The Death of The Squeezebox

[adamg]

My SBT has worked perfectly well since day one, never missed a beat.

Roger that.... it does drop-out for 3-4 seconds when using the microwave but I'm going to keep it anyway ?

I don't expect the world out my SBT and wouldn't use it as a sole source but find it hard to knock as an affordable streamer.

[Braddles 63]

I've only used mine for streaming with no probs. As long as I can continue streaming I'll be happy.

[tktran]

Forums are littered by people who make a lot of noise when things don't go as expected. You never hear from people who have no issues, unless it is to counter those complaints.

True, their software was a bit clunky, and I think their failure was lacking the leadership and vision to scale up. I think they missed a great opportunity with the Transporter. For $ 2,000 could have made it as a full server + client hardware ie. A nice looking box the size of a CD player, that sucks in discs, whilst playing will rip in the background (or do a quick rip if play not pressed) with a 10ft user interface from the large vacuum flourescent display) It could automatically look up the internet for track names and retrieve and save album art, automatically checks, downloads and installs updates, can act as a server to all other smaller Squeezeboxes eg. SB3, Duet. Like the Transporter it would have a state of the art DAC/analogue section and exemplary jitter management. You could install all kinds of apps for it, or just use it a barebone audiophile music server.

Every year or so they could upgrade it, add new or upgraded features like a larger HDD, video capabilities, DVD/BluRay reading, higher speed wireless standards etc.

Instead they went the low end path, competing against all the other little manufacturers for small profit margins. And they expected their Squeezebox Server software to run flawlessly on millions of different varieties of Windows/Linux/MacOS/PEARL boxes and wire or wireless networking products.

I love my Squeezeboxes, but I could tell after founder Sean Adams left, and the Logitech takeover, it was the start ofthe end.

Edited August 30, 2012 by tktran

[Desap]

I've only used mine for streaming with no probs. As long as I can continue streaming I'll be happy.

+1 to that comment !

[wolster]

My Squeezebox Classic remains the best bang for buck in my system and the most used source of playing music.

With the emergence of remote apps for iPad it became even more user-friendly and Internet radio is a huge bonus.

It's going nowhere.

[Peter_F]

Forums are littered by people who make a lot of noise when things don't go as expected. You never hear from people who have no issues, unless it is to counter those complaints.

I have found that the forums are littered with BS! There is so much gear that is highly rated and many people are quite reluctant to post negative comments and become involved flame wars.

Some people are very fortunate and have good luck with hi-fi, I am not one of those, and I am not computer or technology savvy either.

My SBT has required on many occasions the help of those who are quite computer literate to get it working, and it certainly has challenged them! Then a week later it f*cks up again. Currently it is not working, and I have no idea why. I should not have to log into a forum and sift and search through numerous Q&A's so I can listen to music. Such an unstable and unreliable concept is a ludicrous premise when I can can just put in a CD, which sounds better anyway!!

I purchased it based on what I read on this forum.

[Vortexjah]

Poor quality control may be the cause of some squeezebox's not working as they should, could also be other factors such as Internet connection etc. but I have owned the same squeezebox touch for near on three years now, and the only problem I have ever had was after about 6 months in it stopped working with the external hdd I was using. I must note though, I was using a portable hdd, which is strongly suggested against ( meant to use self powered only), I also never replaced this hdd with another to see if it worked, I did try USB sticks from time to time, which worked flawlessly, but i went over to streaming from my computer for convenience.

Usability is second to none IMO, the only other devices that may compete is the sonos and atv, but you need extra devices to control them.

Sound quality is another key factor, many people disagree with me, but I find the internal dac excellent, in my system anyway. It has beat out many dacs, and a cd player that sells for thousands. It is only now that I have discovered vinyl, that vinyl is the clear winner.

[Makka]

I love my SBT and almost exclusively listen to music through it nowadays, plus a bit of vinyl every now and then.

It can get a bit temperamental every now and then but always worth the hassle IMO.

I suspect it has more to do with the rest of my computer/wi/fi system than the SBT but I am a bit ignorant in that dept.

There is always the Apple TV2 if all else fails though the sound isn't quite as good.

I have just updated the SBT server software to 7.8.0 beta and so far so good.

It seems that though Logitech have abandoned us the old workers such as (possibly) the guy who wrote this article are still working on development and bug fixes.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Makka

[Sentient]

My Squeezebox Classic remains the best bang for buck in my system and the most used source of playing music.

With the emergence of remote apps for iPad it became even more user-friendly and Internet radio is a huge bonus.

It's going nowhere.

Hey Wolster, I have the same experience. My SB classic has been seamless and a breeze to setup with my Netgear NAS backend.

The addition of the free official iOS app, made using the SBC even easier, especially for Internet radio.

But the iOS app authenticates to 'www.mysqueezebox.com' , and the concern expressed over on the slim devices forum, is the mysqueezebox service could disappear.

My SBC is on my 2nd system, which is a communal/family system, and it's staying there as long as possible.

Edited August 30, 2012 by ozmillsy

[kinetic]

Crossing my fingers this will go open source.

Maybe that's why I got the good deal last night. I paid $263. I'm sure better deals will be coming up over the next few months.

Edited August 30, 2012 by kinetic

[Peter_F]

I found the SQ of the SBT was pretty good when it actually worked!

On my system even a crappy old Yamaha DVDP used as a CDP will better the SBT.

