Squeezebox Boom Thoughts

[Ikabob]

My initial and introductory purchase from Logitech was the SB Boom. I was truly fascinated by its audio quality and functionality. I learned the complex features and vast music/talk radio/sports radio possibilities on my Boom with the great help of forum members and Logitech technicians. (Thank you all). The Boom fascination led me to other device purchases...Sb3,SBTouch,etc.

I am now an advocate of the Logitech Squeezeboxes. I recommend the ecosystem to all my friends and co-workers.
However, I find that the Logitech Squeezebox device repertoire is lacking the entry level , high fidelity device. Yes, the radio is very excellent for what it is... A 2 speaker radio/music box. And yes I love my radios. But, it is not what I would recommend to my friends to introduce them to the true quality and functionality of the Logitech product line.

A Squeeze Boom is definitely missing. The four speaker self-contained device is MOST impressive for an entry into the Squeezebox experience. So, my request is..."Can Logitech please add a similar Squeezebox Boom to their product line? Are there plans to do so? It would be the one initial device that I could confidently recommend as an initial purchase and then the chips will fall as they may into either the Radio, Touch or possibly Transporter purchases. I,personally, would consider another Boom for my collection. It's an awesome device but is no longer available from Logitech.

So, once again, Logitech, Please come out with a Squeezebox Boom. Thank you.

I have entered this post into the official forum for Logitech and I also filled out a survey expressing my thoughts. They are "missing the boat".

[MeSue]

Lately I have been thinking they could just make a minor modification to the Radio--add a right speaker port on the hardware, and have a separate speaker accessory as an optional addon. Then put something in the software to feed mono audio if there is no second speaker, or feed stereo if the speaker is connected. Ideally this speaker could be auto-detected, or maybe controlled through a switch...?

Then you would still have the nice small portable all-in one Radio option for those that want to be able to easily move it around. Plus you can have an option for bigger stereo sound and separation like the Boom for those that want to add the extra speaker. Want to take it outside... just unplug 2 things (power and speaker) instead of one. You can still have a small clock/radio/alarm on the night table, but string the addon speaker to the other side of the bed for better stereo.

Perhaps the speaker could be designed to attach to the Radio for those who want to move it around with both speakers attached, but also make it detachable so you can have stereo separation when you're not moving it.

The speaker could be designed to compliment both the Radio and Touch. Sell a single speaker as an addon for the Radio and a pair for the Touch. Then Logitech can keep the main hardware to just two devices, and upsell the speakers as addons. Less confusion for customers, and they don't have two similarly-priced products competing (Boom and Touch). Also, Logitech is already known for doing speakers, so this kind of fits in with their existing product line-up.

[maggior]

I agree that no Boom leaves a gaping hole in the Squeezebox lineup.

Sue - your idea is interesting and reminds me of the setup of some PC speakers where one speaker has the electronics and controls embedded in it and the other spaker is auxilary connected via a wire terminated with an RCA jack.

The only issue I see is that it would look exactly like what it would be - an afterthought. The display and controls would be on one side with the auxilary speaker being off to another side. The display and controls want to be in the middle. Unless maybe it was done where the "auxilary" speaker was molded so it could physically attach to the existing radio formfactor or extended out for further stereo separation. Engineering that setup might be so complicated that it would be easier to just start again from scratch.

I don't own a radio, but looking at the picture, you could imagine the speaker on the left replicated on the right and viola! you have a semetrical Boom with controls in the middle. With a photo take from head on and some phototshop skills, it would be easy to put together :-).

[MeSue]

Unless maybe it was done where the "auxilary" speaker was molded so it could physically attach to the existing radio form factor or extended out for further stereo separation.

Yeah, that is basically what I was trying to describe. It would have to be a redesigned case for the Radio 2.0, but the majority of the guts could probably be the same (says the non-engineer). But design it so it would look good whether the add-on speaker was attached or not. Some people complained the Boom didn't have stereo separation, so this could please them, and those that want it self contained could attach the speaker. New hardware, if designed properly, wouldn't have to look like an afterthought.

Dangit... now I want one!

[aubuti]

Dangit... now I want one!

Then say so in your forum sig. It worked last time!

[maggior]

Then say so in your forum sig. It worked last time!

Good idea!

Seeing how big of a seller the radio is for them (just look at amazon rank and number of reviews), I would have to imagine that a stereo radio, aka boom 2, would do just as well.

[MeSue]

Then say so in your forum sig. It worked last time!

Ah, but that was back in the Sean and Dean days... can't hurt though! I did submit it in that survey linked from the Logitech forum thread that Ikabob started.

Edit: Aubuti, thanks for digging up that old thread. Good times!

[maggior]

Yeah, that is basically what I was trying to describe. It would have to be a redesigned case for the Radio 2.0, but the majority of the guts could probably be the same (says the non-engineer). But design it so it would look good whether the add-on speaker was attached or not. Some people complained the Boom didn't have stereo separation, so this could please them, and those that want it self contained could attach the speaker. New hardware, if designed properly, wouldn't have to look like an afterthought.

Dangit... now I want one!

I was thinking that too - a design like this would take care of the stereo separation issue that some people complained about. It would look a little goofy in that configuration though. Making them both detachable would stray too far from the original design...or would it. If you go to the trouble to make one side detachable, it's probably a simple matter to make both sides as such. It an interesting problem to think about.

[kidstypike]

I don't own a radio, but looking at the picture, you could imagine the speaker on the left replicated on the right and viola! you have a semetrical Boom with controls in the middle. With a photo take from head on and some phototshop skills, it would be easy to put together :-).

I came across something very similar to what you describe in my local PC World. Sadly, they only had red ones!

[maggior]

Ah, there we go! I made a feeble attempt yesterday that didn't come out anywhere near as nice as that.

I would buy one of them - it wouldn't even need to be a touch screen!