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Logitech Squeezebox Boom

Michael Brown — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:45:37 -0600

The Squeezebox Boom is another solid entry in a long line of great audio streamers. Logitech has mastered the art of building inexpensive, good-quality powered speakers, and the ones integrated into the Boom are no exception.

The Squeezebox Boom’s closest competition is Roku’s SoundBridge Radio, but it’s not much of a contest. Both devices can function as an alarm clock, waking you with music streamed from your PC or Internet radio stations (and both have an all-important snooze bar), but the Boom sounds better, supports more audio formats, and consumes much less room on your nightstand.

The speakers utilize a two-way design consisting of a pair of three-quarter-inch soft-dome tweeters and two three-inch long-throw woofers. Listening to the opening of “Fortune Teller,” from the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration Raising Sand (which we’d ripped from CD and encoded to WMA Lossless), we were pleasantly surprised by the small woofers’ ability to reproduce the boom of the traditional bass drum (which sounds distinctly different from a drummer’s kick drum).

If you want even more low end and have a powered subwoofer lying around, the headphone jack in the back of the device can be reconfigured as a subwoofer output. The tweeters, meanwhile, deliver pleasingly crisp highs. Logitech doesn’t disclose the amplifier’s output, but it delivers enough power to fill a moderate-size bedroom with sound. Push the amp too hard, however, and it will shred your eardrums with unpleasantly grating highs. There’s also a line-in jack in the back, which is handy for plugging in an MP3 player.

Given the proliferation of 802.11n Draft 2.0 routers, we’re disappointed that this Squeezebox remains limited to 802.11g. It’s not that music requires the extra throughput, it’s just that having a Squeezebox on your network prevents you from running the network in 802.11n-only mode.

The Squeezebox Boom echoes the design of the Squeezebox 3, but with a smaller display, a collection of buttons, a large knob on its face, and, of course, those built-in speakers. Most of the buttons perform typical playback functions (play, pause, skip forward/back, and volume control), while the knob and a few buttons are used to navigate the onscreen menus (the knob can also be used to adjust the volume). You can store favorite tracks, radio stations, or albums in six preset buttons beneath the display, so they can be recalled with a single button press.

One thing that’s sorely missing from the front panel (it’s on the infrared remote) is a Home button that takes you to the device’s root menu. The only way to get there using the front-panel buttons is to repeatedly mash the Back button. You can also control the Boom using the remote that comes with the Squeezebox Duet, which is outfitted with a color LCD.

If you’re looking for a general-purpose audio-streaming box, as opposed to an alarm clock, you’ll be better served by the Squeezebox Duet or the Squeezebox 3 paired with high-quality self-powered speakers (Axiom Audio’s Audiobyte and Audioengine’s A2 or A5 are good choices). One reason is that the Boom lacks a digital output, so you can’t use an outboard DAC or integrate the Boom into your hi-fi system. And if it’s a multiroom system you’re after, no one does it better than Sonos.

How To: Create a Custom Internet Radio Station

Will Smith — Tue, 27 May 2008 18:03:43 -0500

Your IT department won’t let you copy MP3s onto your work PC, and your iPod won’t hold your massive music collection, but you need to listen to tunes while you toil away at the day’s labor. What’s an audiophile to do? The answer is simple: Stream the collection you have stored on your rig at home to your PC at work.

Sure, you could fire up a streaming service such as Pandora, Last.fm, or any one of the thousands of radio stations that simulcast their programming on the Internet, but then you’d have to either listen to a fairly random playlist based on your typical listening habits or to someone else’s playlist instead of your own. It can be fun to hear new tracks and find new artists, until you get stuck with a band you just hate—like Linkin Park. Sometimes you just want to fire up a favorite album and listen to the whole thing from start to finish. That’s where your own personal streaming station comes into play.

It’s easy to build a private streaming radio station that you can connect to from anywhere on the net using free software and services. We wouldn’t suggest deleting your Pandora account and just jamming to your private station, but personalized web radio is a great alternative for days when other streaming services just don’t cut it.

Time = 42 Min

What you Need

Two PCs
SqueezeCenter software
Free, www.slimdevices.com
A DynDNS Account
Free, www.dyndns.com
DynDNS Updater
Free, www.dyndns.com
Awesome Music

1. Install SqueezeCenter

The secret sauce in our streaming scheme is SqueezeCenter, the open-source software that powers the Squeezebox. Formerly known as SlimServer, SqueezeCenter extends beyond the basic chores you’d expect from streaming-box software. For starters, it works with more than just the Squeezebox—you can stream your music to any PC with a copy of WinAmp, iTunes, or Windows Media Player installed. The application serves as an impressive web-based music jukebox that you can use to navigate your library and play virtually any DRM-free music format ever created.

