Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Logitech Squeezebox Duet: A Powerful But Quirky Network Audio Player
Posted by Jason Dunn in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:00 AM
Product Category: Wireless streaming audio player
Manufacturer: Logitech
Where to Buy: Amazon.com [Affiliate]
Price: $333.99 USD
System Requirements: 802.11b/g network or hard-wired Ethernet, and a computer (Windows or Mac OS X) to host the Squeebox software.
Specifications: Available at the Logitech Web site.
Pros:
- Powerful audio streaming system capable of many tasks;
- Attractive design, small shelf footprint with multiple audio outputs;
- Excellent audio quality.
Cons:
- Expensive;
- Total reliance on WiFi makes for a bumpy experience;
- Incompatible with some (most?) 802.11n routers;
- Complex setup and overall operation make it for experienced users only.
Summary: The Logitech Squeezebox Duet is a potent combo that makes for a powerful home audio solution for music, podcasts, streaming radio, and more. Unfortunately, because it's such a complex product, it's not overly user friendly. In the many months I've been using it, I've felt like I've had to fix problems with it every other week. It's more like a computer and less like an appliance, with all the dubious reliability implications that statement implies. Still, it has great potential and when it works, it works really well. Read more...
