Logitech Squeezebox Duet Music Server Review
Streaming music files from your computer to your home audio system is the Squeezebox’s specialty. If you’ve got a music collection on your computer and a home audio system – it could be coolest investment you’ll make. Squeezebox makes streaming media affordable, easy and fun!
When Logitech bought Slim Devices, makers of the Squeezebox media servers, it added pure innovation to its product line. The original Squeezebox brought first rate streaming media in an affordable, easy-to-use package.
But what the heck is media streaming? Take music files from your computer and stream them to a playback device or box that is hooked up to your home audio system for playback. Squeezebox lets you stream music via Wi-Fi or network cable if that’s your choice. The music streamed to Squeezebox stays in the digital domain and can be converted to analog either by the Squeezebox itself or from your receiver. The device can connect using analog, digital coax or optical connections to your receiver.
The new Squeezebox attempts to improve on an almost perfect system and succeeds. Like the old Squeezebox it supports practically all non-DRM audio file formats that can be streamed from PC, Mac or Linux box – Squeezebox isn’t fussy. The device carries an MSRP of $399 so it’s one of the most affordable media streamers available but it also happens to be one of the best.
One convenient feature is that it doesn’t always need a computer to play music. If it has access to a network connection the box will connect to the Squeeze Network and can pick up hundreds of Internet radio stations.
The remote control is the most visible new feature of the Squeezebox. A vast improvement over the old, it looks like an MP3 player with a full color screen and circular button setup reminiscent of an iPod. It lets you scroll through your music collection to select songs, playlists or one of hundreds of Internet radio stations.
The drawback to the new system is that it’s so new the software could use a couple version updates. The Audioholics review of the Squeezebox Duet mentions minor bugs and annoyances when navigating the system. But Logitech is constantly improving its software with new revisions. The Squeezebox Forums has a bustling community making its own freeware and third party customizations.
See Audioholics’s complete review of the Logitech Squeezebox Duet.
