Quote Originally Posted by Sam1000 View Post
If you are talking about CD player as a transport, I would have been with you exactly 6 months ago (before I upgraded from Squeezebox3 to squeezebox touch).
I was really surprised with the difference in SQ,so I posted the question on slimdevices forum using the same logic in your post(data is data). I was told that I was not the only one who noticed this. I use to think the term "jitter" was overused in audio. Now I'm a believer No, I did not do a blind test, but the difference was noticeable enough for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jitter ( I know you like to post the links :-))

Now if you talk about DACs, that's a bigger conversation. Just talk to folks who own either Opp95 or Oppo 83SE. But I agree with you about room acoustics/treatment making the bigger difference.
Placebo is a powerful thing... But seriously, it would be interesting to do the blind tests, and then if there is really an audible difference (demonstrated by statistically being able to differentiate both units), then compare both unit's output.

Thing to note, the squeezebox is a wireless device so the amount of jitter might be exponentially more than a regular DVD player or DAC... Or there might be some other factor which might influence the results...

As I said, all blind tests I've seen seem to indicate that there's no difference to be heard. That's worth dozens of articles on jitter and dozens of folks who claim they can hear the difference...

Axiom portable DVD player vs Mark Levinson No39
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...G5Zy7ieQMKiWHQ

Digital reader Einstein Last Record Player ($ 4,500) vs Laptop + m-audio sound card
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...XkRHihE91NFe7g

Pioneer DVD player vs 12000 Euro Oracle player
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...MYHiu-NuhlDhWQ

Sony DVD Player DVP vs Wadia 6, 20-bit VRDS
http://translate.googleusercontent.c...BlOVbSOJX48FAA

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...UnXJ4piq1XwQIw

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...cPLGl-uGZKsltA

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...C6AIsibz2WK8HA

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...iS780nKUI-HyeA

I can sum up the results of all the above tests with 2 words: "no differences". So jitter doesn't seem to make an audible difference, not saying it doesn't exist or doesn't have a measurable (yet inaudible it seems) effect, but people couldn't tell the cheapo DVD players apart from the uber ridiculously expensive overkill cd players out there... Food for thought? Jitter me this...