Spotify compliant wireless system

[HDNumpty]

Hi all presently I have an Onkyo ND-S1 and a 120gb iPod Classic for digital music (ALAC). Through the ND-S1 I can also plug in my Acer laptop for iTunes (mirrors the content on my iPod) if I want more functionality, or to use Spotify Premium.

At the moment I use a 5m extended USB cable to connect the laptop to the ND-S1, which is less than ideal. Can folks recommend a solution that would give me iTunes and Spotify either wirelessly controlled via iPhone, or by using a NAS based on your own experiences?

Hi-Fi kit as follows:

Onkyo ND-S1/iPod Classic 120gb

CA 740c CD Player/DAC (optical and coaxial only)

CA 840a Stereo Amp

B&W CM1s/Custom Design weighted stands

QED interconnects/speaker cables

Thanks

 

[bigboss]

Sonos offers the best solution.

 

[tino]

Which Spotify service do you currently (or plan to) use? The free one, Unlimited (£4.99) or Premium (£9.99).

I occasionally use the free service wirelessly using a Chordette Gem Bluetooth DAC streamed fom any PC.

The Squeezebox Touch and Radio players also have Spotify - these devices have a screen which may be useful if using a NAS only i.e. not your iPhone as controller.

 

[HDNumpty]

Sonos offers the best solution.

Why, Mr Anderson? :quest:

 

[HDNumpty]

Which Spotify service do you currently (or plan to) use? The free one, Unlimited (£4.99) or Premium (£9.99).

I occasionally use the free service wirelessly using a Chordette Gem Bluetooth DAC streamed fom any PC.

The Squeezebox Touch and Radio players also have Spotify - these devices have a screen which may be useful if using a NAS only i.e. not your iPhone as controller.

I presume the Touch has both it's own DAC and a digital out? Is it compatible with iTunes?

 

[bigboss]

Sonos offers the best solution.

Why, Mr Anderson? :quest:

Based on your requirements. Sonos can stream spotify & iTunes wirelessly from your NAS drive. You can add zones as funds allow to make it multiroom. Also, you can control music via your iPhone as a remote.

 

[Anonymous]

Squeezebox is the best solution.

Fully compatible with most formats. Controllable via remote, web interface, smartphone app. Multiroom. Spotify works flawlessly with gapless playback. I use it wirelessly and never get dropouts.

I have an android phone, and there is a free app to make the phone pretend it is a squeezebox too.

Also, many NAS drives come preconfigured with the Logitech server software. Piece of cake.

 

[The_Lhc]

The only advantage squeezebox has over sonos is 24-bit compatibility, otherwise sonos does everything else better, including not requiring any software running on a NAS or server.

 

[Anonymous]

The only advantage squeezebox has over sonos is 24-bit compatibility, otherwise sonos does everything else better, including not requiring any software running on a NAS or server.

The Squeezebox solution is cheaper, and you still need a computer or NAS running to get your music on a Sonos surely? Installing one extra program is hardly a bind.

And of course with the SBT you can use USB. Plus haven't there been issues with Sonos/Spotify? Runs sweet as a nut on my SB.

 

[The_Lhc]

The only advantage squeezebox has over sonos is 24-bit compatibility, otherwise sonos does everything else better, including not requiring any software running on a NAS or server.

The Squeezebox solution is cheaper, and you still need a computer or NAS running to get your music on a Sonos surely? Installing one extra program is hardly a bind.

You'd best ask Dr Lodge about that.

And of course with the SBT you can use USB.

Just nothing too big, which it struggles with.

Plus haven't there been issues with Sonos/Spotify? Runs sweet as a nut on my SB.

There was an issue, some months ago, which was fixed (it was an Amazon issue).

 

[bigboss]

Sonos uses its own mesh network instead of your home's wi-fi, so it doesn't clog up your home's wi-fi & also prevents audio drop outs due ot it.

 

[ric71]

I use a Sonos ZP90 with my iTunes on a NAS all ALAC. Spotify is a joy to use on the Sonos. All controlled from my iPhone 4. Fantastic .

 

[Anonymous]

Sonos uses its own mesh network instead of your home's wi-fi, so it doesn't clog up your home's wi-fi & also prevents audio drop outs due ot it.

Potentially good, although I never get dropouts on the SB either. If I did, I'd simply turn on my (now redundant) Wireless N router and have it as a dedicated wifi spot. As it is I was sent a new Modem with Wifi bulit in, so I use that, even though it's only G. Slightly slower, but as I said, I never get dropouts anyway.

I'd admit the Sonos looks nicer, but I love the options I have with SB.

 

[gowiththeflow]

In my experience, the Sonos mesh network has proved to be rock solid and reliable, compared to our home WiFi wireless N network.

This is a fairly large house and running etherenet cables around is almost an impossibility, because of the internal geography and various obstacles. So I'm now looking at Powerline/Homeplugs and WiFi repeaters to bolster the signal to the far reaches. No such problem with the Sonos mesh network, as each Sonos module is a broadcast or repeater station on the network and there is a full strength signal where the WiFi is weakest.

I was originally tempted by the Sqeezebox solution as it was cheaper, but a mate who bought it encountered a few problems and had to spend a bit of time fiddling with configurations etc, to get it to work reliably. The Sonos on the other hand, is just plug and play.

Apart from its incredible easy installation and instant set up, Sonos's main advantage is its multi-room capabilty, which as WHF suggests, is very hard to beat. It has a whole load of music streaming services already built-in, and can access your iTunes or other music libraries on a desktop/laptop/NAS without any extra software.

The control interface on an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Android phone is very slick and easy to use. Plus there is the desktop/laptop control application. Apart from iPhone, iPod Touch and Android control, we also have a Sonos CR200 controller. It is a bit expensive, but it has the benefit of running on the mesh network and nobody is going to take it out of the house when they go work/college etc.

.

 

[HDNumpty]

Thanks all for your considered responses. A Sonos ZP90 (I think?) looks like the best bet as I could run it straight through my DAC. I am still experimenting with Spotify on my first month's subs, not sure whether I will use it long-term or whether I'll get bored. For the moment CD and iPod via the dock certainly offer the best sound quality.

 

[cayorob]

Apple Airport Express - Job done