Which Audio Solution?

[tmiranda]

I am looking for some advice on a suitable audio system for my home. I'd like to be able to access a large MP3 collection I have on a NAS and various Internet streaming sources such as Pandora. I don't need anything fancy like synchronization throughout the house.

I don't have any type of stereo system (no speakers, no amp, no nothing.)

I took a look at Sonos but it seems an overkill for what I need.

Suggestions?

[panteragstk]

Most any home audio receiver with network capability will do everything you listed.

A lot of them don't have good interfaces though. Some rely on DLNA which IMHO isn't that great.

The easiest way is to control them is with a phone app of some sort.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Suggestions?

Tom, that's a very easy answer , Squeezeslave plugin (now completely free) which adds to all your extender the well known squeezebox player capabilities (hence, no hardware to purchase) + iPeng (available on phone & tablet) as the controller.

You just need to install the free Squeezebox server application which reads your MP3 tags and organise your music collection very well, then the plugin and enable, on a case by case basis, which extender you want to add the Squeezebox player to, that's it.

The plugin's announcement thread contains all the information you need, but I'm very happy to help you in the process.

Eddy

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by routerunner

Tom, that's a very easy answer , Squeezeslave plugin (now completely free) which adds to all your extender the well known squeezebox player capabilities (hence, no hardware to purchase) + iPeng (available on phone & tablet) as the controller.

You just need to install the free Squeezebox server application which reads your MP3 tags and organise your music collection very well, then the plugin and enable, on a case by case basis, which extender you want to add the Squeezebox player to, that's it.

The plugin's announcement thread contains all the information you need, but I'm very happy to help you in the process.

Eddy

Eddy,

I think Squeezeslave is really cool but if I use an HD300 wouldn't I still need an amp and speakers? I don't want to use the TV speakers.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Eddy,

I think Squeezeslave is really cool but if I use an HD300 wouldn't I still need an amp and speakers? I don't want to use the TV speakers.

That's the whole point of the plugin, you don't need to have the TV on if you don't want to (some users do, but that's their choice), you can easily add a couple of amplified PC speakers for instance, the audio is broadcast to all the extender's audio output (analogue & digital) simultaneously and independently from your current SageTV setup, so you don't even need to perform any audio source switch when using the extender in Squeezeslave or SageTV mode, also you can use your SageTV remote to control the player too.

Eddy

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Eddy,

I think Squeezeslave is really cool but if I use an HD300 wouldn't I still need an amp and speakers? I don't want to use the TV speakers.

All of the HD extenders (I believe - definitely the HD200 and HD300) have the analog audio outputs active even if you are using HDMI for both audio and video to a TV. So you can run the red/white RCA cables to an amp and have that playing separately. The only thing is your TV will likely lag behind the stereo, so you need to mute it or turn it off.

When I am using my HD300 in the family room (main room of our house, open to the kitchen as though it's one big room), for a party or such, I turn on the HD300 and TV, get the playlist playing that I want, turn on the amp/speakers, and then turn off the TV. I keep my phone or an old iPod Touch in my pocket with the mobile webserver pulled up so I can use it to pause or adjust volume if needed. I admittedly can't really navigate through the music because that requires seeing the TV screen, but once I start a playlist, I don't usually need to do so.

I have a very inexpensive (call it "cobbled together") solution that works very well for what I need. I don't know if this will help you, but here goes:
I bought a passive audio switch from monoprice that has two audio inputs (A/B) and four channel outputs. I think it was about $45? Each of the four channels has a switch for whether to play A or B input, and an on/off switch to turn it off. I have a radio receiver in the cabinet that is wired into "A", and I bought a cheapo little 60W amp from monoprice (maybe $25?) that I feed the Sage HD300 analog output through, and then into "B" on the switch. I have the four channels on the switch wired to speakers on my patio, wall speakers in the family room, ceiling speakers in the kitchen, and will soon have the fourth wired to ceiling speakers in the front foyer. Each of these individual sites has a wall-mounted slider-type volume switch so I can adjust volume at each location as well. So I can have radio or Sage playing on any or all of them, or have, say, the radio playing out on the patio and the Sage playing on all the house speakers, or vice-versa. It's worked very well and I get plenty of volume out of each of them (all the speakers are somewhat-cheap monoprice models as well). And, somewhat surprisingly, the family room and kitchen speakers, which are about 50 feet apart and probably a total of 100' of wire apart, have no noticeable audio lag.

