J. PUPSTER
💿🐕 Senior Disc Chaser 🎸
Do you have a Squeezebox?
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Surround Master V3 has landed (news, discounts etc)
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J. PUPSTER
💿🐕 Senior Disc Chaser 🎸
here a link for a manual of a later touch model
great little piece of gear, but Logitech dropped the ball on it
https://www.logitech.com/assets/33606/squeezebox-touch-fg.pdf
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- Nov 27, 2014
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Yes I’ve the original Slim Devices one
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2014
- Messages
- 42
Spatial Luxe
New member
Ahoy all,
It is with great pride and extreme terror that I can announce that the SM V3 has landed and is available for purchase. It's a bit of a refresh - the power supply has been updated to be more efficient and cleaner (see also: runs much cooler than previous versions) - and also gives the analog path a bit more headroom - not that it was really needed but doesn't hurt either - in particular though the negative rail has been improved and Charlie and I both think the unit sounds a bit cleaner.
Also new in this version: Optical input. Stereo PCM up to 96/24.
Plus the LEDS on the front panel no longer burn directly into your soul - I think this could be considered a "quality of life" upgrade.
Surround Master V3 - INVOLVE AUDIO
The downsides - well, it's a little more expensive now for a few reasons: partly the upgrades, and partly because as you may know, the electronics industry has been royally screwed up by Covid-19, in terms of labour and supply chain issues, and there are massive silicon and chip shortages worldwide - a situation that may not be properly rectified for some time. (yes, we're talking years). I'm sure if you've tried to purchase a PC video card in the last 6 months, you know what I'm talking about. We do however still have a couple of discounts for new and existing owners.
The price is USD $695 outside of Australia. Inside of Australia we have a new distributor who will be handling those sales, and the price is AUD $995. That's pretty close to the same price, depending on the exchange rate it may wobble a bit. That company is https://newsoundtech.com/ - they're extremely enthusiastic about our products, which is always a plus - and not to worry, Involve is still covering the warranty etc.
Anyway, discounts:
Firstly, for QQ forum members we still have a $50 discount with the code smv3qq21
Secondly, for existing owners we have an additional $100 discount. BUT we're doing that one a bit differently now; the code will be tied to your email address for ordering. If you want to use it, contact me at [email protected] and give me the details of your previous order (order number and email address used will do) and I'll give you the code and authorise it for use with your email.
ANYWAY - here we are. If you've been waiting for this version with Optical, or just waiting for the next batch - have at it, friends.
If you're an owner of the V2.....I'm not going to call this an essential upgrade but if you were thinking about a second unit or REALLY want that optical input - well, here it is.
Yours in a white-wine sauce with garlic, mushrooms and shallots,
~David (Bitch, First class)
P.S. the six channel amp is coming, watch this space (or the space around it).
Can I plug a Turntable directly into the Surround Master V3 RCA IN left & right without any preamp/amp and send Front & Rear 4 speakers to 4 Yamaha H8 powered monitor speakers? I’m interested in playing 70’s SQ Quadraphonic 12” LP’s this way using your Involve / SQ / 4.0 / 4.1 Setup.
J. PUPSTER
💿🐕 Senior Disc Chaser 🎸
Welcome to the QQ @Spatial Luxe
don't believe so, do you have a phono pre-amp?
see the post by our member @DuncanS here:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/new-member.31442/page-3#post-613644
I use a cheapy Pyle pre-amp, bought for use with AVR's. Seems to work great with the SMv3. I've never tested the result without it. Guess I could!
It needs a phono pre-amp because the signal is low from the cartridge, circa 5mV, not at line level, and it needs RIAA equalisation applied to flatten the frequency response.
Explain the RIAA bit, would ya?
Yeah, I guess older receivers tended to have a phono input which would boost the voltage, eh? New AVR's, not so much. And neither the SM, it seems! Still, like I said, phono pres can be had cheap.
When LPs are cut they are EQ'd using a standardized RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) curve. The EQs tips the top end up and the low end down, like a lot, like 30-40dB. The reduction of signal on the low end limits low frequency groove excursion so they don't have to cut huge grooves and can extend the play capacity of the LP. On playback a phono preamp applies the inverse curve by boosting the low end and reducing the highs. In doing so, it removes the high frequency surface noise as well. The resulting output is a flat response, as was recorded in the first place (hopefully).
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Jeez-Louise!!! I hope my cheapy lil' Pyle pre-amp is doing that!!!
Im sure it is, its just a question of how WELL it does it.
Don't you go and shatter my fantasy of cheap stuff performing excellently!!!
I WANT to believe!!!
But will it outperform my Daveco, it cost me a whole $10.00 in the mid seventies!
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Anyone ever use one of those $20 Radio shack phono preamp modules. It was like a little square box with inputs, outputs and a power cord.
OMG. when i went to go look for a photo I found ASR had tested one!!!
Realistic 42-2101A Review (Vintage Phono Stage)
I used to keep one around for test purposes.
OMG. when i went to go look for a photo I found ASR had tested one!!!
Realistic 42-2101A Review (Vintage Phono Stage)
I used to keep one around for test purposes.
On vinyl the high frequencies are at a higher level than the low, so equalisation needs to applied to make the frequency response flat during playback - would sound very 'tinny' if not done.
You want good matching between the Left & Right channels of the phono pre-amp or the Quad matrix decoding may not be quite as 'expected'.
removes surface noise? Only the one of an immaculate vinyl.
But then... dust, hiss, cracks. The vinyl fans had to learn to love that hiss and crackles, even more than the tape hiss, comparably lower, I think.
Any EQ to filter that hiss or remove the cracks will remove much of the good high frequency. When I was transferring my old vinyls to WAV, I used decracking software but it bothered me a lot to loose some of high frequency. Nice I have abandoned playing with vinyls.
Sorry, this is not related to RIAA curve, but with the inherent problems of handling a vinyl
The Radio Shack phono stage had 61 db snr on one channel and 55 on the other. Probably needed some service.
61 db isn't that bad. Records are pretty noisy as mentioned above.
The best ones measured at ASR are the Cambridge Audio Duo (90db) and the Solo (86db)
61 db isn't that bad. Records are pretty noisy as mentioned above.
The best ones measured at ASR are the Cambridge Audio Duo (90db) and the Solo (86db)
That cheap little "Daveco" RIAA preamp was used so that I could update my ceramic cartridge to a magnetic one, the Shure M3D. Back then I was blown away by the difference in the sound quality. I was so impressed that when I got a new turntable I stuck with the (lowly) M3D. I think that the cartridge sold for $10 at that time as well!
Records aren't noisy at all unless unless you scratch the heck out of them. The odd tick goes relatively unnoticed. I remember noticing the tape hiss at the start of many record tracks, more bothersome than ticks!
Modern software can remove ticks and pop's without affecting or losing any of the highs.
Records aren't noisy at all unless unless you scratch the heck out of them. The odd tick goes relatively unnoticed. I remember noticing the tape hiss at the start of many record tracks, more bothersome than ticks!
Modern software can remove ticks and pop's without affecting or losing any of the highs.
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