It is highly regrettable that a sophisticated system like this has not found enough buyers, because there is nothing comparable on the market, neither technically nor priced. But those who have been admitted to this conviction, burn it, and among those people who consume more music than others.
The Squeezebox series is superior to the single comparable Sonos system in some things. First Sonos devices are priced in my opinion completely exaggerated. The devices are optically therefore only as speakers, of whom already the smallest 270, - costs. For comparison: For this you get two Squeezebox radios and two remote-pack it. The Sonos has no remote control; you have to wait on him with his cell phone or buy a damn expensive control. He also has no display or buttons to operate the unit. A radio for example is in my bathroom. There I do not need a high-fidelity sound for 300, -, but the display from Squeezeboxradio with the clock, or the practical remote control that I dare to touch even out of the shower, so this is useful.
It's the same with the Squeezebox Touch. What should I ask nicely with a single 370 - expensive Sonos speakers in my living room when I stand there anyway a more boxes home theater sound system, I doubt about the undisputed best audio interface, the digital-optical Link can connect with my Squeezebox Touch. Here is a wireless remote control included is that also works with all other Squeezebox players. The small remote controls function again the way conversely to the touch.
Music Services à la Spotify I do not use; I can say nothing. But access to the "regular" radio stations and specialty channels is awesome! Find the search function and save as favorites, you can already a radio station from the other side of the world just as easily play as the local stations. Radio FG or NRJ Paris also not a problem as Radio Deejay or RTL 102.5 from Italy or Cadena Dial and Los 40 from Spain; We are a cosmopolitan household. If a stream once not be available (for example, error:. Time Out), then the problem does not lie on the player, and can also be only of a temporary nature. Occasionally (really rare) change the addresses of streams or are temporarily not available. Then it is also worthwhile, if necessary to seek new channels. Radio streams, which are based on real, but can not be opened.
What I would like to say to the touch and the other players:
The Squeezebox are my knowledge, the only network player, the audio files can transcode WMA Lossless format. For me this is essential because I play my CD's in this format on my hard drive. The Squeezebox Touch basically works though as a server for your music collection in conjunction with SD cards or USB hard drives, but I guess because of the long access times and recoverability of the music files to a solution with a separate server or an ultra-compact PC ( eg. the EeeBox), especially if you use several players, synchronized and has a very large music collection. To manage their own songs, it is advisable to use the Windows Media Player software, such as a separate. There created playlist recognizes the Squeezebox.
I play without any problems my own music collection synchronously to six players. It is important that the appropriate conditions are created for this purpose, it also comes at no unwanted intermediate buffers or restart the songs for deviations in synchronicity. I use a home wireless router with HSDPA data transmission with up to 300Mbps Wireless N for network's and as access to the Internet. The device was adjusted so that it should support all standards and bandwidths simultaneously, which, it turned out, caused harmful interference to Synchronous Play. Since 300Mbps are hardly used today, I have the settings fixed at 54g. Since then the network is extremely stable. In addition, you should make sure that the touch, if it is to play in sync with other players, connected to speakers or stereo system via line-out and not the digital optical output. Processing via the optical output takes a few milliseconds longer, so that a manual adjustment of the starting time will be necessary.
If you want to afford a network of Squeezebox for each room, then you can connect the Squeezebox via the line out with a radio transmitter or Bluetooth transmitter and so the same sound for several rooms. And, Bluetooth, I have personally never tried. Before I bought a whole series of SB players, wireless speakers were distributed by the same company that I could individually via radio remote control sockets on and off in various rooms. The radio transmitter was connected to the Squeezebox and sent automatically as soon as the audio signal transmitted from the player. So I had a quasi-multi-room audio system, at least to start with.
Logitech guarantees its Squeezebox customers to provide all the services for the operation of the Player is available for the future: [...] Even if Mysqueezebox would be eventually shut down, then this does not alter the operational nature of players in connection with the Media server is installed on the home PC. Also original MP3 streams from radio stations can be set up manually. It should mysqueezebox not necessary.
Overall, the Touch is due to their multiple connection options even for a very long time not "go on forever". The non-technical operating concept and the elegant, timeless design turns the Squeezebox to a collector's item, especially for all those who still loves to buy CD's and / or collect thousands of songs on your hard drive and want to play at any time.
It's just great, coming homecoming and with a simple left and right keys to provide music, anytime, anywhere in the apartment.
