Home music - PC to sound system solution

rogueblade · 27 Nov 2011 at 18:56

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to get a sound system for my flat. I currently have an Asus Xonar DX 7.1 sound card and a pair of HD555's; great for sitting here at my rig and listening to sweet tunes. But I want sound system in my living room (PC is in my bedroom) which can play the music I have stored on my PC. This would be nice for when I have people around or just want to chill in the living room.

Apart from what sort of sound system I should get, I'm more interested in what sort of setup is required to get the music on my PC to play on a sound system in a separate room. I have an xbox360 I don't use much which can do the Windows Media centre streaming but am unsure if that's a viable solution among those who are into this stuff and how that would even connect to a sound system.

My friend also showed me this www.sonos.com as soon as I told him the above info; Sonos looks pretty cool, but is definitely around my maximum budget and I'm unsure about the quality out of those 'all-in-one speakers'.

Journey · 27 Nov 2011 at 21:30

You could grab one of the Logitech Squeeze boxes and hook it up to a dedicated Hi-Fi/AV setup this would allow you to stream your music from your PC, plus internet radio.

You can control them from a remote that comes with them or an Android/Iphone application which is very good.

I'd highly recommend looking at one, it should easily make your short list and the prices are not bad either especially on the blemished box items from Logitech direct.

Hope this helps

lucid · 27 Nov 2011 at 21:32

If it's just going to be a background music then one of the Sonos Play speakers + the BR100 bridge will probably do you fine. But if you want something capable of rocking a party then either the Sonos Connect (ZP90) or the Squeezebox Touch and some form of hifi is going to be a better solution.

So, what is your expectation of sound quality?

The XBox might be a solution, but the biggest hurdles will be the ease of use of WMC and the fact that the telly will have to be on whenever you want to just play some music. This isn't the case with the Squeezebox or the Sonos systems. Both have apps for Android and iOS. The Sonos one is the nicest to use, but the Squeezebox one is perfectly adequate.

As for the Hi-Fi, have you a separate budget for that? If so, what is it?

rogueblade · 28 Nov 2011 at 19:12

lucid said:
If it's just going to be a background music then one of the Sonos Play speakers + the BR100 bridge will probably do you fine. But if you want something capable of rocking a party then either the Sonos Connect (ZP90) or the Squeezebox Touch and some form of hifi is going to be a better solution.

So, what is your expectation of sound quality?

The XBox might be a solution, but the biggest hurdles will be the ease of use of WMC and the fact that the telly will have to be on whenever you want to just play some music. This isn't the case with the Squeezebox or the Sonos systems. Both have apps for Android and iOS. The Sonos one is the nicest to use, but the Squeezebox one is perfectly adequate.

As for the Hi-Fi, have you a separate budget for that? If so, what is it?

Thanks for the info, not too fond of the Logitech product after reading review on it

My expectation of sound quality? Something good, I mean I've been a headphone guy most of my life so I'm not sure what to say there, but I like nice crisp sounds for when listening to classical music and good non vibrating bass when listening to techno or dubstep.

Ah yea, having the TV always on to do it via the 360 probably isn't what I want.

Separate budget for HiFi? By that do you mean buying the Sonos connect and then spending elsewhere on the sound system? I thought I would need the Sonos speakers to work with the Sonos connect.

lucid · 28 Nov 2011 at 19:56

rogueblade said:
My expectation of sound quality? Something good, I mean I've been a headphone guy most of my life so I'm not sure what to say there, but I like nice crisp sounds for when listening to classical music and good non vibrating bass when listening to techno or dubstep.

In that case a separate sound system is where you need to be...and something quite a few steps up from basic too I would guess.

rogueblade said:
Separate budget for HiFi? By that do you mean buying the Sonos connect and then spending elsewhere on the sound system? I thought I would need the Sonos speakers to work with the Sonos connect.

Think of the Connect (ZP90) like a CD player or DVD player. It is a discrete component that can be connected to any hi-fi or AV system with a suitable input: stereo phono, digital coax or digital optical.

The Sonos Play3 is a mini stripped down Connect Amp (ZP120) and speaker all in one box. It is not designed for connecting to anything. It's a stand alone device. Neat and simple for those with very basic requirements.

