Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Squeezebox alternative streaming device?

I've been using a Squeezebox Touch for several years. A Duet before the Touch. Love these things. So convenient to use. I especially like the screen on the Touch. I hear a song I like that is playing on Pandora, go take a look and write it down. Order the CD.... I also like how I can stream FLAC files that are on my PC hard drive. Well.....about two months ago, Pandora just stops playing after a song or two. Sometimes several, but still stops. Never had an issue before. I've tried both wired LAN connection and wireless. No difference. Looks like several others have had the same problem at the Squeezebox forums.

Does anyone know of a comparable device? I really don't want to use a computer, or have to use the TV to see song/album cover art either.

Please let me know if you get that sorted.

Are you still using your SB Tom?

A quick internet search came up with Grace Digital. Looks like the same type of device. I do not like the built in speakers though....

You can explore a Raspberry Pi combined with Kodi with a UPNP server. Check if it has the features you need. You can actually test everything from a PC first and then see how it goes.

You must be in IT. I had to Google all those things. Way over my head.

What about a tablet? I have a Microsoft Surface that I use for streaming music from Microsoft Groove. Pandora would likely work about as well but I'm in Canada where the service isn't available so I can't test it. Not sure the sound quality would be as good as the Squeezebox but there are various types of tablets, some advertised to have 'premium' sound, available in the range of $100 and up that would probably do the job. I just looked and there is a Pandora player for Android as well as one for a Windows tablet.

Did you have the Squeezebox set up to play the music externally on your audio system? Most tablets would likely have a headphone output that would likely work for that.

I do have an Ipad I can probably use. Haven't checked to see if Apple has apps that will do what the SB will.

I don't understand your question. Set up externally?

Found a good Youtube video describing the Raspberry Pi. I do have a spare PC that just got replaced by a new one I could probably convert to a dedicated music computor. Not sure if I want to spend that much time screwing with it though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmeUxk14vCc

Found two other options for a music streaming device with internal "audiophile" DAC. Each requires tablet or Ipad type interface.

Bluesound Node 2: http://www.bluesound.com/en-us/products/node-2/

Auralic Aries Mini: http://www.auralic.com/en/

Both of the latter options are appealing to me. Not real sure which would be a better option.....

Also, there's always:
https://www.axiomaudio.com/wireless-components
Can't wait for the plastic version of the RP1 to cut down on price.

I've had a Grace digital (Mondo I think) for a few years. It runs pretty well, but in my opinion, the company is not really keeping up with the times. It's been a long while since they provided an upgrade/update. There is an audio out (1/8") if you want to connect an external amp/speaker.

I'll have more to say about the Raspberry Pi / BlueSound etc. in another reply.
Tim

Being Canadian, I'm not familiar with Pandora which is unavailable here. So in any of the following, I must advise that if sourcing from Pandora is a priority for you, do make sure it is possible via the solution you choose.

However, there are alternatives, some free like TuneIn and Spotify (free with ads) and others paid, my preference being Tidal (Spotify paid and Deezer also). imho, Pandora is getting a bit long in the tooth

I do have a background in IT, but that shouldn't by itself deter you, especially if you are on a tighter budget and/or are willing to engage in a bit of fun learning.

I have some experience with BlueSound and Raspberry Pi along with Pi-affiliated gear from HiFiBerry. (Note the link I supplied for the Pi is a complete media center package, but beware it uses HDMI for sound output I believe. The Pi has an ordinary audio out, but the HiFiBerry solutions are have better audio quality).

Bluesound is a sister company to NAD electronics and PSB speakers, see Lenbrook. I have a NAD C390DD digital amplifier with a Bluesound add-on module from NAD. It's beautiful. However, I just now fired it up and used my tablet interface to look at the Music services available and although there are several, Pandora is not amongst them. So again, proceed bearing in mind your degree of commitment to Pandora.

This is rambling a bit ... sorry ... but if you want a ready-made solution, I think you might look at BlueSound and Sonos, but be prepared to pay!! Also, someone here mentioned Axiom's new offering as well.

