Review for Apple users and / or previous owner!

by now using the catchy Bose Sound Touch 30 Series II WiFi Music System Black I want to ask my review available.

Since I like most in the area of ​​sound systems and rezensiere I apologize already in advance that my review fails perhaps longer than necessary. If you do not want to read a lot, you could even possibly enough my Conclusion. Otherwise, I wish you much perseverance, but who wants to spend a lot of money, should be able to expect a hopefully sufficiently informative review.

Some facts about me peripherals: I already have the Bose Sound Touch 20 Series I (separate review on Amazon also seen) and own Apple products with which I have carried out the tests. Therefore, the review is aimed primarily at Apple users.

Perceived quality / packaging:
The device is delivered in a sufficiently large packaging. It is securely packaged in the body and it was probably omitted from environmentally friendly reasons largely on plastic. Here's a compliment to Bose from my side.
The Bose Sound Touch 30 is very well made. All buttons have a very good tactile feedback. The external quality is at Bose typically high level.

First Installation:
My first installation was at that time with me from unproblematic. Here, there are sometimes really crass Breakaway with regard to the connectivity. Sometimes the problem is also on the router or to the security settings. A cure does not exist unfortunately.
I am a customer of KabelBW and use a Fritz box 6360. Since that time I had bought myself a Xbox One and had massive problems playing online, I have the protocol of IPv6 on IPv4 be changed. This made it possible for me to play again online and I had no problems during the initial installation of the Bose Sound Touch 20. Perhaps this is a connection with the massive differences in the respective user. IPv6 is not backward compatible and an entirely new protocol.

The fact that I 20 already have the first generation in the form of the Bose Sound Touch, the installation of the new Series II of SoundTouch 30 was absolutely easy. I had to do is open the app and add settings under a new system. Installing the software to the finished turning the equipment took roughly 10 minutes to complete. With me so truly plug and play.

We come to the sound and the differences between Bose Sound Touch 20 and 30:
Basically, the Bose sound leaves across the board as always describe: The ups and downs (ie the Bass) are available clean, while the middle is missing something. Unfortunately, this is Bose-typical, although I so thoroughly Favorite sound.
In my mind, a good system if you like favors Rock / Pop / Hip-Hop. Classical and Jazz lovers will be here rather disappointed, although it naturally always arrives at the listening habits.

Are the differences from SoundTouch 20 (first generation) to SoundTouch 30 (second generation) significantly?
The application of Bose says yes, that 20 series for small spaces and the 30 series would be suitable for large spaces. I can only agree. Basically, the difference is even considerably especially with regard to the bass volume. This is of course on the respective size of the corpus. For this I have added pictures of each two systems. For comparison I still have a current 5-inch smartphone (Lumia 830) added, so you can see the size. If my Amazon offers the opportunity again, I'll resent the images to.
For the kitchen operation, I think the 30 series of too large, but also in a kitchen, the sound may not be good enough. Therefore, all a matter of taste. For a living room, in my opinion, you can really take to Nebenherhören both systems, although of course the 30 series in comparison seems far more thoughtful (depending on the size of the room).

We come to the trappings:

What can I do with System 1?
- You can store 6 presets on your system. This may be various albums or (sensibly) Internet radio stations. Why Bose has not extended the presets, reveals itself not quite me. As early as the Generation 1 6 presets were stored. Why are not possible by a shift key 12 or more presets, probably remains the secret of engineers / developers. This is a shortcoming in my eyes.
- Of course you can listen to your iTunes library. But this is only if this is stored either on a NAS or running your main computer, including iTunes.
- You can start the music streaming service Deezer and Spotify directly through the Sound Touch (as of today). No other device in between so it must be connected.

What can I do with 2 systems?
- You can hear the same (synchronous!), For example in two rooms.
- You can listen to different stations in the rooms.
- You can access your iTunes library and listen to this, for example in a room, while Internet radio is playing on the other system.
Here opportunities are thus given enough to the budget different from sonication.
Important Note: The iTunes library can thus be on a server or from the MacBook to play (with me). The control is easily performed via iOS or Mac OSX Yosemite.