[reggie14]

I tried to find a cheaper alternative to Sonos, but wasn't happy with the options out there. I really thought I'd be able to get DLNA streaming working acceptably with my Onkyo. First I tried just using the Onkyo directly with some DLNA controller apps on my iPad. I was never happy with that, as it required my iPad to stay on and connected. I tried a few controller apps, but they all seemed kind of buggy at the time.

Then I tried the receiver with JR Media Center. The server connected to the receiver, and I controlled what I wanted to listen to via JR's Gizmo Android app. That worked a bit better. I used it for a couple months. I wasn't happy with it, but it was mostly functional (save for a few weird things, like not being able to modify playlist order on-the-fly).

Ultimately I bought a Sonos system- a Play 5, a Connect: Amp, and a Connect. I've been very happy with it, except that I'd rather use Google Play Music (which isn't supported by Sonos) rather than Spotify.

It is ridiculously expensive (particularly the Connect, which is just a simple streamer that hooks up to a receiver), but it might be good in your situation. Given that you don't already have speakers, I'm guessing this is intended to be for casual listening and that you're not an audiophile.

Scattering some Play 3 and Play 5 speakers where you want them might be the best way to go. It's not terribly cheap, but if you don't already have speakers/amps that you want to use, almost any option is going to be at least moderately expensive.

Also, wireless speakers that are always-on are really nice to use. It's nice to be able to just pull out your phone and start playing music, as opposed to going over to the receiver to turn it on and switch inputs. The last Sonos component I added was a Connect: Amp. I almost bought a Connect with a separate stereo amp, but I'm really glad I didn't do that.

If you're an Apple household, then rigging something up with Airport Expresses wouldn't be a terrible way to go, either. One of your cheapest options would be to get an Airport Express and a pair of self-powered speakers.

[Telecore]

Not sure if this helps but if you have unused coax cable connected to various rooms in your house you can have a single PC send audio via coaxial SPDIF to A/V receivers or an integrated amp like the Topping TP31.

I run iTunes on my SageTV server and distribute it's SPDIF audio output to the house this way. Also, using the free apple remote app, I can control playback from an iPhone/iPod over WiFi.

[KeithAbbott]

I'd give a serious look at this:

Marantz M-CR610 Wireless Network CD Receiver

That receiver and a set of speakers, and you're done. Plus, you can still play CDs (remember those?), in case you have friends or relatives visit with some cool tunes on CD.

[trk2]

The Squeezeslave plugin is super cool but a limitation of SqueezeServer is that it only allows Pandora subscription accounts.

However, squeezeslave is too cool not to use if you have an awesome ripped library and you enjoy streaming radio. I switched to Slacker Radio because I loved the squeezeslave plugin so much (and then discovered that Slacker is much better than Pandora anyway).

[tmiranda]

OK. Thanks all. I think I will go pickup some powered speakers and give squeezeslave a try. I have a spare HD300 that I can dedicate to music.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

OK. Thanks all. I think I will go pickup some powered speakers and give squeezeslave a try. I have a spare HD300 that I can dedicate to music.

Tom, just please make sure you read the Squeezeslave announcement thread first, in particular the prerequisite section. Also please PM me your email address along with the MAC address of all the extenders you want the license for so that I can generate the license file for you.

Eddy

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by reggie14

I tried to find a cheaper alternative to Sonos, but wasn't happy with the options out there. I really thought I'd be able to get DLNA streaming working acceptably with my Onkyo. First I tried just using the Onkyo directly with some DLNA controller apps on my iPad. I was never happy with that, as it required my iPad to stay on and connected. I tried a few controller apps, but they all seemed kind of buggy at the time.