About the Raspberry, I have 3 with each one having one of the 3 offerings from HiFiBerry; the Digi+ produces digital audio out via coax and optical, the AMP+ has an onboard amp to connect directly to speakers, and the DAC+ has left/right outputs for connecting to an amplifier. BlueSound and Sonos have analogous options.

For software, I start with Max2Play because it packages everything I need, but you might also look at Roon as discussed in the Youtube vid you found. Max2Play says it is an "operating system" but in reality it is a package of Linux software that runs on the Pi and is configured with a wen browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox or Safari on the Mac. In the package there are several options and you will likely not engage them all. Instructions they provide are pretty thorough, but on occasion you must think a bit. (The Raspberry Pi uses a Micro-SD card like you use in a camera as a hard drive to function like the one in a PC. You download the image you want onto a PC/Mac and then 'burn' it to the MicroSD card using freely available software from the Internet. If that 'scares' you, you can usually have a preloaded SD card mailed to you for a nominal fee, as described here for example.

To control the Pi's I use an Android app called SqueezeCtrlx. Not sure if it's available on Apple tablets.

If you want to pursue further, I'll watch here for a bit or you could PM me.

Cheers!
Tim

Thank you for the very informative response, Tim! I have some thinking to do. I am leaning towards the Pi adventure.... I might just pick up a basic tablet so I can just leave it on the EQ rack and use the touch screen capability. I am not an Apple fan. Hate the phones and tablets.

My Squeezebox is working now, but only if I am connected to the PC on my network that Logitech Media Server is loaded on. That in itself is not very convenient, because I have to wake up that PC, and I'm not the only user in the house. I'd much rather just have something that does not depend on the office PC to function properly.

I have not used Roon before. Just found out about it a couple days ago. The Mini does not look like it supports Roon. The Mini also does not look to work with Andriod, so I'd be stuck using the Ipad (that I can't stand).

I do have a NAS, but it's just on the network for backups. I probably don't even have it configured properly, so I can do anything with it I want at this point.

Does the sound come out of speakers built into the Squeezebox or is it output through some other sound system?

The SB Touch is an input to my AVR. I use the Touch Coax output.

I've been surfing the links TimP provided. I've almost convinced myself to build my own box with a 7" touch screen and one of these Pi cards. I do not need an internal DAC, as I'll just use the AVR's. My AVR is a Denon 3808.

Note: to use your AVR for processing you will have to use the HDMI interface. Otherwise, it is very easy to connect and use a USB DAC (One of my Pi needed to be connected to analog input on old receiver and I am using a USB DAC).

Very good post, Tim! Thank you for that.

Yes, Mike, I'm still using my SB Touch.

I don't mind having a PC on 24/7 to serve music. And I really want to be able to control it from an Android device. I do NOT want to have the content *ON* the Android device, however, because that is too limiting. I also need analog outputs so that I can use the device on Zone2.

I fooled around with the Pi options and got Max2Play running for a while. It seemed okay. My problem is that I really do like Pandora, and I can't find any way to get it to work on a Pi-related device.

Mike, have you looked at an upgraded receiver with the client built-in? I don't know if that solves your problem or not, but it could be a thing.

This is a low priority for me right now due to other projects, but I'm always surprised that this is such a difficult problem to solve.

Thanks again, guys.

Maybe I missed something in these posts, but is SONOS not an option to consider as an SB replacement?
http://www.sonos.com

I can't seem to find confirmation that Pi will run Pandora either.... Like you, I LIKE Pandora. If I can get around that gap, I plan to build a device. I have a sketch for the box using walnut and maple. The front of the 'box' will be at an angle simular to the SB Touch. Need to practice my angled dovetail joints anyway. It'll be a fun winter project.

Found this touch screen. https://www.adafruit.com/product/1287?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjPGTvOP61QIVS01-Ch1zNwRlEAQYASABEgI8LfD_BwE

It's not so much the device than the music player.
Kodi has a Pandora plug-in and Kodi runs on Pi.
I think Pandora changed some of their protocol which is why the SB plug-in stopped working.
The advantage of Kodi is that you can install on your PC/Mac to test it before investing in a device.
http://kodi.wiki/view/Add-on:Pandora
(Kodi has a UI to select and install plug-ins, the link above is just to show it exists).