|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
206.255.200.146
I've done a bit of system downsizing, tweaking and rearranging recently.
I'm now running a Touch in the main system, Oppo 103 in HT and roving iPad (garage/bedroom) using iPeng app to stream from music server along with internet radio and XM. Multiple device types each with its own unique set of features are able to access a single library. LMS really makes the Oppo more user friendly with its abilities to group content in multiple ways, use playlists, etc.
Performance is crisp with modest 8000 track library using quad core i7 processor and SSD drive for OS.
Follow Ups:
If you got in early and know how to deal with such things. I had given some thought to trying to buy a couple SBT's off ebay and figuring out how to get them to stream QOBUZ, TIDAL, etc. but never could get a good handle on exactly what was really required to make it all go. And at the end of the day, I'd like to get the computer part of computer audio out of the equation entirely.
So I'm trying to get everything up and running on SONOS.
Just got a 2 week trial purchase on the Wyred4Sound Remedy Re-clocker, with the agreement that, should it work, I can send it back along with my SONOS Connect and have my purchase price applied to the Wyred4Sound.
Some say that it greatly improves the SQ of the SBT as well. I plan to also try it on the optical digital output of my ROKU TV just for laughs.
The trial program would let you use it for 2 weeks and return it for little or no expense (5% restocking charge and return shipment?).
I'd have a full report by now but they sent the thing overnight and I am awaiting my order with BlueJeans cables for the extra cables required to hook it up.
Not sure I would say I got in *early* as such, but still ended up with three Touch players! I trimmed my garage system a bit and sold one, but my primary music system uses one feeding an ARC DAC7 with an outboard linear power supply. The second one remains unopened in box for backup duty.As I mentioned, the cool thing about the LMS server is that it supports a wide range of devices. What I use in the garage now is my iPad using an app that accesses the server content. Which can be remote controlled by an iPhone using the same app. Either can serve as player or controller. The iPad is also used as remote control for the main system.
Good luck on your Sonos journey. It seems like they have followed a similar, if not entirely as flexible a path but all I've heard about the units is positive. Do report back your experience!
Edits: 08/28/15
I'm running LMS7.9 + Squeezelite on a $85 Cubitruck + 2TB external SATA.
Special focus went on power supplies and OS/app optimizations and settings.
I used to run LMS on a powerful intel server. No longer.
Beside that I have several RPIs+squeezelite around.
All Android and iOS devices @home run playback clients as well.
Just in case I wanted to hookup DLNA/UPNP clients - the LMS would support it. LMS includes also a UPNP/DLNA server.
Latest versions also support DoP.
Of course the server also offer plugins for Qobuz and other streaming services.
If you look for roomcorrection LMS offers even that. You "just" need to prepare the filter coefficients.
Even running crossovers for active speakers you can establish (squeezelite-> ecasound/LADSPA, squeezelite-> brutefir)
IMO no other system offers all this at close to no cost.
And not to forget. Soundquality from a properly arranged system doesn't have to fear a lot of competition.
I don't see any Windows or OSX based system delivering all this.
Nor I consider Volumio, Rune, Moode Audio competition within the ARM segment.
Just my 2 cents.
Enjoy. I do.
ARM boards and Squeeze O/S's might sound just as good or better than other solutions, however the low cost and DIY aspect are barriers to entry for a lot of folk.
I would even venture to say that even IF an ARM board came in the mail Squeeze-ready ie ready to plug-n-play, at a cost <$100 many "Audiophiles" would convince themselves that a mega $1K unit sounds better.
Dynobots Audio
Music is the Bridge between Heaven and Earth - 音楽は天国と地球のかけ橋
People eat what they know.Otherwise I couldn't explain why most folks around here stick to old style PC/MAC based playback.
Some people might feel overwhelmed by the complexity of writing an sd-image to SD-card and boot that one up.
Anyhow.
@$100 --- You won't make it. The quality PS alone will eat that budget.
* ARM board (e.g. Cubitruck)
* case
* sd-card
* cables
* power supply
* 2TB hdd/case/psI'd say $300 can be the ticket for a standalone machine. 200 without HDD.
A simple streamer you'll probably get done @ $100.
Edits: 08/29/15 08/29/15
you either believe the modern low power chips in pcs/macs make a difference or you don't.
http://mqnplayer.blogspot.co.uk/
you either believe the modern low power chips in pcs/macs make a difference or you don't
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think its mostly subjective and 'belief' plays a large part in the final judgement.
That being said the SBT with every tweak I could throw at it didn't sound as good as my BeagleBone Black nor does the BeagleBone Black sound quite as good as my PC which has every tweak I can throw at it.
Dynobots Audio
Music is the Bridge between Heaven and Earth - 音楽は天国と地球のかけ橋
Which is why I found it insane that some 'audio' company did not buy the rights/duplicate or something along those lines when Logitech decided to discontinue the Squeezebox.
Instead they all wanted to try to re-invent the wheel and FAIL...or have some shortcoming.
Dynobots Audio
Music is the Bridge between Heaven and Earth - 音楽は天国と地球のかけ橋
nt
Cut-Throat
Could you imagine how far along the Computer audio segment would have been if Logitech would have either continued to develop or sell it to some company to carry the torch.
Just a few OS tweaks and a better power supply would have easily put the SBT at the top of any class of streamers.
Its almost as if Logitech gave the industry mercy and stopped selling the SBT so they could try to fill the gap and make money.
Dynobots Audio
Music is the Bridge between Heaven and Earth - 音楽は天国と地球のかけ橋
There's nothing to sell. Logitech only owned the name, which they basically abanddoned when renamed everything "Logitech". The software itself is licensed under the GPL, so it's free and open source software and forever will be. If it wasn't, it would have died along with the hardware.
Just a few OS tweaks and a better power supply would have easily put the SBT at the top of any class of streamers.
While others may reasonably agree, I find the streamer-sourced-from server-approach most elegant. In my case the "server" is my general purpose desktop located in the downstairs office that performs a wide range of duties other than decoding FLAC streams and housing the music library. I've tweaked LMS to have high run priority and a large buffer space since it is a 12 GB box, but otherwise I haven't found the need to do anything else with it. It is also where CDs are ripped and converted to FLAC. I would really rather not have to constantly be updating a separate drive or USB stick(s) to supply the data to the streamers. Especially since my iPad doesn't support either, but can access the LMS server.
Distantly located upstairs via ethernet or wirelessly elsewhere, the streamers are compact devices that are individually optimized and dedicated for musical playback. As you suggest, I use a linear power supply with my Touch.
Have used LMS for over 5 years and the developer community is outstanding. the Pluggins they develop have extended the Power of LMS to far beyond what it was years ago. The Pluggins are still being developed.
Cut-Throat
... increase my trust... in the developer community.
I'll be checking it out over the next few days.
Thanks.
Have used it for many years, with many devices, in many setups. Still the best option for me.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: