hi-fi networked music --anybody doing it? (Slim Devices, Sonus, etc.)

[jdm56]

After reading a lot in Stereophile lately about it, I'm getting more and more interested. Especially after seeing the Slim Devices Transporter. Is that cool or what? Imagine the possibilities coupling that with a server full of lossless WMA music! Feed that to the audio systems through-out the house and you've got ALL your music, ANYWHERE you want it, PLUS internet radio and on-line music service if you so desire....I've seen the future of music in the home and this is it, my friends!

[maxg]

I am not doing it yet either - and agree that it looks very interesting, but, I do not see these things really taking off till they support video as well.

Like it or not the Home Cinema revolution has proven that video drives the market more than audio ever can. Most people now have access to almost unlimited bandwidth and the video stores of the future will almost certainly be on-line, as will subscription based TV services.

Even here in Athens, which is hardly the telecommunications capital of the world my bandwidth keeps gettings doubled for no extra cost. I just discovered by accident that my 384/128 ADSL connection is now 768/256 without me even having to request it.

That is enough for VHS quality reception (I have tried it with the Yahoo/Launch music video free service and it works at the highest quality). Looks poor in comparison to Satelite still - but in a year or 2.....

Having said all that - an entirely digital receiver with NO moving parts and therefore totally silent operation in my living room would certainly be of appeal. I am just going to wait a while longer to see what comes.

[colterphoto1]

Dang, and Doc and I just hardwired my house to do the same thing! I suppose that's always better though, isn't it?

[jackpod]

I recently built a large addition on my house and in the process wired for whole house audio. I built a server with 1.3 terrebaytes of hard drive space and 5 discrete stereo pairs of outputs (4 analog pairs and 1 digital pairs) 3 of the 4 analog sets feed 3 of the 6 inputs on my whole house audio system (which is a Nuvo Essentia 6 source, 6 zone system) the 4th feeds my garage and the digital feed a Mac 3 DAC which is in my sound room / theater. Music selection control is tied into my Home Automation system (2 wall mounted touch screens) and also from any of the 3 computers scattered around the house. I have satelite audio feeds in the other 3 inputs (DirecTV includes XM radio in their programming). From any location I can have any of the 6 sources with all 6 zones being independant of eachother. I never dreamed I would use this system as much as I do. All 1257 cd's are ripped in full blown Wav file format (still only takes 650 gigs of HD space). I was going to route video, but we only have 2 locations where we watch TV so it wasn't really worth it for me

[jdm56]

Sounds like you're ahead of the game there, jackpod! We built our house in '99, but other than running RG-6 coax and telephone wire to every room, we did no pre-wiring. I'm so changeable I figured wherever we ran speaker wire, it would ultimately be in the wrong place. Still, I can do an ethernet network over the phone lines, and then there's wireless, so all is not lost, I guess.

My only kick on the Slim Devices Transporter is the cost. It seems a bit steep at $2k, but then it is built like a tank, to audiophile standards.

I also wince a bit at the thought of the time involved in ripping all ( or at least, all the good stuff) of my nearly 2000 CD collection to a hard drive. That does not sound like my idea of a good time. But, it would be so cool to have it all so accessible! I like the thought of being able to just punch up different playlists, based on whatever criteria I choose, such as artist, album, genre, year of release and so on. And then to have it instantly there...on any system in the house I wish! I definitely think some type of whole-house networked audio is in my future. The Sonos is very cool too, but I don't much care for the Bose-ish, lifestylish look --yuck! I could live with Slim Devices Squeeze Box, but the Transporter is so cool! Can you feel me drooling? And the fact you can (with either one, and with Sonos) stream uncompressed audio is the clincher. Daddy Want!

[Johncan]

I use a Roku Soundbridge M2000 that is wired to my home network. It pulls music off a server in the basement that has about 750 GB worth of FLAC files. I don't use the DAC in the Roku... I pass the signal out via a digital cable to a Musical Fidelity X-DAC V3 combo. It is a nice setup.

John

[ben.]

Check out Avocent's Emerge MPX1000. Does up to 1092x1080i at 60Hz. Wireless or Ethernet. Audio 20-20k but rolls off 3dB/oct starting at 14kHz. Supports up to 8 receivers. The transmitter is cheap, but the receivers are in the $1K range. Wireless range is 150ft in adverse conditions to 1000ft line of sight with the directional antenna.

