SqueezeBox - any good?

Rambaud

Rambaud

Rambaud

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Joined
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Hertfordshire
Thinking about getting one - the wireless version.

But £200.00 is a lot of dosh.

Looking for comments (good and bad).

Or other options?
 
Depends what you're going to use it for.
I know a couple of people who do use them.
If you have the PC in the same room, seems a bit pointless. If however you want your music server well away from your stereo, it's a VERY good solution.
Functionality is a doddle to use once setup. On it's own, doesn't sound great, but can be easily improved by the use of a decent external DAC.

Putting it in context, one of the chaps I know uses a squeezebox to front a £3k digital pre-amp, and loves his. In his view, the digital output is not quite as good as a dedicated transport, but he feels that the functionality makes up for it.
So overall, bit of a winner of a product if you need the functionality.
 
Thanks for the input.

PC is upstairs, hi-fi is downstairs.

Just bought a Lite DAC-AH as a cheapie external DAC.
 
Sounds like a perfect solution then, go for it.
To my knowledge there are 3 versions, the newer is meant to have slight less digital jitter.
Let us know how you get on.
 
One of the disadvantages is that I don't think APE file format is supported?

Although FLAC is, I believe.

I have e-mailed Slim Devices.
 
Rambaud said:
One of the disadvantages is that I don't think APE file format is supported?
Click to expand...

It seems that APE files are supported.

Extract of e-mail reply:

"The Squeezebox and SlimServer software does support the APE file format (by converting to FLAC on the fly as it reads the file). Looking at the Forums on SlimDevices.com website I see that a number of users are reporting that APE tags and playlists could be handled better and I get the impression that most people are batch converting their APE files to FLAC."
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Depends what you're going to use it for.
I know a couple of people who do use them.
If you have the PC in the same room, seems a bit pointless. If however you want your music server well away from your stereo, it's a VERY good solution.
Functionality is a doddle to use once setup. On it's own, doesn't sound great, but can be easily improved by the use of a decent external DAC.

Putting it in context, one of the chaps I know uses a squeezebox to front a £3k digital pre-amp, and loves his. In his view, the digital output is not quite as good as a dedicated transport, but he feels that the functionality makes up for it.
So overall, bit of a winner of a product if you need the functionality.
Click to expand...

He'll be buying the Slim Devices Transporter then ;)
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Putting it in context, one of the chaps I know uses a squeezebox to front a £3k digital pre-amp, and loves his. In his view, the digital output is not quite as good as a dedicated transport, but he feels that the functionality makes up for it.
So overall, bit of a winner of a product if you need the functionality.
Click to expand...


Just bought a Wireless Squeezebox 3 (£209.00 inc delivery).

Decided on this route too,instead of spending money on a new CDP - or uprating my Pioneer Lasedisc player. Saved me about £800.00. :)
 
Rambaud said:
Just bought a Wireless Squeezebox 3 (£209.00 inc delivery).

Decided on this route too,instead of spending money on a new CDP - or uprating my Pioneer Lasedisc player. Saved me about £800.00. :)
Click to expand...

How'd it save you £800?
 
Rambaud said:
I had a budget of £1000.00 to upgrade my CD player. :D
Click to expand...

Fine, apart from the fact that you've not upgraded your CDP. As I understand it from people who use them, they have awesome functionality, but sound fairly rubbish without an external DAC, and are no better than a cheapo DVD player as a CD transport. So really, it's simply a sideways move, though clearly a very good one.
 
Let us know how you get on with the squeezebox, I quite fancied one of these for a convenient way of letting the kids listen to music without letting them get their hands anywhere near the rest of the kit :D

What's the rest of your kit Rambaud?
 
BF-Bert said:
Let us know how you get on with the squeezebox, I quite fancied one of these for a convenient way of letting the kids listen to music without letting them get their hands anywhere near the rest of the kit :D

What's the rest of your kit Rambaud?
Click to expand...

There are a few cheaper options (from ~ £80.00) but with more limited formats - although mp3 is often available. But I wanted to use a lossless format (I chose APE), so the SqueezeBox seemed to be the best choice in my circumstances.

Main kit is in a state of flux at the moment - just moved house. :)

I was a vinyl fan (Linn LP12 turntable etc), until arrival of large dog (Great Dane) made me decide to switch to CDs. :)

I have a Meridian Pre-Amp feeding John Bowers Active 1 speakers (uprated by Russ Andrews). CDP is a mixture of (cheap) DVD/CD players. Plus various Kimber cable interconnects, Russ Andews powercords, Quad II valve amp, etc.
 
Arrived this morning.

Took a bit longer than necessary to set up as operator failed to read the instructions fully. :rolleyes:

It's not connected yet to my external DAC, as I just wanted to get it up and running. Don't know if it needs "burning in", but I have left it playing for the past few hours anyway.

First impression is that it seems to be well made and compact. Sound quality through the Meridian pre-amp is more than acceptable, although I changed the standard phono cables to Kimber ones.
 
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