Then I tried the receiver with JR Media Center. The server connected to the receiver, and I controlled what I wanted to listen to via JR's Gizmo Android app. That worked a bit better. I used it for a couple months. I wasn't happy with it, but it was mostly functional (save for a few weird things, like not being able to modify playlist order on-the-fly).

Ultimately I bought a Sonos system- a Play 5, a Connect: Amp, and a Connect. I've been very happy with it, except that I'd rather use Google Play Music (which isn't supported by Sonos) rather than Spotify.

It is ridiculously expensive (particularly the Connect, which is just a simple streamer that hooks up to a receiver), but it might be good in your situation. Given that you don't already have speakers, I'm guessing this is intended to be for casual listening and that you're not an audiophile.

Scattering some Play 3 and Play 5 speakers where you want them might be the best way to go. It's not terribly cheap, but if you don't already have speakers/amps that you want to use, almost any option is going to be at least moderately expensive.

Also, wireless speakers that are always-on are really nice to use. It's nice to be able to just pull out your phone and start playing music, as opposed to going over to the receiver to turn it on and switch inputs. The last Sonos component I added was a Connect: Amp. I almost bought a Connect with a separate stereo amp, but I'm really glad I didn't do that.

If you're an Apple household, then rigging something up with Airport Expresses wouldn't be a terrible way to go, either. One of your cheapest options would be to get an Airport Express and a pair of self-powered speakers.

Well said about the Sonos. Tom, I know you said you made up your mind already, but hear me out. I'm not sure if you considered the fact that you need extenders--which aren't made any longer--for this solution to work (at least, that's my understanding of Squeezslave). Granted, you probably already have some and that's why you're going that route. But, considering you're looking at a piece of hardware which isn't made any longer, but is still fetching ~$230 (not counting the powered speakers you mentioned), you could get a Sonos Play:1 for $199 or a Play:3 for $299. Unless you have one of the those huge great rooms, a Play:3 will be sufficient for most rooms, while the Play:1 might be nice for spare rooms or the bathroom.

One thing about Sonos that I like is that I can install the Sonos app on any old cell phone and keep that lying around the house strictly as a Sonos controller (in addition to our current cell phones); the interface is very well-designed. Secondly, they're portable. You disconnect a single plug from the wall socket, move it to where you want, plug it back in and by the time you pull out your phone, it has reconnected to the Sonos wireless network and you can start listening; we bring one outside in the summertime. Lastly, from a personal perspective, I was surprised how, once I started listening to (free) streaming services, I found that I rarely listen to my own music collection anymore. Even with 6000 MP3s lying around, it still gets redundant.

If I were in your situation, I'd stick with Squeezeslave until my extenders started dying, then I'd replace the dead ones with Sonoses. You'll lose money on the powered speakers you're buying, but I assume you won't be paying big bucks for those and that will be an acceptable loss.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Well said about the Sonos. Tom, I know you said you made up your mind already, but hear me out. I'm not sure if you considered the fact that you need extenders--which aren't made any longer--for this solution to work (at least, that's my understanding of Squeezslave). Granted, you probably already have some and that's why you're going that route. But, considering you're looking at a piece of hardware which isn't made any longer, but is still fetching ~$230 (not counting the powered speakers you mentioned), you could get a Sonos Play:1 for $199 or a Play:3 for $299. Unless you have one of the those huge great rooms, a Play:3 will be sufficient for most rooms, while the Play:1 might be nice for spare rooms or the bathroom.

One thing about Sonos that I like is that I can install the Sonos app on any old cell phone and keep that lying around the house strictly as a Sonos controller (in addition to our current cell phones); the interface is very well-designed. Secondly, they're portable. You disconnect a single plug from the wall socket, move it to where you want, plug it back in and by the time you pull out your phone, it has reconnected to the Sonos wireless network and you can start listening; we bring one outside in the summertime. Lastly, from a personal perspective, I was surprised how, once I started listening to (free) streaming services, I found that I rarely listen to my own music collection anymore. Even with 6000 MP3s lying around, it still gets redundant.