I generally sell ZP90s to go with an existing hi-fi or multiroom system. My best value package is a ZP90 plus some active pyramid speakers. The speakers have an amp built in to them. This makes a self-contained system. It sounds far better than it has a right to and it looks funky too

rogueblade · 28 Nov 2011 at 20:02

lucid said:
In that case a separate sound system is where you need to be...and something quite a few steps up from basic too I would guess.

Think of the Connect (ZP90) like a CD player or DVD player. It is a discrete component that can be connected to any hi-fi or AV system with a suitable input: stereo phono, digital coax or digital optical.

The Sonos Play3 is a mini stripped down Connect Amp (ZP120) and speaker all in one box. It is not designed for connecting to anything. It's a stand alone device. Neat and simple for those with very basic requirements.

I generally sell ZP90s to go with an existing hi-fi or multiroom system. My best value package is a ZP90 plus some active pyramid speakers. The speakers have an amp built in to them. This makes a self-contained system. It sounds far better than it has a right to and it looks funky too

Ah! Ok, that makes a lot more sense now, thank you. What are these active pyramid speakers you speak of??

lucid · 29 Nov 2011 at 00:47

rogueblade said:
What are these active pyramid speakers you speak of??

rogueblade · 29 Nov 2011 at 11:46

Very nice, where can I buy?

lucid · 29 Nov 2011 at 14:40

Me. I'm a dealer and I hold stock. £89.95 per pair on their own, or £50 when bought with a ZP90 @ £270 from me.

FYI: ADS is the distributor. They are only interested in wholesaling in volume.

rogueblade · 29 Nov 2011 at 14:54

lucid said:
Me. I'm a dealer and I hold stock. £89.95 per pair on their own, or £50 when bought with a ZP90 @ £270 from me.

FYI: ADS is the distributor. They are only interested in wholesaling in volume.

Ok so it would be £320 total? But if it can only be purchased in volume, I guess that means I can't do it lol :rolleyes:

lucid · 29 Nov 2011 at 15:31

lol, no no no, you've mixed up the two statements.

I'm a dealer and I sell the speakers and Sonos bits. Those prices you see are what I sell them for. If you want 1 x Sonos ZP90 + 1pr Pyramid speakers then those are the prices to you.. 1xZP90 + 1pr Pyramids = £320. Do you want these?

Journey · 29 Nov 2011 at 15:55

Don't think you should be promoting your own business on here it's against the rules.

londonbairn · 29 Nov 2011 at 21:03

Sonos is awesome. not sure on the combo above.

We have a zp90 to av amp, zp120 to ceiling speakers in bathroom and play 3 in kitchen.

rogueblade · 29 Nov 2011 at 21:37

rafster said:
Sonos is awesome. not sure on the combo above.

We have a zp90 to av amp, zp120 to ceiling speakers in bathroom and play 3 in kitchen.

Neat, please tell me; what exactly is the difference between the zp90 and zp120, what does the zp120 do that the zp90 doesn't.

Do you stream directly from your computer to the zp90? Or do you use one of these Network-attached storage (NAS) things? (just found out what it is today)

lucid · 29 Nov 2011 at 22:38

ZP120 has a built-in amplifier. You connect up a pair of ordinary hi-fi speakers.

What the ZP120 doesn't have is any line outputs. This means you can't connect it to a Hi-Fi or home cinema system. The only way of getting music off it is via the speaker terminals.

The red & white phono sockets you see on the back are line inputs. This would be for connecting something such as a basic iPod dock; games console; TV audio out or some other source. Incidentally, the ZP90 also has line inputs. The purple socket is a line level connection for a subwoofer.

All of the Sonos players can stream from a computer or from a NAS. The difference is between the two options is mostly down to practicalities. Do you really want to switch on a PC each time just to access the music files on a shared drive? A NAS drive is simply easier.

rogueblade · 29 Nov 2011 at 23:04

lucid said:
ZP120 has a built-in amplifier. You connect up a pair of ordinary hi-fi speakers.

What the ZP120 doesn't have is any line outputs. This means you can't connect it to a Hi-Fi or home cinema system. The only way of getting music off it is via the speaker terminals.

The red & white phono sockets you see on the back are line inputs. This would be for connecting something such as a basic iPod dock; games console; TV audio out or some other source. Incidentally, the ZP90 also has line inputs. The purple socket is a line level connection for a subwoofer.

