good enough to appeal to the child that I am . Will make a few observations after it arrives next week .
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bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 353
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Post by bencat on Dec 5, 2023 12:57:35 GMT
Well Transporter arrived today and looks very nice and feels solid . Setting up was a bit frustrating . Network and Music Source were easy . Chose the BNC SPDIF output which has as in to the Mutec with LB clock . Switch to ONE day n my tablet and there is the Transporter set it playing and the track starts , no sound . Check all the settings and cables but no input lights showing on the Mutec . Switch everything off and change to XLR cable setting for digital output . This time Mutec shows external clock light and input lights clicks and pops like it always does an then music . Sounds very good . Then try and connect the Mutech word clock output to the Transporter Word Clock input . Enable word clock input but again all lights drop off the Mutec and no sound . Switch it back to working set up and will leave trying to solve that pay for another day . If anyone has any ideas then let me know .
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Post by MartinT on Dec 5, 2023 15:07:15 GMT
I had a Touch, it was my first taste of music streaming and worked well with Spotify. There was lots of info about how to get more sound quality out of it by shutting down unnecessary processes and tweaking settings. A great introduction to having an infinite catalogue and it worked well with my Beresford Caiman II DAC at the time.
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Post by petea on Dec 5, 2023 15:08:29 GMT
Interesting device. I was curious and had a look at them. I spotted this that might be useful:
"Take the word clock output of your DAC (or reclocking device) and connect it to the BNC on the Transporter. Once you have that connected, set the 'CLOCK SOURCE' to 'Word Clock input' under Player Settings -> Audio.
The Transporter will then slave to the external clock source you have connected."
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Post by nicholas on Dec 5, 2023 16:22:03 GMT
Graduated on up from a Logitech Squeezebox to the Touch then the Transporter and finally had the Transporter modified with a Modwright tube input. Liked them all at the time. Became facile with the Squeezebox software which was better than most.
Sonically, the Squeezebox cohort pales as compared to my present rig which can be seen below. Still a great entry point for competent streaming...
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Post by Slinger on Dec 5, 2023 17:50:54 GMT
All I can say is that it looks absolutely gorgeous. Gotta love those big meters.  |
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Post by nicholas on Dec 5, 2023 19:20:02 GMT
All I can say is that it looks absolutely gorgeous. Gotta love those big meters. Those meters combined with the glow of the tubes transfixed many a visitor who listened to my system back in the day. |
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Post by Tim on Dec 5, 2023 19:40:49 GMT
I had a Touch, it was my first taste of music streaming and worked well with Spotify. There was lots of info about how to get more sound quality out of it by shutting down unnecessary processes and tweaking settings. A great introduction to having an infinite catalogue and it worked well with my Beresford Caiman II DAC at the time. Snap! |
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bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 353
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Post by bencat on Dec 7, 2023 13:44:22 GMT
Right an overnight burn in using Tara Labs file has made quite a difference to the Transporter . Imaging is now rock solid not wavering a bit like yesterday . Bass when present is powerful and has real texture easy to spot do citric and synth bass as two very different sounds . Voices are now spot on natural and real when recorded that way but also showing lots of inner detail when the voice is electronically treated . This was a real gamble for me as I had only heard one briefly over ten years ago .Well I am only using this as a player not using the inbuilt DAC or the analogue outputs and it is making my DCS Delius/Purcell really sing . Happy with this and considering the price doubt there is much out there that is better .
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bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 353
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Post by bencat on May 7, 2024 10:20:36 GMT
Well so impressed was I with the Transporter that I bought another one . After working for two days it had a wobble and would not power up . Given the age my heart sank but after reading a very helpful blog page opened up and replaced the fuse plugged in and working fine . Closed the case and plumbed it in to my second there way active system and sounding very good from the start . Now the fuse I took out was a black covered SR and it has been replaced with a very standard one . I know many on here are very keen on very expensive fuses but for me this just shows why I have been avoiding them . Fuses are made to blow and if it is a standard one then no big deal but if it is an expensive one then it is costly . Are there any cheap chardonnay are a step without the for me would be the constant tension of worrying that it would blow .
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bencat
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 353
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Post by bencat on May 19, 2024 10:07:23 GMT
Listening to Cerys today through the transporter . Just did an LB Clock update/reset which I schedule every four weeks and things again snapped in to focus . Might just do this every two weeks as it takes a couple of seconds . Still amazed at the quality that can had from a quite modest outlay . The large meters appeal to the child in me and watching them is a fun thing to do . With regard to the word clock input it is indeed something you can do but the problem is when the format of the music changes there is no way to switch the Transport up to match the new settings . If all you use is 44.1 though then it is a very good option .
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