Tech Advice: Streaming Music... It ain't just the software.

You need to be able to listen to music on your own terms.  Picking a music service is only the first step, and one which most of us have already taken.  iTunes, Pandora, Rhapsody, Spotify, Google Music, Amazon Cloud Player and the list goes on (that is my way of saying I can't think of anymore music services without doing a Google search).  Each of these services has its own benefit.  However, when it really comes down to it, they essentially provide the same thing; a way to get music from the internet.

The question really becomes what are you looking for?  Some of the services allow you to buy the music (iTunes, Amazon), some of the services allow you to rent the music (Rhapsody, Pandora), and other services are tools to remotely listen to your own music (Google Music, Amazon Cloud Player).  Based on past experience, I know that there is a technological revolution just around the corner... bur for now it seems as if we have hit the proverbial wall.  

The question then becomes one of hardware.  How can you most easily access the music you want to listen to?

The two most popular methods to listen to these music services are your smartphone and your computer.  The smartphone is ideal when you are out and about.  I listen to music on my phone when I am at work or at the gym.  But this solution is less than ideal at home.  Even if I had a music docking station, would I want to move my phone and music from room to room?  Not really.  So this leaves the computer.  The computer is great for listening to music.  As I am writing this post, I have Rhapsody going on my computer...  but once again, do I want to carry my computer from room to room hooking it up to a stereo system so that I can get top quality sound?  I am not in college anymore, I don't live in a one room apartment... what was perfect back then, I have now outgrown.  Streaming music on my computer falls short as the center of my entertainment system.

I wanted a more sophisticated musical experience.  I was ready to move beyond a single source system.  Here is a partial list of what I was after:

• Access to all the music
• My private music collection
• Pandora
• Rhapsody
• Internet Radio
• Ability to move from room to room without any interruption in my listening enjoyment
• Access to music without needing to boot a computer
• Ability to integrate into a larger stereo system

I thought that I was asking far too much.  I tried sitting down to write my own software that would accomplish my dream state, but I ran into the same limitations that I mentioned above.  I had given up my quest until late one night when I was studying the Logitech Duet Internet Radio.

The Duet would do what I wanted, but it seemed like overkill for my immediate needs.  And at $250, it was well out of my range for a "hunch".  However, this did lead me to the Duet's little brother... the Logitech Squeezebox.  At $150, it isn't cheap, but I was willing to give it a try knowing I could return it if I wasn't satisfied.  That was over a year ago, and I have not had a single regret.

The Squeezebox wirelessly (or wired) ties into my home network.  It takes less than five minutes to connect the Squeezebox to a wireless network and begin streaming music from one of the many supported services.  After signing in to the services, I had access to all of my Pandora stations and all of my Rhapsody playlists.  Additionally, I had access to the countless streaming internet radio stations.  (And after you have signed in once, you do not need to sign in again unless you have multiple accounts for the same service.)  With internet radio and music taken care of, I focused on my personal music collection.

All of my music had been transferred to a Synology Disk Station.  By having a centralized music server, I can access music from any computer in my home, a gaming console, or even remotely via a web service without the need of a dedicated computer.  The Squeezebox is able to seamlessly integrate with this music server.  Logitech offers an application that can reside on the Synology server which turns this generalized server into a specialized Squeezebox music server.  The app installed without any issues and all of my personal music was now available streaming through the Squeezebox.  Additionally I could also control the Squeezebox remotely through a web interface.

Speaking of controlling it remotely, if you read any reviews of the Squeezebox, it seems that a common complaint is that there is no remote control (even though the system supports a remote).  This was a questionable practice...  why support a remote if you are going to only sell it as an accessory?  Living in the modern era, I need my remotes.  When the Squeezebox is across the room, I don't want to have to get up to switch radio stations.  I was on the verge of forking out the extra cash when instead I looked at the Android App Market.  Logitech provides a free app which turns your smartphone (iPhone or Droid) into a remote control for the Squeezebox.  All of the features of the Squeezebox are available right there on your phone including album art, metadata, volume controls, and sleep settings.

One of the coolest features of the Squeezebox is that it is scalable.  I have the basic Squeezebox Radio Music Player which meets my needs perfectly.  I could get a second Music Player (or upgrade to a Squeezebox Touch) for the bedroom.  In the office, a Squeezebox All-in-One provides more robust sound like a personal stereo.  In the living room go all out, get a Squeezebox Duet (with remote) and plug it directly into your home entertainment system.  Now I know what you are thinking...  there are four Squeezeboxes, but what does that accomplish?  You have more than four independent systems, you now have an integrated whole house audio system.  Because the systems communicate wirelessly, they can effortlessly communicate with each other.  You can be listening to different music in each room of your house, or you can synchronize the Squeezeboxes so that your home is filled with rich audio (at a fraction of the cost of Bill Gates' "follow me" music system).

So when you are looking to "take it up to 11", look no further than the Logitech Squeezebox Internet Radio Players.  I have found it has been one of my best purchases for a person who really enjoys his music.

I have included links below to Amazon's Squeezebox Radios (with the exception of the unnecessary and overpriced remote control).  I have also included a link to the Synology home server which will allow you to fully integrate your personal music collection.

I'd love to share more, but my favorite playlist is about to start and it is hard to type while dancing.

-The Chief Geek