If I were in your situation, I'd stick with Squeezeslave until my extenders started dying, then I'd replace the dead ones with Sonoses. You'll lose money on the powered speakers you're buying, but I assume you won't be paying big bucks for those and that will be an acceptable loss.

You're forgetting the MediaMVP, it's still being made, cheap and can be a very good Squeezeslave player too, in fact, of all the extenders I wrote the software for, the MediaMVP is by far my favourite.

The chances of an extender dying are the same as every piece of electronic equipment and I say any, so I really don't understand your point, is like you shouldn't use anything you've got just because is not being made any more? Your brand new TV is probably going out of production in three years (as all we know how consumer electronic market goes), and therefore you should stop using it after three years because is no longer made? Seriously?

Eddy

[Wirenut]

We use squeeze player all the time for tunes. Streamed or from my collection. It works great! I'm a musician and a bit of an audiophile, and I must say, I'm pretty happy with the functionality and the quality. Ipeng is a great controller app. I also have the windows based Moose running on a touchscreen kiosk as another controller. I feel its a great low dough music system. I also run home automation software that controls speaker selection and switching. Eddy's app for the extenders is great as well. I use it all the time.

You're results may very. But even my wife can control it without trouble

Peace

Wirenut

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by routerunner

The chances of an extender dying are the same as every piece of electronic equipment and I say any, so I really don't understand your point, is like you shouldn't use anything you've got just because is not being made any more? Your brand new TV is probably going out of production in three years (as all we know how consumer electronic market goes), and therefore you should stop using it after three years because is no longer made? Seriously?

Eddy

Ummm... did you miss this part of my post?

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I'd stick with Squeezeslave until my extenders started dying, then I'd replace the dead ones with Sonoses.

I'm really not sure how you turned that into me saying that "you shouldn't use anything you've got because [it] is not being made any more".

[Tomahawk51]

I found myself looking at simply a Bose iPhone dock style speaker for the kitchen. I concluded then that a single Sonos player was roughly the same cost as the better quality units - and it scaled. I liked it so much I bought more and I do have full house synchronization, and I am happy with making that decision.

I have 2 AVRs with surround setup in my Family room and Basement. Having installed a Sonos Soundbar in my In-Laws I actually have seriously considered the benefits of that simple solution vs. my setup now.

I do realize your needs are different, but thought I'd share. I would recommend the Play5 from Sonos if you want the flexibility of having an AUX input.

[Skybolt]

This is probably over kill for some, but this amp setup with a single dedicated Sonos Connect is a great way to go. And as mentioned smart phone controllable. The Sonos app is the best I have seen.

I have been using Sonos this way for quite some time. One connect for the whole house. You could add more if you like with that amp, Sonos also handles Very Large music stores very well.

I tried the Squeezebox route for a while but they changed there app at one point and with an iPad you need to log in every time the app sleeps. That's when I moved to Sonos, and I am sorry I didn't switch sooner.

[routerunner]

Originally Posted by Skybolt

I tried the Squeezebox route for a while but they changed there app at one point and with an iPad you need to log in every time the app sleeps. That's when I moved to Sonos, and I am sorry I didn't switch sooner.

I do run Squeezebox server version: 7.6.1 - r33110 @ Wed Aug 17 18:52:34 PDT 2011, which is the version prior that change and is working a charm.

Eddy

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by routerunner

I do run Squeezebox server version: 7.6.1 - r33110 @ Wed Aug 17 18:52:34 PDT 2011, which is the version prior that change and is working a charm.

Eddy

Yes, I didn't either, it was the app on the iPad which has/had the problem. I never used your app. I had a SoftSqueeze player setup along with LMS and all of that was fine and Free. I used HomeSeer to control it which also worked great. But I liked using the iPad for controlling things around the house and that bombed out.

Anyway I don't regret paying for Sonos, as they don not require a server to be running. They also don't need a PC to set it up with either. The Connect is truly a standalone device which just works, always, and it's been used everyday for the past 3 yrs. You can't say that about squeeze slave or Soft squeeze.