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Squeeze Box Touch Crusher

66.85.148.50

Posted on May 15, 2015 at 14:12:21
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012

I've seen a lot of whining about the lack of Squeezebox Touch replacements..stop your sobbin'.

The Auralic Aries Mini was introduced at Munich.

Every resolution and file format known to man.

Custom App. Onboard DAC, analog and digital outputs, digital inputs.

Wham.

$399.

I will be ordering one as soon as it is available.

It should be noted the SOtM Mini Server is another option, but with no internal DAC/analog outputs, and it can be powered with optional battery supply.


 

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OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 16:23:24
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
That's good.

How's about QOBUZ?

Apple Airplay?






First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 16:50:13
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
No idea. AirPlay is garbage. I am sure Auralic is not paying Apple's ransom.

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 16:55:48
nice, rock on! This is a new level.

Does tidal have a good selection of obscure stuff

Do you see

Theologian
Navicon torture technologies
Thergothon
Disembowelment
Sunn O)))
Merzbow
Lull
Lustre
Boris
Merzbow
Hypocrisy
Phish
Nordvargr
Folkstorm
Velvet cacoon
Robert rich
Steve roach
Mos def
Cypress hill
Korn
Bongzilla

?

If so I might subscribe. Thanks if you get the time to look.

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 17:31:28
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Would love to help but I have no interest in streaming services for my self. I own nearly 10 GB of music at this point discover countless new artists on my own.

I have no issue with the premise, and certainly Tidal looks like the best one so far, with lossless files etc, but I honestly think with out a vanity investment of a well known billionare it has no chance of surviving.

 

ROTFLMAO!, posted on May 15, 2015 at 17:40:01
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
Apple airplay works fine and sounds great at 16/44.1, at least from my experience.

Why some people allow their narrow political views to affect their hearing is beyond me but it certainly seems to be a common afflection among audiophiles.

Oh, and speaking of 'ransom', check out the annual license fees associated with adding HDMI (along with the required HDCP license from Digital Content Protection) to your audio gear.

Bet it's more that the cost of adding AirPlay ($4 per unit, IIRC).





First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 17:57:34
got it...

Thanks anyway,

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 18:04:22
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
Do you see?

Number of awful albums in TIDAL by head banging rock groups that only Bullethead would listen to, at least while he still has his hearing which won't be long if he keep listening this crap:

Theologian 3
Navicon torture technologies 2
Thergothon ZERO!
Disembowelment 3
Sunn O))) 6
Merzbow 32+
Lull 2
Lustre 5
Boris You're serious? 9
Merzbow 30! Who buys this s%^t?
Hypocrisy 17
Phish 8
Nordvargr ONE (one is enough, right?)
Folkstorm 2 more that we actually need, that's for sure!
Velvet cacoon 2 (as above)
Robert rich 8
Steve roach At least 50 but I bet they all sound the same.
Mos def 7
Cypress hill 17
Korn 22
Bongzilla 5


Hope this helps!






First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

Fantastic!, posted on May 15, 2015 at 18:07:15
thanks, so it seems it is the same as deezer elite which I paid for 3 years @ $10 a month for the discounted price,

 

I see no reason it should be much different..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 18:11:58
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
THe labels that license for streaming would be silly not to license to everyone the same way.

I found that comparing MOG to Spotify, even the same search errors occurred because the labels had the albums listed incorrectly.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

Thanks again, posted on May 15, 2015 at 18:14:32
i appreciate the info sir.

Enjoy the weekend.

 

RE: Squeeze Box Touch Crusher, posted on May 15, 2015 at 21:44:02
Bob_C
Audiophile

Posts: 2667
Location: NY
Joined: July 31, 2000
Look like a nicely priced new toy. :) Probably sounds pretty decent. Maybe not true high end but more than enough for the masses.

 

RE: Squeeze Box Touch Crusher, posted on May 15, 2015 at 22:13:53
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Yeh, 'cause that is EXACTLY what the "masses" are doing, streaming lossless music, and setting up Ethernet networks for DSD and 24/192 PCM. LOL. Are you for real?

