Streaming Music

[Waboman]

I'd like to set up some form of wireless music streaming. One hurdle I face is I don't get a good wireless signal in my room. When connecting my iPhone via my wireless router, the signal is pretty week or I lose the connection altogether.

I've been thinking about adding one of these: Airport Express, Extreme or Apple TV. What's the difference between these Apple products?

Is there any way I can stream from my iPhone directly to one of those products?

Thanks.

[jdandy]

Jeff.......I would suggest you purchase the Sonos BR100 Zone Bridge, and connect it via a ethernet cable to your router. It will transmit a proprietary wireless signal throughout your house. Also purchase a Sonos ZP90 Zone Player, and connect it to one of your digital inputs on the MCD500. Download the free Sonos controller software for your iPhone from the Apple Store, and you will be in business. The Sonos wireless streaming system offers a number of different products to allow streaming internet audio all over your house. Take a look at Sonos here: Sonos - How it Works

[two dot]

Another recommendation for Sonos.

It will change the way you listen to music.

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

[Waboman]

I just checked out the Sonos website. It looks like it's simply a wireless router. How does the Sonos differ from the wireless router I use now? I've heard nothing but positive things about Sonos. But I guess I still don't get it.

On their website they list packages starting at $999. Do I need a bundled Sonos package? How does that compare with the BR100 Zone Bridge and ZP90 Zone Player? Sorry for the dumb questions, I've always resisted streaming audio, and now I find I'm interested in it. Go figure.

[jdandy]

Jeff.......The Sonos Bridge uses WiFi to transmit to zone players that are located in places in your home without access to a hard wire connection to your router. The WiFi is proprietary, meaning it is specially tuned to work only with the Sonos system, and is higher powered than your typical wireless G router. It is called the SonosNet 2.0, their latest wireless mesh network technology that provides double the wireless range for whole-house coverage, ensures synchronous music playback, and avoids sources of wireless interference.

If you can locate a ZP 90 where it can be ethernet cable connected to your router you will not need the Sonos Bridge. The ZP 90 will transmit to other zone players if they are added. If you can get an ethernet hard wire from your router to one ZP 90 near your audio system, and run a toslink or digital coaxial cable to the MCD500, that would be all you need to get up and running. Actually, the Sonos ZP 90 doesn't have to be run through an external DAC because it has its own with analog left and right channel outputs. I just prefer to use the DACs in the MCD500.

My Sonos set up consists of three zone players. I have one ZP 90 next to my audio rack in the living room. I ran a 100' ethernet cable into the wall behind my stereo rack in the living room, up and across the attic, down another wall in my office, and connected it to my router, which is connected to my DSL modem. I installed a toslink glass fiber optic cable (Wireworld Super Nova) from the ZP 90 to the MCD500. I had to use fiber optic cable because my other digital input on the MCD500 in the main system is coaxial, and is used by my MS750 music server.

I have a second ZP 90 installed in my studio connected wirelessly to the ZP 90 upstairs. This ZP 90 is feeding a digital coax input on the MCD500 in the studio tube system.

I have a third Sonos zone player, the ZP 120, which is an amplified, wireless, compact, state-of-the-art digital amplifier. It is 2 x 55 watts, and drives speakers connected to the terminals on the back side. It connects wirelessly to the ZP 90 upstairs. I have outside speakers that are wired to the ZP 120 that is located in my studio.

All three zones can play music independent of any other zone, or linked to play the same music. I can control the Sonos system, and all zone players from three different computers, using the Sonos desktop software, plus I can control all zones from my iPod Touch, and from the Sonos CR100 color screen controller I have in the studio.

I can stream music for free from LastFM, Pandora, and other sites, but prefer to use my subscription service with Rhapsody because of their higher bit rate stream. Routing the digital output from the Sonos ZP 90's through the MCD500 DACs produces a very enjoyable listening experience. It allows access to more music than you will have time to spend listening. The Sonos system is super. I have to thank David and Alberto for prodding me into digital streaming. I went, kicking and screaming all the way until I heard it through the Sonos.

[Sproink]

Yes, I stream from an Airport Express to both an Apple MacBook Pro as well as my iPhone. Under the right circumstances, one can stream from the Edge or 3G network too.

Please note, however, that I prefer a direct wired source.

[Still-One]

You have the option to do both. Upgrade your router to the Apple Airport extreme. It is a great wireless router, super range. Also if you go with the SonoS package you can hook their wireless bridge to the Extreme with a short cord then access your music via the SonoS anywhere in the house.

[Waboman]

First off let me say thanks to everyone for their help. Like I said, I've resisted streaming for so long, now that I'm interested in it, I feel left behind.

FWIW, I use the D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router. Would the Apple Extreme be a better choice?

If I understand correctly, I connect the BR100 Zone Bridge to my router (running an ethernet cable just isn't feasible) and the ZP90 to my MCD500. My concern is the wifi connection. I'm assuming the Bridge will greatly extend the range.

Also, can I stream all the songs on my harddrive and itunes using the Sonos? Are there benefits over the Sonos vs. the Apple Extreme or Apple TV?

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by Waboman

First off let me say thanks to everyone for their help. Like I said, I've resisted streaming for so long, now that I'm interested in it, I feel left behind.

FWIW, I use the D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router. Would the Apple Extreme be a better choice?

If I understand correctly, I connect the BR100 Zone Bridge to my router (running an ethernet cable just isn't feasible) and the ZP90 to my MCD500. My concern is the wifi connection. I'm assuming the Bridge will greatly extend the range.

Also, can I stream all the songs on my harddrive and itunes using the Sonos? Are there benefits over the Sonos vs. the Apple Extreme or Apple TV?

This is how I have mine set up.
My Airport Extreme is in a closet on the main floor of my home. All Laptops on my house connect wirelessly easily even on my deck. I connected the SonoS Wireless bridge to the the Airport Extreme with a 1 foot ethernet cable and placed it in the same closet.

My 2- channel set-up is in my lower level. I hooked up one the SonoS ZonePlayer's via optical cable to my MCD-500 to benefit from that players DAC's.

My MS-300 is connected by a 18inch ether net cable to a Airport Express sits in my 2- channel room and connects my MS-300 wirelessly to the internet to access GraceNote.

I connected another ZonePlayer to my whole house system in the upper level just using the analog outs.

So in effect I have virtually no ethernet cabling in my home yet everything is connected to the network.

With this set-up what do I get wirelessly?
1) In the two channel room I can get to the internet to find new music on Rhapsody, Pandora or internet radio. (I seldom use the latter)
2) My whole house system via SonoS can play any of the music on my MS-300 or the Rhapsody or Pandora music noted above.
3) I could add the music located in my iTunes Library on my laptops if I wanted, but I prefer the music on the MS-300.

Let me know if this is not clear.
Jim

[Waboman]

Jim, are you droppin' a line from Singapore?

It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. But I'm starting to "get it."

One quick question, if I ripped CDs in say, Windows lossless, will the Sonos stream the songs that way?

Ok, now I should probably contact Ivan. He's a Sonos dealer, right? I tell you what, I've spent more money since AA came online. I need to either seek counseling or unplug from the internet.