I have an Amazon Fire TV box in house now. Using it to replace a cable service box for TV only at present, but I am seeing the Plex app available there. Might have to give that a try on my hifi system at some point soon. Everything appears to indicate that should work. Then, how will it sound? I would be using the same DAC as I use with SB TOuch currently, so should be able to compare.
Anyone tried Amazon Fire and Plex app yet on their system?
Plex does cost a few bucks. There are a few other free apps I have dabbled with a bit that are able to interface to my remote music library on my wifi networked laptop and play .wav files on my TV. That's as far as I have gotten with this so far. |
Bluesound....that's a new one for me that on paper appears to be a viable candidate, depending on cost.
I see a local dealer for Bluesound....will have to check it out. |
Bluesound http://www.bluesound.com |
I'm starting to look at Amazon Fire device + Skifta perhaps if needed.
This looks like a nice fit, especially for Amazon Prime customers that might also be interested in video/tv streaming.
PLEX is advetised to be on Fire TV device at launch and might be worth a look.
Fire TV appears to have both optical and usb outputs that could support using an external DAC, a key feature for good sound quality out of an inexpensive source device.
Anyone tried any of this yet? |
Until someone can match the interface provided my Logitech Media Server + the screen and remote + web interface, I don't think there will be a true successor. |
A fair degree of computer literacy definitely helps with Squeezebox. Its easy for the "system administration" aspects of computer audio to become a big sideshow, drawing away from listening time.
I'm a computer systems/software engineer, so I thrive on this stuff! But I can understand that its not for everyone quite yet. Things continue to progress. Usability of computer entertainment devices in general is still evolutionary, way more so than home audio sound quality these days.
My wife is an old fashioned girl and would be happy for the most part if things went back to the way they were in the 50's. She hates all my fancy gadgets and controls, which I love! NEver complains about the sound quality though. :^) |
I bought a SB Touch last year, OBM and great shape. My computer friend set it up for me to play into my Dac...it's a great dac, using a nice dedicated digital cable via spdif. OK. Used it once, OK.
A few weeks later, the same friend saw a nice upgrade external power supply for it on A'gon and texted me to buy it, so I did. OK. He rigged it for me. It works fine.
Gave me 0.5 TB hard drive filled with pretty good music...Listened to it twice and it's all on the back shelf doing nothing.
Back to listening to my CD player-as-transport into the dac.
A few months later bought a 3TB hard drive which he then stocked up with A LOT more pretty darn good music. Used it with the SB once more. It's OK.
It's back on the back shelf.
Guess I need to give it another chance...
FWIW I type with one finger and use the computer to visit audio sites to read, learn and talk a little audio...
That's really the only way I mix audio and computers so far.
Guess I'm missing out on something?
To answer the topic question: "I wouldn't really know a worthy successor but, you know, my two cents on this topic probably isn't worth the copper it's stamped on..."
On the other hand, I suppose I should really learn more about how to use that SB Duet based transport I recently purchased...[and had my friend set up], it works fine. It's simply called "The Lampizator TranspOrt" and I got it so it will match my Lampi Dac that it's rigged through (the one referred to before). It works fine, (especially with those NOS tubes...). Seems to have a lot going for it. OK. But I've only used it twice...
and it's just sitting on that same...back shelf. Hmmmm
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Android based multimedia devices in general perhaps.
Browsers, Tablets and smartphones provide the portable remote control interfaces people want and need. I use all these with my SB Touches much more frequently than the built in touch screen itself.
High quality (audiophile quality) sound is the other SB Touch feature to replace. A good DAC connected to digital out from any device properly equipped provides that, similar to SB TOuch.
SB TOuch built in DAC is reputably not bad, but I have never even tried to use that since I had my preferred DACs prior.
SB Touch was a great device but highly specialized with limited market. Sonos covers that mostly these days.
But remote control of general purpose multimedia computers with digital output capabilities is where its at in terms of providing the best product needed for minimal cost.