BTW, it can also be configured with internal storage, or accept attached storage via USB.

 

RE: Squeeze Box Touch Crusher, posted on May 15, 2015 at 22:24:30
Bob_C
Audiophile

Posts: 2667
Location: NY
Joined: July 31, 2000
The washed masses are... :)

 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 15, 2015 at 22:25:47
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
Tidal as Wimp in Europe has been going for 5 years and 1 year in us.
Later this year they will launch a HiRez streaming service
Alan

 

Ivan: Figure it out, posted on May 15, 2015 at 23:35:35
J.Mac
Audiophile

Posts: 3553
Location: Colorado
Joined: November 6, 2002
It's a Squeezebox clone built on mostly (or entirely) off-the-shelf computer components, running a Linux distro and other open source software developed by contributors to the Squeezebox community. Expect it to do pretty much what a Squeezebox Touch can do, or do whatever the open source SqueezeLite player is capable.

If they really do have "custom" controller apps for Android and iOS, I have no doubt that they too are either closely derived from open source software or else licensed from one of the handful of developers of similar commercial apps.

Not that any of that is really a bad thing, and it's where the Squeezebox platform is naturally heading. Just that they appear to have put so little effort into it, just like all of the previous Auralic/SOTM products. How about a display? A touch interface? An IR remote? How about a small contribution to the open source software to make the server better? I doubt that you'll see any of those, and they will give ample excuses as to why none of them are good for you.

What they've put together is little more than a system that you could assemble from a Raspberry Pi for under $100 or an inexpensive Intel integrated motherboard for under $150.

 

Just what I've been looking for, posted on May 16, 2015 at 04:49:21
I've been waiting for a device like this for a long time to use in secondary systems where sound quality is not a high priority.

The closest I've been able to come so far is the Pioneer N series. I was able to get one of the Pioneers while in the UK but for some inexplicable reason they were never available here.

The Aries Mini has Tidal and Open Home support, which are both important to me. So I will gladly replace my Pioneer with one of these, and probably get another one to deliver music into my garage as well.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

RE: Ivan: Figure it out, posted on May 16, 2015 at 05:06:35
Not that any of that is really a bad thing, and it's where the Squeezebox platform is naturally heading. Just that they appear to have put so little effort into it, just like all of the previous Auralic/SOTM products. How about a display? A touch interface? An IR remote? How about a small contribution to the open source software to make the server better? I doubt that you'll see any of those, and they will give ample excuses as to why none of them are good for you.


I don't get the hate.

I also don't get why anybody would want a display, touch interface, or IR remote on a device like this. The display and touch interface is on the control app where it should be. And IR remotes are so 20th century.

 

Still talking about "Crushing the Touch" 3 years after it's been discontinued !....., posted on May 16, 2015 at 05:43:36
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
"It's kinda telling that we are still talking about "Squeezbox Touch crusher[s]" three years after it was discontinued!"





 

RE: OK, so it does TIDAL direcly..., posted on May 16, 2015 at 05:45:52
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
How about Spotify ?



 

Agree.... And I don't see where this "Crushes" the Touch at all !... It doesn't even equal it !....nt, posted on May 16, 2015 at 06:18:09
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
nt



 

Wow! ...10 Giga Bytes of Music...You Must have about 30 Albums, posted on May 16, 2015 at 06:23:35
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
nt



 

RE: "What they've put together is little more than a system that you could assemble from a Raspberry Pi...., posted on May 16, 2015 at 06:59:06
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
for under $100"

Maybe when I had half-a-dozen fully functioning brain cells, but not today.

I'm not even sure I could get a SB Touch up and running in my system these days, what with all the software and crap involved.

