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Pioneer AVIC-X710BT 5.8-Inch In-Dash Navigation A/V Receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)- Great all-in-one package: Touch Screen, Hands free phone, Nav System, AM/FM Radio, CD Player, and external audio/video inputs. It even allows for a rear camera if optionally installed.
- Installation: I did have this professionally installed and found only AFTER they opened up my dashboard that the Honda Civic 2000 requires a special-order double-din mounting kit. Not too expensive, but I recommend you CHECK THIS THOROUGHLY BEFORE PURCHASING... This detail is not really made clear, even if you previously had a double-din radio in your car. With the mounting kit, the unit fits and looks great.
- Hands Free Phone: Took a little while to set up with my old bluetooth device, but once it found my phone, it connects automatically every time. Sound quality is good and it allows for voice activated calls. Voice activiation works pretty well, but can have trouble rocognizing some words. Sync'ing with my phone's address book has been problematic, but newer phones probably work better than my old Palm Treo.
- AM/FM Radio: Sound is fine. Provides 24 FM Presets and 8 AM Presets. Changing the station is a bit clunky and can require several menu selections just to change from an FM to an AM station ion the Nav System.
- Navigation System: Some nice advanced features like 3-D Maps & "Smart" zoom which automatically changes the zoom level based on where you are in your route. The Nav System in my Toyota Hilander is more refined and user friendly, but the AVIX is made by engineers to have some nice bells & whistles.
Overall, a great unit and it functions well. I think its extended the useful life of my old car for another 3-5 years. I do wish that changing the radio station did not take so many key presses - it would have been nice to have a one-press feature to change the station from preset to preset even from AM to FM to CD.

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Pioneer's AVIC-X710BT is an in-dash navigation receiver with CD Player and Bluetooth. Get fast, easy-to-use in-dash navigation, talk hands-free with built-in Bluetooth, and control your iPod or iPhone directly. With a built-in SD Card slot, larger monitor and several other features, it's the next step up from the AVIC-U310BT.

Key reasons to upgrade from AVIC-U310BT:
Larger 5.8" display with higher resolution (WVGA)
12 Million POI (Points of Interest)
3D Landmarks on Map
Voice Control of Bluetooth Phone (call contact from phonebook, dial phone number)
Voice Control of iPod (Artist, Album, Genre or Playlist)
MP3, WMA, WAV, iTunes AAC playback from SD Card
MPEG4 playback from USB or SD Card
RCA Preouts x3
Compatible with iPod Video
Rear View Camera Input
Composite A/V Input

Navigation Beyond Expectation The AVIC-X series of receivers are ideal for those looking for a refined navigation experience with the latest in media and connectivity options. Out of the box, this system comes with 12 million points of interest and an extensive map database to help you find your next destination.
On the Map The easy-to-operate Pioneer Navigation system has built-in maps that put the world at your fingertips. This includes major points of interest, such as restaurants, ATMs, gas stations, entertainment venues and more. The built-in Text-to-Speech engine clearly pronounces turn-by-turn direction and street names to ensure smooth travels. The AVIC-X710BT also offers high-resolution 2D and 3D maps with renderings of nearby landmarks and terrain to help navigate the world around you.
AVIC Feeds The system's database is fully expandable with AVIC feeds, Pioneer's PC application, which lets you create custom trips and your own points of interest.
Voice Control The Z-Series offers convenient voice-activated navigation, which allows you to simply say an address or find nearby points of interest.

AVIC FEEDS for iPhone now available Unleash the power of your Pioneer navigation system with the AVIC FEEDS for iPhone application. Find a destination, then transfer it to your Pioneer navigation system for turn-by-turn routing.
Bridge the Gap Start Planning your route before you even step into your car with the free AVIC FEEDS app. Now you can seamlessly use your iPhone with your Pioneer navigation receiver. Simply find your destination with the built-in Google Maps interface and transfer it via Bluetooth for easy, turn-by-turn directions.
Picture Yourself There The AVIC FEEDS app also allows you to use the geo-tag data in your photos to be routed directly to places you've visited. The built-in GPS feature of iPhone 3G and 3GS has the ability to embed geo-tag information in the photos you take with its camera. AVIC FEEDS allows you to save destinations by reading these geo-tags. You can also use AVIC FEEDS to create destinations from geo-tagged photos that are sent to your iPhone.

Your iPod (and iPhone) Will Thank You On top of being an exceptional navigator, the AVIC-X series delivers an iPod experience that blows away FM transmitters or cassette adaptors. Even at the first glance, you will fall in love with the easy-to-use touch screen controls for your music and brilliant 5.8-inch display for your videos. Album art is also beautifully displayed.
With the optional cable (CD-IU230V) connected to your iPod, you will notice how easily you can find songs, videos, artists, or playlists with a few simple taps of your finger. The AVIC-X710BT also features voice-activated control of your iPod. Simply say the name of an artist, album, playlist, or genre to bring up the next song.

Ditch the Headset with Built-in Bluetooth Take incoming calls through the AVIC-X710BT, and be heard clearly without a headset courtesy of Bluetooth technology. Connecting your compatible phone is easy and gives you instant touch screen access to your contacts. You can also dial a contact with the sound of your voice by simply saying "Call Jack Smith."

