CRuz,
Thanks.
I'm hoping when the time comes, my current .wav library would work as it does with SB without much additional work, but I guess I will not know for sure until the time comes.
Not having to use a computer would be a nice enhancement. Currently, I use a laptop with two external 2Tb USB drives (one main, one backup) as a source. Everything works great! I will likely keep my current two SB Touches and Sb radio as long as possible at least until something breaks.
The SSB TOuch screen is nice but not essential for me. I use PCs, Android tablets, and even a Windows Mobile handheld device as controllers mostly. |
Mapman, I have my music library stored in FLAC on a Vortexbox Appliance, which comes pre-configured to work with Sonos or Logitech Media server. I presume the SBT and Sonos devices could work side by side, although I have not tried them together. Sonos does not require a oomputer to work. A Sonos bridge device is connected to my router and I have the Sonos controller software installed on an Android tablet. Each Sonos device is automatically detected on first start up and no additional setup or maintenance is required. There is a Sonos forum that can answer questions with more specificity. Trust me, Sonos is much more intuitive than SBT. |
Cruz,
Did you encounter any issues using a music library with Sonos after SB? Like any lost metadata or album art?
I'm using mostly .wav files which might make a difference versus say FLAC.
I hope to keep my SB stuff for as long as it continues to work. Seems like Sonos would be the likely place to look for me at present were I to add or have to replace devices.
I would guess that Sonos devices could run alongside existing SB devices and server without a problem?
I really like the SB crossfade feature. Does Sonos do that?
Also I am wondering if Sonos requires a software media server similar to Logitech MEdia Server to be running or does each device detect and access music libraries directly?
Thanks. |
I don't understand killing the whole format. There's not really anything else quite like it. My kids love having every song, artist, playlist, that's on our computer, available to them in their rooms and remote controllable from their iPod touchs. They both have the smaller, single speaker "radios". It's a nice little player, color screen to show artwork, it can stream radio stations from around the world and sounds decent enough for 8 & 12 year olds. I will continue to use the "boom" as our alarm clock/radio in our bedroom, as well as a second one for portable music on the patio, deck or in the garage. Hopefully they stay functional for years to come. Or until someone comes up with a better system. Actually, Sonos does all of this, only better. Sonos has "Play" devices that do the same thing as the Squeezebox radios and can be used as an alarm clock. The Sonos Play devices sound much better than the Squeezebox radios or boom. The Sonos "Connect" device can be used to connect to an audio system, same as the SBT. I used Squeezebox devices for years (had a radio and still have a classic and a SBT), but have switched to Sonos recently. Sonos is a much better interface that Squeezebox and and a much better "whole house" option. There are only two downsides to Sonos compared to Squeezebox. One, the devices are slightly more expensive and, two, they do not work with high rez files. If you don't need the high rez capability, then Sonos is the Cat's Meow. I think there are some modders that will mod the Connect device to accept 24/96, but all my music is 16/44, so I haven't looked into it. |
I've seen a tascam reader used by
Roger Sanders at shows. |
Addition to my last post:
today since my NAS doesn't connect to my Touch, I put the files I want to listen to on a memory card which i insert directly in the touch. And control it via iPeng on my iphone.
Any other ways to connect a memory card to a dac? |
It's a real pitty. While the software is not as easy as the sonos (for full disclosure i own and use both) and it can't be used in a NAS environment, with a few exceptions-, it is capable of playing hi-res files. Not only upto 24/96, but even upto 24/192 with the free digital output app.
Without the touch, any idea on how to get a hi-res file on a NAS to connect and play through a earby 24/192 capable DAC?
And how to do it , if the DAC is further away and requires a WIFI connection in between? |
Yes its true Logitech is killing the Squeezebox architecture. Not a single original Slim Devices employee remains at Logitech. They've all either been laid off, or left voluntarily.
The "trend" being forced upon us nowadays is this concept of "the cloud". Host all your music on some company's internet servers and stream it to your devices across the internet. The companies prefer this format, as it lets them monitor and track your audio collection and usage patterns. It also reduced tech support calls since they are managing the audio server and not you.
Me, I prefer to retain control of my own data, and to have an audio system that has no external dependencies on internet access, or availability of someone elses servers. I also don't care for the all-in-one digital file systems because they don't use redundant hard drives or have error-correcting memory like my home server does.
Squeezebox is a unique product in the market, nobody else has anything like it. You can have my Transporter and my Red Hat Linux Squeeze Server when you pry them from my cold dead hands! :) |
The new UE radio is basically the same as the old SB Radio, except for the firmware.The old ones can be "upgraded" to the new system. You can't stream local files directly, they need to go through the cloud first. Hopefully they will introduce a Touch replacement or something similar.
With the old ones, every indication is that at some point a few years down the line, you'll lose the apps that go through mysqueezebox.com, but should still be able to stream local files as long as the server still works with your OS. |
Yep, sadly they've discontinued the whole "squeezebox" format. I still own a few of their "boomboxes" & radios and will continue to until they die. Although, I am selling my SB3 to go to a Mac Mini server.
I don't understand killing the whole format. There's not really anything else quite like it. My kids love having every song, artist, playlist, that's on our computer, available to them in their rooms and remote controllable from their iPod touchs. They both have the smaller, single speaker "radios". It's a nice little player, color screen to show artwork, it can stream radio stations from around the world and sounds decent enough for 8 & 12 year olds. I will continue to use the "boom" as our alarm clock/radio in our bedroom, as well as a second one for portable music on the patio, deck or in the garage. Hopefully they stay functional for years to come. Or until someone comes up with a better system. |
Logitech has discontinued the Squeezebox format. They have suggested they will continue to support it for the foreseeable future, but who knows.
The Sonos Connect is one option for an equivalent device. It is limited to 16/44, but interface is much better. |
No replacement I have heard of yet.
Apparently, being discontinued has been good for touch's value.
I still have 2 currently unused Roku Soundbridges. These can connect to Logitech and Windows Media server as well and sound similarly good via the same external DAC. I wonder what these are worth now? |
Just checked Amazon. They are now going for $424. !!
Is there going to be a replacement for the SBT? Is there something equivalent on the market? |
Discounted where? On the Logitech site it's full retail. Maybe Christmas sale. Amazon always discounts them. |
