Squeezebox Amp

[HomerJ]

Can anyone suggest a cheap and cheerful amp to pair with a Squeezebox and a pair of KEF Ci100QR ceiling speakers. The amp needs to be small in size!

[lazymatt]

Sonic T Impact?

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPO-SONIC-...UDIO-AMPLIFIER

Probably better off E-bay or an importer though (usual E-bay caveats apply!)

[AMc]

Might be worth looking at one of these http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSea...sp?SKU=DP29135
It's from these guys but their site is throwing an error right now.
http://www.keene.co.uk/

[SteveBloke]

Was *just* about to buy a Squeezebox when I realised there's no integrated amp. That's a bit naff... I'm trying to setup a small and slick streaming audio system in the kitchen and don't really want the hassle of an extra amp.

The mini-amps you point to look helpful - but are there any half-decent wireless streaming media players with built-in amp? Surely that's not a strange request????

Thanks

[lazymatt]

Sonos all the way, mate.

Not cheap though.

If you've got a wired network you can get away with one ZP100 Zoneplayer (£379) and one CR100 controller (about £330 I think), otherwise you need two Zone Players (but could use a second, cheaper ZP80), or go with an unsupported option like using a wireless bridge.

The ZP100 has the built in amp. The ZP80 does not.

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

Was *just* about to buy a Squeezebox when I realised there's no integrated amp. That's a bit naff... I'm trying to setup a small and slick streaming audio system in the kitchen and don't really want the hassle of an extra amp.

The mini-amps you point to look helpful - but are there any half-decent wireless streaming media players with built-in amp? Surely that's not a strange request????

Thanks

You will find the vast majority of people find they dont want an integrated AMP because they want to chose their own AMP, or use the amp they already have, and not be stuck with with a built in one. It's not 'naff', it's gives people more flexibility and choice and also keeps the cost right down. It also means its much smaller, you can hid the amp out of sight if you want. I already have a great £350 AMP, it would have been naff to have to spend extra on an integrated AMP and make mine redundant.

If you want a solution with integrated AMP, look at the Sono's. Fantastic system, but costs a hell of a lot more and is not quite as sleek/small for that reason.

Horses for courses mate, sound like the Sono's is the solution for you if you have the extra cash. But it does not make the SB3 'naff' because it's not quite suited to you. In some respects the SB3 is better, but mainly for people like me that like to customise and tweak.

Enjoy whatever you buy. Both Are awesome

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

Was *just* about to buy a Squeezebox when I realised there's no integrated amp. That's a bit naff... I'm trying to setup a small and slick streaming audio system in the kitchen and don't really want the hassle of an extra amp.

I have 5 squeezeboxes. 1 is connected to a 2nd hand amp that cost me £20, 1 is connected to my meridian surround processor, with 5.1 active speakers (that processing and amplification costs over £2k), and one is connected to a DAC, processor and active speakers (processing and amplification costing another £2k). An integrated amp would not have been suitable for me. 1 of my squeezeboxes is in the kitchen, and you can't see the amp at all - all you can see is the squeezebox, and wall mounted speakers (I use the squeezebox for a little volume control), which would suit the small and slick system you're trying to achieve.

[SteveBloke]

Thanks guys - didn't want to imply the SB is naff (even if I did say it...) I've heard and seen one and it looks perfect. I too have a separates system in the lounge and a media player linked into it - I was/am just looking for a simple *single box* solution for the kitchen that I can re-use some existing and very nice (but not active) speakers with.

Given the day-to-day punter who is thinking of getting streaming media at home may not be into separates, I was quite surprised that this part of the market does not appear to be covered - maybe, in an ideal world, SB would offer the current version and another with a small amp built in. Just dreaming.

Sonos sounds good, but I really don't have that kind of money to spend. I think I'll go for the mini amp solution (hidden on the top of the cupboard) mentioned earlier in the thread.

Didn't want to cause offense. Thanks for the input.

