Squeezebox demo

Nick B · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 10:48 pm »

Thanks for the Audiogon info. Interesting comments on ease fo use and performance comparison re EAC vs Windows Media Player.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #21 on:** 29 Jan 2006, 11:40 pm »

Spent the afternoon at rashiki's for a demo of squeeze box. I came away with a much better understanding.
Two things he suggested were that I get the squeeze box first. Set it up and play with settings etc. Then when I am comfortable with the squeeze box get the wireless remote system that I'll need to hook up to my audio system. It seems that the wireless gives people the biggest headache.
I liked what I saw at his house. I honestly got to say I was impressed.
But!!! Will the squeeze box replace my CD player? I don't think so. I now look at the squeeze box as a place to store my CD collection. Then I will be able to play all of them back through my audio system without having to change CD's every hour or so. Real big deal! I don't mind changing a CD it gives me an opportunity to get to the bar and mix another martini.

Oh! And by the way rashiki. Thank you very much for letting me come to your house for the excellent demo. You might be hearing from me again when I'm in deep doodoo trying to set up the squeeze box and wireless router.

Cheers
Charlie

Carlman · « **Reply #22 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 12:12 am »

Charles,
Be prepared for the possiblity that a modified Squeezebox as a source might just sound better than your cd player. Experiment when you get it set up and keep us updated on the results!
I'm really glad someone was able to share how it worked with you.
-C

mgalusha · « **Reply #23 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 01:39 am »

Perhaps we should create a sticky thread with a list of Squeezebox owners who would be willing to give demo's to our AC brethren. Something like the list of VMPS owners willing to give demos. Say a list sorted by location (state/city). I for one would be willing. I enjoy meeting new audio enthusiasts and once you've gone squeeze you never go back.

Maybe EchiDna can create one since this is his circle. 'Course that's assuming I'm not the only one who would sign up (doubtful given the generosity of AC members).

mike

Eli · « **Reply #24 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 03:24 am »

Quote from: Charles Calkins

Spent the afternoon at rashiki's for a demo of squeeze box. I came away with a much better understanding.
Two things he suggested were that I get the squeeze box first. Set it up and play with settings etc. Then when I am comfortable with the squeeze box get the wireless remote system that I'll need to hook up to my audio system. It seems that the wireless gives people the biggest headache.
I liked what I saw at his house. I honestly got to say I was impressed.
But!!! Will the squeeze box replace my C ...

Charles,

Don't be surprised if you begin listening to music in different ways. I thought I'd be the last person to listen to music on "random", but found thats it is _really_ an interesting and enjoyable experience. You hear tracks from CDs that you haven't listened to in years. You hear obscure tracks in the middle of CDs that you normally may not pay much attention to. If I play random mode as background music during dinner or while cleaning the house, I find myself running to the computer to find out just what the heck that unfamiliar track is.

Here's another: I was listening to some instrumental version of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" the other day and wondered just how many versions I had. So I did a search through the library (something like 15 versions) and queued them all and listened to them one after another. A lot of fun can be had.

I've bought more new music in the year since getting a Squeezebox than I have in tha past four or five years combined.

Another great thing? I'm not married to the Squeezebox. I have my collection ripped to Flac, which is a lossless digital format and I will never need to rip any of those CDs again. All that music is sitting on hard drives (and their backups) and whatever playback device comes along in the future, I'll be all set. If I need to move to a different file format, I can transcode the entire library in a day or two of the computer chugging along.

Last great thing (tm): For secondary systems, it can't be beat. All your music resides on a central server. Play anything in your collection up in the bedroom, or in your office, or in the garage workshop without having CD players all over the house and without having to track down CDs.

Going to a computer based music system should be a no-brainer.

Carlman · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 03:43 am »

Quote from: Eli

I find myself running to the computer to find out just what the heck that unfamiliar track is. ...

Eli, I setup the display to have the 'Now Playing' section scroll the id tag of the .flac files... (Translation: The display on the SB3 shows the track, title, artist, and album.)

No running to the PC for me!

-C

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #26 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:15 am »

Besides ripping your CD collection to your computer where do you get music to add to your collection?
Store? Online?
Can't see much sense in plunking down $18.00 for a CD and then ripping it to my computer.

Cheers
Charlie

Eli · « **Reply #27 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:37 am »

Quote from: Charles Calkins

Besides ripping your CD collection to your computer where do you get music to add to your collection?
Store? Online?
Can't see much sense in plunking down $18.00 for a CD and then ripping it to my computer.

