[bjhess]

When I built this house, I put speakers where I wanted them. So I'd like to control three pairs of speakers. What I ideally want:


* iTunes integration

* WAF

* WiFi RF control of components in a hidden closet

* AM/FM radio

* Pandora and Last.fm would be kinda nice

* I'm OK with the same music playing at all speakers

* I don't want to force my computer to play what is playing in the rest of the house (I use the server computer to listen to music during my workday - I work from home).


Here is what I've come up with.


* Squeezebox duet receiver ($150 - kind of hard to find)

* iPod Touch with iPeng to control ($210)

* Sherwood RX5502 4-zone amplifier ($120)


The downsides. I'll need to setup an RF repeater or wired IR (I do have the stuff for that - long story) to control the receiver.


No AM/FM - would have to buy _another_ receiver component and deal with a third remote to control things.


Another option is to skip the Squeezebox and use an Apple TV that I was going to sell as a music distribution unit. No Pandora or Last.fm, though. I think I'd rather sell it.

 

[bjhess]

Wait a tick - that Sherwood unit has a tuner!

 

[mercury]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bjhess /forum/post/18178699


Wait a tick - that Sherwood unit has a tuner!

with the Squeezebox you'll pick up most if not all your local AM/FM radio.(no antenna)

+ 100's of stations around the country.

 

[bjhess]

Thanks for the insight. Any other folks with experience setting this up have any opinions before I pull the trigger?

 

[Rik]

I am looking at something somewhat similar myself. I have 8 pairs of speakers to control - five pair of Parasound in-wall or ceiling in the house, a pair of Parasound and a pair of Mirage outdoor speakers and a Stereosound pair outdoor. All speakers are wired to simple Niles volume controls and run into my family room. I have a multi-zone/source Yamaha receiver in that room but I don't want to be limited to what I can get from it. The Squeezebox Duet is at the top of my list because it can provide access to all of the internet radio, online apps (Pandora, Lastfm, Slacker etc) I could ever possibly want and it can access my entire music collection sitting on my HP MediaSmart server (with built in iTunes server). I just haven't made a decision on my amplification for the 8 speaker pairs. I think I'd like a simple 16 channel amp (Niles makes a stackable 12-channel amp and Elan has a 16 channel) but I'm not sure how the Squeezebox would work in this mix. I'd like to hear from others that have used the Squeezebox in a whole house scenario as well.

Couple of related questions for you Barry. You mentioned the Duet being hard to find. You can pick one up on Amazon and a number of other online sites. Second - why not utilize the Duet controller instead of an iPod. It looks quite nice and perfectly tuned to the tasks it would need to perform. If you really like the 'touch' aspect the Squeezebox Touch is a soon to be released product that might do the trick. You can see it on the Logitech website or on Amazon.

 

[bjhess]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rik /forum/post/18194112


Couple of related questions for you Barry. You mentioned the Duet being hard to find. You can pick one up on Amazon and a number of other online sites. Second - why not utilize the Duet controller instead of an iPod. It looks quite nice and perfectly tuned to the tasks it would need to perform. If you really like the 'touch' aspect the Squeezebox Touch is a soon to be released product that might do the trick. You can see it on the Logitech website or on Amazon.

I think it's hard to find just the receiver without the remote.


I'm thinking of going with an iTouch plus iPeng because (a) it's cheaper and (b) it's apparently better from all the reviews I've seen.


---

As for the radio station bit (RE: mercury above), I have doubts that the Squeezebox will have my local 25k population town's radio stations. But one can hope!


---

Seems to me I should probably just get the stuff bought and see how it works. No one is coming up with any downsides.

 

[mercury]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bjhess /forum/post/18216733


I think it's hard to find just the receiver without the remote.


I'm thinking of going with an iTouch plus iPeng because (a) it's cheaper and (b) it's apparently better from all the reviews I've seen.


---

As for the radio station bit (RE: mercury above), I have doubts that the Squeezebox will have my local 25k population town's radio stations. But one can hope!


---

Seems to me I should probably just get the stuff bought and see how it works. No one is coming up with any downsides.

A quick search came up with these stations.

http://radiotime.com/Search.aspx


Listen

Add to Presets

Classical MPR (K289AE) - 105.7 FM - It's Alive


On Now: A Prairie Home Companion

Location: Owatonna, MN Genres: Classical Public


Listen

Add to Presets

KNOW-FM (K280EC) - 103.9 FM


On Now: A Prairie Home Companion

Location: Owatonna, MN Genres: Public News


Listen

Add to Presets

KJLY (K228DR) - 93.5 FM - Kinship Christian Radio


On Now: Tu Amigo del Aire

Location: Owatonna, MN Genres: Christian Contemp


Listen

Add to Presets

KRFO-FM - 104.9 FM - Kat Kountry


Location: Owatonna, MN Genres: Country


Add to Presets

KRFO - 1390 AM - Minnesota's Hometown Station


Location: Owatonna, MN Genres: Oldies

 

[bjhess]

Thanks for the info, mercury. Although, that list isn't entirely accurate. KRFO would be the station we listen to for weather info and school cancellations, and it doesn't have an online stream. I assume the online stream is how Squeezebox gets ahold of the station.

 

[bjhess]

I'm about to the point of actually purchasing something. Thoughts before I make the purchase:


* It sounds like setting up the Squeezebox Duet w/o the default remote is a big hassle

* I might just rather pay the same for a Sonos ZonePlayer90 w/o remote because it sounds like it Just Works (tm). Granted, there's still the matter of controlling it and that is another $200 expense (iPod Touch). Though maybe there is a cheaper iPod Touch option on eBay.

* Yes, I have wired internet in my speaker homerun location.

* Sounds like online radio isn't as handy via the Sonos? Still, I will have a standard receiver in the setup I proposed.

* Having a Sonos looks to provide a better expansion path (zoned music) if I ever want to go there

* I like buying products people LOVE rather than products people like with reservations

 

[WinstonSmith]

I was wondering how it all ended up for you... Looking to do something similar.

 

[ljo000]

Just hook up your PC to the receiver, use squeezbox server (free) and control everything with the web browser on your iphone/itouch/blackberry etc through your home wifi network.

 

[FISTfullaVOLTAGE]

Why not just use ipod docks hooked up to the amp? You can have Pandora, Tunein radio (great radio app), and all your music on it.

 

[bjhess]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinstonSmith I was wondering how it all ended up for you... Looking to do something similar.

I bit the bullet and went with:


* Sonos ZP90 into

* Sherwood RX5502 4-zone amplifier out to

* My 3 pairs of speakers


In my main room central between all speaker zones I setup an RF repeater. This is to control power and volume to the Sherwood amp. I control the Sonos with their very nice iOS app.


Downside is of course only one source. And the RF need.


I went with Sonos because I uniformly heard great things. And later I could just add another ZP to add a zone. And go with ZP120 (built in amp) to remove the Sherwood. Just felt this had the most flexibility for growth as funds come in.


Another way to stay with Sonos and save dough would be to go with ZP90's and T-amps (permanently on) between the Sonos and the speakers. Leaving the attenuator on the T-amp fairly high and controlling volume entirely from the Sonos remote app.