2. pc-audio
  3. 1394301512

The future for a current Squeezebox user

I've been contemplating this question for the past year and a half or so since Logitech has essentially discontinued its Squeezebox line (at least, the Squeezeboxes as I once knew them).

I've been using Squeezeboxes since the pre-Logitech Slim Devices era, about the past decade or so. I have a sophisticated home system using them. I have the Logitech Media Server running on a Linux box running an enterprise-grade Linux distribution, and this houses nearly a terabyte of FLAC files. I have a Transporter connected to my big rig. Four rooms are connected to a Squeezebox Classic, and the guest bedroom and garage have a Squeezebox Radio. All are connected via wired ethernet. And I control them through either a web browser (served by the LMS on the Linux machine) or the Squeezepad iPad application. It's a slick system and works great.

The question is, where do I go from here? I don't feel the need to move on to anything else in the immediate future, but I'm concerned that this may eventually leave me stuck with a dead product line. What other options are presently being developed that might provide a migration strategy? I want to continue using the Linux machine as the music repository, and continue using FLAC as my primary music file format.

Thanks in advance,

Michael
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xsufentanil
sufentanil's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
sufentanil OP
782 posts
 
I agree that there is no hurry to change. But I will continue to lose functionality in the Internet radio arena, as new things like Beats audio are unsupported and the company has said they are not working on a Squeezebox interface. It's viewed as a dead market from their concern.

I likely still have several years left before making a move, and who knows what will change in that time period, but I'm trying to gauge what options might be reasonable now.

Michael
erikminer
433 posts
 
I think your post is somewhat pointless.. and I don't mean that in a mean way :-)
Things are happening at such a rate of progress that whatever recommendations I would make today will most likely be useless in 2-3 years or whenever you decide to change things around.. and I hate to say this but your Squeezebox products are effectively dead, since Logitech no longer makes them or really supports them much either :-(

But if it was today that you were going to change things then there's a few items to consider:

Bluesound.. It's a new player and it's about where Sonos was 10 years ago.. a few teething pains but it looks very nice and the reviews have been excellent.

Sonos, is great, best interface but no support for HiRes, and there probably never will be..

Sonore, the Sonic Orbiter or Rendu, would be a replacement for the transporter. And best thing is they run off LMS so it wouldn't need much reconfiguring

Auralic, has the new ARIES units coming out in May.. these promise to be amazing..

Sim Audio has the Mind.. lot's of good feedback on that.

Linn.. but they don't have any simple units for multi- room applications

Lumin.. but same as Linn..
sufentanil's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
sufentanil OP
782 posts
 
Erik,

Thanks for the response. Yes, you're right, things do change quickly and therefore I will need to continually reassess the market to see what might be best for eventually replacing my Squeeezebox-based system.

The Bluesound sounds really interesting. It's something to watch, anyway. And I'll have to look into the Auralic, as well, since you say that it can use the LMS.

Michael
bondmanp
1,824 posts
 
There are alternatives. Having had Logitec replace my SBT once already, I feel like I am living on borrowed time. But there is the Pogo player/streamers, that you control with a laptop, tablet or smart phone that has music player software (like JRiver) installed on it. But for now, like you, I am keeping my fingers crossed that my SBT outlives me.
artmaltman
769 posts
 
headsup: LMS runs on Mac Yosemite, but you need to get the latest "beta" version 7.9 at downloads.slimdevices.com

My two Logitech Touches sound great (one using internal DAC, one external) and are easy use for internal home purposes, driving a local iTunes database. I love that they can synchronize.

Bluesound is looking VERY interesting but no rush as long as the SB Touches hold up.
More to discover