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No-bull digital audio streamer + DAC sought

I'm not getting involved in the politics of the thread but I'm another very happy Sonos user here. It has actually completely changed the way I use my hifi and listen to music. I have a zoneplayer into the hifi in the lounge and the all-in-one S5 in the bedroom. The best thing about it is that everyone loves using it so it's a gadget I can buy and not get told off;)
 
OP, you should be using EAC to rip to FLAC at the highest quality settings in order to get the best results from using those files.

There's comprehensive guides out there on the interweb. Will try and post a link to the one I used.
You know, I'm yet to find any evidence that EAC rips more bits than other software.
 
and because the radio/touch/duet handset firmware is all rather complicated and new.

I've had a Duet for a year now, and find it supremely uncomplicated and reliable. It even turns the computer on for me!


There is rumours that Sonos has a high resolution Streamer in the works that plays high bitrate files. the Sonos is good for CD rips i.e. 44.1KHz but that now higher resolution stuff is becoming available they are going to support it in a new revision later this year. This is one reason why the Cullen Mods are actually useful they offer high-resolution file formats that exceed that of CD.

I pooh poohed multi room for ages but its actually really nice having music in the kitchen and having it synched so its playing back at the same time in each room.

Surely using big ol' ATCs you can crank up the volume and experence the same effect?
 
You know, I'm yet to find any evidence that EAC rips more bits than other software.
I use dbPoweramp which implements 'AccurateRip' and also has 'secure' ripping if you want. I ripped a brand new 17 disc set the other day and two or three tracks weren't 'accurate', but fixed themselves with a 'secure' rerip just of the track.

So a simple ripper would have produced files with bit errors of some form. I've no idea whether they would be audible but why tolerate them when it is straightforward to ensure accuracy?

IMO EAC is too unfriendly to persist with in the presence of dbPoweramp, but the point stands.

Paul
 
Batty uses PC and Squeezebox Touch, and is adding a 4Tb NAS thingy very soon. All this brought to you by WiFi.
 
FYIW on the back end I am just delving into vortexbox, use an old P4 pc and stick vortexbox on it.

Insert cd, it rips, tags, adds cover art and spits it back out.

Working flawlessly for me. (except for DAAP to itunes but thats not a biggy)
 
I use a Squeezebox Duo with a Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra (Duo works OK but is sluggish) with a Quad 99 CDP as a DAC (it has six digital inputs). I am pretty satisfied with it with the bonus of being able to play CDs, too...
I don't use the wireless option.
I rip with EAC to FLAC and handle tags with Mp3tag.
 
I have too many squeezeboxes as well. Once you have set up the server it is easy and just works. And the touch does high res.

If you want to upgrade the sound you can later add a dac. Choosing a DAC seems to be as divisive as choosing speakers. There are a lot of products and a lot of tastes out there.
 
I think that the Sonos system is the way to go. It is simple to install and simple to use.I have a ZP90 in the hifi room with a ZoneBridge plugged into my router.This sets up a wireless system for the replay of music.
I have the ZP90 feeding a P3A/P1A dac.I have music ripped to Itunes in aiff using dbPoweramp.I also have downloaded flac files eg.music from Wolgangs Vault. I then have it stored in a LaCie Network Space Max. The Sonos plays flac and aiff no problem. The sound quality is excellent. It is similar to music played through my Meridian 500 transport. Maybe not quite as good but it is very close. It can also play radio from anywhere in the world, Linn radio (all three) at 320 mb,Wolfgangs Vault. It can be controlled from an iPhone, iTouch or Laptop. All in all the Sonos is simple to use has really good sound quality and only cost 450 euro for the ZP90 and the ZoneBridge.
To my mind it is a no brainer.

Mick
 
Another thing in favour of the Sonos (over the Squeezebox/Transporter, etc) and AirTunes/Airport Express is the fact that Sonos does not need a server, like Slimserver/Squeezeserver or iTunes if you're happy with just a Spotify account you don't even need a NAS or even a computer!

