Wireless remote control jukeboxes for hi-fi - MP101 v.s squeezebox (MP3, WMA or AIFF)

Hopefully a wireless NETGEAR MP101 player should arrive over the next day or two, to allow mp3 jukebox music in our lounge via remote control. http://www.netgear.com/MP101_Demo/netgear_demo_main.htm

We never seem to put music CD's on in the living room anymore. Partly because there's no hi-fi in there except a DVD in the TV cabinet and partly because we don't open the TV cabinet when my toddler daughter is around.

I have my proper audio and AV gear in a converted garage, but I want my wife and I to share music with our kids, but don't want crayoning on the 7ft wide 16:9 whiteboard out there or fingers jabbed in my Linn Keilidhs!

The MP101 was only about £100. I also considered the SLIM Squeezebox, which is also includes a "20-bit DAC" and a digital audio optical/coax s/pdif output. http://www.slimdevices.com/downloads/squeezebox.pdf

The squeezebox is currently twice the price, only has a two-line display and is boring black plastic, where the MP101 looks to be a silver finish with 3-line display, although only providing analog line-level and a variable volume mini-jack for headphone/"powered speaker" outputs.

I like the thought of browsing our entire album connection by remote control. Most of this is already ripped to ape lossless audio for the AV system, so making MP3's is a case of a few days processing MP3's back on to a pc that'll usually be on.

Both products name support for MP3 up to 320 Kbps inc variable-bitrate(VBR).
The MP101 also names WMA 8/9 to 320 Kbps
The squeezebox names support for uncompressed WAV and AIFF, MP2, plus "automatic conversion from Ogg, AAC, FLAC in server software".

Both rely on some server software that has to be running on a networked pc. Both support Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP, with the SlimServer running also on Mac OS X 10.1 and higher, Linux, BSD, Solaris. Both also support alternative conventional networking via cat5/RJ45.

I figured it's doubtfull that I'll ever have any high-end playback hanging off it, and will probably use the TV speakers initially, till I decide on a pair or sub/sat speakers and amp to put under the TV too.

I'll also try it temporarily in my proper hi-fi and report back.

cheers,
Rob.

 

Thanks for posting about this. I was just about to buy a Squeezebox (waiting for the spare money to appear) but I'll wait to see what your experience with the netgear is. One of my requirements was streaming net radio, so I'll look up whether the netgear does this.

 

I have the netgear 101 and its not bad. The only problem I have encountered, is the range. I am just about on the limit with the computer upstairs and the 101 plugged into my hi-fi downstairs. As a result, it will not play 320kps without stuttering. At least I am assuming this is the reason. It also does not like wma's. On occasion I have to reboot the software. However, at 128kps it played non stop for six hours last sunday. I have yet to experiment with higher kps speeds.

I like the display which is easy to read from across the room and its easy to navigate the menu's. For the price, I think it is very good overall.

Rod

 

Bugger all that I want one of these:

http://www.rokulabs.com/

Shiney.

 

Wow. 24-bit DAC, digi outs and a wall mount.

I make the smaller Roku SoundBridge M1000 (with wi-fi card option) to be $274.98
=£152.14
+4.5% duty+17.5%VAT
= £187+ international shipping. Compares well against the squeezebox pricing.

cheers,
Rob.

 

I have the original SliMP3 and it's good but I think the competition are quickly catching up.

I was considering getting a Squeezebox but do like the look of the Roku!

If anyone gets one could they post their thoughts here.

Cheers.

 

Just been looking throught the tech spec of the Roku and it uses the same software as the SliMP3 which is Open Source.

Nice.

 

Can't wait, I've just ordered one with WiFi card and wall mount bracket!

 

are they actually available yet? i get the impression that it was pre orders only from the site. having just had to wait for 2.5 months for my new laptop i'm a bit wary of anything that isn;t available for immediate delivery. surely a wireless bridge puigged into your slimp3 would have been a better bet? of course you wouldn't have the aesthetics but.....
cheers


julian

p.s. what are you going to do with your slimp3?

 

It's a few releases behind

 

I'll be keeping my SliMP3, I've got two already. One for the bedroom and one for the kitchen.

Asthetically the Roku is better so I'll be installing that alongside my main system for those part/entertaining moments.

I'll probably custom install a sliMP3 into the kitchen units.

SgtRock,

D'you reckon that the Roku and the SliMP3 would run from the same Slim server?

 

Hi Scott,

Sorry I have no ideas what Roku have done with the code.

BTW there is a new version of the server code for the Slim Devices.

 

Downloaded version 5.1.1 over the weekend and would you believe it already up to version 5.1.4 this morning.

I haven't really been using my SliMP3 recently. I been listening to CDs!

SgtRock,

You might know as I can't test it with only the one PC. If you change the browser scheme will all subsequent browser windows have the same scheme even with different browsers on different machines?

The reason why I ask is I am trying to sort a wireless network for my tablet PC and would like to use the "touch" scheme on that but keep the standard look on the server PC. Have you tried it? Does this setting get stored as a cookie?

 

Not sure is you can have one server with mulitple skins for different pc's, ie a tablet pc with the tablet skin and another pc with the fishbone skin.

Best thing to do is post something on the slimdevices web site or maybe email dean or sean over there.

 

I didn't get much time to try the MP101 till before lunchtime today. I only did a quick test of a few tracks via headphones, then plugged it's line-out in to my Denon AVC-A10SE AV amp and bi-amped active Linn Keilidh floorstanders just for testing.

In my usual 'stereo' mode, the analog input to the AV amp will be ADC'd at 20-bit, before 32-bit digital bass management, then pre-outs to the subwoofer and Linn Active Crossover Tunebox, then 4 pre-outs to the bass and treble amps.

Bear in mind the MP101 doesn't have digital oututs unlike it's Roku SoundBridge and Slim squeezebox double priced competitors, so an external DAC isn't a standard option.

I haven't matched levels to what I normally listen at or A/B compared to my normal 24-bit upsampling CD source, I hope to get time for that tonight.

Sound quality is enjoyable, treble is good and clean, bass is ok, certainly as good as I'd hoped and better than I feared it might be. Soundstaging and 'follow-the-tune' were fine.

I'd say the deepest sub-bass fundamentals are a little lacking, but it may just be lower listening levels I used briefly. I do have a rather large active sub, tuned down to 22Hz, so I'm used to a pretty full bottom octave. I'd say it sounded like good bookshelf speakers, as opposed to big floorstanders, let alone big activ floorstanders and a big sub.

I suspect it may be less open an detailed to my normal source, it also sounded quite loud for the 84dB-C average I measured briefly, without as much detail being apparent.

I did notice it skipped one a few older 256Kbps MP3's whereas there was no noticeable skipping any of the variable-bitrate (VBR 210Kbps +/- 25Kbps) --alt-preset standard LAME 3.90.3 tracks (recommended https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3577#post47763)

I hope to conclude more tonight.
regards,
Rob.

 

Don't forget the garden shed

Michael.

 

Na, I'm going to get me some rock speakers and put the player into a brick wall! No, only joking, being an urban garden in London, the foxes will try to crap of over it.

 

Here's a nice summary of what's available in media hubs if your three requirements are 1) wireless 2) music files 3) streaming radio.

I think I will have to try out the Squeezebox. Locally I can get it for 3000 crowns, which ain't so bad in an Ark B society.