which streamer?

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Hi everyone, i am hopefully in the new year going to be adding a streaming system to my Hi Fi and would like some advice and help on which would be best to go with. I have five options to pick from and i'm stuck on which would be the best value for money and give me the best sound quality and reliability. All of my music would be stored on a Nas Drive.

Option 1: Logitech Squeezebox Duet Reciever (with squeezebox controller)

Option 2: Logitech Squeezebox Touch

Option 3: Sonos BR100 Zonebrdge & ZP90

Option 4: Cambridge Audio NP30

Option 5: Marantz NA7004

Also, would i get better results by adding a DAC to any of these options?

Thanks
 

spockfish

New member
Jan 18, 2011
34
0
0
Visit site
It al depends... For example, all DLNA based streamers don't need a server component ( a piece of software which runs on your NAS or PC ), but lack imho heavily on the user experience. The Sonos is of course cool and provives a good user experience. The Squeezebox for me is ideal: great user experience (way better than any DLNA based streamer), not too expensive.

And about adding a DAC: it al depends on which DAC. Adding for example a CA DacMagic to the Squeezebox didn't do anything; adding a Rega DAC changed sound big-time.

Regards,
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I've looked into streamers recently and will go the SB Touch, but if I wanted multi-room capability I would opt for the Sonos. You can then add a better DAC at some future time as funds permit. The SB Touch came out top in the Group Test this month.
 
Gareth82 said:
Hi everyone, i am hopefully in the new year going to be adding a streaming system to my Hi Fi and would like some advice and help on which would be best to go with. I have five options to pick from and i'm stuck on which would be the best value for money and give me the best sound quality and reliability. All of my music would be stored on a Nas Drive.

Option 1: Logitech Squeezebox Duet Reciever (with squeezebox controller)

Option 2: Logitech Squeezebox Touch

Option 3: Sonos BR100 Zonebrdge & ZP90

Option 4: Cambridge Audio NP30

Option 5: Marantz NA7004

Also, would i get better results by adding a DAC to any of these options?

Thanks

TBH, Gareth I've not had first hand experience with Streamers, but I know from experience Rotel is a great synergy match with the A65. The model in question is RT-09 which retails around £650, but look around and there could be deals to be had.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I'd goalong with SB Touch idea for value, although I have a Sonos which is probably more wife friendly, think it is as I can never get my hands on the controller. Feed into a decent DAC and the Touch performs well.
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Thanks for the replys everyone. The squeezebox touch looks like a front runner at the moment. Quiet a few people have recconmended it to me and it has ment to have a pritty good DAC built in.

I also like the look of the Sonos but i think the max rooms i would have multi room in is two and the second room would only be for casual listening so think maybe the Sonos may be a bit of an expensive approach to that.

Does the Squeezebox Touch have any reliability problems with dropping out etc.. ?

As for which DAC i was thinking of getting, i was either gonna go for the Arcam rDac or the Rega DAC.
 
Gareth82 said:
Thanks for the replys everyone. The squeezebox touch looks like a front runner at the moment. Quiet a few people have recconmended it to me and it has ment to have a pritty good DAC built in.

I also like the look of the Sonos but i think the max rooms i would have multi room in is two and the second room would only be for casual listening so think maybe the Sonos may be a bit of an expensive approach to that.

Does the Squeezebox Touch have any reliability problems with dropping out etc.. ?

As for which DAC i was thinking of getting, i was either gonna go for the Arcam rDac or the Rega DAC.

FWIW, the Rotel has a built-in DAC 24 bit and looks pretty wife friendly...
smiley-wink.gif


http://www.whathifi.com/review/rotel-rt-09
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
1,253
26
19,220
Visit site
plastic penguin said:
FWIW, the Rotel has a built-in DAC 24 bit and looks pretty wife friendly...
smiley-wink.gif


http://www.whathifi.com/review/rotel-rt-09

Not as neat and small and easy to use as this though...

Logitech-Squeezebox-Touch-2.jpg


If that's what you mean by "wife friendly". (Your words and a term I still wince at when I see it.)

In fact that Rotel RT-09 looks like a very 'traditional' hifi rack type seperate component, festooned with lots of "husband friendly" buttons (too many?) to give the appearance of complication when there really isn't (or shouldn't be) any.

It's why I like operating everything from an iPhone rather than a load of silly buttons.