My listening needs are pretty simple. If QOBUZ were legal in the US I'd just put a SONUS CONNECT in my main system and be done with it. That's not possible in the US as SONOS has no support for QOBUZ here and I have no use for QOBUZ in Europe which is where I signed up for it.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

Don't wash as much as I used to..., posted on May 16, 2015 at 07:02:09
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
but still do, if my wife insists.




First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Just what I've been looking for, posted on May 16, 2015 at 07:56:24
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Sure thing! Don't let the thread crapper bug you...there are black clouds that seem to appear at times...

I can't wait to get one. Certainly a low dollar risk proposition.

 

RE: Ivan: Figure it out, posted on May 16, 2015 at 07:57:27
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Black could whiner..pay no attention.

You are exactly correct. A display etc is exactly what you DON'T want.

 

RE: Wow! ...10 Giga Bytes of Music...You Must have about 30 Albums, posted on May 16, 2015 at 07:58:24
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Yikes..meant 10 TB. Somebody referenced dead brain cells..well...

 

Most people here would probably get comparable or better sound, posted on May 16, 2015 at 09:58:42
Sordidman
Audiophile

Posts: 13665
Location: San Francisco
Joined: May 14, 2001
by spending another $200 on top of a $400 Squeezebox touch then they would by spending $1500 to $2000 hatcheting away at the average multifunction noisebox computer.

With the Squeezebox, & some of these other boxes, it kind of forces people to use a NAS drive. I forget how often people just locate their files on their computer, - which is really becoming more and more untenable in the "internet of things."

Still celebrating the uselessness of the new unwired MACBooks: it is the best single thing that Apple Corp has done for high-end audio: namely, - (unintended), - making sure that people don't bother using their computers for it.....

BobC, I do not doubt that you have a very good setup that you're happy with...

But with the coming of the new Apple TV, & ease and simplicity and cheap price of a more plug and play solution and proliferation of server/client home networks: multiple, multi-function computers are going to be giving way to multiple, single-function, network enabled devices.....









"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"

 

no display no remote no sale, posted on May 16, 2015 at 14:03:26
mbnx01
Audiophile

Posts: 7954
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Joined: October 22, 2004
No, I will not buy a smartphone or an ipod to use my stereo.

Other than that looks nice.






'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

 

RE: no display no remote no sale, posted on May 16, 2015 at 14:24:27
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
So even it sounds superior, has a ton more features, digital and analog outputs, digital inputs, can be used with any server software, not just LMS, allows for streaming of any resolution, provides for external or internal storage, and is far more elegant..you will still cling? Enjoy.

 

I'm not seeing more features, I'm seeing a lot less............., posted on May 16, 2015 at 14:48:25
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
A lot of the features that you list are already on the touch. As far as sounding better; Who Says?

If it indeed had more features and sounded better, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. I have been looking for a better SB Touch for 5 years now, it does not exist. And this device is not one of them either!




 

RE: I'm not seeing more features, I'm seeing a lot less............., posted on May 16, 2015 at 14:56:57
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
This is the last time I am going to spoon feed you information that is clearly there. You are going to negatively spin no matter what, because that is what you do.

I own a SB Classic, and two touches, used them in every conceivable configuration..wireless, ethernet, attached storage, analog outputs, digital outputs, you name it.

If you had bothered, which I know you clearly did not, the features include digital outputs, AND inputs, DSD, the option for internal storage, Tidal, and Qobuz..AND more.

As far as sounding better, the Simaudio MiND and SOtM Mini Server are sonically superior, and having heard the Aries, which is also superior, I can't imagine the Aries Mini will not be also superior.

No run along.

 

I don't want a DAC in my Streamer, I've already got a great one !...., posted on May 16, 2015 at 15:30:07
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
The Touch also streams Tidal and Qobuz.... Big Deal... Does this device stream spotify? With the Apps written for LMS by the SBT Community such as the Triode Spotify and Smart Mix, the software is vastly superior!
If you actually understood what the SBT can do you would not be spouting off!

Now....You run Along Sonny !




