( 51 reviews )
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jul 28 2009
The Squeezebox is like the Tivo in the sense that it is a bit hard to explain what it does, but like the Tivo, once you start to use it, you don't know how you lived without it. When my 5-disk CD player died, I surfed the web for alternatives. I have a fairly extensive CD collection and my interests include classical music, classic jazz, and modern recordings of Broadway shows that are done with real orchestras (larger the better). I also have a passion for modern recordings of operettas. I found that reviews of the the Squeezebox rated it quite highly, and commented on the exceptional quality of the digital-to-analog converter (something I had never really thought about). I finally chose the classic model and have had it for several months now. At least in the Linux world, there are a number of programs for ripping CDs directly to flac files (probably the most obvious lossless choice of file format), and with terabyte drives under $100, storage space is not a problem. I still buy CDs, (something you are forced to do with my kind of tastes), but I immediately rip the CDs to flac, and never actually play the physical CD disk. No more fiddling with disks and jewel boxes. The Squeezebox is the first product I have run into with the Logitech logo that is Linux friendly (and I mean really, really friendly). It was a breeze to setup, and very easy to use. And kudos for the person or persons that designed the web interface. It is very intuitive and is all one could ask for. The classic version of the Squeezebox has a remote control, but I mainly use the web GUI. The bottom line is that the quality of sound is significantly better than any CD or DVD player I have used. Even though much of my collection consists of modern, digital recordings, quality differences between recordings are much more apparent when using the Squeezebox. And recordings that I have listened to many times using a CD player, have a fresh new sound to them. I could not be happier with my choice of the Squeezebox.
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jul 22 2009
Is it worth the money? Is it for me? My answer to the first question is an emphatic yes. The hardware is top-notch and sleek. You can tell a great deal of thought went into the hardware design, and also the software. Before judging the cost of a product like this, consider having a top-flight wireless router, adding a VFD, an audiophile-grade signal processor, and a preamp with optical outputs. Don't forget the remote and the switching power supply (built into the wall transformer). $280 isn't cheap, but it buys you a lot. The Squeezebox line looks downright cheap when you compare them to similar offerings. The only caveat I'd make is that this design is a few years old and it'll probably be freshened soon. Likely with a touch-screen LCD display. All said, I'm glad to own this model. Is it for me? That question deserves pondering. I'm pretty tech-savvy yet I had my share of setup issues with this stuff. And I'm not finished building my "dream" music system, so I'll have to give this Squeezebox lots of testing before springing for that music-storing NAS I've had my eye on. Software and user interface are the Achilles' heel, as they so often are. If you're on the fence about buying one of these--or any model of Squeezebox--I urge you to read as many positive and negative reviews as you can stand. Also, check out the free software downloads that emulate a Squeezebox on your computer. (If you can get the emulator and SqueezeCenter running well, you're a good candidate for Squeezebox ownership.) Many of the issues are software-based, or specifically network-based. You probably realize broadband ISP service is needed to use this device. A hefty dose of computer know-how and patience are also required. Some people may have a problem with this, so know in advance the network interface consumes electrical power round-the-clock, even though the display may be off. It doesn't use a lot of power, judging from the little heat given off. In use, the box produces a fair amount of warmth. If you just use the internet radio portion of this device and never set up a SqueezeCenter you'll be very happy once you've set up. It won't take long. Some of the streams Logitech has on their "recommend" lists are defunct or out-of-date, but that's no big deal... A computer for setting up and browsing station choices is helpful but not absolutely required. If you want to stream music stored on your computer, expect to spend some time understanding what this thing can and can't do. There are a wealth of plugins for Squeezecenter (or whatever they call it today) but they don't all work. Some are out of date. My previous comment reminds me there's a plethora of product terms loosely thrown about. They seem to be in a state of flux which doesn't make learning them easier. Nevertheless, the underlying concepts are fairly static, so keep that in mind, along with your glossary, and you'll fare well. Some reviewers complained that switching between SqueezeNetwork (AKA mysqueezeboxdotcom) and SqueezeCenter (AKA Squeezebox Server or Slim Server) was awkward or difficult. I didn't have a problem with this--Logitech may have worked on this aspect. Other people complained about the manual. I think it's well-written. I learned about features I never knew from playing with the emulator (called SoftSqueeze). A couple of times my Squeezebox went black as soon as I turned it on. This freaked me out. I haven't figured the cause, but it seems to be network-related and it's fixable or controllable. Switching between the SqueezeNetwork and SqueezeCenter may be the reason. It bothers me a little, and I can see how it would become a royal PITA should I never figure it out or otherwise tame it. [[ Postscript: After a month of using it I've noticed my Squeezebox sometimes goes black when switching music sources and/or after being turned on. Pressing the power button again restores it. Annoying, but not terribly so. Switching music sources is something I did often while testing, but nowadays not so much. ]] There exists a dichotomy between the two centers which service your Squeezebox device: the SqueezeNetwork which isn't very customizable and the SqueezeCenter (that you operate) which is quite customizable. That makes sense, although sometimes you wish you could add a plugin or two to the SqueezeNetwork so it would act more like your SqueezeCenter. As I said before, you may never run your own SqueezeCenter, in which case please ignore 80% of this review. If all you want is an internet radio, this Logitech Squeezebox is still a *great* choice. Although there are cheaper devices out there, the Squeezebox isn't a "walled garden" like some internet radios. Some devices force you to go to their web site to configure radio stations you wish to tune. If they don't offer the station you want, you must submit a request and wait (days? who knows). On Squeezebox, go to the web interface and type in any URL you wish. Granted, you'll need a computer for that. I may have given the impression that I am dissatisfied with the Logitech (nee Slim Devices) software, especially