OF course for most homes, a good quality modern Wifi network is the other piece of the puzzle needed.
This way hi fi sound is just another multimedia service you set up and use on your home network along with the rest. VEry little specialized or proprietary hardware is needed.
This is where I will be looking to go most likley when the need arises next. Hopefully, my 3 SB devices (2 touch and one radio) continue on for a while though..... |
Anybody has any experience with the Cambridge Stream Magic 6?
http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/stream-magic-6-upsampling-network-music-player
Impressive specs and not expensive. I only wish it could be compatible with 802.11 ac. |
If things stay as they are now, I'll probably just wind up sending a Sonos to W4S and letting them do an upgrade on it. The only real advantage that the SBT has over the Sonos is the ability to do hi res files. Personally, I've found hi res downloads to be hit and miss at best; so I don't think I'll miss it much. |
I just checked Amazon. Vendors who still have Squeezebox Touches are pricing them at $699. That should be an indicator of what a hole that product has left in the marketplace. |
There are several promising things coming to replace the Squeezebox. Bluesound is similar to Sonos in function and comes from the same distributor as NAD and PSB. It's out, but has virtually no internet streaming services that are working. They say they will have them "soon".
VOCO (myvoco.com) has a product that looks similar in function to Squeezebox Touch. They claim it's available but don't answer the phone so who knows.
Olive One is another contender but there's little useful info at present.
Another huge difference between Sonos and Squeezebox is support. Logitech answers the phone in about 1/10 the time and they generally know what they are talking about. Sonos techs don't. |
Has anyone heard the Denon-DNP-720AE? It is a wifi enabled network music player with a digital output. |
From the N-30 product brochure:
"AirPlay-enabled App Support – Get access to the growing number of AirPlay-enabled
apps like Pandora® and iHeartRadio®" |
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the Pioneer Elite N-50 does internet radio, but no Pandora and Rhapsody.
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As I posted elsewhere on this site, I think the Pioneer Elite N-50 and N-30 are the closest things out there right now to a Squeezebox. Not drop-in replacements by any means, but based on the features and price, as close as anything I'm aware of. |
Ozzy,
You really don't need to be computer savvy to setup a Synology Diskstation. You just pop the hard drive into it, plug is into your router/switch/hub and run the setup disk. Next thing you know, it shows up on your network. |
05-29-13: Ozzy
Mitch4t, I'm not really into low grade sound quality of internet radio. I'm using Touch coaxial digital out into my DAC for internet radio. It sounds very very good ... never use Touch analog outs and probably doesn't sound too good. |
Tonyangel, Thanks for the reply. I'm not too computer savvy but I will look into the NAS device you refer to.
Thanks. |
I really don't know about that Bryston unit. Just looking at the specs, I'm getting the feeling that most of the price is going to be for the name.
For the money, you could get into a modded Mac Mini, build a CAPS server, get a modded Sonos unit or a number of other options.
Of course, I haven't played with one, but again, just reading from the specs, it sounds a whole lot like a pre built CAPS server.
Ozzy, if all you're worried about is pulling files off of a 1TB drive, there are plenty of ways to do that. I'd first attach that drive or transfer the files to an NAS. Once you do that, there are a bunch of possibilities.
You can get into a Synology single drive NAS device for around $300 and use an external drive for backups. |
Mitch4t, I'm not really into low grade sound quality of internet radio.
I'm looking for a way to play my 1TB hardrive the simplest way. The Bryston looks like the one to get for that. I just wish there was a cheaper way since the Touch performs pretty good for the original cost. |
I don't know why this didn't occur to me before, but the AppleTV works pretty well too. For the $100 price tag, it's a pretty capable piece of gear.
I played quite a bit of music through it and it sounds pretty good. I just don't use it for music much now that I have the Sonos and Touch. |
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The Bryston BDP-2 player doesn't play Pandora, Rhapsody or internet radio...that's a deal-killer in my book.
