Squeezebox Boom -Vs- Squeezebox Radio

[BobbyBee]

Hey!

As a n00b to Squeezebox I've got a pretty basic question.

Which is best - Squeezebox Boom or Squeezebox Radio?

I guess the mains differences are:

Squeezebox Boom - VFD, Squeezebox Radio - LCD
Squeezebox Boom - Stereo, Squeezebox Radio - Mono
Squeezebox Boom - Remote included, Squeezebox Radio - Remote seperate
Squeezebox Boom - Based on older hardware platform, Squeezebox Radio - Based on newer hardware platform

It seems the best will depend on which of these differences you consider to be the most important.

Therefore; Pick one... Boom, or Radio?

Thanks!

[Mnyb]

More thoughts for you:

Stereo vs mono is moot on the boom' the speakers are so close so it is acoustically and practically mono anyway (unless you listen with your nose against the display) but it has twice the speakers and a larger box, so it will output more sound.

Radio will have an optional battery pack, perfect if you want to lug it around near the pool or bathtub.

Boom has backlith buttons radio don't have this.

Radio is smaller .

Boom can be delivered with mounting brackets to fit for example under kitchen cabinets .

Radio will encode more audio formats natively and rely less on the server for this.

Radio have much better processor and runs linux so the firmware will have more development and possibilities in the future.

Some links to our wiki.

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph..._Page#Hardware

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeboxBoom

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeboxRadio

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...wareComparison

decissions decissions

[aubuti]

It seems the best will depend on which of these differences you consider to be the most important.

Therefore; Pick one... Boom, or Radio?

Why pick one when you can have both? I do have both (lucky beta tester), and if I had to choose one it would be the Boom. It's normal location is as bedroom clock and stereo. I often take it outside to our deck/patio, where we have an elec outlet so battery is not an issue. The SB Radio is nice, and sounds great for its size, but I prefer the fuller sound of the Boom, and the small LCD on the Radio doesn't do much for me. Where I might like the SB Radio is on my desk at work, but my employer's IT security is very tight, so it's not easy to stick an unauthorized device onto the network.

You are absolutely correct that it depends on which factors are more important to an individual user. And so far no one has mentioned price -- the SB Radio is about US$100 less than the Boom.

[BobbyBee]

Thank you for the responses.

More thoughts for you:

Stereo vs mono is moot on the boom' the speakers are so close so it is acoustically and practically mono anyway (unless you listen with your nose against the display) but it has twice the speakers and a larger box, so it will output more sound.

I read that the Boom does a pretty impressive job at seperating the stereo? I was assuming it'd be no difference to my TV (My Panasonic has stereo speakers actually either side of the TV). However, I find your point interesting. Need to consider it...

Radio will have an optional battery pack, perfect if you want to lug it around near the pool or bathtub.

Good point raised. In my case I'm unlikely to move it anywhere (Certainly not bathroom, etc). Currently it'd be located in my (small) bedroom with the intention of living room once I have a place (Of my own).

Boom has backlith buttons radio don't have this.

Radio is smaller .

Boom can be delivered with mounting brackets to fit for example under kitchen cabinets .

All interesting points that I'd not considered before (Well, mainly 1 and 3 ).

Radio will encode more audio formats natively and rely less on the server for this.

Radio have much better processor and runs linux so the firmware will have more development and possibilities in the future.

This is my main concern; Is the Boom hardware really outdated... As it is based on the "older" technology is this a problem? Will, for example, it not be supported and/or updated in the same way as the Radio. This is by far the biggest concern - Would I be buying into "outdated" or "old" technology (I'm not sure when a replacement Boom will surface...).

[QUOTE=aubuti;489330]Why pick one when you can have both? I do have both (lucky beta tester), and if I had to choose one it would be the Boom. It's normal location is as bedroom clock and stereo. I often take it outside to our deck/patio, where we have an elec outlet so battery is not an issue. The SB Radio is nice, and sounds great for its size, but I prefer the fuller sound of the Boom, and the small LCD on the Radio doesn't do much for me. Where I might like the SB Radio is on my desk at work, but my employer's IT security is very tight, so it's not easy to stick an unauthorized device onto the network.[QUOTE]

I can only afford one. I'd be using the device in my bedroom (Not work, etc) so I guess the suggestion is the Boom (See my concerns above; Otherwise I think the Boom is coming out well...).

