Squeezebox FLAC, Wi-Fi, and the M-DAC bit perfect test!
FYI The M-DAC comes with an on-board built in bit-perfect test, whereby a couple of sample files are provided 16*44.1 and 24*96, which can be compared to the on-board versions, when a 'Bit perfect' test is executed...
I posted this on the M-DAC PFM thread, but I thought it might also be of interest to SB users, with regard to FLAC & wi-fi;
I've had my M-DAC for some time now, and I'd performed a 'bit perfect' test via my laptop when I first got it, however my normal mode of listening is via an SBTouch, playing FLAC from a QNAP server...
I thought I'd test out the 'Bit Perfect' test using the entire setup, and in the way I normally listen...
So I created a mini album 'M-DAC Bit Perfect Test' with a nice little M-DAC album cover, with the following tracks (FYI I created the FLAC versions using dBpoweramp);
1. 16*44.1 WAV test.wav
2. 24*96 WAV test.wav
3. 16*44.1 FLAC test.flac
4. 24*96 FLAC test.flac
And then rebuild my SB catalogue...
FYI I'm using A0.5 on the M-DAC, EDO 7 on the SBTouch (connected via USB/USB hub/USB galvanic isolator), and LMS 7.7.2 on a QNAP TS-119
And hurrah! it passed each time
Interestingly enough the CPU on my server went through the roof (about 50% cpu) when I was testing the WAV, presumably it must be transcoding on the server, whereas when playing the FLAC tests it was back down to its normal 5%, with the transcoding occurring at the Touch end.
So there's a couple of urban myths dispelled, if FLAC from an SB server transmitted by wi-fi to an SBTouch can produce a 'bit perfect' test at the M-DAC for both 16*44.1 & 24*96 there can't be much (or anything for that matter) wrong with that architecture.
Therefore not much wrong with FLAC and Wi-Fi then, less bandwidth, less storage, less cables, and 'bit perfect'...cue smug face!