Is WLAN imperative?
Yes and no! You can connect also a jack cable MP3 player / smartphone or tablet. So do not have you home via the Internet, the acquisition would be counterproductive, since that system is designed to WLAN / LAN.

Can I use the phone without SoundTouch also?
This is possible in any case. However, you need to set up a laptop and can store the presets there about the program. After that you can perfectly stream each stored Internet radio station. For this purpose, does not run the computer of course. All you need is a working Internet connection (WLAN or LAN).

Can I use Rdio or similar services?
Integrated into the respective app is already Deezer and Spotify. Anyone wishing to use other streaming services, this can of course.
I have here only a comparison with Apple devices. Ipad / Iphone users can simply transfer the sound control via airplay on the Bose sound Touch and can therefore all sound files that are playable on the Ipad / Iphone hear about it.
If you own a MacBook / iMac should just go to System Preferences and transmit the sound via the menu item Sound on Sound Touch. Thus, even now be played Rdio or similar.

What I have noticed otherwise?
-As Mentioned above the 6 presets are quite little. 12 presets or even that little bit more (for example, a Shift key, you can select a 2nd level) would have been me simply prefer.
-The remote control is a good size and is well so far in his hand. The rubberized surface is flat vulnerable through this also for lint. It is not lit otherwise.
-if The Bose Sound Touch is not exempt from the circuit, he remains constantly in the WLAN network. Therefore, I prefer always after listening to the mains plug and must not think about any current costs in standby make. The boot time is about 40 seconds until the last played radio station gets going.
-The 20 series weight is about 3.2 kg for the 30 series about 8.5kg weighs.

If I had to choose between the 20 and 30 series .....
... It depends on the area to be sonicated. Whoever has for example a 20 square meters large living room and would like to hear in music in a comfortable volume level, which could be quite sufficient the 20 series.
... Want beschallen its rooms with more than 30sqm, should buy more the 30 series. The bass sets against the 20 series to enormous, which is why a pleasant sound is possible in it.
In general it can be said, however, that one can very listening to loud music with both devices sometimes. The maximum volume is quite loud in my opinion.

What about with updates?
Compared with January 2014 (as I then tested the 1st generation) has done a lot with Bose. The app runs on iOS 8.1 is very stable (Iphone 6 Plus). There is now a search for the iTunes library. Who calls more than 500 albums his own, knows this more than appreciate. Furthermore, one could initially include any NAS what works now.
Bose cares about his equipment and will update regularly its app and the device.
This is what I wanted to mention, because although many companies throw unfinished stories to the market, but does not also make improvements. Not as Bose.

Conclusion:
The here tested by me version of the Bose Sound Touch 30 Series II is undoubtedly a very good device. In conjunction with Apple devices at least for me everything is going wonderfully clean. I am the Bosesound (middle missing, ups and downs well equipped) usual and like him very well. The requested price for the 30 series is very athletic. For small / medium-sized rooms the 20 series in my opinion is still more than adequate. The difference in price for 30 series is easy even considerably, so that one here as well inclined buyer must ask the question whether one of more price is worth it. If you let the price sidelined, as is of course the 30 series and more homogeneous in my eyes absolutely tiptop. There's really nothing to criticize.
A really good thing is the linking of 2 systems (with me the 20 1st generation with the 30 2nd generation) to a home speaker system. Each room can be recorded differently or just in sync with music. This is really a cool thing.
Comparison with similar systems (Sonos be mentioned here) is missing me, unfortunately. These systems are sometimes not cheap, but have more choice of different boxes, etc.
So I forgive good 4 star on a truly outstanding sound Touch 30 with too high a price for my taste. Who is not about the money, which can virtually like to make a 5 star it.

If you have persevered this far, I congratulate you most sincerely. They have survived my review and I hope it was informative for you. Whether positive or negative, you can confirm with an actuation of the helpful and non-helpful buttons. No matter how you decide, I wish you much fun browsing and if you should have decided on the Bose sound Touch 30 Series II ..... Enjoy listening to your music!