Squeezebox - digital volume?

Yes, this is indeed an option with the SBT

Yes. I have tried it and it works.

Dear Richard,

You definately can use the volume control of the Touch though it is better not to, since the qualit is inferior to that of your pre-amp. Thebest way to go is to use the digita out of the Touch (which is quite good quality) and connect it into a DAC. The analogue out of the DAC is than connected to your amp or pre-amp where you can use the volume control on.

There are various threads on the forum here, allowing/advizing you to improve the sound quality of the Touch. For example you should fix the volume control of the Touch at 100%, try toput the display off, and stop all automatic logging. Have a look on the forum here for these threads (Touch Toolbox 2.0) . My experience is they really (!) help improving the Touch to a very good source for your name set.

Cheers,

Iver

Thanks for the replies.

I'm getting an nDAC on sat for a home dem, I'll see how it works out, with and without a pre amp.

I use a Macbook into a Northstar DAC which outputs into my Qute.  The Qute is just an analog volume control in my system as all the digital inputs, together with networking, Internet radio, and the power amp are disabled.  Possibly extravagant, but cheap in comparison with a Naim preamp and external PSU.  The Qute feeds my 250.2 and PMC speakers.

I have wondered about upgrading to the nDAC. So please post your impressions after trying it over the weekend.  

I am running a Squeezebox receiver through a Naim DAC into a NAC 82. The volume adjustment is digital, reducing the number of bits of resolution as you turn it down, which is not good for sound quality. Lock the SB volume at 100% and use the volume control of your preamp instead. If you don't want to mess around with an extra remote, the Squeezebox IRBlaster plugin can change the Squeezebox volume setting to control your preamp (this is the kind of customizability that makes me love the Squeezebox).

Whenever I feel like there is something wrong with the sound, I check the SB volume, and find that the kids have turned it down (Even though I lock it at 100%, they unlock it). Again, do not use the digital volume adjustment on the Squeezebox.

Objection, your honor. I run a Squeezebox into a Nait XS. When the SB is cranked up to 100%, and I don't want to listen too loudly, I need to turn down the Nait so far that the channels are no longer balanced. So at low volume listening levels I maintain a minimum volume on the Nait and do the rest via the digital volume control on the SB, which is the lessser evil.

I’ve just done a quick and unscientific test of SB volume control against 82 volume control. First impressions suggest that the sound is more dynamic and has better clarity through the 82 volume control, but I’m not sure I matched the sound levels from each.  Adjusting to anything above 80 on the SB volume control, I couldn’t hear an obvious difference. I’ll do more when I get the DAC.

I agree that any losses above 80 will be subtle. All of the times I noticed problems was when my kids had set the control to well below 80. Once you drop to 50 or less (pretty common in practice), the sound is much worse if you use the SB digital volume control.

+1. Run into a DAC which is on a Nait 5. It is just more convenient to use the Touch vol control with it's nice little remote. Runs typically in the mid 80s to about 90.

Actually run at 100 I didn't hear better I thought maybe even not quite as good. I know that goes against the wisdom but there it is.