Squeezebox Touch

[Bigfish8]

I purchased a Squeezebox Touch shortly after Logitech began shipping the units and initially used it as a ditital source in my main rig.  While the Touch provides very easy access to a music library, I did not find it good enough without connecting it to a DAC for my main system.  Today, I was playing around with the Touch and I was surprised to learn you can connect a USB Hard Drive to it to directly access your music.  I was happy to learn about this feature as I will now use the Touch over on the Eastern Shore where I just like to have music playing on the deck.  The Touch will offer me full access to my music library without having to constantly change CDs.

Ken

[richidoo]

That's something mdconnelly and I were wondering about right before they started shipping. Whether or not it would really work like it seems, and as you are describing. Has anybody tried it yet?
Thanks

[Bigfish8]

Whether or not it would really work like it seems, and as you are describing. Has anybody tried it yet?
Thanks

Rich:

Yes, I tried it and it works great!

Ken

[richidoo]

that's gREAT!  Thanks ken!  That is a handy feature.  Now we have to compare the sound, USB vs Ethernet...   

[mdconnelly]

Yup, works like a charm and I now take the Touch, HD and Audioengine A2s whenever I go on vacation now.   But... at home, I still run SqueezeCenter and wireless to the Touch rather than having the HD in my living room.   

The only problem I've had with running the HD connected to the Touch via USB is that sometimes the Touch will start rebuffering when a 24/96 recording is playing.  I've seen this problem posted on the Slimdevices forums as well.  Strangely enough, it doesn't happen all the time.  Perhaps it's related to the compression level of the flac files but I haven't tried tinkering with it yet.

Ken - what DAC are you using?   Any comments on the sound of the Touch compared to what you were listening to with your Transporter?   While I do think the Touch is a clear step up from the Duet, I'm curious how it holds up to the Transporter.

[Bigfish8]

Ken - what DAC are you using?   Any comments on the sound of the Touch compared to what you were listening to with your Transporter?   While I do think the Touch is a clear step up from the Duet, I'm curious how it holds up to the Transporter.

Mike:

I will start a new post!

Ken

[Phil]

What a great device to get started with computer audio (thanks for the info, Mike).  And the sound quality -- even wireless -- feeding an external DAC is excellent (in fact, in ways it is better than discs played on the same universal).  The only tweaks I've tried thus far are changing a setting so that the computer decodes the FLAC rather than the using the Touch for that function (significant positive change) and placing shorting pins in the analog outs. 

Updated (free) software tweaks will soon be available here:  http://soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com/p/squeezebox-touch-great-base-for-network.html  I'm really interested in the tweaks that can be used for a wireless connection. 

For those who use a USB dac, please note that one tweak will enable you to use the Touch's USB input as an output (seems someone else has posted this software option elsewhere). 

Anyone gone the hardware mod route (mods to digital section and linear supplies)?  I'd love to hear the Touch powered by battery, but haven't seen anyone offering that mod. 

Phil

[Carlman]

I have a friend (also a member here but rarely visits) that bought a Touch as a standalone music player with his backup hard drive connected.  He had a really tough time getting the USB -> hard drive to work properly for him.  I think it had to do with the size, way it was organized, etc.  The Touch required him to have his library organized a certain way and not be over a certain size.  Too many albums/directories/etc. and it will no longer find music.  He had a pretty long list of issues with it.. so, just be aware there may be issues using it for some.

-C

[mdconnelly]

I keep my music on a hard drive on a computer running Squeezebox Server.   But... I have taken a 500g drive full of music, my Touch and a pair of AudioEngine A2s with me on vacation and it has worked.  It did take a long time for the Touch to scan the drive.  And if I remember correctly, my hirez music would cause the Touch to stutter.

While I love my Squeezeboxen, I would never recommend buying a Touch without running SB Server.  I think the Touch is just a touch too underpowered to pull it off.  I've heard of too many similar problems to count on it reliably.  Perhaps a future firmware release will fix that. Dunno.