Does The Squeezebox Touch Have a Worthy Successor?

Android based multimedia devices in general perhaps.

Browsers, Tablets and smartphones provide the portable remote control interfaces people want and need. I use all these with my SB Touches much more frequently than the built in touch screen itself.

High quality (audiophile quality) sound is the other SB Touch feature to replace. A good DAC connected to digital out from any device properly equipped provides that, similar to SB TOuch.

SB TOuch built in DAC is reputably not bad, but I have never even tried to use that since I had my preferred DACs prior.

SB Touch was a great device but highly specialized with limited market. Sonos covers that mostly these days.

But remote control of general purpose multimedia computers with digital output capabilities is where its at in terms of providing the best product needed for minimal cost.

OF course for most homes, a good quality modern Wifi network is the other piece of the puzzle needed.

This way hi fi sound is just another multimedia service you set up and use on your home network along with the rest. VEry little specialized or proprietary hardware is needed.

This is where I will be looking to go most likley when the need arises next. Hopefully, my 3 SB devices (2 touch and one radio) continue on for a while though.....

I bought a SB Touch last year, OBM and great shape. My computer friend set it up for me to play into my Dac...it's a great dac, using a nice dedicated digital cable via spdif. OK. Used it once, OK.
A few weeks later, the same friend saw a nice upgrade external power supply for it on A'gon and texted me to buy it, so I did. OK. He rigged it for me. It works fine.
Gave me 0.5 TB hard drive filled with pretty good music...Listened to it twice and it's all on the back shelf doing nothing.
Back to listening to my CD player-as-transport into the dac.
A few months later bought a 3TB hard drive which he then stocked up with A LOT more pretty darn good music. Used it with the SB once more. It's OK.
It's back on the back shelf.
Guess I need to give it another chance...
FWIW I type with one finger and use the computer to visit audio sites to read, learn and talk a little audio...
That's really the only way I mix audio and computers so far.
Guess I'm missing out on something?
To answer the topic question: "I wouldn't really know a worthy successor but, you know, my two cents on this topic probably isn't worth the copper it's stamped on..."
On the other hand, I suppose I should really learn more about how to use that SB Duet based transport I recently purchased...[and had my friend set up], it works fine. It's simply called "The Lampizator TranspOrt" and I got it so it will match my Lampi Dac that it's rigged through (the one referred to before). It works fine, (especially with those NOS tubes...). Seems to have a lot going for it. OK. But I've only used it twice...
and it's just sitting on that same...back shelf. Hmmmm

A fair degree of computer literacy definitely helps with Squeezebox. Its easy for the "system administration" aspects of computer audio to become a big sideshow, drawing away from listening time.

I'm a computer systems/software engineer, so I thrive on this stuff! But I can understand that its not for everyone quite yet. Things continue to progress. Usability of computer entertainment devices in general is still evolutionary, way more so than home audio sound quality these days.

My wife is an old fashioned girl and would be happy for the most part if things went back to the way they were in the 50's. She hates all my fancy gadgets and controls, which I love! NEver complains about the sound quality though. :^)

Until someone can match the interface provided my Logitech Media Server + the screen and remote + web interface, I don't think there will be a true successor.

I'm starting to look at Amazon Fire device + Skifta perhaps if needed.

This looks like a nice fit, especially for Amazon Prime customers that might also be interested in video/tv streaming.

PLEX is advetised to be on Fire TV device at launch and might be worth a look.

Fire TV appears to have both optical and usb outputs that could support using an external DAC, a key feature for good sound quality out of an inexpensive source device.

Anyone tried any of this yet?