Other than, err, less than legal means of acquiring digital music, buying and ripping CDs is still the best approach, IMO. A few reasons why:

There's not a lot available online (yet) for purchase in a good lossless format like Flac. A lot is available in lossy MP3, or some Apple iTunes format. But a lot of music on CD just can't be found anywhere for download.
It's cheaper. I don't think I've ever paid $18 for a single-disc CD, as I buy pretty much everything online for a max of about $13 a disc. Most music services selling music online end up being more expensive than if you just bought the CD yourself and ripped it.
You get artwork and album notes, albeit not of the same quality as in the days of vinyl, still pretty good.
The original CD can be considered a last-ditch backup. Maybe you didn't take everyone's advice to back up all your ripped music, then your hard drive crashes. Or maybe someone breaks in and steals your computer _and_ your backup drives. Unless they also swipe the CDs, you've still got your music around. Ripping again won't be any fun, but losing thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of dollars worth of music would be much less fun.
If you ever decide to just say f**k it all to computer based systems, you still have your music when you go back to that new, ultra-expensive CD player.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #28 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:45 am »

Quote from: Charles Calkins

Can't see much sense in plunking down $18.00 for a CD and then ripping it to my computer.

Charlie....How about over 14,000 cd's available at $5.99 each and free shipping.... good deal.......

mgalusha · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:49 am »

Quote from: Charles Calkins

Can't see much sense in plunking down $18.00 for a CD and then ripping it to my computer.

Hi Charles, why is this any different that plunking down $18 (or any amount) for a CD and sticking it on a shelf? You are paying for the content, not the medium.

Myself, I'm delighted to buy new discs, rip them and store the CD's in my basement. I now have access to the music in my office, my main rig, our home theater system and in my shop, all without stacks of CD's laying about.

gitarretyp · « **Reply #30 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:50 am »

I second yourmusic. Their selection is decent, and they'll get things to you in ~10 days, usually. It's tough to beat 5.99/cd shipped (they do add tax, however).

Watch-out for titles being removed. They notify you of their removal if you have it in your queue. For instance, i was going to order a holly cole cd this month, but they removed it before i had a chance to order.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #31 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 04:56 am »

My reason for picking your music for Charlie is his quote....

Quote

Charlie is a cheapo.

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Gordy · « **Reply #32 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 05:29 am »

There are a few SACD's sprinkled about as well, LSO Live for instance...

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #33 on:** 30 Jan 2006, 09:57 am »

Well I'll be darned!!
Yourmusic.com looks like Netflix. I never heard of it until now. Just think guys if I subscribe to your music it looks like dollar wise I get a CD to rip and I'll have enough left over from the $18.00 I would have spent to buy popcorn and a martini!

cheers from El Cheapo!!!
Charlie

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #34 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 05:04 pm »

I see that Staples has a good deal on the Linksys speedbooster broadband wireless router That I'll need to go with my SB3 setup.

Under that they say
Choose your adapter:
USB adapter and also a notebookcard.
Do I need either of those adapters?

Cheers
Charlie

ctviggen · « **Reply #35 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 05:24 pm »

You'll have to have some type of wireless sender/receiver in order to communicate with the wireless router. You could get one to go into a slot in your computer or a USB device.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #36 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 05:51 pm »

Won't the wireless SB3 communicate with the router? I thought that is what I needed to get audio signal to my main audio system in the living room over 100 feet away from my computer.

Let me see if I got this right.
Wireless router hook up to my computer by an earthernet cable. AC power cord to the router.

Wireless SB3 by my audio system. AC power cord. Analouges out to my preamp.

Right?

Cheers
Charlie

Rashiki · « **Reply #37 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 07:10 pm »

Charlie, you are right -- you don't need anything else. The Staples website is suggesting that you get a wireless adapter for your computer, but you can just use an ethernet cable to go from your computer to the router.

-Rob

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #38 on:** 31 Jan 2006, 08:45 pm »

Rob:
Thanks again. I thought that was the way you showed me how to hook up everything.

Cheers

Charlie

EchiDna · « **Reply #39 on:** 1 Feb 2006, 09:57 am »

Quote from: mgalusha

Perhaps we should create a sticky thread with a list of Squeezebox owners who would be willing to give demo's to our AC brethren. Something like the list of VMPS owners willing to give demos. Say a list sorted by location (state/city). I for one would be willing. I enjoy meeting new audio enthusiasts and once you've gone squeeze you never go back.

Maybe EchiDna can create one since this is his circle. 'Course that's assuming I'm not the only one who would sign up (doubtful given the generosity of AC members).

mike

I'm happy to do it... but only if we get more takers first

at the moment, it's a short list Mike!