All of the Sonos players can stream from a computer or from a NAS. The difference is between the two options is mostly down to practicalities. Do you really want to switch on a PC each time just to access the music files on a shared drive? A NAS drive is simply easier.

Thanks again for more info, I'm basically learning this as I read it.

A couple other questions:

I see the ZP120 has an input for a subwoofer but the ZP90 and Squeezebox Touch do not.
-How can you connect a subwoofer to the ZP90 or Squeezebox Touch?
-Does the digital A/V input HAVE to be used in that case? (digital A/V input is the orange input right)

-Does the Squeezebox Touch have a build in amp like the ZP120?

I ask about the subwoofer because I imagine I would purchase a 2.1 system..

lucid · 30 Nov 2011 at 00:13

Firstly you need to learn your inputs from your outputs.

Signals go IN TO an INput. You don't get a signal out of an INput.

Similarly, an OUTput is where a signal comes OUT. The clue is in the name.

You wouldn't connect a subwoofer to a ZP90 or Squeezebox, same as you wouldn't connect speakers to them. It's not the way it is done.

ZP90/Squeezebox Touch -> amplifier/home cinema kit + speakers

ZP120 -> speakers or speakers + sub

As for the connection possibilities on SB Touch that has already been covered in previous posts. Please go back and have another read.

londonbairn · 30 Nov 2011 at 08:57

Depends on how far you would want to take it, and what you want in terms of speaker quality and what you have currently.

You could just easily get a Sonos Play:3 or a Play:5 for simplicity. I was pleasantly surprised at how loud the Play:3 was for our kitchen, though if it's for a big room you may want to get a Play:5 (the Play:3 is currently £207 at HMV which is a bargain)

If, however, in the future you want an AV system with its own amp, then the ZP90 is probably better, however to get use of it upfront, you need to hook it up to a set of active speakers, or to an existing hifi you have via line in.

The ZP120 has a half decent amp for bookshelf speakers (you can always get decent bookshelfs for cheap on RS etc)

Do you see yourself building up an AV system?

rogueblade · 30 Nov 2011 at 20:01

lucid said:
Firstly you need to learn your inputs from your outputs.

Signals go IN TO an INput. You don't get a signal out of an INput.

Similarly, an OUTput is where a signal comes OUT. The clue is in the name.

You wouldn't connect a subwoofer to a ZP90 or Squeezebox, same as you wouldn't connect speakers to them. It's not the way it is done.

ZP90/Squeezebox Touch -> amplifier/home cinema kit + speakers

ZP120 -> speakers or speakers + sub

As for the connection possibilities on SB Touch that has already been covered in previous posts. Please go back and have another read.

Ok. Yes it makes more sense now. I hadn't realized the necessity of an amp.
I must admit, after re-reading research the Squeezebox Touch, I have brought 100% back in my consideration. Probably the most likely contender.

So in the end what I need is:
Squeezebox touch + an 'amp' (which I know nothing about) + speakers.

I think I finally get what the Squeezebox does and how it works.
I understand speakers, researching those is not difficult.
But I am severly lost on the AMP part. I don't have any existing home cinema system.
Would you care to give me guidance on amps?

rogueblade · 30 Nov 2011 at 20:04

rafster said:
Depends on how far you would want to take it, and what you want in terms of speaker quality and what you have currently.

You could just easily get a Sonos Play:3 or a Play:5 for simplicity. I was pleasantly surprised at how loud the Play:3 was for our kitchen, though if it's for a big room you may want to get a Play:5 (the Play:3 is currently £207 at HMV which is a bargain)

If, however, in the future you want an AV system with its own amp, then the ZP90 is probably better, however to get use of it upfront, you need to hook it up to a set of active speakers, or to an existing hifi you have via line in.

The ZP120 has a half decent amp for bookshelf speakers (you can always get decent bookshelfs for cheap on RS etc)

Do you see yourself building up an AV system?

Hmm, see my post above on where I want to take it.
What are 'active speakers' and how do they differ normal speakers.
I vaguely understand what 'bookshself speakers' are, but why are they only considered for the Z120 and not the Z90/Squeezebox?

I think I realize I need an amp.
I'll be honest I'm not sure what components make an 'AV system'

I appreciate all the info guys.