The first order of business is to select the rig to install SqueezeCenter on. Remember that it will need to run 24/7, so you probably don’t want to use your monster gaming rig for a server—unless you enjoy paying $300 a month for electricity. We recommend an older laptop or another rig that sips power.

Once that’s decided, download and install SqueezeCenter. The installer will prompt you for the location of your music files and playlists, and then it will scan your library for supported music files, including MP3, FLAC, M4A, OGG, and WMA files. The scanning process can take a long time, especially if you have a massive collection, so now would be a great time to step away from the PC and go for a walk.

Quick Tip: SqueezeCenter will look for album art in both folder.jpg files and inside the ID3 tags themselves. You can easily update your music’s album art using iTunes’s Get Album Art feature or the excellent Album Art Downloader utility (http://sourceforge.net/projects/album-art).

2. Configure SqueezeCenter

Before you can stream, you need to configure SqueezeCenter to accept connections from other PCs. The software allows password-free access to the web interface by default, but only from the computer it’s installed on. We have to change that.
Open your web browser and connect to http://127.0.0.1:9000. Then click the Settings button in the lower-right corner of the interface and select the Advanced tab. Pull down the menu and select the Security tab. You’ll want to enable password protection and set up a username and password for access.

Next, you need to configure the allowed IP addresses. It’s a good idea to give the PCs on your home network access to the SqueezeCenter interface so you can change playlists remotely. To determine the IP addresses that get access to SqueezeCenter, you need to find out what IP range your home network uses. The easiest way to find your IP on XP or Vista is to open a command line (Start > Run > cmd.exe) and type ipconfig. You should see a list of your active network connections, but most home users will see one IP address. To enable access to other computers, you need to tell SqueezeCenter which IP addresses are safe by using a wildcard. Take your IP address and replace the numbers following the final period with an * and put that number into SqueezeCenter’s Allowed IP Addresses field. Then click Apply.

Next: Configure Your Router

3. Configure Your Router

At this point, SqueezeCenter should be properly configured to work on your internal network, but machines outside the loving embrace of your router won’t be able to access the web interface or the convenient streaming file. To enable external access, you’ll need to open up your router’s configuration interface and configure port forwarding for the ports SqueezeCenter uses.

Your router’s IP address will usually be the same as the default gateway that ipconfig displays. Type that address into your web browser and log into the router using the password you created when you first configured your router. Next, you’ll need to look for a section labeled Port or Application Forwarding. It’s usually in the Advanced section of the router’s control panel. If your router lets you specify port forwarding based on a rig’s name that will update as your computer’s IP address changes, you can simply specify the rig that will be used for streaming, set it to forward incoming TCP traffic to port 9000 on the server rig, and save your settings.

If your router doesn’t let you specify port forwarding by rig name, you’ll need to configure your server’s IP address manually. Open your Network control panel, right-click your network connection’s icon, and select Properties. Double-click TCP/IP and you can manually specify the IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and DNS server info. Your default gateway is the same IP as your router and the subnet mask is usually 255.255.255.0. You’ll need to pick an IP for yourself; most routers reserve the range from x.x.x.2-x.x.x.99 for static IPs. You can choose any unused number in that range. You should be able to get your DNS server info from the WAN or Internet setup section in your router’s control panel. Once you’ve set up a static IP, go back to your router’s forwarding menu and forward the appropriate ports to your new address.

4. Set Up DynDNS

You should now be able to connect to SqueezeCenter from outside your home network, but only if you know your external IP address, which your provider can dynamically change from time to time. We’re going to use the free DynDNS service to automatically forward traffic from a custom URL to our home network—the program updates the IP address every time your provider changes it. Before you proceed, you’ll need to set up a free account at www.dyndns.com.

Once you’ve activated your account, log into the site and go to My Account. Then click the Add Host Services link and select a hostname and URL. We went with radiowill.kicks-ass.net Input the IP address currently assigned by your ISP (which you can get from www.whatismyip.com). Be sure to save your settings!

5. Install the DynDNS Updater

Next, you need to download the DynDNS Updater, which you can download from www.dyndns.com, as well. Install it on your server machine and follow the prompts. It will ask you for your DynDNS username and password and then ask you which of your DynDNS domains you want forwarded. Make sure you check the Enable Automatic Updates option; we recommend you run the Updater as a service, which will force it to start when Windows starts whether a user is logged in or not.

