Music Network Dlema!!! Please Help!!!

[admin_exported]

Hi All,

This is my first post even though I have been lurking for a while now, please go easy on me...

My current set up consists of the below,

B&W 602 S3

Rotel RA - 06

Apple MacBook Pro

I am connecting the laptop to the amp via a monster cable.

However I am becoming very bored of this and I am looking to move up a couple of notches.

I have contacted Stan at Beresford and I am currently on the waiting list for a Beresford Caiman, Hopefully will be receiving one next week! I will be connecting this to the amp and feeding my music into it via itunes on my Mac (a collection of apple lossless and various other)

However I am here to ask you all, probably a very simple question -

AM I ABLE TO REFRAIN FROM USING MY LAPTOP? IS THERE A DEVICE THAT I CAN TRANSFER MY ENTIRE ITUNES LIBRARY (40GB) ONTO WHICH CAN BE BASED NEXT TO MY AMP AND SPEAKERS, WHICH CAN ALSO BE CONNECTED TO THE BERESFORD CAIMAN DAC, WITH A SIMPLE REMOTE CONTROL (SIMILAR TO SONO/SQUEEZEBOX) OPERATING SYSTEM?

I HAVE SPENT THE LAST THREE WEEKS READING UP ON SONOS AND SQUEEZEBOX SYSTEMS BUT THESE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY STORAGE SPACE? I DO HAVE A G-DRIVE MINI 250GB, WOULD I BE ABLE TO CONNECT THIS TO EITHER THE SONOS OR THE SQUEEZBOX AND ACCESS MY ITUNES LIBRARY THIS WAY??? IS THERE A SPECIFIC DEVICE THAT I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS WHICH DOES WHAT I WANT?

I hope somebody can shed some light on the subject!

Thank you in Advance.

Dean

 

[daveh75]

How about an Apple TV? They only have a 40 or 160 Gig drive's as standard, but there are software hack's available that will allow usb storage if you need more!

 

[Anonymous]

How would this work? Would I control it through my television? Would I need to use the apple remote? Also can I still connect to me DAC?

 

[daveh75]

Yes to all three! You connect it to your tv with either HDMI,DVI or component cables,then into your DAC with an optical cable and is controlled by the apple remote...

 

[John Duncan]

The easiest way is via your television yes (HDMI or component only, I'm afraid) using the Apple remote, but you can use an iPod Touch or iPhone as well. And yes, you can plug it into a DAC using its optical out, it's what I do.

 

[Anonymous]

okay so this could be an option.

would another option be to go down the sonos route, would a sonos work with an apple time casule or mini g-drive? if not what NAS do you recommend?

I am pretty stuck on the idea of not having to use anything (laptop/television) to play the music, does this amke sense? i am really keen on the squeezebox/sonos remotes...

thanks,

 

[John Duncan]

Dunno about time capsule, simply because I haven't used one and they're formatted differently from your average FAT32 drive so I'd be guessing.

Sonos will work with any NAS though I think, since it just looks for any files on a hard drive it can play and off it goes. Squeezebox needs to have Squeezecentre running on the NAS, and it's a b-gger to install yourself, so try to get one with it pre-installed - ripcaster is a good source of these, and advice.

 

[The_Lhc]

JohnDuncan:
Sonos will work with any NAS though I think, since it just looks for any files on a hard drive it can play and off it goes.

Correct.

Oh, DILEMMA!

 

[Anonymous]

Okay, so I am thinking the Sonos option is the best option.

Had a quick look this morning and the ZP90 looks to be my best option. Would this work with my G-Drive mini? Or do I need another drive? If so what NAS's do you all reccommend...

Thanks,

 

[The_Lhc]

I've no idea what a g-drive mini is but if it isn't a NAS then Sonos won't be able to see it, unless it's plugged into your laptop and shared over your home network (obviously the laptop needs to be connected to your network, and switched on, for this to work).

As to which NAS, any of them, literally, as long it supports SMB sharing, which is about 99.9997% of the NAS's currently available on the market.

And yes if you're plugging into an existing amp the ZP90 is exactly what you'll need, but you'll require a controller as well, either the old CR100 or the new whizzy CR200, or you could use an iPod Touch or iPhone (assuming you own either) and d'l the Sonos controller app and use that instead. It's free.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Dean,

Why pay so much for Sonos? I think sonos would be best if you have many zones or rooms to play music in. Save some money and buy a squeezebox or duet and spend the extra dosh on a good NAS like the synology. This NAS comes with the necessary squeezecentre software and you will be on your way. I think Sonos is great if you do want a multizone setup with one zone's hub being amplified. But its just a bit too much to pay.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure there is much difference...?

Sonos ZP90 £290

Squeezebox Duet £289

Can anyone please advise on the NAS situation...? I have no idea what so ever...

 

[The_Lhc]

dean youngson: Not sure there is much difference...?