 

RE: no display no remote no sale, posted on May 16, 2015 at 18:26:09
Tony Lauck
Audiophile

Posts: 13629
Location: Vermont
Joined: November 12, 2007
You can get Android wi-fi tablets for well under $100 these days and they will be more than suitable for controlling various gadgets.

Tony Lauck

"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar

 

My Oppo 103D is already doing this for free..., posted on May 16, 2015 at 19:07:08
PaulN
Audiophile

Posts: 1412
Joined: January 13, 2000
All it takes is a free plugin to LMS now to provide a bridge for LMS to upnp and it now operates as a squeeze client appearing as such in the LMS menu. There are so many upnp renderers now that either cost much less than this new Auric (RasPi2) or provide additional functionality, such as the Oppo that it really is a rather limited market device. One guy has resurrected an ancient Roku 1001 for the task. Free is simply better than $400 and that can't really be argued.

 

RE: My Oppo 103D is already doing this for free..., posted on May 16, 2015 at 19:56:07
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
"There are so many upnp renderers now that either cost much less than this new Auric (RasPi2) or provide additional functionality, such as the Oppo that it really is a rather limited market device."

Really? I don't think so.

With regards to your Oppo, it certainly costs more, and it has "features" that most would consider undesirable, like video circuitry, and a disc transport, bloated firmware, and so so parts quality.

 

It doesn't really matter what you think., posted on May 16, 2015 at 21:40:59
PaulN
Audiophile

Posts: 1412
Joined: January 13, 2000
The market will decide whether you have an opinion or not, which seems lost on you much of the time.

 

Dang!, posted on May 16, 2015 at 21:42:18
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
I wish I'd said that.


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE: Most people here would probably get comparable or better sound, posted on May 16, 2015 at 21:58:02
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Digital Audio Review weighs in..

 

I have an Oppo 103D and no, it doesn't do what the Aries Mini does, posted on May 17, 2015 at 04:00:56
The Oppo is a very rudimentary DLNA/UPnP renderer. It doesn't do gapless playback over DLNA, doesn't have Open Home support so no device playlists or grouping devices, doesn't support DSD over DLNA, doesn't support AirPlay, doesn't support Songcast, doesn't do internet radio, and Pandora is the only online music service it supports. It also can become slow and unresponsive sometimes when changing tracks.

I had originally hoped it would be good enough that I wouldn't need a separate music streamer in my HT system, but it isn't.

 

The SB Touch is a unique device and as such there will never be a like alternative, posted on May 17, 2015 at 04:53:37
For those of you who find the SB Touch feature set to be just right for your needs, there will never be a better Touch.

Personally, I never really understood the appeal of the SB Touch, in particular having a slow & clunky (compared to say an iPhone) touch browsing & control interface that's tethered to the system. The Transporter + controller app made a lot more sense to me as an audiophile product, and I'm surprised that so many audiophiles went for the Touch and ignored the Transporter. There was a time when the Transporter with ModWright mods seemed like the way to go for me, but then DLNA broke out and I went with the open standard.

You guys can thank Slim Devices for making SlimServer open source and providing plugin API documentation. That should keep the SB platform relevant for a while longer.

 

Don't need another Touch....Just some Key features..., posted on May 17, 2015 at 07:06:44
Cut-Throat
Audiophile

Posts: 18251
Location: Minneapolis - St.Paul Area
Joined: September 2, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
May 16, 2021
1.) Ability to Stream any music service from the internet primarily. This is where all other streamers fall short.

2.) Ability to stream Files (They all can do this)

3.) Prefer no internal DAC. Just increases Cost and is unnecessary for Audiophiles.

4.)Digital outputs.

5.) The real advantage of the Touch is LMS.... A single user friendly portal for all internet streaming services and your personal files.

Don't need a Screen or Remote and No Built in Amplifiers, Speakers, DACs either.... Or any Full Blown Windows or Apple PC hooked directly to my DAC either.




