New Lounge System. Options?

[webby]

Hi,

All being well, I hope to be starting work again soon after being unemployed for over a year now. Yay!

With that taken care of there are some things that my wife and I want sorted. She's made a list . One of those is a new system for the lounge. Before I go on, I know that possible solutions for this may be found in other threads but I'd like to start afresh if I may.

At the moment, in the lounge, we use a Monitor Audio i-Deck iPod system. This isn't entirely satisfactory because it's not that convenient to use as you have to select your song choices on the ipod itself. You cannot browse the library with the remote. So, a change is required.

My hifi upstairs is fed from ALAC files on my mac via an Airport Express and my old minidisc's dac. So, one option would be to get another AE and stream to the i-deck downstairs. The i-deck has an analogue input. This would also require the purchase of an ipod touch to access and browse the mac's iTunes library, effectively serving as a remote control. However, I'm not totally satisfied with the stability of the wireless network. I'd be peeved if it lost connection, or suffered drop outs.

Another option is to buy a new cd based system, but I'm reluctant to go back to having cd's cluttering up the place.

A further option, and this is where I may need help cos I know little about them, is to buy a new streaming device, such as a SB touch. Apparently, this can run from a HD library? I have a spare HD that I could copy my library to. I guess this could be used in conjunction with the i-deck amp and speakers (can you tell I'm still on a budget?) or go with new amp and speakers, perhaps even powered speakers.

Lastly, I wouldn't say no to a PS3. If I were to get one, could that be used in this system somehow? Can it hold an iTunes library and output to active speakers?

I know there are a lot of options, so I'd appreciate it if you could help me get my head round it. It's one of the few things on my Wife's list that I'm excited about!

Edit: More options. A Logitech SB Boom, or similar, or even the new Apple TV used to serve music.

[WAD62]

Hi Lee,

Congrats on the job success...I've been there myself

I'm heavily into the squeezebox world, with a linux server holding my FLAC files running squeezecenter and 4 clients (2 receivers, 1 classic, and occasionally a boom), they all communicate wirelessly via a router, the server is hard wired to the router, and I rarely if ever get network dropouts. I also use SqueezeCommander on my android phone (I think there's a version for apple too) to control it all, which is very very good.

The above is probably an optimum multi-room configuration for a squeeze network but you're not starting from a green field position, and you probably don't want to go that far just yet anyway.

You can run Squeezecenter/Server on a MAC, that would allow you to run 1 or more clients throughout the house, I'd recommend the receiver as it's the least expensive, but without a screen you do need the phone app.

The touch and an additional hard drive copy (data redundancy!....aaarrrggh my IT head's kicking in) would be an option too, the touch can act as both server & player, but with some restrictions (and some apple references)...

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...ntil_Turned_ON

I've heard of people happily running other clients (SB players) from a touch but there are some restrictions on library/playlist sizes (100,000/100), and also the number of clients it will ultimately support, so it depends on your listening habits.

I'd be interested to hear of anyone using the touch as both a server and player, and what issues if any they have, as I have a mate who's looking to go 'digital' but is not very computer literate, and I thought it may be a reasonable option for him too.

Cheers,

Will

[DSJR]

In this case, AVI ADM9T's would be ideal, with or without their decent sub, for high quality sound once the streaming controller is sorted out. Unlike some others elsewhere, I have high regard for their gear and know that none of it would be as awful as occasionally made out to be. The only "problem" would be, for some, is the lack of harshness so evident in popular modern "HiFi" passive speakers, especially those not made in the UK but in the EU, where harshness can pass off as "detail."

Just my usual tuppence worth, but your lounge and streaming solutions is crying out for an audition at least IMO...

[webby]

Will, to be honest, a lot of that meant nothing to me. /confused.

Dave R, the AVI's are way out of my budget, and I'm not looking for a high end system really, just a decent, user friendly one. If I go for active speakers, it'd probably be the AudioEngine line, or similar.

Thanks to you both.

[webby]

By the way, what's the difference between a SB Duet, and a Touch?

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Ps3 seems a sencible option with all it's streaming facilities ... I have no idea how it works - I'm getting one soon... Although it is really just for games and bluray I'll def be comparing it to the majik dsi as some people seem to think the slim one is shot hot at streaming music ... And it does bluray and Internet and all sorts of stuff ...

Of course you are relying on streaming the music but I had some problems with mine I lived with for ages thinking it would be a bugger to fix ... I just sacked off twonky media and started using asset upnp and it's flawless now!

That would go into you ideck, which for an iPod dock, despite it's short comings, is really quite decent ... Then get a pair of active speakers when a bit more money comes along ... That would make sence to me ...

Good news on the job though Lee, congrats!

[Beechwoods]

Glad about getting the job thing sorted... good luck with the new system!

[webby]

Had a quick look around t'internet. I like the look and apparent ease of use of the Squeezebox Duet. I like the remote. That's as close to a AE/Apple TV and an iPod Touch as you could get I guess.

The Duet is around £220, and the Apple combo is around £290 or £350 depending on capacity if iPod, but then you are getting an iPod for that, not just a remote.

Hooked up to the i-deck, or some AudioEngine A5's should do that job.

Hamish, I'm not sure the PS3 option is as elegant in terms of ease of use, but I'm happy to learn otherwise from PS3 users.

Cheers.

[WAD62]

By the way, what's the difference between a SB Duet, and a Touch?

The duet is actually 2 components, a receiver £100 (wi-fi receiver and DAC) and a controller £160 (hand held linux device for selecting/controlling 1 or more squeezebox players), the controller for my mind the is unnecessary if you can run SqueezeComander on your phone £2.50.

The touch is more like the classic, but with a touch interface, and the ability to act as a server.

Sorry about the head dump earlier on...

The Squeezebox setup requires a server portion (to look after the media library/settings/sending files etc.), and 1 or more clients (receives the files and plays them, or passes the data to a DAC).

The touch is unique in that it can be both the Server and the Client at once...

Clear as mud...?

[webby]

I don't have a compatible phone, so......