First of all, to my decision to buy this product.
I was looking for a wireless speaker with some extra features. Actually, I was looking for a panacea.
My ideas were:
iPhone, iPad Dock
WIFI
AirPlay
DAB +
FM
DLNA
iTunes
Since there is not such a device as a single, and I found only one that was able to map the majority of the functions, however, did not meet the quality requirements, after a long search I have found two products that I wanted to see more detail.
Once the SONOS-series and on the other hand the sound touch devices from Bose.
Ultimately, it is then made because of the very convincing sound of SoundTouch 20.
But now to my review and explanation of why I forgive only 3 stars for such a great device.
The initial set-up works just exemplary.
A little getting used to is the forced cabling via USB to an existing computer (MAC or PC). Especially since this only needs to happen for the Sound Touch the WLAN password can be taught. As you would probably have something to abgucken at Apple, because the AirPort Base Stations can be set up even if they depend only on the Ethernet cable. And this even without a computer only with an iPhone. Who does not have a computer, which is in a fix, so to speak.
However, this is rather subordinate to evaluate, because after the Sound Touch was once made known to the network, the further device no longer runs through the USB cable.
In my case, the sound Touch had to make an update that has claimed about 10 minutes and then you found yourself with no instructions in the app on the computer easily cope and was first listener result posted on the Internet Radio.
For the initial setup, there is, despite the USB cable from me 5 stars.
The Sound
The sound is just fine. I'm not an acoustician and I can certainly give no professional opinion to treble, mid and bass, but the sound that comes from the SoundTouch 20 is just phenomenal. However, the basses are pronounced very differently depending on the installation site. From euphonious subtle to overpowering bass heavy, anything goes. Since I have two of SoundTouch and one of them is in the kitchen in the living room and the other, I can describe the purely acoustically.
In the living room of Sound Touch is on a Ikea Expedit shelving system, which stands on a floating, laid hardwood floors. The "twin-wall" construction of Expedit and parquet enter the bass an ideal dissemination potential, which is partly already too pronounced.
Unlike the Sound Touch in the kitchen. This is on a bolted on six base units worktop and on the floor are tiles. There, the bass does not have as a game room and is much more discreet therefore.
Overall, the sound is but really stands out for such a small device.
There are also 5 star from me
Play music from other sources
First of all: The Presets are a mystery to me, but more on that later.
Besides the Internet radio, which is listed in the app (iPhone or computer) after some meaningful categories, there is the possibility the SoundTouch an iTunes library or a DLNA server to publicize.
During the DLNA server (Twonkey) I am running on a NAS, the establishment went here without any problems, because the sound Touch has this localized in the network and directly involved.
If your iTunes library is then not so self-explanatory.
Here the SoundTouch operated exclusively from the media library of the computer on which the Bose-app runs.
One does not have to choose at several libraries the possibility that device on the network now provides the library.
For me it is something like this that I have included a MacMini on the network that have bereitstellt.Eingerichtet the library for my other devices using Home Sharing i. The SoundTouch but on the MacBook
Here you can remedy this by the Bose-app for the link to the library is installed once on the other computer and from there integrates the library on the app. Not really self-explanatory and quite cumbersome solved.
After setting up the call from the library worked however here without problems and you can even create individual playlists on a preset key.
However, if neither one iTunes library managed, has a DLNA server running somewhere on the network, which has bought for the price "only" an Internet radio to which you can connect a separate source via AUX, or from the iPhone or iPad via AirPlay his songs streaming.
Where I would be at the AirPlay function. Here can be via AirPlay my two SoundTouch not drive simultaneously. You can put only on a sound Touch the network AirPlay source. Because I would have personally a kind of "relay function" desired. Maybe that is still included in the to-do list with Bose.
Furthermore, there is a category "Music Services" in the Sound Touch. Unfortunately, there is listed only Pandora, which it does not exist in Germany to mW. Neither Spotify Conect, yet Music unliMMited, Last.FM and no iTunes Match is possible.
This is a shame, but with iTunes Match justifiable, because you can also integrate a match based library. However, the direct route would have something. Spotify and Last.FM you can indeed take over the iPhone and play via AirPlay, but without the possibility to use all SoundTouch simultaneously. For owners of just one SoundTouch that may be sufficient, I do not have this possibility, however, very.
3 stars for the painful realization that, in extreme cases, only a 400 - has expensive internet radio.
Presets
6 presets are bad enough on the device. I have read in a review that someone would want a Shift function to have at least one device 12 presets.
I go one step further and say that it is simply insulting that all devices on the network must share the 6 presets. As I said, I have bought two units. It should actually be 3, because the son of man would need one too. However, I realized already in the two devices that the presets can not be substantiated differently. At least not from within the app.
I have both devices of distinct and independent first restarted the Internet radio station for the living room and kitchen separated on the device. For this, the help says in the app that you can play back a content, ie selects a station and then holding down the Preset button on the device, which you want to add the channel. So I have done a total of 12 times. Pressing the device buttons, or the buttons on the remote control then the individual presets were to choose the two devices.
As An An Example:
I put on the coffee machine on Preset 1 "Antenne Bayern" and in the kitchen on Preset 1 "1 Live".
The app comes however not. There you can select at the bottom up between the two devices, but the presets are displayed only from the first device. If you press then for example, when you select the second device on preset 1 in the App, this is also reassigned to the unit. Just when the "Play To all" selects in the app. This function is actually to both devices "sound technology" synchronized, so that the same source running on both devices. Here too, the Preset of the second device is simply overwritten.
Even if one applies the presets on the device and the app then subsequently deliberately no longer uses the preset selection, stays here is a danger that as the son of man later in the app creates the presets on his unit, and this is applied to all the network. In my opinion this is a clear malfunction and is reclaimed by me during service. If then find a solution, or have I simply served the function incorrectly, then I correct my score here accordingly.
Earned in the current status, the preset function (at least for more than a sound Touch in the network) from me only 1 star.
The Price
Everything is governed by the price. Alone the name and the sound may not be decisive here. It must go to quality. I have the SoundTouch now just 2 days in a operation and can not say much about the durability. However, the range of functions justifies definitely not a 400, -. Especially as the only independent from other devices function of Sound Touch is the Internet Radio. For DLNA and iTunes least, you need a computer, which then also parallel to his needs. Music services in Germany not available and AirPlay requires an iDevice and can not even spend two devices simultaneously. If a DAB / DAB + receiver, or at least an FM receiver would still be with on board, it might still have the possibility to connect a USB stick or an SD card, my rating would have been better here. The USB function might be able to be retrofitted via firmware update. A USB port is physically fact exists, but only for "maintenance purposes". Whether so at least let the iPhone or the iPad charge, I would have to test.
As for this unit (SoundTouch 20) definitely half the price would have been more than adequate, in spite of the manufacturer, I give here only 1 star.
Thus I have given a total of 15 stars in 5 categories and consequently come to a final score of 3 stars, although the little musical miracle of sound can sound for spaces like very very large competitors.
Had I just bought a SoundTouch would that I had not noticed with the presets and I would here awarded 4 stars just because of the limited number. Please please Bose. Here repair or enlighten me how the function is used correctly, the rating is also high on at least 4 stars. And if even the USB port is compatible media player then, I let myself a pricetag to 5 star. ;)
