Advice mp3 storage HiFi playback
Discussion
Im looking for advice on mp3 storage system that I can play via existing hifi. Currently I have an iPod connected via aux input but I also use the iPod in my car so often its in the car when I want it in the house and vice versa.
Is there something I can buy that I can store and control my music on and play via hifi? Something a bit like an iPod but more hifi!!
Ive been looking at the sonus system, can I store music on Sonus or do I have to have a pc turned on and play music via the pc?
Cheers
Alternative is a logitech squeezebox. Similar idea to sonos, not quite as slick but much cheaper.
I've got a sb duet connected to the home networks that is fed music from my htpc. It can be controlled with its own controller and also with either the app on my android phone or with the wife's Iphone. Works perfectly.
I've got a sb duet connected to the home networks that is fed music from my htpc. It can be controlled with its own controller and also with either the app on my android phone or with the wife's Iphone. Works perfectly.
If it's HiFi you're a Brennan is about the best you can get... http://www.brennan.co.uk/
Bizarro said:
Im looking for advice on mp3 storage system that I can play via existing hifi. Currently I have an iPod connected via aux input but I also use the iPod in my car so often its in the car when I want it in the house and vice versa.
Is there something I can buy that I can store and control my music on and play via hifi? Something a bit like an iPod but more hifi!!
Ive been looking at the sonus system, can I store music on Sonus or do I have to have a pc turned on and play music via the pc?
Cheers
I have my mp3s on a network hard drive feeding a Sonos, all controlled by an iPad which works a treat.Is there something I can buy that I can store and control my music on and play via hifi? Something a bit like an iPod but more hifi!!
Ive been looking at the sonus system, can I store music on Sonus or do I have to have a pc turned on and play music via the pc?
Cheers
Well Sonos and Logitech squeezebox both have what you're after.
The Sonos system can be set up to run without having a pc on, you'd have to have your files on a network accessable storage device or NAS, I think you then have a central Sonos servers which can stream to different receiving sources independently.
The squeezebox streamer/receive system works by having server software on your laptop/pc which steams to a player connected to your amp or other source
The squeezebox can also be set up on a NAS, though not so easily as the Sonos.
There are also many hifi manufacturers waking up to streamed music in the home, Nad, Cambridge audio and a few others are now producing wired and wireless music streaming units.
I use a squeezebox duet system and an old net book permanently on.
Bear in mind 2 things, you get what you pay for, both Sonos and squeezebox have ok sound quality, their digital to audio converters (DAC) are of reasonable quality, but what makes the biggest difference is the quality of your source files, lossless formats sound far better than compressed mp3's through a decent set up. After that comes the quality of the DAC, amp, speakers. etc., etc.
The Sonos system can be set up to run without having a pc on, you'd have to have your files on a network accessable storage device or NAS, I think you then have a central Sonos servers which can stream to different receiving sources independently.
The squeezebox streamer/receive system works by having server software on your laptop/pc which steams to a player connected to your amp or other source
The squeezebox can also be set up on a NAS, though not so easily as the Sonos.
There are also many hifi manufacturers waking up to streamed music in the home, Nad, Cambridge audio and a few others are now producing wired and wireless music streaming units.
I use a squeezebox duet system and an old net book permanently on.
Bear in mind 2 things, you get what you pay for, both Sonos and squeezebox have ok sound quality, their digital to audio converters (DAC) are of reasonable quality, but what makes the biggest difference is the quality of your source files, lossless formats sound far better than compressed mp3's through a decent set up. After that comes the quality of the DAC, amp, speakers. etc., etc.
p-car said:
If it's HiFi you're a Brennan is about the best you can get... http://www.brennan.co.uk/
ROFL, no decent compression formats, external storage, and no network connections.... Thanks for all the replies, gives me something to think about.
All my music is currently stored on iTunes, most of it is ripped directly from cd's I own but some is purchased as mp3 and some copied from cds borrwed from friends or library.
From how I understand iTunes it stores music files in a strange way ie it doesnt put them in artist/album/track folders.
Looking at the 'Brennan' web site they say their player will not play tracks stored on a hard drive in iTunes. To use this type of player would I have to rip all my cds again, approx 300 cd's, + would I be able to transfer the tracks I have purely as mp3?
Is this correct and would this be the same if I used a network accessable storage device?
All my music is currently stored on iTunes, most of it is ripped directly from cd's I own but some is purchased as mp3 and some copied from cds borrwed from friends or library.