SqueezeCenter. I am more than satisfied, given that I knew beforehand from emulator experience that it was imperfect. I hope it keeps getting better. Apart from broken plugins tried and rejected, I find myself wanting more customize-ability as well as a larger, higher-resolution display. (Not unlike buying a laser printer then everafter taking longer to print because now it HAS to be PERFECT.) It's great that SqueezeCenter is open-source and there are lively, friendly, and active forums. But it doesn't mean we'll all be speaking Esperanto and happily running Ubuntu on 75?? solar-powered multi-core netbooks while sipping free lattes next month. Expect to sift through a lot of chaff when looking for grains of wheat. I give this product four stars as long as you know what you're getting into. The issues to be worked through could actually become something of a hobby for you if you're so inclined. If you want everything *simple*, you've come to the wrong place. NO internet-radio / music-access device delivers simplicity, flexibility, and a low cost at this time. [[ Postscript: The more I use my Squeezebox, the more I appreciate it... One wonders why everything is so tranquil and quiet. Eventually you realize you're no longer hearing the CD changer clonking about (or the FM background hiss). ]]
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jul 22 2009
Is it worth the money? Is it for me? My answer to the first question is an emphatic yes. The hardware is top-notch and sleek. You can tell a great deal of thought went into the hardware design, and also the software. Before judging the cost of a product like this, consider having a top-flight wireless router, adding a VFD, an audiophile-grade signal processor, and a preamp with optical outputs. Don't forget the remote and the switching power supply (built into the wall transformer). $280 isn't cheap, but it buys you a lot. The Squeezebox line looks downright cheap when you compare them to similar offerings. The only caveat I'd make is that this design is a few years old and it'll probably be freshened soon. Likely with a touch-screen LCD display. All said, I'm glad to own this model. Is it for me? That question deserves pondering. I'm pretty tech-savvy yet I had my share of setup issues with this stuff. And I'm not finished building my "dream" music system, so I'll have to give this Squeezebox lots of testing before springing for that music-storing NAS I've had my eye on. Software and user interface are the Achilles' heel, as they so often are. If you're on the fence about buying one of these--or any model of Squeezebox--I urge you to read as many positive and negative reviews as you can stand. Also, check out the free software downloads that emulate a Squeezebox on your computer. (If you can get the emulator and SqueezeCenter running well, you're a good candidate for Squeezebox ownership.) Many of the issues are software-based, or specifically network-based. You probably realize broadband ISP service is needed to use this device. A hefty dose of computer know-how and patience are also required. Some people may have a problem with this, so know in advance the network interface consumes electrical power round-the-clock, even though the display may be off. It doesn't use a lot of power, judging from the little heat given off. In use, the box produces a fair amount of warmth. If you just use the internet radio portion of this device and never set up a SqueezeCenter you'll be very happy once you've set up. It won't take long. Some of the streams Logitech has on their "recommend" lists are defunct or out-of-date, but that's no big deal... A computer for setting up and browsing station choices is helpful but not absolutely required. If you want to stream music stored on your computer, expect to spend some time understanding what this thing can and can't do. There are a wealth of plugins for Squeezecenter (or whatever they call it today) but they don't all work. Some are out of date. My previous comment reminds me there's a plethora of product terms loosely thrown about. They seem to be in a state of flux which doesn't make learning them easier. Nevertheless, the underlying concepts are fairly static, so keep that in mind, along with your glossary, and you'll fare well. Some reviewers complained that switching between SqueezeNetwork (AKA mysqueezeboxdotcom) and SqueezeCenter (AKA Squeezebox Server or Slim Server) was awkward or difficult. I didn't have a problem with this--Logitech may have worked on this aspect. Other people complained about the manual. I think it's well-written. I learned about features I never knew from playing with the emulator (called SoftSqueeze). A couple of times my Squeezebox went black as soon as I turned it on. This freaked me out. I haven't figured the cause, but it seems to be network-related and it's fixable or controllable. Switching between the SqueezeNetwork and SqueezeCenter may be the reason. It bothers me a little, and I can see how it would become a royal PITA should I never figure it out or otherwise tame it. There exists a dichotomy between the two centers which service your Squeezebox device: the SqueezeNetwork which isn't very customizable and the SqueezeCenter (that you operate) which is quite customizable. That makes sense, although sometimes you wish you could add a plugin or two to the SqueezeNetwork so it would act more like your SqueezeCenter. As I said before, you may never run your own SqueezeCenter, in which case please ignore 80% of this review. If all you want is an internet radio, this Logitech Squeezebox is still a *great* choice. Although there are cheaper devices out there, the Squeezebox isn't a "walled garden" like some internet radios. Some devices force you to go to their web site to configure radio stations you wish to tune. If they don't offer the station you want, you must submit a request and wait (days? who knows). On Squeezebox, go to the web interface and type in any URL you wish. Granted, you'll need a computer for that. I may have given the impression that I am dissatisfied with the Logitech (nee Slim Devices) software, especially SqueezeCenter. I am more than satisfied, given that I knew beforehand from emulator experience that it was imperfect. I hope it keeps getting better. Apart from broken plugins tried and rejected, I find myself wanting more customize-ability as well as a larger, higher-resolution display. (Not unlike buying a laser printer then everafter taking longer to print because now it HAS to be PERFECT.) It's great that SqueezeCenter is open-source and there are lively, friendly, and active forums. But it doesn't mean we'll all be speaking Esperanto and happily running Ubuntu on 75?? solar-powered multi-core netbooks while sipping free lattes next month. Expect to sift through a lot of chaff when looking for grains of wheat. I give this product four stars as long as you know what you're getting into. The issues to be worked through could actually become something of a hobby for you if you're so inclined. If you want everything *simple*, you've come to the wrong place. NO internet-radio / music-access device delivers simplicity, flexibility, and a low cost at this time.