That’s it! To listen to your stream, open your favorite MP3 player and go to the Open Stream option (the shortcut is Ctrl+U in both iTunes and Windows Media Player). The URL you’ll use is http://yourcustomdomaingoeshere:9000/. Once you’ve connected to the stream, open the SqueezeCenter interface in your web browser using the same URL. Then you can select the tracks you want to listen to and rock out!

Stream to Your Pals—Legally!

Now your stream is set up, but your friends want in on the Internet radio action. Unfortunately, copyright law doesn’t allow you to legally stream your tunes to anyone but yourself. If you want to stream to others, you can—but you have to pay. To get a license to broadcast, go to www.ascap.com/weblicense/. If you’re choosing songs for your friends yourself and not running ads, you’re eligible to use Schedule A of the Non-Interactive 5.0 ASCAP license, which costs $288 a year. Or you could just tell them to make their own station.

Logitech Squeezebox Duet

Michael Brown — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:17:12 -0500

When you see a color display on a music-streamer’s remote control, it’s natural to assume that the manufacturer is going after the vaunted Sonos Digital Music System. But after thoroughly testing the Squeezebox Duet—Slim Devices’s first new product since being acquired by Logitech—we’ve concluded that Sonos has little to worry about.

But the Squeezebox Duet isn’t a failure—in fact, it’s the best Squeezebox yet—but it’s aimed at an entirely different audience than the Sonos. Where the Sonos is closed, proprietary, and relatively static, the Squeezebox operates on open-source software that encourages tinkering, third-party development, and evolution. You’ll find a host of plugins for the SlimServer software (now called SqueezeCenter) that all Squeezeboxes run on, and if you can’t find one for your task, you can roll your own.

But sound is the most important criterion for measuring an audio streamer’s performance, and the Duet’s design forced Logitech to drop the 24-bit Burr-Brown DAC that lent previous Squeezebox models their sweet disposition. We’re happy to report, however, that the 24-bit Wolfson WM8501 DAC that replaced it is very much its equal. Rather use outboard gear? The Duet is outfitted with optical and coaxial digital outputs, as well as analog stereo. The device supports every important file format, including AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG VORBIS, WMA, and WAV natively; and AAC, APE, Apple Lossless, MPC, and WMA Lossless transcoded.

The new Squeezebox receiver is smaller than the Squeezebox 2 and can be tucked away in your entertainment center—just make sure it can reach your wireless access point. The receiver is equipped with a 10/100 Ethernet port, but in the ideal installation, the remote will communicate with the receiver (and control other Squeezeboxes) over your 802.11b/g Wi-Fi network. In the absence of a wireless network, the remote will establish a wireless connection with the closest receiver, but your range will be limited because the devices will operate in ad hoc (as opposed to infrastructure) mode.

The Squeezebox controller displays album art, artist and song information, playlists, and other information on its 2.4-inch backlit LCD (the buttons are backlit, too). The remote is easy to master: A mechanical scroll wheel lets you move up and down through lists, and you press the center button to open menus or select items. Four buttons arranged around the perimeter of the wheel let you add songs to your playlist, play a selection, move back through menus, and move to the top-level menu, respectively. The remaining five buttons control volume up/down, track forward/back, and pause. The controller isn’t nearly as elegant as what Sonos has to offer, but it’s a huge leap forward from previous Squeezebox remotes.

The Sonos Digital Music System remains the product to beat in terms of elegance and effortless setup, especially for multi-room configurations, but Sonos can’t touch the Squeezebox’s programmability and sheer flexibility. The Squeezebox Duet is much cheaper, too. –michael brown

CES Report: Logitech Shows New Squeezebox… and Plenty More

Michael Brown — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:45:08 -0600

I've been a big fan of the Squeezebox, and I figured that their acquisition by Logitech would either destroy the product or enable them to take it to new heights. On the other hand, I've long thought when it comes to multi-room audio, Sonos has had a far superior solution. We deployed a Sonos configuration at Maximum PC Lab North for long-term testing and consider it the technology to beat. We've compared every wireless music system it and none have proven superior. In addition to delivering awesome sound, Sonos has one of the best handheld controllers I've ever seen.

Well, it looks as though Logitech's acquisition has resulted in synergy with another of their big takeovers (I'm speaking of their Harmony remote-control division), because the Squeezebox Duet's remote looks as though it could give Sonos a run for its money. Logitech will be pricing the Squeezebox Duet (the remote and one base station) at just $400: The same price tag that Sonos commands for just its remote control). The Duet's remote features a 2.4-inch color LCD that can display album art, artist names, song titles, navigational menus, and more. Another feature that renders the remote very Sonos like is its ability to control multiple receivers in different rooms of the house.