[Guest " "]

onkyo has a feature called net-tune.

net-tune allows a net-tune capable reciever to play a variety of broadcasted music streams to include itune libraries.

you can have your PC with 7000 mp3's rigged up to share itune libraries and use your net-tune capable reciever to play the files.

the recievers that are net tune capable have an ethernet port to allow connection to your home network. by using one of the xbox or playstation wireless gaming adapters, you can use this port in a wireless manner.

[jdm56]

Sounds like there is more than one way to skin a cat, as my dad used to say; all very interesting! I've got to do dig into this a little deeper to see all the possible ways of doing what is essentially the same thing. Thanks to all who've shared their way! ...And keep it coming. I really like reading how everybody is doing this, and how well it's working for them.

[skonopa]

I use a Roku Soundbridge M2000 that is wired to my home network. It pulls music off a server in the basement that has about 750 GB worth of FLAC files. I don't use the DAC in the Roku... I pass the signal out via a digital cable to a Musical Fidelity X-DAC V3 combo. It is a nice setup.

John

I am also using a Roku Soundbridge (in my case, the smaller M1000 unit - the only difference is the size of the display, they are functionally identical otherwise - as much as I wanted to have the larger, easier to read display, I could not justify nearly twice the cost), and it works quite nicely for me. However, I am just using the DAC in the Roku itself and going into a set of analog input on the back of my pre/pro. It is pulling music off a server I have setup in a spare bedroom (with nearly a terabyte of space on it).

I like it, and it sounds decent enough for me. Yes, it is convient, and it is cool to have all that music ready whenever I want to listen to it, especially as I like to download alot of stuff off of eMusic. For the CD's I've not gotten around to ripping, well, I still got my trusty ol' Denon DCM-380 five-disk changer.

[DrWho]

Dang, and Doc and I just hardwired my house to do the same thing! I suppose that's always better though, isn't it?

Did you ever get that thing finished up? Man that was a lot of work.

[doctorcilantro]

Very cool, but 2K$ cool, I'm not sure. The Squeezebox is nice, but when it comes to accessing your music I find using a laptop or maybe a PDA makes this streaming experience more complete.

I am building a living room system with an airport express & 2.1 Promedia. This system will be controlled by my wife's laptop using J. River Media Center 12. Squeezbox works with the UPnP of MC12 but I find that since she already has a laptop we can use it for a living system and then her lappy gets better sound (when she is in the living room of course).

MC12 has Squeezebox support so you can use MCs "zones" function and output to your squeezbox. Each zone is a soundcard or audio device and your can output unique audio streams to each zone with MC.

"MC2Slim is a small program that runs alongside Media Center and allows

you to treat your Squeezeboxes as MC Zones and play your music as if

they were a soundcard on your PC.

The program needs to be installed and run on the same PC that you use for MC but can connect to a remote Slimserver.

More info and the download can be found at

http://www.duff-zapp.co.uk"

I want to buy a squeezebox but it costs 2x's as much as an airport express & it does not act as a wireless extender which I can use once I install the carputer : )

And I just feel limited with the idea of using the interfaces provided by most of the devices e.g. SlimDevice, Roku, Linksys when I can use a laptop to view my smartlists, playlist, genres etc. as cover art in real time.

From this perspective it seems much more reasonable (and functional) to go with a WiFi solution that is controlled by a PC, tablet, laptop, or palm device. When you have 2TB of audio accessing a particualr song with a remote is going to be interesting a la Ipod scroll wheel to find a song name.

DC

[Johncan]

I am also using a Roku Soundbridge (in my case, the smaller M1000 unit - the only difference is the size of the display, they are functionally identical otherwise - as much as I wanted to have the larger, easier to read display, I could not justify nearly twice the cost), and it works quite nicely for me.

I got mine off the clearance rack at Hi-Fi Buys for $150. I also got a M1000 for $100. I use the Firefly server software.

Before I purchased the Roku's, I used an old Pentium 166 laptop and ran Foobar2000 as the player. It pulled the FLAC files off the server as well. With the laptop, I still got to see the CD art, but I had no working remote and could not clearly see the song listing display from across the room.

John