You are absolutely correct that it depends on which factors are more important to an individual user. And so far no one has mentioned price -- the SB Radio is about US$100 less than the Boom.

Currently [limited time] I can get the Boom or the Radio for the same price. I'm in the UK and can get either for ~£150.

Thanks again all.

[Mnyb]

This is my main concern; Is the Boom hardware really outdated... As it is based on the "older" technology is this a problem? Will, for example, it not be supported and/or updated in the same way as the Radio. This is by far the biggest concern - Would I be buying into "outdated" or "old" technology (I'm not sure when a replacement Boom will surface...).

This only means that boom will depend on the server for future upgrades.
And some things canot be acomplished without the server on.

For example the new products is said to have native AAC decoding.
This means that they can be connected to smysqueezebox.com without any computer running and decode such radio channels.

With a boom you must have have your local server running and it transcodes such stream for the boom.

So if you have plans to run the radio or boom without any local server then I would be inclined to choose the radio.

But on the other hand if plan to run a server anyway, if you like me have an abundance of your own files to play and the server is on anyway, then this do not matter.
The latest squeezeboxserver software 7.4 still supports the old Slimp3 player built in 2001 .

[BobbyBee]

This only means that boom will depend on the server for future upgrades.
And some things canot be acomplished without the server on.

For example the new products is said to have native AAC decoding.
This means that they can be connected to smysqueezebox.com without any computer running and decode such radio channels.

With a boom you must have have your local server running and it transcodes such stream for the boom.

So if you have plans to run the radio or boom without any local server then I would be inclined to choose the radio.

But on the other hand if plan to run a server anyway, if you like me have an abundance of your own files to play and the server is on anyway, then this do not matter.
The latest squeezeboxserver software 7.4 still supports the old Slimp3 player built in 2001 .

Oh wait... This changes everything. I don't intend to run a local server at all - Certainly, I do not intend to leave my PC on all of the time. I don't even have many files on my computer that I'd wish to play. I'd be mainly wishing to listen to radio and/or Napster. And this requires a PC to be on? A pretty big flaw . Very confused now (With all of the positive Boom comments I'd almost ruled that out, but now it seems the Boom might not cut it either)...

[Mnyb]

To not be misunderstood boom too can function without a local server and decode most radio there is , but radio can do more.
You are then conected to a web service called mysqueezebox.com this handles server duties when you do not have a lokal server.
You do not need a local server, however from time to time it is convenient to log with a web browser to mysqueezebox.com and do some maintenance and stuff.

You only need an active Internet conection and a mysqueezebox.com account.

The boom logs on to mysqueezebox.com I think napster should work to if live in the right country ( I dont )

Accounts for different services can entered at the website then used by boom and it's menues.

[toby10]

Both sound great! But Boom has a definite edge for audio, it just sounds better IMO.
The interaction with either server (SBS on your computer, MySB.com online) is the same with both Radio or Boom with very few exceptions. As suggested some things not supported on Boom: some streaming like AAC, non-music related Apps, album & station art.

To see what either player can do without a computer, create a free www.MySqueezeBox.com account, start poking around. This is the online server your SB player will connect to. You won't get any audio to your computer but this will give you a good idea what you can do with NO computer!

[pski]

Both sound great! But Boom has a definite edge for audio, it just sounds better IMO.
The interaction with either server (SBS on your computer, MySB.com online) is the same with both Radio or Boom with very few exceptions. As suggested some things not supported on Boom: some streaming like AAC, non-music related Apps, album & station art.

To see what either player can do without a computer, create a free www.MySqueezeBox.com account, start poking around. This is the online server your SB player will connect to. You won't get any audio to your computer but this will give you a good idea what you can do with NO computer!

Boom plays apple lossless but not AAC? I learn each day.

P

[radish]

Boom plays apple lossless but not AAC? I learn each day.

P

Errr no. Boom doesn't play either native, but will play both transcoded. Toby's quote was regarding streaming stations - Radio can play AAC stations without SBS whereas Boom would requires SBS.