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What about the Bryston BDP-2 player ? Lots more money, but hopefully a trend where others may follow. |
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What about the guys that created SlimDevices? Since Logitech is no longer interested, it seems like a logical re-entry point for the SlimDevices guys to buy it back and get back into the game.
I had never even heard of the Squeeezbox until I read it here on the 'Gon in a thread. I've never seen one in a store, I've never seen it advertised, and no one that I've ever met has ever heard of a Squeezebox. Logitech never spent any money to really advertise or market the device.
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Logitech is a mass market consumer company, and everything is seen through this lens. They probably saw an opportunity to do something with Squeezebox when they made the acquisition, but it didn't work out. Just imagine there's demand to attract $$ and best and brighest. Probably have a Netflicks and OnDemand for audio. If there's enough bandwidth for HD Video, audio should be trivial. No more disc, transports ... I've own all the SBs and currently using a Touch for internet radio only and a Boom. Excellent products and engineering staff. All just plug and play with no problems. Currently using a PS Audio PWD MKII/w bridge. Sometimes the bridge would get stuck and I have reinitialize by recycling power ... bad programming. Paul McGowen should hire some of the SB engineering staff. |
Logitech got out of the business because it just wasn't a great business for them. They likely needed considerably more volume to justify keeping it around.
Logitech is a mass market consumer company, and everything is seen through this lens. They probably saw an opportunity to do something with Squeezebox when they made the acquisition, but it didn't work out.
It was a great product. |
Sonos is my recommendation, and reclock it. I use one myself. I also have SB3
Steve N.
Empirical Audio |
I really don't think that you'll find anything close for the $300 price tag.
I have both the Sonos and the Squeezebox. I started with the Sonos and loved it, but then I got it into my head that I wanted to get into hi res. The Sonos tops out at 16/48. The Squeezebox will do 24/96 out of the box and will do 24/192 with the addition of a 3rd party app.
To be honest, I really don't know that pursuing the ability to play hi res files was worth it for me. I download most of my stuff from HDTracks and I've gotta tell ya, the quality of the hi res files is hit and miss. With some, the improvement over 16/44 CD rips is unmistakable; with most, I'm really hard pressed to be able to tell the difference.
It really sucks because the hi res stuff isn't cheap, usually running about $18 for an album of 24/96 and $25 for an album of 24/192.
I know that the Squeezebox has gotten a lot of good press and deservedly so; but I've really enjoyed my Sonos as well. The Sonos is just plain bullet proof. I've never had a single problem with it. It is very well supported by the manufacturer and the free controller app is very refined and easy to use. It is much more intuitive and bug free than anything that you can get for the Squeezebox.
I also know that the Sonos has taken some criticism here due to it suffering from a lot of jitter; but, on the other hand, I've spent many countless hours enjoying the music coming from the Sonos unit being fed by CD rips from my NAS.
The way I see it is that the Sonos is weaker than the Squeezebox in three areas.
First, with the Sonos, you have to stream content from a computer or NAS. There is no option for using a USB drive or SD card. Second, there's the jitter issue. Third, the Sonos doesn't have an IR port, so all control has to be through an iPad, iPod, or some other sort of smart device. The third thing is what gets me, because I like to build a play list and then just control everything with my Harmony 900 remote, which I can do with the Squeezebox.
The Sonos goes for $350. I say, give it a try. I think it's the closest you're going to get to a Squeezebox Touch. If you don't like it, return it. |
I don't think so. Sonos probably comes the closest, but it is way more expensive. The Cambridge Stream Magic has even more functionality, and a better DAC, but lacks the cool interface and is, once again, much more expensive. I don't understand why Logitech dropped the Touch. It had no equal at anywhere near its price, the iPeng remote app was great, and speaking for myself, if they had come out with a new version with a bigger screen (say twice as big), I would have bought it in a heartbeat. |
