Micro HiFi recommendations

[MrTeroo]

Can anyone recommend a good micro hifi,preferably withspeakers built in, for a small space?

It needs to play MP3's from a USB stick and show the contents of the USB nicely.


Anything else is a bonus - CD/DAB/Bluetooth etc

I just bought a Lemega MSY5, but sent it back because although it has a full colour screen, the wayit displays the contents of a USB is abysmal.

MSY5 HIFI Music System (Walnut Finish)

It displays only the track playing, as F001 T001/ F001 T002 etc

Meaning folder and track.

There is no way to see what is on the USB.

So any suggestions for a compact system gratefully accepted.

 

[matthewpianist]

I suggest you look at the Ruark R3 and the Technics Ottava SC-C70MkII. Both are good quality products that will last and sound good.

 

[MrTeroo]

Thanks for the suggestions. Bit more than I wanted to pay but the Ruark looks nice.

Any idea how it displays the contents of a USB stick?

 

[jjbomber]

Can anyone recommend a good micro hifi,preferably withspeakers built in, for a small space?

It needs to play MP3's from a USB stick and show the contents of the USB nicely.

British manufacturer Majority offers streaming music systems from £150

Is this a pair of affordable new streaming systems I see before me?

www.whathifi.com

 

[MrTeroo]

Thanks, the Majority Bard seems to fit the bill.

Any idea how it displays the contents of a USB stick?

I just looked at the user manual and it states:
The display shows folders and file names (not necessarily track names).

Which oddly is exactly the same wording as the user manual of the Lemega I just sent back.

 

[matthewpianist]

Thanks for the suggestions. Bit more than I wanted to pay but the Ruark looks nice.

Any idea how it displays the contents of a USB stick?

Fairly basic text - you have to go even further upwards to get much in the way of a decently informative screen.

 

[nopiano]

Thanks, the Majority Bard seems to fit the bill.

Any idea how it displays the contents of a USB stick?

I just looked at the user manual and it states:
The display shows folders and file names (not necessarily track names).

Which oddly is exactly the same wording as the user manual of the Lemega I just sent back.

They might well use the same inside! I’ve no idea, but part-sharing is commonplace for some functionality, and I don’t imagine USB content is a massive priority for most users.

Regret I cannot suggest anything better than above already. Good luck.

 

[MrTeroo]

I am currently discussing it with Majority tech support. It isn't clear yet but they say they will take some photos and send them.

The Lemega method of converting folders and files on the USB to numbers is ridiculous.

How can you select what to play when it uses the format F002/T008

 

[jjbomber]

I am currently discussing it with Majority tech support. It isn't clear yet but they say they will take some photos and send them.

Always good to hear back what customer services are like at the various companies. Keep us in the loop.

 

[Witterings]

I think most of them are fairly limited as to what they display, I used to have a USB plugged into a Denon M39 but it was a pain and the USB had to be formatted a certain way and only so many files in a folder so gave up.

Trying to look at what you want to achieve in a different way, would you be happy if you could use your phone / tablet as a controller where you could see your lists of tracks, albums / artists etc. and could you store them on the network on a computer or hard drive instead of on the USB?

If so may be worth lookig at something like a WiiM mini streamer and using that to play tracks instead?

 

[Nico69]

Some routers allow you to plug a USB drive into them. Perhaps this might be an option to stream to the mini hifi?

 

[MrTeroo]

Thanks for the suggestions re streaming.
This system isn't for me, it's for a family member in another part of the country who doesn't get along with technology.

So it's a KISS operation I'm afraid.

How files on a USB are displayed on the device screen is my stumbling block, surprisingly. You would think that navigating a USB would be standard these days.
My car does it and shows folders and cover art on the screen.

 

[Nico69]

It might also depend on what metadata is embedded into the music file. You can download a freeware program called Audacity to check and edit tracks and metadata.
I have an older car with a stereo that only plays CD's or Radio and has an Aux input so I have to use a small MP3 player to play my files. It has a terrible interface and is tiny. I found that editing the metadata of the tracks helped me navigate more easily but it's still a pain and not to be tried on the move (as it's illegal anyway)

How is the music put onto the USB stick? Direct from CD ? I guess it would have to be Ripped first so that 'should' add metadata though not always. Maybe use another app to check and download the metadata might help?

 

[Witterings]

Thanks for the suggestions re streaming.
This system isn't for me, it's for a family member in another part of the country who doesn't get along with technology.

So it's a KISS operation I'm afraid.

How files on a USB are displayed on the device screen is my stumbling block, surprisingly. You would think that navigating a USB would be standard these days.
My car does it and shows folders and cover art on the screen.

Ah ... OK and I get that!

I don't know how advanced they are or if they even use a mobile phone but for my 90 year dad I recently put a load of music onto his phone and as he wouldn't "get" connecting it via Bluetooth so just use a 3.5mm to RCA lead and plug it into the stereo and he uses that.

You could also use an MP3 player possibly but I do understand you're all in one would be a preferred solution.

 

[MrTeroo]

All files have been through MP3Tag

 

[MrTeroo]

Seperate active speakers, lots of cables, two power supplies needed.

Not simple or tidy enough I'm afraid.

The Bard will be ideal if it has a decent browsing facility.

 

[MrTeroo]

I received a reply from Majority support.
It looks like this is the one so it's ordered.
Thanks for all the suggestion, especially this one.

Here is the reply:

My colleagues from product team confirmed the followings, when inserting the USB it displays all the folders in name, exact same as the USB file on computer, and in same order.
Then when click into each folder, it displays the MP3 track by name.
This is a picture of how it looks like when playing a song