The receiver, as with past Squeezebox designs, operates on a 802.11g wireless network and is capable of streaming all the usual DRM-free file formats (including MP3, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, Apple Lossless, and WMA Lossless), as well as protected files from Rhapsody. Squeezebox products have always offered excellent Internet radio support, so I don't expect this model will disappoint in that respect, either.

I'm very much looking forward to comparing the Duet's multi-room capabilities to that of the Sonos.

LOGITECH Z CINEMA 2.1 SPEAKER SYSTEM

Logitech is also showing a new 2.1-channel speaker system, the Z Cinema Advanced Surround Sound System ($300). As you've no doubt guessed, after seeing "2.1 channel" and "surround sound" in the same sentence, Logitech is using audio trickery to accomplish surround sound with two speakers. This time, it's in the form of SRS TruSurround HD; and I have to admit, it didn't sound bad when Logitech auditioned it for me. It'll never be a substitute for five speakers, but I'm optimistic.

The satellite speakers consist of one-inch tweeters coupled with three-inch ventilated mid-range drivers; the subwoofer is an 8.00 long-throw model. The system is powered by an amplifier that delivers 35 watts (RMS) to each satellite and 110 watts (RMS) to the sub. The system comes with a wireless remote control, which should render the whole package much more useful in an entertainment center than most previous Logitech speaker systems, which have wired remotes.

Logitech sent me a set right before Holidays, but I had to send it up to our photo studio and it hasn't come back yet. Look for a full hands-on review soon.

LOGITECH DI-NOVO MINI KEYBOARD

There's no shortage of wireless keyboards, and some of them—including Logitech's DiNovo—look pretty chic. But there's just no mistaking them for what they are: a big, bulky PC keyboard. Logitech's new DiNovo Mini is entirely different.

This palm-sized Bluetooth device is not just small; it's unobtrusive. Close it up and leave it sitting on your coffee table and someone might mistake it for a lady's compact. It has a directional touchpad, too, so you don't need a mouse. And the keys are backlit, so you can use it in a darkened room. I'll be testing this product in the media room at Maximum PC Lab North soon and will deliver a full report.

Squeezebox 3

Michael Brown — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:19:22 -0500

We’ve long been fans of Slim Devices’ audio-streaming boxes, having praised both the Squeezebox 1 and 2 with Kick Ass awards. So we won’t keep you in suspense: We can find no reason not to do the same for the Squeezebox 3.

The guts are basically the same as the previous-generation box, but they’re packaged in an elegant brushed-aluminum and black-plastic housing. The gray lens over the 320x32 vacuum fluorescent display renders the text an attractive aqua color, which is even more legible than the Squeezebox 2’s green text. And both antennas on the 802.11g wireless version we reviewed are discretely hidden inside the case. Both the wired and wireless models are equipped with 100Mb/s Ethernet ports; and the wireless model can operate as a bridge, enabling Wi-Fi access for other non-wireless Ethernet devices.

On the software front, Slim Devices has added Pandora to its SqueezeNetwork. Pandora’s interactive online music service analyzes the artists you like and then automatically plays other music that exhibits similar characteristics. When we told Pandora to create a radio station based on folk singer Guy Clark, for instance, it offered up songs from Clark contemporaries Doc Watson and Townes Van Zandt. No surprises there, but we had to give a thumbs-down to its recommendations of mainstream country crooners Clint Black and Randy Travis. Pandora then responded by streaming songs from Son Volt, Caroline Herring, and several other acts we weren’t familiar with, but that we really enjoyed—widening our musical horizons in the process. (Pandora is free for 90 days; a one-year subscription costs $36.)

The Squeezebox 3 uses the same sweet-sounding 24-bit Brown-Burr DAC as the Squeezebox 2, and it offers both analog (RCA) and digital (optical and coax) outputs. Support for WPA Personal and WPA2-AES encryption sets it apart from most competing products, which limit your wireless network to the less-secure WEP. We’d like the Squeezebox 3 even more if it supported subscription music services like Rhapsody natively (there’s a third-party plugin, but it hasn’t worked in a year), but it offers so many other features and it sounds so delicious that its one major shortcoming ends up being pretty minor.

Note: Slim Devices released a beta version of its SlimServer software on June 7, 2006 that does include support for Rhapsody. Interested Squeezebox users should download Vers. 6.3.0 or later from here.

Month Reviewed: June 2006

Verdict: 9
kickass=yes

URL: www.slimdevices.com