The SB Touch looks very neat and elegant in comparison. (Although I slightly preferred the the looks of the old one).
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Thanks for the replys. The Rotel does like good and i would consider it. The Squeezebox Touch does appeal to me though as it is priced pritty good and is good value for money.

I currently have a Virgin Media Super Hub with 30meg broadband. Would i get any problems with reliability on the touch with this internet connection? And if i was listening to the touch and my wife wanted to surf the net at the same time would this also effect reliability of the touch with music playback?
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
I have done abit of searching on the Squeezebox Touch forum and have found that although you can run the SB server on a NAS drive, most people recommend runing it from a PC/Laptop.

Has anyone had any experience in using a NAS drive and had any issues with dropouts, sonud quality or compatability?

If i do have to run the SB Touch with a server from a pc/laptop then i think adding up the price of buying the SB Touch, a new PC/Laptop and then possible a external hard drive that i would maybe be better getting a Sonos system or maybe one of the streamers from marantz or rotel.

Any views comments would be great as i thought i'd picked the right option to take and now i'm not so sure.
 
T

the record spot

Guest
Have a look at Sony's network media player - heaps of functionality, audio, video, movies, photos...take your pick. Utter steal for £100.
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Gareth82 said:
Thanks for the replys. The Rotel does like good and i would consider it. The Squeezebox Touch does appeal to me though as it is priced pritty good and is good value for money.

I currently have a Virgin Media Super Hub with 30meg broadband. Would i get any problems with reliability on the touch with this internet connection? And if i was listening to the touch and my wife wanted to surf the net at the same time would this also effect reliability of the touch with music playback?

Provided your Hub is placed in a reasonable location you should have no problems whatsoever. It's always worth using a wired ethernet connection for reliability purposes when your components are close together, but otherwise I haven't had any problems with similar setups.
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Gareth82 said:
I have done abit of searching on the Squeezebox Touch forum and have found that although you can run the SB server on a NAS drive, most people recommend runing it from a PC/Laptop.

Really? That surprises me. If I was getting a NAS to run the server then I'd probably get one with it preinstalled since Unix can be a bit daunting, but other than that I got the impression it ran quite well? We have some SB/NAS users on here, wait for them. Perhaps raise a specific post With Squeezebox and NAS in the title to attract attention :)
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Thanks for the replies. I would rather use whichever streamer i get with a NAS or external hard drive. Think i will have to do abit more research as i know Synology and Netgear make NAS drives with the SB server pre installed.

With regards to the Sony streamer that the record spot recommended, would it have to be used with a NAS drive or can it be used with a external hard drive? And what is sound quality like in music play back? would i be best to use it along with a DAC?

Thanks
 
T

the record spot

Guest
Gareth, my apologies, I didn't read all of your signature kit-list. Your Sony BDP-S370 will do pretty much all (and in fact, more) than the Sony network drive will - it shares much of the same functionality in effect and has all the relevant inputs needed, likewise with Sony's Bravia TVs too. I wouldn't recommend the Sony network player accordingly.
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Hi, the record spot. How would i play back music from the Sony BDP S370? would i have to use a NAS drive or can i use my external hard drive? I did try a thumb drive in the front usb port but the sony wouldn't recognise the files so i wasn't able to play back any music.
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Hi everyone, i have just realised thanks to ''the record spot'' that my Sony BDP S370 can playback music from my external hard drive. My question is, now i already have a player capable of playing music form a hard drive, is it worth me still getting a SB Touch and NAS Drive or is it best for me to just buy a DAC like the Rega or rDac and connect this to my Aracm A65 and play my music back that way?
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
It's worth a go. The UI is a bit of a challenge though - you need to navigate a file folder structure basically, and there are no playlists. Also, OTTOMH the USB is only on the front which might make it a bit awkward...

EDIT - no, there's a USB slot on the back too.
 

Gareth82

New member
Mar 13, 2011
55
0
0
Visit site
Thanks for the reply. I know that i won't have album art and can't create playlists and it isn't as smooth to navigate as a SB Touch would be. I was just thinking that seems as i have already got my music on a external hard drive and the sony is able to play it back through my stereo would i be best to save the money that would of paid for the SB Touch and NAS Drive and buy a Dac instead, as hopefully not playing music wirelessly like i would with the touch and using a good Dac may give me better sound quality and reliability. I have got a i Pod so could always buy a Dock and connect that to a Dac also for when i want to use playlists etc...
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts