paul.raulerson;662843 Wrote: > Wow- a bit cynical there aren't we? > > Mostly there is no local store carrying the Squeezebox Touch, or as far > as i can see, any Squeezebox products, so there is no way at all to hear > one before buying. You may say that $300 is not that much money, and it > isn't I suppose, but it is above my "try this on a lark" threshold. > > The little Squeezeplayer software sounds pretty good, though nothing at > all like the software I normally use. I had to force it out through a > USB Dac on a Mac, rather than through the Mac's built in audio outputs. > > > If you want cynicism, I wonder really how well a $300 chunk of gear can > sound, even avoiding the DAC in the gear and taking the signal out > digitally to a decent DAC. Since they don't have them in stock on the > Logitech site, I also wonder if they are selling like hotcakes, or if a > new model is about to debut for Christmas. I really think I want to > order and test one, but I also want the option of sending it back if a > new model comes out in two weeks, or in the unlikely chance I just > really don't like it. > > Also, it is a non-trivial task to make my online music library > available to it, since it is currently in iTunes and has a bot of 30K > tracks in it. And all in AIFF format, but NOT all with embedded > artwork. I don't suppose there is an easy way to get iTunes to drive a > Squeezebox? > > If it (A Logitech Touch device) operates like the Squeezeplayer, the > remote interface on my iPhone is really nice and quick. About as good > as Apple's Remote, but without the need to put a Mac or PC anyplace we > want sound. > > Any particular reason that Logitech doesn't want to finish the software > and sell it at $99 a pop or something? That would seem to make sense. > The current software emulator is, if I correctly understand, a forever > "beta" product, and it is useful to get an idea of what a Squeezebox is > and does, but not so useful to get an idea of how one sounds. > > At least, I don't think so. I have been known to be wrong once or > twice, which is why I -asked-. I would love to hear your opinion on the > above subjects, but honestly, I don't need the SA crap if that is all > you are interested in. > > Yours, > -Paul
I wasn't being "cynical", merely pointing out a fact. The whole reason the SB line of products exist is to absolutely avoid having to use any kind of PC as a "player" or audio source. The Touch as a player sonically exceeds what is possible with a computer connected to a DAC via USB or s/pdif. The server software essentially transmits TCP packets to the player and thus the server computer only has to behave as a computer (which it is very good at) and not as an audio source (which it is usually rather poor at). This means that the considerations of things like Amarra are irrelevant to the SB experience. The server operating system and hardware simply isn't any part of what you hear. SBS integrates with iTunes (sort of) and the two can co-exist. SBS can play AIFF files (although most "Mac people" would use ALAC). To summarise; using Squeezeplay gives you a vague idea of what the system is capable of in terms of functionality (although really you need to use iPeng or Squeezepad on an iPad/Phone for the fully immersive UI experience). However, audio quality is not usually comparable; Touch with internal DAC or external DAC will exceed what most people can achieve with Squeezeplay and a computer. Squeezeplay will never be released as a finished commercial product AFAIK. It will continue to have very limited capabilities compared to a hardware player. -- Phil Leigh You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it ain't what you'd call minimal... Touch(wired/W7)+Teddy Pardo PSU - Audiolense 3.3/2.0+INGUZ DRC - MF M1 DAC - Linn 5103 - full Aktiv 5.1 system (6x LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5), Pekin Tuner, Townsend Supertweeters,VdH Toslink,Kimber 8TC Speaker & Chord Signature Plus Interconnect cables Stax4070+SRM7/II phones Kitchen Boom, Outdoors: SB Radio, Harmony One remote for everything. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phil Leigh's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=85 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=90821 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
