[Brewski]

Hi everybody,

Please assume total ignorance on my part. This should help you in your reply

I have a wonderful audiophile system with some nice electronics and speakers--some that I have lovingly kept alive for decades. I want to input streaming internet radio--it's the only way I can have disc-less classical music where I live.

Today, I browsed the Logitech site and found the Squeezebox Touch and the Transporter. The price for the latter is something I would have to think about awile. But the Touch looks great.

Here is the question:

I assume that I can plug my home network Cat 5 cable into this thing and connect the RCA output jacks to my preamp, find a site like CB Classical, and go! I assume that I don't need to connect to a PC, unless I want to play files from the computer's hard drive. IS THIS CORRECT?

The sites I like to listen to are mostly available through the iTunes Radio option. WILL I BE ABLE TO GET THESE WITH THE TOUCH?

If so, could some kind soul direct me to competing gadgets that do the same thing, so that I can compare?

Is the Touch a good way to go? What do I get with the Transporter?

Thanks a lot!

My best,

Brewski

[sleepysurf]

You WILL be able to stream music directly from the Internet (e.g. Classical.com, Pandora, etc.), but I'm not sure about iTunes Radio stations.  Have a look at http://mysqueezebox.com/index/Home to see what internet-direct streaming options exist.  FYI, once you find out how EASY it is to access your entire iTunes (or FLAC) library, you'll want to run Squeezebox Server on your home computer and stream all your music that way.
 
BTW, the Touch has NOT been released yet.  Looks like it will be May before the firmware issues are resolved.  As for comparison with the Transporter, the latter has a better DAC, and more input/output options, but both will be 24/96 capable.

[Kevin Haskins]

I'm waiting on the Touch myself.   I have used a Transporter in my system before and it is a fine piece of gear but the way modern DACs have improved I expect the Touch to be very close.   I'd rather spend the difference in cost on other things in my system and I expect the Touch will be the direction Logitech will move towards long-term.   I expect them to discontinue the Transporter at some point because it is too much of a niche product for a company like Logitech.   I think Audiophiles are driving them crazy too.... at least that is the impression that I get.

As long as you have a wireless router in your system that is the network hub for your internet connection you should be able to access Internet Radio without your home computer being powered-up.  You need a wireless hub though which is not included when you buy the Touch or not necessarily part of your current network.   

The Touch is basically a small computer running Linux.   You can plug a external USB based hard drive directly into the Touch and access the entire library of music ripped to that drive without needing another computer to store the music library.    That is one of the many cool things I like about the Touch.   It should be capable as a stand-alone device without another music server, has an excellent DAC, and the digital out is designed very nice too if you want to roll external DACs.   

 

[cloudbaseracer]

The Touch is basically a small computer running Linux.   You can plug a external USB based hard drive directly into the Touch and access the entire library of music ripped to that drive without needing another computer to store the music library.    That is one of the many cool things I like about the Touch.   It should be capable as a stand-alone device without another music server, has an excellent DAC, and the digital out is designed very nice too if you want to roll external DACs.   

Wow!  Is it really possible to get rid of a computer and just plug a harddrive with CAT5 into in the Touch?  That is awesome if correct.  The only thing I don't like about it is the screen is so large but that is a requirement of it's function I guess.  I just don't want to be looking at the screen all of the time while listening.  I hope it can function with the display turned off?


Cheers,

James

[lcrim]

One of the best features of the SqueezeBox and Transporter is the music storage can be remote to the listening room. Using the Touch w/ a connected usb hard drive brings all the mechanical and electrical noise back to the listening room.  A SS drive of any decent size will cost more than the Touch.