Best music transporter since Squeezebox is gone?

I bought my first ReadyNAS only because I wanted an always-on Squeezebox server (I have a Squeezebox 3, a Squeezebox Radio, and a Squeezebox Touch that's currently being used only as a controller for the 3). If I needed another streaming music player, no question: I'd buy one more Squeezebox (probably a Touch).

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Consumer-Electronics-/293/i.html?_nkw=squeezebox

fastfwd wrote:
I bought my first ReadyNAS only because I wanted an always-on Squeezebox server (I have a Squeezebox 3, a Squeezebox Radio, and a Squeezebox Touch that's currently being used only as a controller for the 3). If I needed another streaming music player, no question: I'd buy one more Squeezebox (probably a Touch). http://www.ebay.com/sch/Consumer-Electronics-/293/i.html?_nkw=squeezebox

Thanks for your reply. Would you prefer a Touch over a Duet? How is your setup, placement etc?

The Duet would probably work fine, too; I'm just familiar with the Touch. Also, I would want to use an external DAC with any player I bought, and Triode's "Enhanced Digital Output" applet allows the Touch to drive USB DACs... Of which I have a few.

My Squeezebox Radio is just a bedroom radio, nothing fancy. The Squeezebox 3 is in my main system, feeding an ancient Audio Alchemy DDE3.0 DAC (I've never used the Squeezebox analog outputs). Small mods on the Squeezebox 3: power supply, some additional decoupling caps, a BNC connector for the coax digital output.

Everything communicates over Wi-Fi. The Squeezeboxes can't go faster than 802.11g, so I have a dedicated WRT54GL access point to keep them from having to compete for bandwidth with the various 2.4GHz 802.11n devices in the house. (I'm not actually sure that it makes a difference, but it can't hurt and I had the WRT54GL lying around anyway.)

The server is LMS 7.8.0, running on my Pro 6 now. The music is all FLAC ripped from my CD collection. My haveged addon is installed so the random-play modes will actually play a random selection of music.

fastfwd wrote:

The Duet would probably work fine, too; I'm just familiar with the Touch. Also, I would want to use an external DAC with any player I bought, and Triode's "Enhanced Digital Output" applet allows the Touch to drive USB DACs... Of which I have a few. My Squeezebox Radio is just a bedroom radio, nothing fancy. The Squeezebox 3 is in my main system, feeding an ancient Audio Alchemy DDE3.0 DAC (I've never used the Squeezebox analog outputs). Small mods on the Squeezebox 3: power supply, some additional decoupling caps, a BNC connector for the coax digital output. Everything communicates over Wi-Fi. The Squeezeboxes can't go faster than 802.11g, so I have a dedicated WRT54GL access point to keep them from having to compete for bandwidth with the various 2.4GHz 802.11n devices in the house. (I'm not actually sure that it makes a difference, but it can't hurt and I had the WRT54GL lying around anyway.) The server is LMS 7.8.0, running on my Pro 6 now. The music is all FLAC ripped from my CD collection. My haveged addon is installed so the random-play modes will actually play a random selection of music.

Thanks for excellent information!

Triode's Enhanced Digital Output looked interesting:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?94512

Decoupling capacitor - new to me, very good info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoupling_capacitor

What DAC would you recommend today for a Squeezebox Touche for a normal audio system?
Argon, Nuforce, HRT, Fiio, ...

Are you using a stronger power supply? If so what's the gain?

Squeezebox Touche looks like it's the most versatile (and it's the latest one):
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/S ... y_Overview
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/support/speakers-audio

I still can't believe that they binned the Squeezebox line. Why not sell it? Crazy.

eton wrote:
What DAC would you recommend today for a Squeezebox Touche for a normal audio system? Argon, Nuforce, HRT, Fiio, ...

I don't think I could give you a useful recommendation. My best advice would be to read the Squeezebox forums and general audio forums, and find an online store with a good return policy (or if you're old like me, read audio magazines and find a local store that will let you audition DAcs in your own system). Finding a group of local audio enthusiasts could be helpful, too.

eton wrote:
Are you using a stronger power supply? If so what's the gain?

More detail, better imaging, wider dynamics... At least, that's what good power supplies usually do for digital audio signals. It's been so long since I replaced the Squeezebox wall-wart that I don't really remember the specific improvement I heard.

eton wrote:
Squeezebox Touch looks like it's the most versatile

I think so, too.

Once again thanks.

Squeezebox has a large following and it looks like it will be around for a long time, but driven by enthusiasts in communities. I am tempted to try piCorePlayer on a Raspberry Pi. Found a lot of info when reading and Googleing about it. Yes I am new to this ;)

http://archimago.blogspot.se/2013/06/mu ... amily.html

State of play in the Squeezebox replacement world
http://www.communitysqueeze.org/faq.jsp ... of_play.3F

piCorePlayer - Squeezebox player for Raspberry pi board
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/home

Raspberry Pi - piCorePlayer & RaspyFi
http://www.head-fi.org/t/681593/cas-sou ... er-raspyfi

Vortexbox - CD-ripper (and music server)
http://vortexbox.org/about

My modest dream system right now would be Teac CR-H700DAB:
http://www.teac-audio.eu/en/products/cr ... 83949.html
And some Slim device connected to it. Squeezebox Touch or maybe a Raspberry Pi.