The Freedom of Speech Your iPod audio functions and hands-free Bluetooth dialing can all be controlled with the sound of your voice. Voice-activated control over your navigation system not only performs in-car tasks with greater speed, but helps you keep your eyes (and attention) on the road ahead.

Media Mogul Built to navigate, but born to entertain, the AVIC-X710BT offers audio and video playback from the most popular formats. Whether you're listening to WAV audio files on CD, MP3 audio on SD card or iTunes AAC files on a compatible USB device, there are several playback options for your favorite media.
From Disc Play back CDs and CD-RWs, and burn discs with all your digital media, since the AVIC-U310BT also plays back MP3, WMA, AAC, and WAV files from CD.
From USB Device If you don't feel like burning CDs just throw the MP3/WMA/AAC/WAV files you want on a USB device and enjoy.

Sound Minded Just because the AVIC-X710BT features a robust navigation platform, doesn't mean it holds back on sound quality. With 3 sets of RCA pre-outs, MOSFET50 power and a 3-band parametric equalizer, you can build a massive system with massive sound.

Expanded Listening The AVIC-X710BT gives you plenty of room to expand your broadcast options. With optional tuners, experience the vast channel selection of XM Sirius Satellite Radio and HD Radio.
What's in the Box AVIC-X710BT Main Unit, Power Cord, Extension Lead, RCA Connector, GPS Antenna, Microphone, User's Manual, Installation Manual

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Sangean DDR-63 All-in-One Table Top with WiFi Internet, FM-RDS/Aux In/ CD/USB/iPod Cradle in Acoustically Designed Wooden Cabinet Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This radio is all as promised. I would order the same thing again - and may as a gift.
It took all of about 3 minutes to get it connected to my wireless (even with a non-broadcast SSID)and start playing music The menu is easy and intuitive. The sound is great, the alarms work well and are easy to set. I dig it....and no, I don't work for anyone associated with the design/construction of this radio. I don't usually give reviews - but this warrants an exception...

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DDR-63 Internet Radio/FM-RDS/AuxIn/CD/USB/SD/iPod Cradle All -in-One Tabletop Wooden Cabinet Musical System transforms your listening experience. Featuring more choices, crystal-clear sound, the new DDR-63 all-in-one musical system lets you enjoy your music the way it was meant to be heard. Made for iPods, this system allows you to listen your favorite tunes using the integrated docking station. If you get bored with the songs on your iPod, the DDR-63 has access to more than 16,000 internet stations worldwide including Pandora via Wi-Fi and Ethernet LAN connections, CD Player, USB/SD Card and FM Tuner letting you listen to your favorite recorded music and talk radio.

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Meridian Alfred Dunhill AD88 (Black) Review

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Meridian F80 (Ferrari White) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own both the F80 and the AD88. Guess I like them! Actually I love them both but they are different. The F80 is presently on sale because Ferrari did not want to renew their contract deal with Meridian and wanted their name or logo off the player. So right now the F80 is the one to get at nearly half price if you really look. I have the Ipod dock on both with an upgraded Kimber cable for the ipod dock and an upgraded power cable both available from the UK.
So what is the difference? The AD88 has a beautiful wooden cabinet with a metal structure and is better as a radio playing very close to you,on your bedside table or desk it will capture every note very tighly and is wonderful at playing beautifully even at very low volume settings. Plus you Ipod never sounded like this before. It has less dispersion than the F80 and is easier for your ear to locate in the room but it, like the F80, has adjustments for height of sound and width of sound projection so you can tailor it to your taste.It plays very delicately but with soul, precise like a lynn product while the sound is lush and beautiful.
If I had to get only one price notwithstanding, I would get the F80, it is simply the same with more dispersion , more spectular sounding, harder to tell where it is playing from and seems to play louder; it fills the room quite easily. I never regretted purchasing the F80. Do however remember that like any high end product it needs to be broken in , at least 150 hours of play and 200 is better before either one of these players will do what it is supposed to do.
How qualified am I? 30 years of owning Wilson speakers, Krell, Cello, Lynn, etc. I used to have pricey high end systems and now they are gone and I own these and I play them more and enjoy my music more, CD or Ipod. I simply will buy more of the F80 for other rooms.It took me a while to buy the first one because I kept listening to store displays with no break-in time; they do open up with time. The AD88 has two very separate speakers while the F80 sounds as if it has one speaker. If you have uneven hearing the F80 is the one to buy and is sold on Amazon.
I gave them 5 stars because I have not heard anything similar that played this well.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Meridian F80 (Ferrari White)

