Lossless Files Vs CD's

Jwm - Amarra and PM use the CODECS that are the problem. They work with Apple Mac. You have to turn off itunes and use the playlist function to play FLAC in Amarra.

I prefer a particular version of Amarra, not 2.4, over PM. I have compared it to PM. If you have Amarra, you can download this version here:

www.sonicstudio.com/releases/Amarra_233_Release_4319.zip

They are evidently working on a version of 2.4 that has similar sound quality, but I have not heard it yet. If we can get the stability of 2.4 with the SQ of the older version above, this will be the one to get IMO.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Almarg - there is really easy jitter test for CD transports. Just rewrite a commercial CD track with a CDROM drive from a .wav file on a computer. Use a good disk like Mitsui Audio Master.

If you hear any difference between the commmercial disk and the copy when played on the CD transport, then you are hearing jitter artifacts.

I have yet to play a CDP that does not show this effect.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Steve, Have you tried Windows 8 on a PC with wave files? I know that you've been a Mac Proponent, but Win 8 is very audibly better than Win 7. I'd like to hear your impressions. Being a guy with a big family, i'm on a budget and can't go out and grab a Mac.
Any comments would be appreciated... Tim

Configured optimally SqueezeCenter (Server) decodes FLAC at the computer/server and streams PCM to the Squeezedevice. At least that's the way I understand it to work.

"Configured optimally SqueezeCenter (Server) decodes FLAC at the computer/server and streams PCM to the Squeezedevice. At least that's the way I understand it to work."

THat is no the default behavior though, right?

I seem to recall there are ways to configure that would change teh default behavior which as I recall is to convert to (lossless) compressed FLAC to improve network throughput?

I will need to revisit the documentation. The default settings work very well in regards to sound quality it seems so I have not bothered to experiment. I like that I hardly ever get rebuffering events while listening. FLAC format lossless compression probably helps with that but maybe it is not required.

I have worked professionally with compression algorithms though not for audio applications. If done correctly, I would tend not to fear them, especially "lossless" compression which is used prudently and regularly in many computer applications , but of course, in this world, we all know that things are not always done correctly....