I only ever used the SBT when it was working for background music. There was just no way I could use the SBT for dedicated listening.

If it was reliable and I didn't have to learn about computer engineering to resolve ongoing issues with it I would say it was pretty good value.

It is very well made, and it is the best looking clock I have owned.

Edited August 31, 2012 by flemo

[hired goon]

G'day,

The decision to stop Squeezebox production is not surprising ... the young 'uns are increasingly using on-line services like Pandora, Spotify etc on their phones rather than listening to MP3s stored locally. Plus AV receviers are now wired and can stream tunes, so a stand-alone music playback device almost seems anachronistic to that demographic.

Still, I love my two Squeezeboxen, and use them for almost all of my listening at home. Never had a problem with 'em (except for the MOG plugin ... too much buffering). Coupled with the Squeezebox app on my tablet it's very easy to sit on me butt and play tunes all day long.

My only reservations are another stable server release, and mysqueezebox.com hanging around for a good while longer.

--Geoff

[alistairm]

I reckon the SBT is just about the best money I've spent in audio. Mine has performed faultlessly over wifi, streaming from iTunes and internet radio.

I'm so enamoured of it I just picked up another one to have on ice if they're going off line: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/330773522430?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_4066wt_1076

[MWR]

I reckon the SBT is just about the best money I've spent in audio. Mine has performed faultlessly over wifi, streaming from iTunes and internet radio.

I'm so enamoured of it I just picked up another one to have on ice if they're going off line: http://www.ebay.com....#ht_4066wt_1076

I agree. It's simple to use like me :lol: and it looks good, doesn't take up too much space and as for poor quality radio, how do you work that one out??

I have found though that Ethernet cable is better than wi-fi but this isn't the fault of the SBT.

Edited August 31, 2012 by MWR

[Dr X]

Usability is second to none IMO, the only other devices that may compete is the sonos and atv, but you need extra devices to control them.

A HTPC/laptop running JRiver MC has far better usability/functionality and pretty much anything else I can think of than a Squeezebox.

I've owned a SB3 and a SBT by the way.

For me they were a great stepping stone products to get into computer based audio but I'd be amazed if I ever bought another one.

Cheers.

[Krispy Audio]

+1 for another satisfied user. Never ever skipped a beat in nearly a year, and easily the best value component I own. I have discovered so much more music thanks to online streaming through it, you can't put a price on that!

[MWR]

A HTPC/laptop running JRiver MC has far better usability/functionality and pretty much anything else I can think of than a Squeezebox.

I've owned a SB3 and a SBT by the way.

For me they were a great stepping stone products to get into computer based audio but I'd be amazed if I ever bought another one.

Cheers.

Does it have a touch screen and remote?

[Dr X]

Does it have a touch screen and remote?

You bet baby!

And it has a 58 inch pansonic TV to display "stuff"

Edit: I don't actually have a touch screen to control it, but you could have and it could be much larger then what's on the Touch.

I personally use an IR remote and an application on my android phone for control.

Why would I want to use my feet and walk over to my player to do something?

Edited August 31, 2012 by Dr X

[New Sensations]

More importantly, the Sonos doesn't have a USB port for digital output. The only way to bring it closer to CD transport quality is with a reclocker like the Synchro Mesh or Audiogd DI.

[New Sensations]

I like seeing the artwork displayed on the SB Touch screen and bring able to hit pause/play on the same. The Sonos cannot do this. :-/

[rated]

More importantly, the Sonos doesn't have a USB port for digital output. The only way to bring it closer to CD transport quality is with a reclocker like the Synchro Mesh or Audiogd DI.

Unless you look at a cullen modified sonos unit, which is now available locally also.

[MWR]

You bet baby!

And it has a 58 inch pansonic TV to display "stuff"

Edit: I don't actually have a touch screen to control it, but you could have and it could be much larger then what's on the Touch.

I personally use an IR remote and an application on my android phone for control.

Why would I want to use my feet and walk over to my player to do something?

That's something I may think about in the future as an additional setup, however I also like the size of the SBT plus I love the internet radio it's so easy to use and I don't have to have a PC running I just choose the station say in Brazil or Nigeria and it's that easy, plus you get the artwork. I have no idea if there are an sonic differences between SBT and direct PC/Mac use.

Edited August 31, 2012 by MWR

[Dr X]

That's something I may think about in the future as an additional setup, however I also like the size of the SBT plus I love the internet radio it's so easy to use and I don't have to have a PC running I just choose the station say in Brazil or Nigeria and it's that easy, plus you get the artwork. I have no idea if there are an sonic differences between SBT and direct PC/Mac use.

All of those things are possible with a HTPC.

PC's and laptops can be low powered devices these days.

Sonic differences between a SB and a PC are below human threshold IMO, especially when using such devices as digital transports.

Cheers.

[rated]

I like seeing the artwork displayed on the SB Touch screen and bring able to hit pause/play on the same. The Sonos cannot do this. :-/

artwork, pause, etc.

[alistairm]

The retail price of Windows alone is about the same as a squeezebox, more depending on the version you get.

Of course a full blown computer with an unlimited choice of software, peripherals and configuration will be able to much the output of a Squeezebox. But the SBT does something entirely different.

It's small, has a great UI and easy to use.

It's like I've got a potted Geranium on my balcony and a pretty little $15 watering can to give it a sprinkle every second day, and you're saying "bah, a water canon can spray more water, that little watering can is useless".