Squeezebox OTOH needs to run its server software on a computer or a NAS to access local files which immediately locks you in to specific pieces of hardware for your library... or a computer on all the time...

Sonos has the whole file, network and control management implemented in each hardware player itself -- does not need wifi (uses its own mesh variant so your home network does not suffer) this makes for a much more reliable system IMO where each Sonos box sees the fileserver and arbitrates communication and synchs between each other Sonos player (if you have more than one) so multi-room is a doddle, no way is this as easy with Squeezebox. No hacking NASes, no computers needed and the iPad/iPhone remote is a beautifully implemented version of their own remote.

Sonos is *the* "no BS" approach to home streaming, there is nothing "hairshirt" about it and it sounds fine without any need to butcher about or otherwise needlessly complicate.
 
Squeezebox OTOH needs to run its server software on a computer or a NAS to access local files which immediately locks you in to specific pieces of hardware for your library... or a computer on all the time...


This is uninformed bollocks, I'm afraid. Squeezebox can work without a server too (using mysqueezebox.com) for Spotify, Napster, internet radio - basically anything that doesn't involve your local music library.
 
Another thing in favour of the Sonos (over the Squeezebox/Transporter, etc) and AirTunes/Airport Express is the fact that Sonos does not need a server, like Slimserver/Squeezeserver or iTunes if you're happy with just a Spotify account you don't even need a NAS or even a computer!

It does however need a bridge to link it's wireless mesh to the router/www - unless you can wire your Zoneplayer directly to your router.

So it's a bit swings and roundabouts.
 
Most people I know plug their zoneplayers straight into the router. The zonwbridge is very very rarely used and even when it is, like the zoneplayers its totally setup free. No server needed.

@browellm its not uninfornmed bollocks as I said local files, squeezebox would have to be totally shit if it needed a server to access web files, as it is squeezebox still needs a server to access local files - which is where sonos has the significant up on squeezebox. Which I have used as well as airport/airtunes. Read more carefully.
 
As with any user interface heavy product, best to try both if you can and decide based on what you prefer to use. I did that and went with Sonos but then Apple may chuck a new version of their remote app out that allows me to build a queue like the Sonos does, then I might switch back to that instead. It's all a personal choice.
 
As it stands, to me, the Sonos appears limited (sample rate and depth, database type stuff) and expensive. Or I've misunderstood. I think it suits the den, but he's overselling it.

I mostly play local files, I don't find it painful to run a server alongside them, so I use a Squeezebox Receiver. I have a Controller but I more usually end up using whatever PC is currently running to control matters. If I were doing it again I'd just have a Receiver, about £100 I think.

Paul
 
@browellm its not uninfornmed bollocks as I said local files, squeezebox would have to be totally shit if it needed a server to access web files, as it is squeezebox still needs a server to access local files - which is where sonos has the significant up on squeezebox. Which I have used as well as airport/airtunes. Read more carefully.

SB Touch + USB HD. No external server. Shhhhhhh.
 
My apologies, you are right. I really didn't consider the USB port on the Touch, I jumped from Squeezebox classic to Sonos but a Upnp (or Zeroconf) hosted USB port makes a significant up on the Sonos.
 
As a Sonos user I am quite disappointed at the moment, Spotify was a bit rubbish - never connected, bad interface. Now Napster has gone the same way with frequent disconnects, I got a 1 month subscription refund but it's still flaky. Now Last.fm is going to charge as well. Shame as none of those are really Sonos' problem directly but it all impact on the service.

I still think it's very good indeed at it's core services of multi-room (Superb and pretty much unrivalled) and queue manipulation is very good also, I wish Apple Remote did the whole - Play Now, Play Next, Add to Queue, Replace Queue options when you selected a track or album as building a playlist on the fly is very useful.
 


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