audiomuze;510481 Wrote: > Most are capable of higher resolution playback and prices are > comparable, especially if factoring in server req's by squeezebox. Most > have iPhone apps and some have db's/ interfaces streets ahead. Have a > look at the links...
Not wishing to be too provocative, but seriously one of these at least, the Bluesmoke, looks like a dorm room project. Uses Windows Media Player as the front end, handles Flac and WMA Lossless only (even I have the odd mp3 I'd like to play now and again), needs an external DAC, suggests for wireless you add a USB wifi dongle, runs only on Windows Vista (huh?), has documentation which is "coming soon", etc. Some kind of smoke for sure... And all this for only $7,000! Oh, almost forgot: no display. The info suggests use of an external one such as those from Tyco Electronics. Following the included link to their website dumps you in a maze of pages about Point of Sale display terminals with 800x600 resolution and the suggestion you send them a "Request for Proposal". Against my $2,000 transporter with wireless and wired networking, balanced and unbalanced inputs, high-end DAC with external input, ability to handle almost any format you throw at it, dual displays, access to plugins, internet radio, etc, etc, not to mention use on my Mac and Linux servers, I seriously don't see this as competition at all. BUT it did get a mention in Stereophile as having been at CES... The serious competition I see for high end is from Linn, who appear to have made streaming audio a cornerstone of their new range. Given their track record of sticking with things and developing them over the long haul- and their clear commitment to hi-fi audio - I tend to believe they will be around with these products for a long while. I am 100% committed to digitally stored and transported (2-channel) audio and know I will never go back to CDs so want to feel confident that my chosen partner in this will stick around and not get distracted by video or Facebook (!), or decide to drop it entirely after a year or two . This partner could be Logitech if they do it right but I am less confident now about this than I was a year ago. davep davep -- davep ------------------------------------------------------------------------ davep's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=61 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=74510 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list discuss@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