Sonos ZP90 £290

Squeezebox Duet £289

Two points there, the Duet can be had cheaper, AND it includes the controller, that price for the ZP90 DOESN'T include a controller, you're looking about the same again for a new controller, so unless you've got an iPhone/iTouch you can use as a controller it will be more.

Can anyone please advise on the NAS situation...? I have no idea what so ever...

Like I said, for Sonos, take your pick, literally ANY NAS will work with it, for Squeezebox your options are more limited as you need SlimServer installed, there are some that come with it pre-installed but I don't know which ones they are unfortunately as I don't Squeezebox.

 

[daveh75]

For Nas' with slimserver installed see http://www.ripcaster.co.uk/ . They have various nas' with it pre-installed,may be worth giving them a call, they were very friendly,knowledgeable and helpful when i've spoken to them in the past.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Dean,

As covered, the Sonos price is just for the box and doesnt cover the cost of the new controller. The controller is quite pricey too. You can use the iphone app but someone will correct me if im wrong, you dont get the advantage of the sonos proprietory wifi mesh technology which is supposed to be quite snappy.

The bottom line is that if you have the money to spend, then Sonos is the solution for you. For more info on the NAS solution i chose, check out

http://www.synology.com/enu/products/DS109+/spec.php

You will notice in the specs that it supports the Squeezecentre package. This is what you will need to support the Squeezebox duet. I think a lot of different NAS drives now support this though, so shop around. Synology is quite exp compared to a few other NAS's going around.

The sonos however doesnt need any software to be pre-installed on the NAS.

BR//

 

[The_Lhc]

chanukav@gmail.com: As covered, the Sonos price is just for the box and doesnt cover the cost of the new controller. The controller is quite pricey too. You can use the iphone app but someone will correct me if im wrong, you dont get the advantage of the sonos proprietory wifi mesh technology which is supposed to be quite snappy.

True, but if Dean ONLY wants one zone then this won't matter as that ZP MUST be connected to his router or network using a network cable, presumably the same router that the iPhone/Touch will be using to communicate anyway, so there shouldn't be any issue. It's only if you have multiple zones and you wander away from your router losing the wireless signal that you get issues with the iPhone app.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

I have researched further on both the Sonos and the Squeeze Duet and have decided to go for the Sonos - the system seems to edge it in terms of ease of use, quality and design.
Do you agree?
Has anybody sampled both?

Based in my living room in my living room (for now).
Set up will consist of Buffalo Linkstation Mini 500GB running my itunes library, connected to Sonos ZP90, which will be connected to Beresford Caiman (via Chord Codac Silver Plus 1RCA to 1RCA) and then to Rotel RA06 (via Chord Crimson 2RCA to 2RCA) which powers my B&W 602's (via Chord Carnival Siverscreen Cables).

Any suggestions or recommendations???

Thanks,

 

[The_Lhc]

When you say the Linkstation will be connected to the Sonos you, of course, mean that both of them will be connected to your home network router, right?

 

[Anonymous]

yes...

 

[The_Lhc]

Well, that's alright then!

 

[Alec]

dean youngson:Hi All, I have researched further on both the Sonos and the Squeeze Duet and have decided to go for the Sonos - the system seems to edge it in terms of ease of use, quality and design. Do you agree? Has anybody sampled both? Based in my living room in my living room (for now). Set up will consist of Buffalo Linkstation Mini 500GB running my itunes library, connected to Sonos ZP90, which will be connected to Beresford Caiman (via Chord Codac Silver Plus 1RCA to 1RCA) and then to Rotel RA06 (via Chord Crimson 2RCA to 2RCA) which powers my B&W 602's (via Chord Carnival Siverscreen Cables). Any suggestions or recommendations??? Thanks,

I may have missed something (wouldnt be the first time by any stretch), but doesnt the beresford need to be connected with a digital cable if you're to get any benefit?

 

[daveh75]

al7478:
dean youngson:Hi All, I have researched further on both the Sonos and the Squeeze Duet and have decided to go for the Sonos - the system seems to edge it in terms of ease of use, quality and design. Do you agree? Has anybody sampled both? Based in my living room in my living room (for now). Set up will consist of Buffalo Linkstation Mini 500GB running my itunes library, connected to Sonos ZP90, which will be connected to Beresford Caiman (via Chord Codac Silver Plus 1RCA to 1RCA) and then to Rotel RA06 (via Chord Crimson 2RCA to 2RCA) which powers my B&W 602's (via Chord Carnival Siverscreen Cables). Any suggestions or recommendations??? Thanks,

I may have missed something (wouldnt be the first time by any stretch), but doesnt the beresford need to be connected with a digital cable if you're to get any benefit?
Al,the Chord Codac Silver Plus is a digital coaxial i/c....

 

[Alec]

Sorry about that Dean.

Thanks Dave.