Couple of quick squeezebox questions

[admin_exported]

Hi all

I've been doing a bit of research on Squeezebox and Sonos. I think I am tempted with squeezebox - more to do with price, and also because I've read that Sonos doesn't support the 24/96 higher resolutions. Can I check that Squeezebox does - I don't have any music in that format yet but would like to future proof myself.

Secondly, I've read that the Touch is considered to have a better DAC than the Duet - but the controller for the Duet looks more useful to me. If I was thinking of sending the sound from squeezebox to an external DAC, does the model of squeezebox not matter and would I be OK with the Duet? I plan on using a NAS.

Lastly, I presume I would need a DAC that can handle the higher resolutions also? Any suggestions, I was thinking Rega DAC but beleive this doesn't support 24/96.

Sorry for the questions I have read what I could find- trying to get a full understandign before demoing.

Ulitmately it will go through a Roksan Kandy into Dali Ikon 6.

Thanks

 

[Fisherking 145]

Yes, the Touch does play hi res files. Sorry, I know nothing about the Duet. I control mine with an app on my iPhone and find it fantastically easy to use. If you wanted to add a DAC, yes, you would need one that could handle hi res files.

 

[Anonymous]

I have both Duet and Touch. Touch is easiest to use and quickest, plus onboard DAC is OK. Duet more flexible - it is portable - but less intuitive than Touch. Duet sounds inferior imho and does run older lesser spec DAC than Touch. I am probaly in a minority who thinks that the Touch is better than Sonos Cr200. Many will disagree, I care not, the Touch is certainly very good value, easy to set up, and has given me no more problems than a couple fo my Sonos-owning friends have expereinced with Sonos system. Most problems encountered are networking issues.

Duet/receiver combo always most problematic of all my SBs. The receiver seems to suffer from very poor wireless, but hard wired is OK.

I use SqueezeCommander HTC app to run my SBs and this is very good, making Duet redundant.

High res files sound good on the Touch, quite brilliant with my outboard DAC. Popular entry DACs are Cambridge DACmagic, good value at £200, but getting on now as a design, and also the Arcam rDAC which is neat design and will give a useful sound upgrade to any SB system.

 

[The_Lhc]

Pelagi:I am probaly in a minority who thinks that the Touch is better than Sonos Cr200. Many will disagree, I care not,

Don't know about disagree but I don't understand! The CR200 is a controller, nothing more, so I'm not sure on what terms you're comparing the Touch to it?

 

[nads]

if you really want to you can run the Duet controller with a touch.

would not bother with a DAC for now.

also if you have a smart phone look at Apps for it.

iPeng for the iPhone/Pad.

 

[Anonymous]

Should have inserted words ' system and' after 'Sonos' to make my point clear!

Most of ones interaction with the Touch is to use it as a controller and in that respect I feel it is superior to the CR200 remote, although lacking portability. Itouch, pad and android apps all offer same functionality as cr200.

I just helped one friend set up a 3 room Touch-based system, and recently 2 other friends set up Sonos systems, and both went in easily - neither being more complicated than the other. This was not the case setting up Duets/receivers and to a lesser extent SB3s.

Point being that (relative) ease of setup has long been used to justify Sonos premium but in effect it is now no easier or harder than setting up a Touch-based system. Can actually present more head scratching as on gets one's head aroung mesh networking, whereas once one has a traditional star LAN network up and running, and one understands network folders and ip addresses etc, adding new devices is a doddle.

If funds permitted I would replace my Classic and duet/receiever with Touches. The all Touch 3 room system I mentioned, giving in -room Touch controls on Logictech unit, combined with iphone and ipad and ipeng for mobile control, gives best of all worlds and at a decent price. I don't think the z90 offers any more.

I understand from US colleagues that Sonos are beefing up the range with functionality and scope, so i think this market has a lot devloping to do. Which is good for consumer.

 

[The_Lhc]

Pelagi:
Should have inserted words ' system and' after 'Sonos' to make my point clear!

Most of ones interaction with the Touch is to use it as a controller and in that respect I feel it is superior to the CR200 remote, although lacking portability. Itouch, pad and android apps all offer same functionality as cr200.

Well it might well do but you don't actually need a CR200 to use the Sonos system, you do need a Touch in order to use the Touch system (self-evidentally!).

Point being that (relative) ease of setup has long been used to justify Sonos premium but in effect it is now no easier or harder than setting up a Touch-based system. Can actually present more head scratching as on gets one's head aroung mesh networking,

I'm sorry but that simply isn't true, you don't need to know anything about "mesh networking" to setup Sonos as, from a network point of view, there's nothing to set up, you just plug one ZP into the router and then switch the others on. That's it, you don't assign IP addresses, you don't have to configure any server software (beyond the shared area, if you're using one), just press two buttons on each ZP for them to discover each other and that's it.

whereas once one has a traditional star LAN network up and running, and one understands network folders and ip addresses etc, adding new devices is a doddle.

None of which you need to know anything about for Sonos (the desktop controller software will create the share for you and tell the zoneplayers where it is).

If funds permitted I would replace my Classic and duet/receiever with Touches. The all Touch 3 room system I mentioned, giving in -room Touch controls on Logictech unit, combined with iphone and ipad and ipeng for mobile control, gives best of all worlds and at a decent price. I don't think the z90 offers any more.

It offers far better multi-room integration assuming you have a need for that functionality of course.

I understand from US colleagues that Sonos are beefing up the range with functionality and scope,

I'd love to know how he knows that, unless he works for Sonos, nobody has any idea what Sonos are going to do next. There's been a mention of home theatre but what that implies is anybody's guess.

 

[amcluesent]

>There's been a mention of home theatre but what that implies is anybody's guess<

Yep, they had a 'help wanted' advert seeking 5.1 experience and few months back. Maybe too late with DLNA streaming being a 'tick box' feature on mid- to hi-end AV Receivers now.

 

[Anonymous]

This review site is in love with the Touch, for what that's worth http://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102:logitech-squeezebox-touch-wifi-music-player&catid=38:equipment&Itemid=2