Squeezebox Touch or 'Proper' Streamer?
Good Day To You All,
I'm at a crossroads where music streaming is concerned (and near to the point of shaking off iTunes dependency).
Until recently, all my music was stored on an ATV with a 1tb drive, being controlled by the Remote app on my iPad excellent for pumping tunes to another zone).
Recently i have become the proud owner of a Synology DS212j, which i have duly uploaded all of my media to.
Here lies the problem.
I have been looking at at the new breed of music streamers from the likes of Pioneer (very interested), Cambridge Audio, and Marantz, (all reviewed in the latest issue) to throw my music around the house. They all sound like they would do the job quite nicely, and all have decent iPad apps, which is a very important point for me.
However...
I am reading lots of good things about the Squeezebox Touch.
I can't find a bad word being printed about it, the price is more than appealing (compared to the above mentioned items), and it's sound quality is 'stunning', and 'would keep most hi-fi buffs happy'.
I'm very tempted to buy one, but surely a dedicated streamer built by a 'proper' hi-fi company woud be a better bet, wouldn't it?
>surely a dedicated streamer built by a 'proper' hi-fi company woud be a better bet, wouldn't it?<
Nope. Many of them still can't do gapless playback. And a fair number of these boxes have been left high-and-dry by the change to Napster. And they can't do multi-zone.
>surely a dedicated streamer built by a 'proper' hi-fi company woud be a better bet, wouldn't it?<
Nope. Many of them still can't do gapless playback.
+1
And I would say the only "proper" streamers were the ones that could do gapless. Apologies to people with the better looking "Hi-fi" alternatives, but for many people, myself included, this is a MUST have.
Squeezebox or Sonos is the way to go. I have an older squeezebox duet and I love using it. Free smartphone apps, great web interface for PC or Mac control and lots of add ons, from Spotify, Shoutbox, iPlayer (radio).
It's also a very quick interface, depending on where you have your database. It runs like lightning on my NAS (Readynas Ultra 2, 1.6 atom based).
Raumfeld is another brilliant option.
Review here:
http://www.whathifi.com/Review/Raumfeld-3Raumfeld/
Available here:
In terms of features (playing your music, internet radio, your spotify music) and (most importantly) sound quality, pound for pound the SBT must surely be a no-brainer. In terms of how it stacks up against most 'proper' hi-fi on SQ alone, I don't know; but it easily defeated my Cyrus CD8X.
Currently listening to: Eric Johnson - Venus Isle
In your eyes (ears) makes you think a SBT is not a proper streamer?
is the Rasberry Pi not a computer?
get one, get iPeng for the iPad and you will be supprised (also pay for the playback option on iPeng and you turn it into another Squeeze playback device).
have fun. and try it with and without your DAC.
SBT is 'proper hifi'.
Other good options are Sonos (up to 16/44 only) and the others as posted above.
I am sorry if i caused offence to owners of the sbt, for not considering it 'proper' hi-fi.
I'm sold on the idea, and will be seeking one out.
Cheers for all the comments and opinions, i think i've realised now how important the forum is.
I am sorry if i caused offence to owners of the sbt, for not considering it 'proper' hi-fi.
I'm sold on the idea, and will be seeking one out.
Cheers for all the comments and opinions, i think i've realised now how important the forum is.
No offence taken here; I thought your post was well meant. That's the thing about the SBT though; logic (no pun intended) dictates that it shouldn't be so good; but it is!
Currently listening to: UFO - The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent
I think it would be good if the Logitech Squeezebox Touch was tested against so called 'proper' streamers in WHF. Apart from it's initial 5* review and as a subscriber of WHF I've not seen it put up against anything else?
Hi,
I am looking at something similar and just discovered Sonos which could be a great solution.
As someone stated it only supports 16/44 but I was advised there will at somepoint be a software upgrade to change this, is this possible ??
I don't know if this is an issue for me and I have yet to look at a squeeze box option, I find these things make more sense when you see them in action.
I thought Sonos was something completely different until i saw how it worked, I am leaning more to this than the streamer option I was originally considering, esp. cos I can work it thru' my mobile and it has Spotify on it, so easy to use and instant.
It is also cheaper and more flexible than the streaming system but would still be looking at a dac aswell.
Good Luck,very interested to see how you get on
Hi, I am looking at something similar and just discovered Sonos which could be a great solution.
The Sneaky is in a completely different league to Sonos, so make sure you get a demo....that also goes for the OP.
Hi Cno,
I was hoping to be sneaky but had to cancel trip to ripcaster where also would have seen the sbt working and the linn as on the few demos I went to no one sold them.
I am not really sure how they work together but I hopefully will get it when I see it and still got to sort out the NAS issues, fotunately I am in no rush/mad urge to sort this out as i need to see the options, although someone tried to lure me with a Majik ds discounted to less than full price of a sneaky, have i missed a bargain ?
>I was advised there will at somepoint be a software upgrade to change this, is this possible ?<
If it was, I suspect Sonos would have done it by now!
......although someone tried to lure me with a Majik ds discounted to less than full price of a sneaky, have i missed a bargain ?
Yes!
What advice did Ripcaster give re the DS range, in terms of sound quality?
They are very good at what they do, and there are many people on this forum that will swear by the in built DAC. Though from your sig I see you already have one yourself, of course it would be worth trying out which is better. There are also power upgrades, I remember seeing someone on here mention they heard a SBT with an upgraded PSU and to their ears it outdid some high end Cyrus kit. In terms of the price, and especially considering you already have a decent DAC, I'd be going for either a SBT or an Apple TV (optical out from ATV to your rDAC).
Currently works at Currys.
Macbook/iPhone - ATV2 - AVI ADM9T + Sub
PS3, 42GT30, Tivo, BD110