help please - need idiots guide to what's needed to listen to CDs etc in every room

googler

jayme1 wrote: »

the world is moving away from CDs now you will likely have to rip thoes CDs at some point

HAVE to? Why?

Murielson

Some good repsonses on here but also ask your question on the site below:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/audio-electronics/

chorlton

It would cost you nothing to give itunes a go on your PC/Laptop...

The process of digitising your CD's does take a long time, but you don't have sit there and do them all in one go. Just bung one of your favourites in, leave it and carry on with your life and next time you pass the computer stick another one in. They will all be labelled with track details and artwork automatically by iTunes.

Then you can install the free 'remote' app on your iPad, and control all your music on itunes via the iPad from anywhere in the house.

Meanwhile get hubby a decent speaker/cd/dab player - with an Aux input - and play CD's etc the old way.

If you like itunes/ipad, then you can get an airport express unit, plug it into the AUX input on your new CD player and you can play all your iTunes music through the CD player using the iPad as a remote.

If it works well you can add airport express/powered speakers to as many rooms in the house as you want - and if you hate itunes or are happy with the portable CD and fetching CDs into whatever room you are in, you've lost nothing!

amcluesent

>My dh wants to be able to listen to DAB radio and his (vast - 800+) CD collection<

Everything that's on DAB is streamed over the internet, so a DAB receiver is a bit of a lame-duck product. If the CD collection is mainstream stuff then a music streaming service like Spotify, last.FM etc will likely have it all and more already which will save you ripping the CDs which you could flog on MusicMonkey etc.

With your budget, you need something portable to move from room to room. It's wee bit over budget, but a Sonos S5 player is a good unit, with a £10/month subscription to Spotify Premium. Sonos do a nifty (free) remote control app for the iPad too. If you have special CD's you can still rip them (suggest dbPowerAmp) and store the files on the PC and have them play on the Sonos.

Fifer

CoolHotCold wrote: »

I had a Squeezebox and it worked brill, BUT the sound was below par, you will need a decent set of speakers plugged into it so factor that into the cost.

I've used Squeezebox products since the Squeezebox 1 (currently have a Transporter, Duet and SB2) and have always found the sound quality to be excellent and well above the price paid. Of course, a decent source requires a decent amp and speakers.

CoolHotCold

Fifer wrote: »

I've used Squeezebox products since the Squeezebox 1 (currently have a Transporter, Duet and SB2) and have always found the sound quality to be excellent and well above the price paid. Of course, a decent source requires a decent amp and speakers.

Heh, sorry I should of made it clear, it wasn't sub par for the price I paid, But i'm a wee bit of a audiophile and even the slightest crackle or noise ruins it. It sounds like the OP's dh sounds like a audiophile too.

B33fy

This looks interesting, (note currently sold out) would easily store all his CDs, but would need speakers and wireless speakers to cover two rooms http://www.brennan.co.uk/itemlist.php/clasrefr/units

ukcarper

CoolHotCold wrote: »

Heh, sorry I should of made it clear, it wasn't sub par for the price I paid, But i'm a wee bit of a audiophile and even the slightest crackle or noise ruins it. It sounds like the OP's dh sounds like a audiophile too.

I have a Squeezebox Classic and the sound quality is excellent I have it connected to my hi-fi system via a good quality DAC. I have my music stored in uncompressed files and the sound is every bit as good if not better than my Arcam CD player.

enigma52

you say you already use a laptop. So why not buy a 2 pairs of speakers that plug into said laptop and also mains. and use them the difference between laptop sound and such speakers would astound you, and also perfectly good enough for the job in hand, at a reasonable cost

Fifer

CoolHotCold wrote: »

Heh, sorry I should of made it clear, it wasn't sub par for the price I paid, But i'm a wee bit of a audiophile and even the slightest crackle or noise ruins it.

If you were getting any crackles, they weren't coming from your Squeezebox. I'd suspect your source file or network was the problem.

CoolHotCold wrote: »

It sounds like the OP's dh sounds like a audiophile too.

I don't know any audiophiles who rate Bose.