From how I understand iTunes it stores music files in a strange way ie it doesnt put them in artist/album/track folders.
Looking at the 'Brennan' web site they say their player will not play tracks stored on a hard drive in iTunes. To use this type of player would I have to rip all my cds again, approx 300 cd's, + would I be able to transfer the tracks I have purely as mp3?
Is this correct and would this be the same if I used a network accessable storage device?
RedLeicester said:
ROFL, no decent compression formats, external storage, and no network connections....
Go on then, what makes the Brennan less "Hi-Fi" (which the OP requested), than a crappy sounding Sonus?It may not have all the connections etc a Sonos does, but if we are talking sound quality, which ultimately is the most important part, Brennan kit will blow Sonos out of the water. Unfortunately most people these days don't care, everything is more about connections and features than sound or picture quality.
PS - I'm going to guess from your coment that you have never seen, used, or listened to any Brennan kit - tell me if I am wrong
Brennan uses mp3 (default) or no compression at all, I'm sures it's fine for what it is but it appears very limited in its outlook. Sonos or squeezebox both support lossless, mp3 and most other formats, both can also playback from iTunes, support Internet radio, things like spot iffy and control via iPad or android.
With the same file it will come down to the quality of the dac which device sounds best. The brenan is aimed at a different less tech savvy market than sb or sonos.
With the same file it will come down to the quality of the dac which device sounds best. The brenan is aimed at a different less tech savvy market than sb or sonos.
talkssense said:
Go on then, what makes the Brennan less "Hi-Fi" (which the OP requested), than a crappy sounding Sonus?
It may not have all the connections etc a Sonos does, but if we are talking sound quality, which ultimately is the most important part, Brennan kit will blow Sonos out of the water. Unfortunately most people these days don't care, everything is more about connections and features than sound or picture quality.
PS - I'm going to guess from your coment that you have never seen, used, or listened to any Brennan kit - tell me if I am wrong
I didn't say it was less hi-fi than Sonos. I wouldn't dare suggest EITHER were hifi. They're merely boxes that make noises. As Bullet pointed out, the Sonos (and IIRC Squeezebox) are capable of uncompressed formats, so by default, ignoring D/A stages, are already a step ahead of the Brennan. Equally as he acknowledges, the Brennan wins hands down for being muppet-ready.It may not have all the connections etc a Sonos does, but if we are talking sound quality, which ultimately is the most important part, Brennan kit will blow Sonos out of the water. Unfortunately most people these days don't care, everything is more about connections and features than sound or picture quality.
PS - I'm going to guess from your coment that you have never seen, used, or listened to any Brennan kit - tell me if I am wrong
If you want "hi-fi" Mp3 playback, you'd be looking at Olive, Linn, Meridian et al, not a little blue box to shove on your bedside table.
For the OP, Brennan may be perfect if he only wants his MP3s in one room, ever. If however he wants access to an iTunes collection, or to share files around the house with other rooms / sources / areas, then Sonos or Squeezebox are the way forward.
RedLeicester said:
talkssense said:
Go on then, what makes the Brennan less "Hi-Fi" (which the OP requested), than a crappy sounding Sonus?
It may not have all the connections etc a Sonos does, but if we are talking sound quality, which ultimately is the most important part, Brennan kit will blow Sonos out of the water. Unfortunately most people these days don't care, everything is more about connections and features than sound or picture quality.
PS - I'm going to guess from your coment that you have never seen, used, or listened to any Brennan kit - tell me if I am wrong
I didn't say it was less hi-fi than Sonos. I wouldn't dare suggest EITHER were hifi. They're merely boxes that make noises. As Bullet pointed out, the Sonos (and IIRC Squeezebox) are capable of uncompressed formats, so by default, ignoring D/A stages, are already a step ahead of the Brennan. Equally as he acknowledges, the Brennan wins hands down for being muppet-ready.It may not have all the connections etc a Sonos does, but if we are talking sound quality, which ultimately is the most important part, Brennan kit will blow Sonos out of the water. Unfortunately most people these days don't care, everything is more about connections and features than sound or picture quality.
PS - I'm going to guess from your coment that you have never seen, used, or listened to any Brennan kit - tell me if I am wrong
If you want "hi-fi" Mp3 playback, you'd be looking at Olive, Linn, Meridian et al, not a little blue box to shove on your bedside table.
