Stereo speaker add-on

[SuperQ]

The new Radio looks great.. but it looks like it is just a mono speaker. It would be great to have a matching add-on speaker that would let you make it stereo. This would also be nice because it would provide better stereo separation compared to the Boom.

[Matt Wise]

Kind of defeats the purpose of a "cheaper" player... get a Boom if you want great stereo sound.

[SuperQ]

The Boom doesn't have a color screen or good stereo separation.

[JJZolx]

Attach a powered speaker to the headphone jack.

[iPhone]

Attach a powered speaker to the headphone jack.

Think we have to ask Caleb, but wouldn't that just add a second speaker. What I am saying is there would be no way to then have true stereo and take advantage of the speaker separation. Caleb would know, but I would think one would have to add stereo speakers to the headphone jack and disable the Radio speaker to get true stereo.

Might as well use a Boom or if one wants real stereo separation then SB3 or Touch feeding self powered speakers or stereo equipment.

[ccrome2]

Think we have to ask Caleb, but wouldn't that just add a second speaker. What I am saying is there would be no way to then have true stereo and take advantage of the speaker separation. Caleb would know, but I would think one would have to add stereo speakers to the headphone jack and disable the Radio speaker to get true stereo.

Might as well use a Boom or if one wants real stereo separation then SB3 or Touch feeding self powered speakers or stereo equipment.

Right, the point of this product is to have a less expensive, all-in-one devices that sounds great and fits anywhere in your house. It does not have good stereo separation -- it's mono! :-)

The hardware is not capable of both playing out the bi-amplified (software crossed-over), speakers, and outputting a separate signal on the headphone jack for a separate speaker. It was never intended for that.

If you want good separation, simply get a Touch or Receiver, and use your own speakers.

-Caleb

[fuzzyT]

Let me come at this another way by asking whether the same options are available for the Radio's headphone/line out as they are for the Boom's headphone/line out.

If the options were the same as they are on the Boom, this would give you some leeway in configuring the Radio for use with external speakers. For instance, some folks might want a Boom-like setup, but with the touchscreen. Or they might want a small system with better stereo separation. Such a person might consider using a Radio and small powered speakers to get there.

Just having the Boom's complement of output options wouldn't allow for the addition of one powered speaker playing one channel of the stereo pair while the Radio's internal speaker played the other. But it would allow some flexibility in running a pair of external speakers, with the Radio's internal speaker also on (or not), and with the external speaker's volume controlled by the Radio's volume controls (or not). Could be useful.

Not expecting a 'yes', but I'll go ahead and ask - Is the Sub out function present on the Radio?

[Keymaster]

...some folks might want a Boom-like setup, but with the touchscreen...

Touchscreen is only on the SB Touch. SB Radio has a color screen, but it is not touch enabled.

[seanadams]

What's the point? And where would you find a matching speaker?

It's not the same as adding a sub. If you're going to do stereo your left and right channels have to at least be matched in level and frequency response. I'm not talking about some far out audiophile requirements here, I'm saying it'll sound like absolute garbage if you don't.

[fuzzyT]

Well, the OP did ask about a 'matching' stereo speaker.

It's not /too/ much of a stretch to imagine that Logitech might market such a thing as an accessory to the Radio.

It's not unheard of in the Table Radio sector; the Tivoli Model Two was basically the Model One bundled with a matching speaker for stereo. My memory may be failing me here, but I thought I recalled at one time seeing that 2nd speaker being sold separately.

I'm not saying it's a great idea. The accessory speaker would probably be a marginal seller. But for folks that are trying to decide between the Boom and Radio models, or are attracted to the color screen, or want more stereo separation, or who might want an expansion path for their Radio, I can see where this might be an attractive idea.

And, hey, if we know one thing, it's that Squeezebox customers are creative.