Wireless digital music

[dorz11]

Anybody have experience with the Slim Devices Squeezebox?

http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_overview.html

or similar products? How do you like them?

I'm thinking of getting one but worried the wireless wont be adequate.

Jim

[curtis]

I have a Squeezebox and LOVE it.

Using it via 802.11b...and it works great.

[Dave G]

I've been using a Squeezebox 3 for about a month and absolutely love it! My CD player has been gathering dust ever since I got the SB3 going. I had a few problems connecting wireless using a Linksys 802.11b router, but bought a 802.11g router and have had no connectivity problems since.

The sound is at least as good as my CD player (full disclosure: I had the SB3 modded by Red Wine Audio) and the convenience can't be beat. It's like a CD player with ALL of your CDs pre-loaded and organized the way you like.

There are some computer-related issues you have to deal with. But I'm your basic computer amateur and have been able to wade through the issues with a little persistence and the help of folks posting on the Audio Circle website. Go to Audio Circle and check the posts in the Square Circle.

Good luck.

Dave

[dorz11]

Thanks for the inputs. I had not seen these modifications available. I'll poke around in the audio circles a bit and check it out.

Jim

[ebh]

i also have a squeezebox (version 2--same as version 3, just not as pretty) and love it. I I'm streaming FLAC files through an 802.11g router with no problems. Someday I may create a dedicated server for the squeezebox, but for now I'm just running the software off my windows desktop. The performance is top-notch.

It seems to have a pretty strong antenna, since it gets better reception even than the adapter hooked to my Tivo, though my router isn't too far away.

I re-ripped all my CDs to FLAC (had 192 vbr mp3s before)--I can't imagine actually putting a CD in a CD player to listen to music.

[rajacat]

I've been using a Squeezebox 3 for about a month and absolutely love it! My CD player has been gathering dust ever since I got the SB3 going. I had a few problems connecting wireless using a Linksys 802.11b router, but bought a 802.11g router and have had no connectivity problems since.

The sound is at least as good as my CD player (full disclosure: I had the SB3 modded by Red Wine Audio) and the convenience can't be beat. It's like a CD player with ALL of your CDs pre-loaded and organized the way you like.

There are some computer-related issues you have to deal with. But I'm your basic computer amateur and have been able to wade through the issues with a little persistence and the help of folks posting on the Audio Circle website. Go to Audio Circle and check the posts in the Square Circle.

Good luck.

Dave

Which Red Wine mod did you use? The $199 mod didn't include the 12V battery with external enclosure. Were the mods worth the money? Was there an obvious difference in SQ post mod?

Roy

[Dave G]

Roy asked:

Which Red Wine mod did you use? The $199 mod didn't include the 12V battery with external enclosure. Were the mods worth the money? Was there an obvious difference in SQ post mod?

I got the full mods (analog plus battery) that now cost $499, but cost me $399 on an introductory deal that has expired. Were the mods worth the money? I THINK so, but I can't be absolutely sure, since I got the Squeezebox from Red Wine with the mods already in place. I can say that I like the sound out of my SB better than what I get out of my NAD C542 CD player, which is a pretty decent player. But I've never compared my modded SB with an unmodded one. If I were you, I'd consider getting a SB and seeing whether you like using it (I think you'll be hooked once you see how nice it is to play your music this way!) and then get the mods in steps. If you like using the thing, you could first get the analog mods from Red Wine and then decide whether to go with the battery power supply. Another possibility would be to get the Red Wine analog mods and then get a good upgraded AC power supply. Check the Square Circle on the Audio Circles website for info on AC power supplies.

By the way, there's another company that does SB mods, the Bolder Cable Company. They also have a forum on Audio Circles. I happened to have gone with Red Wine, but I think Bolder also does a good job.

Dave

[rajacat]

Dave,

Thanks for the reply.

I have a chaintech soundcard (AV710), that has been highly rated by audiophiles, which I might use to get high quality sound but I haven't installed it yet and it might be a technical headache to make it user friendly. I really like the SB concept as long as it produces excellent SQ although I hesitate at the cost of a fully modded unit. More research will be necessary. My present CD player sucks and needs to be replaced, so perhaps I can forgo a new player and get the SB instead.

Roy