For the OP, Brennan may be perfect if he only wants his MP3s in one room, ever. If however he wants access to an iTunes collection, or to share files around the house with other rooms / sources / areas, then Sonos or Squeezebox are the way forward.
The Brennan is a one box solution, which, paired with bookshelf speakers by the same company probably sounds ok, even at it's standard compression rate of 192kbs
The Squeezebox and other wireless streaming systems are a way of getting your digital files, in whichever format you prefer to your amplifier. from there you have the flexibility of adding an external DAC and whatever else you'd like to improve your listening experience, should you so desire.
The Brennan is limited, both to it's file types and expanding into an existing 'system'. It's not fantastic value for money given its capabilities, but it is convenient.
The term Hifi is a bit subjective, the average that people spend on their 'Hifi' is £300 apparently and there are people who'll spend more than that on the cabling for their 'Hifi'. It's about what works for you best.
Edited by nogsk on Tuesday 1st May 15:16
Bizarro said:
Im looking for advice on mp3 storage system that I can play via existing hifi.....
Is there something I can buy that I can store and control my music on and play via hifi? Something a bit like an iPod but more hifi!!
Cheers
Bizarro - can you just confirm....are you actually wanting bleeding edge audophile w@nkery or when you say HiFi do you just kinda mean a half decent amp/av receiver and normal (but not bad) speakers?Is there something I can buy that I can store and control my music on and play via hifi? Something a bit like an iPod but more hifi!!
Cheers
If so then sonos will do it by itslef or squeezbox with a NAS or other external storage (PC/laptop/whatever) will sound absolutely great (to me anyway).
dave_s13 said:
Bizarro - can you just confirm....are you actually wanting bleeding edge audophile w@nkery or when you say HiFi do you just kinda mean a half decent amp/av receiver and normal (but not bad) speakers?
If so then sonos will do it by itslef or squeezbox with a NAS or other external storage (PC/laptop/whatever) will sound absolutely great (to me anyway).
No Im not looking for true 'audiophile wan!ery'If so then sonos will do it by itslef or squeezbox with a NAS or other external storage (PC/laptop/whatever) will sound absolutely great (to me anyway).
. I just want something I can play tunes currently stored on iTunes via an average amp, NAD bought about 3 years ago for £300, and average speakers.To be honest I wasnt aware of things like squeezebox until last weekend when I started looking, hence the question.
Looks like squeezebox and NAS is probably suit, to risk opening another can of worms I assume most NAS drives are the same, they are simply a storage device and will all accept iTunes loaded via a pc??
Not sure of the technicalities but I think you would just point the logitech media server software at your iTunes library and off it'll go.
NAS setups are not something I'm familiar with to be honest. Mine is a cheapo setup i.e. HTPC running server software - mp3's on HDD - sueezebox receiver in other room connected to amp (plugs into wired network but can work wireless too) - control via my (or the wifes) phone or the controller.
You could consider just getting the receiver for not much cash, have a mess about and see if it works for you.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Logitech-Squeezebox-rece...
I never really use the duet controller given we both have smartphones and these do the same job.
NAS setups are not something I'm familiar with to be honest. Mine is a cheapo setup i.e. HTPC running server software - mp3's on HDD - sueezebox receiver in other room connected to amp (plugs into wired network but can work wireless too) - control via my (or the wifes) phone or the controller.
You could consider just getting the receiver for not much cash, have a mess about and see if it works for you.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Logitech-Squeezebox-rece...
I never really use the duet controller given we both have smartphones and these do the same job.
The receiver is a bit of a bugger to configure without the proper controller, it a command line 3rd party app you run on a P.C. takes a bit of effort. I'd imagine with the proper controller it's as easy as the Touch or Radio (I have both). Control them via iPeng on the ipad, lovely even the wife can operate it.
If you want a stand alone to plug into an amp I'd recommend the touch.
If you don't want the pc on all the time your NAS needs to have squeezeserver built in, lots of them do. itunes is drm free these days I think so you can just point the SB to the files (probably on the NAS). You can also use itune playlists if you tell the SB where your itunes files are located.
If you want a stand alone to plug into an amp I'd recommend the touch.
If you don't want the pc on all the time your NAS needs to have squeezeserver built in, lots of them do. itunes is drm free these days I think so you can just point the SB to the files (probably on the NAS). You can also use itune playlists if you tell the SB where your itunes files are located.
Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff