How to deal with loudness?

[Stratmangler]

With the receivers & the SB3 there is an option to fix the volume at 100%, which renders the volume control inoperative, however ReplayGain still functions in these circumstances.

You can do the same with the Touch, although it requires the installation of a 3rd party plugin.
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=77837

[electric beach]

Chris, worth a go I think, having been used to my Touch with no mods running the Drobo in direct, and then visiting Gary, who networks his and at the time had the soundcheck mods applied, the improvement is very worthwhile. I will be applying them once I have a dedicated machine to run SC on.

Ali, I've been experimenting with these upgrade options and the jury's still out...

Either I hear things differently to others or I'm looking for different attributes. The improvements always revolve around "more detail" or "more transparency". I never see "more musical connection" or "better instrument tone". But I think these tweaks are VERY personal and system dependent.

I'm just trying the Linux adjustments and although the changes are clearly effective, I hear a negative side to their effect, namely that the dynamics are reduced considerably, the sound doesn't flow out of the speakers into the room in the same effortless way and the overall presentation becomes "locked down". Do you think this could just be because my speakers are SO dynamic and effortless that I'm hearing so easily when this is disrupted?

It's all too easy to steer a system towards having an excellent presentation, inoffensive with most recordings and immediately impressive, then being left listening to the system and shortchanged on the musical message. I've had a few experiences in the last year where I've chosen the options that were initially less obvious (maybe more 3D but less detailed or something) and then a few moves later - wow, beautiful, clean high frequencies which sound so natural and don't leave you wanting for anything, they just appear complete and strikingly realistic.

[Welder]

Ali, I've been experimenting with these upgrade options and the jury's still out...

Either I hear things differently to others or I'm looking for different attributes. The improvements always revolve around "more detail" or "more transparency". I never see "more musical connection" or "better instrument tone". But I think these tweaks are VERY personal and system dependent.

I'm just trying the Linux adjustments and although the changes are clearly effective, I hear a negative side to their effect, namely that the dynamics are reduced considerably, the sound doesn't flow out of the speakers into the room in the same effortless way and the overall presentation becomes "locked down". Do you think this could just be because my speakers are SO dynamic and effortless that I'm hearing so easily when this is disrupted?

It's all too easy to steer a system towards having an excellent presentation, inoffensive with most recordings and immediately impressive, then being left listening to the system and shortchanged on the musical message. I've had a few experiences in the last year where I've chosen the options that were initially less obvious (maybe more 3D but less detailed or something) and then a few moves later - wow, beautiful, clean high frequencies which sound so natural and don't leave you wanting for anything, they just appear complete and strikingly realistic.

Give that man a medal