[Autopilot]

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

Given the day-to-day punter who is thinking of getting streaming media at home may not be into separates, I was quite surprised that this part of the market does not appear to be covered - maybe, in an ideal world, SB would offer the current version and another with a small amp built in. Just dreaming.

The problem is the cost (putting a decent AMP in the squeezebox would push the cost up to Sono's money and the fact that the market, while really taking off now, is still fairly young. Lots of people want what you want. On the Slimdevices (squeezebox) forum may people have been asking for such a thing, like a kind of squeezebox boombox thing. Something will come along.

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

Didn't want to cause offense. Thanks for the input.

None was taken

[lazymatt]

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

Thanks guys - didn't want to imply the SB is naff (even if I did say it...) I've heard and seen one and it looks perfect. I too have a separates system in the lounge and a media player linked into it - I was/am just looking for a simple *single box* solution for the kitchen that I can re-use some existing and very nice (but not active) speakers with.

Given the day-to-day punter who is thinking of getting streaming media at home may not be into separates, I was quite surprised that this part of the market does not appear to be covered - maybe, in an ideal world, SB would offer the current version and another with a small amp built in. Just dreaming.

Sonos sounds good, but I really don't have that kind of money to spend. I think I'll go for the mini amp solution (hidden on the top of the cupboard) mentioned earlier in the thread.

Didn't want to cause offense. Thanks for the input.

You could always go for the powered speaker route. Something like the Audio Engine A5 (about £230) or the AE Aego M's (about £100)

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by SteveBloke

I too have a separates system in the lounge and a media player linked into it - I was/am just looking for a simple *single box* solution for the kitchen that I can re-use some existing and very nice (but not active) speakers with.

The problem is trying to meet the needs of your living room (a squeezebox would go nicely) and your kitchen (where you'd like an amp built in. The squeezebox has served a fairly niche market, so having the option of a built in amp probably wouldn't have suited the small market, but as they become more popular, it may be something that gets added. But if you're existing (but not active) speakers are very nice, it would be a shame to use a cheap (built in) amp with them, so why not get a nice 2nd hand amp for them.

Didn't want to cause offense. Thanks for the input.

None taken.

Originally Posted by lazymatt

You could always go for the powered speaker route. Something like the Audio Engine A5 (about £230) or the AE Aego M's (about £100)

If you're after a functional, cheap system, the AE Aegos could be a good option, but I wouldn't advise spending more on active speakers unless you had a DAC or processor to control the volume (as using only the squeezebox's volume control will limit the quality of your signal to active speakers).

[lazymatt]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

If you're after a functional, cheap system, the AE Aegos could be a good option, but I wouldn't advise spending more on active speakers unless you had a DAC or processor to control the volume (as using only the squeezebox's volume control will limit the quality of your signal to active speakers).

You should be able to set the Squeezebox to output a standard volume and utilise the volume controls on the speakers themselves.

[Autopilot]

Just too add that Wharfedale do a few active speaker sets.

[Ceejayav]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

If you're after a functional, cheap system, the AE Aegos could be a good option, but I wouldn't advise spending more on active speakers unless you had a DAC or processor to control the volume (as using only the squeezebox's volume control will limit the quality of your signal to active speakers).

I wouldn't worry about this issue too much, even with rather more expensive speakers, unless their sensitivity is so high that the SB volume is always turned a long way down. And if that were the case, some simple fixed in-line attenuators would sort that out.

Remember its doing 24 bit processing on 16 bit data, so you can lose a lot of bits before you'll notice any degradation in quality, by which time its so quiet you won't notice anyway.

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by Ceejayav

Remember its doing 24 bit processing on 16 bit data, so you can lose a lot of bits before you'll notice any degradation in quality, by which time its so quiet you won't notice anyway.

Although you might not want to worry about it too much, it's not simply a case of having spare bits you can lose, as any reduction in volume on the SB will reduce the signal to noise ratio, and affect quality. Depending on the rest of your set-up, and whether you are doing critical listening, you may not notice any difference.