 

RE: I have an Oppo 103D and no, it doesn't do what the Aries Mini does, posted on May 17, 2015 at 11:53:31
PaulN
Audiophile

Posts: 1412
Joined: January 13, 2000
That is generally correct if you are not using the Sq2upnp plugin, which does add DSD support from LMS, allows sychonization of other LMS players, gapless playback and internet radio. But you have to add the repository and plugin.

Cut and paste this repository on the plugins page at the bottom:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/lms-to-upnp/files/stable/repo-sf.xml

This is still under development, but my I add that it is -free-. So, what does anyone have to lose by trying it? Only your time.

 

Digital/computerized audio has taken me from a 'better sound' kind of guy..., posted on May 17, 2015 at 18:09:46
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
to an 'any sound at all would be nice' kind of guy. :-(

That said, the ability to stream audio at very close to CD quality over the internet is a technological advance I never dreamed of living to see.

For a lover of more contemporary music, this might seem a mere convenience. But for someone interested in experiencing the width and breadth of a classical music catalog recorded over a time period of 50-60 years, much out of print, this is a HUGE deal.

So while many here are focused on typical audiophile SOTA SQ issues, and we've all been there at one time or other, some will experience just as much enjoyment listening to 78rpm digital transfers of long-dead, obscure Russian conductors and long ago orchestras as anything we've experienced in high-end audio.





First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

Actually, it does......, posted on May 19, 2015 at 11:37:34
Sordidman
Audiophile

Posts: 13665
Location: San Francisco
Joined: May 14, 2001
A product like the Aries with lower volume of sales is going to be more interested in what Audiophiles think than Oppo, which is a consumer, hi-sales volume, (primarily), home theatre device: - which is in another class, and another market, with a different target audience.

Market successes and failures have little to do with one person's opinion about the quality of the player, and/or quality of its features.




"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"

 

Does the Oppo play nice with Sq2upnp now?, posted on May 26, 2015 at 15:36:57
RhythmDevil
Audiophile

Posts: 222
Joined: November 23, 2014
So, has the problem with configuring Sq2upnp to correctly work with the Oppo been addressed? The last time I tried this, it would play a single song, but woiuld not play more than one without manual intervention. I gave up on it as a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time-player. :)

Would be delighted to hear that this is resolved; I would run off and get the updated app right away!



Cerebrate!

 

RE: Does the Oppo play nice with Sq2upnp now?, posted on May 28, 2015 at 05:23:43
PaulN
Audiophile

Posts: 1412
Joined: January 13, 2000
truthfully, I haven't checked it since I loaded the plugin. I will do that and get back to you later today.

 

RE: Digital/computerized audio has taken me from a 'better sound' kind of guy..., posted on June 7, 2015 at 06:55:33
rick_m
Audiophile

Posts: 6230
Location: Oregon
Joined: August 11, 2005
"some will experience just as much enjoyment listening to 78rpm digital transfers of long-dead, obscure Russian conductors and long ago orchestras as anything we've experienced in high-end audio. "

But "high-end audio" is just the delivery system, not the music... No conflict. Well, little conflict, if their surface noise bugs you then you need some control over the bandwidth but that's nothing unless you have a religious objection to tone controls. Shoot with parametric tone controls you could even fake the thumpy speaker/cabinet resonance of the old players.

Yes, I DO hail from that era and rather like the 78 "sound", it's lively and fun (in a scratchy sort of way...)

Rick

 

RE: Digital/computerized audio has taken me from a 'better sound' kind of guy..., posted on June 7, 2015 at 12:49:16
ejk
Audiophile

Posts: 195
Location: NYC
Joined: January 14, 2009
nt

 

This looks great!, posted on June 8, 2015 at 11:36:52
panhead
Audiophile

Posts: 920
Location: chicago
Joined: January 20, 2007
Might have to pull the trigger

 

RE: This looks great!, posted on June 8, 2015 at 13:25:08
Sprezza Tura
Audiophile

Posts: 4585
Location: New York City
Joined: August 24, 2012
Waiting for it to be available....credit card ready.

 

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