The Only Non-Portable Music Player You'll Ever Need: Squeezebox Boom
We’ve got a few days of audio equipment reviews lined up, but we’re racing out of the gate strong- the Squeezebox Boom is one of the best pieces of equipment that we’ve had the chance to test. We raved about the original Squeezebox four years ago, technically the second-generation networked music player from Slim Devices, but before the company was bought by Logitech. Since then, they’ve released a few new versions of the hardware, and multiple upgrades to the software, and each successive release only improved upon a pretty great design.
With the Squeezebox Boom, it’s hard to think of what we’d fix. In our review from 2005, we talked about the remote being a bit lacking, and we’d kind of have to maintain our objections- which is odd, considering that Logitech makes some great remote controls. Our only trouble was that function of the primary knob wasn’t always clear- sometimes it served as a volume control, sometimes not. And setup was a bit annoying- you’ll need to create an account and such, rather than simply plug it in and ago.
So, that’s the bad news. The good news- it will handle pretty much any audio file you throw at it (except for DRM iTunes files), and will play them back anywhere with a wireless connection. WMA, MP3 and AAC, sure, but add AIFF, OGG, WMA Lossless, WAV, FLAC and Apple Lossless- with no pauses or skips, fast buffering, and over any 802.11b/g wireless network or a wired ethernet connection. It also serves as an unflappable internet radio player, with a variety of built-in, easily accessible streams at hand, and access to an array of services that you should definitely try. Last.FM and Pandora alone render your own music library often unnecessary, playing new, interesting, randomized music based on your tastes and preferences.
This model does lack the SPDIF/optical audio from other models- but gains built-in speakers, a natural evolution for the Squeezebox. Even better, it’s clear that the designers of the Boom took their time getting the speakers right- sound is balanced, with remarkable bass for a unit so small, and clear, vibrant tones. We tried a variety of music- hymns, African chants, hip-hop, live classical concerts- and were happily surprised. Volume was also impressive, with little distortion, and able to put out a fair bit of sound, enough for even decent-sized rooms.
There’s much more to say- the network bridge capability that just works, open source software development, decent alarm system, large and bright screen that auto-dims depending on conditions, the magnetic back on the remote so that you can stick it on your fridge or whatever… But we wanted to point out that, despite the boombox size, this is not a portable unit. Maybe the next version will include rechargeable batteries so we can take it on the road, but for now, you’ll need an outlet.
You’ll also have to put down your iPod or iPhone. We know, it was hard for us too. In a perfect world, you’d be able to sync it through the Squeezebox, or, at the very least, dock it. No dice- though the Boom does offer a Line In, and there is now an app called iPeng that allows you to use the iPhone or iPod touch as a remote (solving two issues at once). If you like music, and have a kitchen or bedroom that is not already audioed up, get a Squeezebox Boom. $275, widely available online and in stores.
