Spotify and SBT issues

[Shanka]

Hi All,

It's been a while, hoping for some advice on the above.

I have Squeeze box touch which has become very difficult with spotify and the apps to use it. The player itself works fine and 3rd party apps are ok for stored music but spotify has to be done manually and it does not work very well via the logitech system, i want to use native spotify as i do on laptop or mobile.

I feel my options are the Pioneer n50 with wifi adaptor or cambridge stream magic if I can find one, these both have spotify connect but seems a cost overkill for what I want to achieve ( maybe sbt was too much of a bargain ! ).

Sound wise it will be played via a chord dac so sq not an issue as long as there is a digital output. I have tried bluetooth with the dac but the quality is too lacking for my tastes .

Putting the laptop into the dac is too much cables and mess, I really want to control with an app but maybe a small notebook is an option but I have noticed a lot of background noise if i put laptop into the dac. I think the problem is my laptop, its quite old.

I am a huge tecnophobe so just want something to play spotify through my dac that I can control via an app.

I hope someone can help, thanks for reading and any advice hugely appreciated.

 

[Chris Firth]

How are you using the SBT player?

Is it running on LMS hosted on another computer/NAS or is it running on its embedded server via the www.mysqueezebox.com website?

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

I am guessing it is running off the logitech server, i don't know what the lms is, certainly not off my nas, thanks for asking.

 

[Chris Firth]

It sounds like you're running on the embedded server, which means you'll need to access Spotify via the www.mysqueezebox.com website.

This is not reknowned for reliability.

There might have been a service update to the Spotify app, so uninstall the app as you have it, then reinstall it.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

I am hoping you mean controlling spotify on my laptop via logitech rather than on the sbt itself.

This is an option but means having my laptop in the same room as I am listening to which I don't usually do hence aquiring the sbt to do this instead.

I am thinking to achieve what I want is buying a hifi streamer with spotify connect or getting something like a small chromebook and connecting via my dac.

A streamer such as a marantz or pioneer with wifi would cost more but look better in situ whereas a chrome book would have many uses but i would be always unplugging and plugging which would be a bit of a pain.

Thanks for the advice, much appreciated, do you listen to spotify via sbt, do you control via laptop ?

I really want to control via tablet or mobile so i dont have to move off my sofa !!

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Esra]

I was in the same situation like you now and still use my SBT for i-net Radio and Streaming from my NAS.But I added this little device for spotify connect just because of the very same reasons.

http://www.argonaudio.com/2014/08/27/argon-stream-2-the-perfect-streaming-upgrade-for-your-hi-fi-system/

You can also still use your SBT for spotify with control like spotify connect if you don´t mind running a computer with LMS on it.

All you need is ex. "jamcast" or "streamwhatyouhear(which is for free)"and redirect these programs to the LMS.So you can stream everything running on your pc to your SBT,even spotify and control it with your smartphone.These programs work also for other devices like WDtv,PS3,Blurayplayers etc..

http://www.streamwhatyouhear.com/

You can try this first and see if you like it because it is free.

Example for SWYH and SBT

-When you start SWYH push within "Stream to" at "My device is not listed"

-Copy URL

-Then you have to add this URL in LMS as a radio station

-That was it, now you can start Spotify or whatever and control it via your Smartphone like Spotify connect

Hope it helps

 

[Shanka]

That sounds good , will have a look and get back in a few days, thanks again for the reply.

 

[Chris Firth]

I run the Squeezebox Touch players here predominantly via a web browser, but I do have a NAS running LMS and also providing the browser interface. The NAS has my local music stored on it, and with it running LMS I have used the Triode plugin for Spotify, which was faultless in its operation.

I currently have Tidal connectivity which is run from the NAS via the ickstream plugin. Control is via a web browser.

If you're using the embedded (in the Touch) version of the server you lose the ability to control the server via a browser.

There are Smart Phone apps that will allow you control a Touch running on its embedded server, or you could seek out one of the Controller units that came packaged the Receiver and were badged as the Duet.

If you want web browser control for your Touch then you have to run full blown Logitech Media Server on a local device on your home network.

I also have a Smart Phone app (Squeeze Commander) that I occasionally use to control the players - it works fine accessing either the NAS borne LMS or the embedded server.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Have had a look at the Argon Audio stream 2 which looks like a good option as it has digital output and spotify connect , they do not seem to have any uk distributors which is a slight concern as this would seem to tick many boxes, the only weak point is i prefer having a digital co ax output but not a game breaker.

I also had a look at Pioneer np01 which is a good small streamer but not finding many reviews but is available in the uk for £250 so that might be the best solution. This only has optical output as well but £200 less than a streamer.

It is such a shame they stopped supporting the sbt app as all the other suggested options, for which I am very grateful, are a bit too complicated for me, I don't really know what is being suggested.

The SBT was a great device but lack of support for running the spotify app is a big issue for me.

So it looks like the Argon is the best solution if I can find a supplier or the pioneer unless anyone has any other ideas ?

Thanks again

 

[bay24]

I run Spotify on my sbt and control via ipeng. I have LMS running on my synology nas. There has been a recant update that has added more usability and seems to work much better than before the update.