Network music options

[aabear]

I want to get rid of all my CDs. I am considering the following options:

1. Onkyo TX-NR905 or Denon 4308 + NAS con. to router
2. Non-network Receiver + Slimdevices transporter + NAS con. to router
3. Non-network Receiver + Olive Opus 5 (400g hard-drive)
4. Thinking about the new Arcam FMJ but cost twice higher than previous alternatives where I live now (would buy if sound quality improvement was worth it)

Could anyone advise on best option with sound quality primary requirement and ease of use secondary concern?

I've got all my gadgets connected to my network (2 computers, psp, smartphone, office laptop, internet radio player, a webcam for the newborn, the TV in the kitchen) so I believe I may handle installation and technical issues.

My loving one has said that she doesn't want an invasion of the living room by gadgets, so option 1 strongly preferred (note: get a payrise to buy a new flat with a sound-proof room of my own...)

Speakers B&W 805s

 

[gus6464]

Get a Squeezebox or an Airport Express. If you don't have a laptop or iphone that control the AE then just go for the squeezebox. I am guessing you have a desktop PC/Mac at home?

http://www.slimdevices.com/pi_squeezebox.html

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

 

[fmw]

The Squeezebox is also my choice. I have two of them. They will do what any other audio streaming device will do but it will use your computer hard drive rather than its own as a storage medium.

The problem with the receivers is that you need to control the streaming from the computer and not the receiver. May not be a problem for you but I'll stay with the Squeezeboxes.

 

[aabear]

keeping it simple

The problem with the receivers is that you need to control the streaming from the computer and not the receiver. May not be a problem for you but I'll stay with the Squeezeboxes.[/QUOTE]

That's what I'm trying to avoid. There're no computers in the living room. I could use a logitech system or anything similar (my psp or pda) to control my computer from afar, but want to keep it simple.

What about the quality? That's the most important issue for me. The transporter has a DAC and better quality than the Squeezebox (or so I've heard)

 

[fmw]

I don't know. The Squeezebox has a DAC, obviously. In my experience DAC's are a mature and stable technology. I think they are all about the same. I have no idea what the more expensive unit would provide other than storage and a fancy cabinet. Perhaps the Slim Devices web site can answer that. I think the computer is probably a better place to store the files. It is easier to upgrade.

 

[EJ1]

You could get a Request music server.

http://www.request.com/products/musicservers.asp

 

[krzywica]

You could get a Request music server.

http://www.request.com/products/musicservers.asp

That music server looks pretty cool. But if have the know how then you can build one yourself, or just host your music collection from your desktop.

I have 2 desktops, HTPC, and a laptop in my apartment. One of the desktops doubles as a server. The server has several network shares, one of which is a share to my music folder. All I do is mount the share with any one of my computers and direct your audio player of choice to that mapped drive. But if you don't have an HTPC then that would be rather difficult. In that case I would suggest an Apple alternative that was mentioned previously, if you have to modify your playlist/stream from the host machine then that would be rather inconvenient.

 

[bandphan]

http://www.niveusmedia.com/products/extender.htm

 

[gus6464]

I don't know. The Squeezebox has a DAC, obviously. In my experience DAC's are a mature and stable technology. I think they are all about the same. I have no idea what the more expensive unit would provide other than storage and a fancy cabinet. Perhaps the Slim Devices web site can answer that. I think the computer is probably a better place to store the files. It is easier to upgrade.

Plus you can also just bypass the internal DAC with the squeezebox or AE by using an optical cable. I don't know the DAC is the squeezebox but the AE DAC is a wolfson which is inside the ipod. But my receiver has Burr Brown DACs so I just have mine bypassed via optical.