squeezebox versus airport express

Hmmm... I have a bunch of SB3s, and its pure marketing BS to claim an unmitigated victory for SB3s over AEX. Sure, SB3 may have a small remote, but with the small remote comes small UI and small functionality. You use the AEX in conjunction with an Apple laptop and while your "remote" (i.e., the laptop) is bigger, its got a helluva lot better UI and functionality.

That said, SB3 is built with semi-audiophiles in mind, so the parts quality is rumored to be better--you get digital coax out, for starters, whereas you are limited to toslink for AEX.

They just serve different purposes, one isn't inherently better than the other. For my main rig, I use something more analogous to the AEX route UI-wise--I actually use a superquiet SFF standalone PC/USB audio device in conjunction with a touchscreen airpanel--but in rooms where music is more for background atmosphere, I'm happy using SB3s.

Never heard the AE, but am VERY happy with my SB3.

As far as remote control, because the SB music server software is basically a webserver, you can use virtually any web-browser as a remote control, from your laptop to a Windows mobile hand-held. Because Slimserver is open source, there are a ton of options for remote control of the virtual jukebox.

Far as comparing, I'd really only listen to the opinion of someone who's actually a/b'd them on the same system in terms of anything approaching an empirical analysis. Anecdotally, since Slim Devices is focused solely on an audio device and gets tons of focused feedback from audiophiles - their CTO and CEO regulary partipipate in their online forums - and because they seem to be targeting a more audio-savvy markey, I've got to think the SB3 might be a superior audio solution to an Apple mass-market solution. Certainly possible that's false reasoning, but seems somewhat logical to me. Only a side-by-side test would tell for sure.

Anyway, my $$ will usually go to a small competitor (Slim vs Apple) when all else is even close to equal.

Edesilva said:

You use the AEX in conjunction with an Apple laptop and while your "remote" (i.e., the laptop) is bigger, its got a helluva lot better UI and functionality.

My understanding was that the SB3 can be controlled by a web browser and that the functionality was pretty deep. I also heard it could be controlled by a Palm or Windows CE devise, but I don't know this for sure.

Having used the slimserver core web server, I'll stick by my assertion that Apple w/iTunes is a better UI. Not a perfect UI, but better than what you get with slimserver. B'sides, if you are going to use a laptop anyway, what is the point of an SB3?

I've been using AEX with a Benchmark DAC, I have to say it sounds good and works very well. The playback is seamless, allowing anyone in the family with itunes (ie all of them) to play music on my system without having to go near it. In the past, they were all afraid to touch it in case something might break, now the system gets a lot more use, much better ROI. They just push one button to turn on the pre-amp and amps, and away they go.

It is essential that this connection be wireless so that multiple laptops and computers can play over it, and so that the PCs are not in the listening area (disk drives make a lot of noise, not just fans).

iTunes/AEX is very nice for ease-of-use even for non-techie, non-audiophile, but for myself, I've been wanting to play non-itunes music and internet radio stations. However, Apple does not support other programs, only iTunes can use the AEX to play music (or at least I don't know how to do this). Also, AEX only supports 16-bit, 44.1KHz. The Benchmark DAC1 can handle up to 192KHz at 24 bits; according to squeezebox product description I think it says they can supply up to 24 bits at 48KHz (not clear if this can be done via wireless).

So I'm interested now in this SB3. I wonder if the slimserver allows just any music player to work via the SB3? For example, I'd like to use Windows Media 10 or the Rhapsody service via my audio system, for that I'd need to have an audio driver that makes the slimserver look like a PC audio device or an Apple audio device for iTunes (we have both Macs and PCs). Can it do that? Can I still use iTunes with the SB3, or would I have to keep the AEX path open also for the other users?

I'm going to go study the slimdevices website; if I get one of these jobbies I'll post my results on this forum.