This is the second iteration of my modest 2-channel system. I stream apple lossless audio from an iMac to the squeezebox. I love having my entire music collection (250 or so albums) available without having to get up from my seat. I listen to a lot of alt rock, folk, and Jazz.
We live in a 700sqft apartment in New York City, so I don't have the luxury of a dedicated listening room. I'm not sure I'd do that anyway as I like having the stereo in our main living space.
The B&W CM5s were a huge upgrade over the 601 S3s that I started out with. They've added a ton of detail and extended the bass response. They don't have the edge that the 601s did and are much less tiring to listen to for extended periods of time.
The Primare I21 made probably just as large an improvement over my old Rega Brio as the CM5's did over the 601s. Most notably, the bass is deeper and more detailed.
After trying and returning the Musical Fidelity V-DAC I picked up a PS Audio DigitalLink III. The PS Audio is far superior to both the V-DAC and the squeezebox's internal DAC.
Linnie01, that of course depends how loud is loud "enough". I can play at moderate volumes no problem, loud enough to hear well into the recordings and get plenty of enjoyment out of the music. However, this is the reason I don't have floorstanders or a sub -- my neighbors would hate me for sure. It's a compromise, but the city has its benefits as well.
System edited: Added a PS Audio Digital Link III and took all new pictures. The DAC sounds great. An improvement over the V-DAC (and squeezebox) in nearly every way. It sounds very natural to me. No traces of harshness, but it's more detailed at the same time.
Hey thanks everyone! I've been enjoying this setup for about a month now and I'm very happy with it.
I used the V-DAC for 3-weeks but I ended up sending it back. In the end I didn't think the difference was worth it. I was able to discern a little better bass definition and more dynamic range, but it was a very subtle difference.
I still feel that the squeezebox should be able to be improved upon, so I bought a PS Audio Digital Link III on a-gon and it should be arriving tomorrow! I won't be able to A/B it with the V-DAC but I'm hoping for a bigger difference. I'll be sure to post an update with my impressions.
Dude, love it! I'm a big fan of the CM series myself. I spent a very happy year with CM7s. They are superb! Primare is also a great choice. They make excellent gear. Nice and simple, I bet it sounds great. Nice looking room also.
System edited: Replaced the Audioquest Type-2 with Clear Day double shotgun. I'll be trying some blind tests soon comparing the Squeezebox to the MF V-DAC and the Audioquest to the Clear Day speaker wire.