When you see the F80, you'll smile. When you hear it, you'll want one. The F80's design is bold and unique - its sculptured curves and deep gloss lacquered finish immediately tell you that this is something different and special. Inside the elegant cabinet lies the most advanced transportable entertainment system ever made. To design the Meridian F80, engineers with an award-winning pedigree in audio, electronics and radio were set a clear challenge: to apply their knowledge and expertise to a compact and unique design, and to create a system that offers astonishing performance. Don't let the small size deceive you - the Meridian F80's sound is big and immediately engaging. From the bedroom to the boardroom, in the kitchen or the conservatory, its unique digital active loudspeaker technology fills any room with clear and captivating sound. The Meridian F80 is a multi-talented performer, at home wherever you plug it in. It can fill a large living room party with superb quality CD sound or, when connected to a display device, play your DVDs. Equally, with a dual function alarm, it's the perfect bedside companion and can wake you in the morning with gentle chimes, a preset radio station or your favourite CD. Use it in the study as a music system or as a high performance computer speaker. Hook up your Airport Express digitally. Connect your iPod and enjoy your stored music library. Catch the news on your local FM, AM or DAB Digital radio station as you lunch in the kitchen. Take it to your holiday retreat and enjoy complete home entertainment away from home. Regardless of application, the Meridian F80 is neat, complete and everything you need. All F80 systems come complete with: Remote; Power Cord; Antenna; Owners Manual

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Onkyo HT-RC270 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I will preface this review by saying I am not a die-hard audiophile who's interested in the schematics of the circuit boards inside, and how discreet they are, and whether or not they use premium toroidal coils and all that other stuff. I merely like watching blu-ray movies, playing hi-def video games, listening to music, and making the whole experience sound good. So with that in mind if you're looking for an in-depth analysis of the output of this unit using reference loudspeakers that each sell for the price of a baby grand piano, you might want to search for a different review. ;)
It took a while for me to write this review. Mainly because this is one seriously complex piece of equipment. It's got more connections, more buttons, and more overhead with regards to setup than my home computer network. Don't let this scare you away though, it is an absolutely outstanding receiver. I'll try to relay the experience I've had with it so hopefully you can get some value from reading my wall of text review.
My setup:
I'm not using any spectacular speakers for this. I've got a somewhat hodge-podge of KLH for surround speakers, Panasonic for the rear channels, and a large sub I've had for years and don't recall the brand (it's a 10" sub though.) My main interest was putting together a system that would sound immersive, and not necessarily give a crystal-clear reproduction of the source material (again - not an audiophile, just your average listener.) This is why I didn't bother spending thousands on speakers, and chose to use what I had from my old 5.1 system. The receiver is paired with a Samsung 48" LED LCD TV. For Blu-ray and games I've got a PS3, as well as an Xbox 360, a PS2, and a Nintendo Wii. For cable I have a Comcast HD DVR. The TV, PS3, Xbox 360, and HD DVR are all hooked up with HDMI cables. The Nintendo is using RGB RCA connectors.
Ok with that out of the way, I'll move on to what I went through after unboxing this thing.
Initial setup:
Connections -
This is where the confusion starts. It's a 7.2 receiver, but it's has *more* than 7 channels that can be hooked up to it. However it can only output 7 channels at a time, and this is why it's labeled as 7.2. I believe the ".2" stems from the fact that it's got dual sub channel outputs, for people who think one subwoofer is not enough. Looking at the connections this thing has is intimidating. It's got an unbelievable amount. HDMI, component, S-video, composite, USB, 11 connectors for speakers (YES - ELEVEN!), subwoofer connections, low level audio outputs, antenna connectors, coaxial connectors, serial port connector, optical connectors, a CAT-5 cable input to hook the thing up to the internet/world wide web, and other connections that I don't even know what their purpose is. WHEW!
Tackling the manual clears some of these things up, to a degree. When you're making your connections you will notice that inputs are grouped according to their suggested purpose. An example is the Cable/Satellite section. It has an HDMI input, component video inputs, an S-Video input, composite video input, coaxial audio input, and two RCA inputs for audio (left/right). Not all groups have this many, and some have different options such as "Game" - it has an optical audio connection. This is for flexibility. You'll want to use the best inputs your device supports to get the best results, of course. It would be silly to have a nice DVD player with component output and optical audio and hook it into the receiver using composite and RCA audio connections. So with that in mind, stick to the best outputs on your devices, and you'll have to play around with what makes the most sense with your gear. I would highly recommend putting this all down on paper before you start plugging everything in, otherwise you'll wind up going back and shuffling things about when you find out what you were doing won't work.
The way the unit chooses which input to use is through the on-screen display in the setup menu. Inside of it you can decide which group uses which input. The caveat is you cannot do something like hook in a blu-ray player to the Game group's HDMI input, then use an Xbox 360 component output on the Game group's component input. One input per group. This is why planning ahead is important to avoid this mess. Hopefully this clears up a bit about hooking devices up. I don't want to go into more detail, because if I did this review would be more massive than it already is going to be!
MY RECOMMENDATION FOR SPEAKER LAYOUT: This is COMPLETELY subjective. You may find that your preferences differ. My goal was immersion when watching movies or playing games. You're "limited" to having 7 surround speakers active at a time. The receiver supports some very funky layouts and surround-sound encoding. The speaker positions it supports are: center channel, left and right, WIDE left and right, HEIGHT left and right, surround left and right, and rear channel (either rear left and right, or just a single rear speaker.) If you have a huge room and the money, there's nothing stopping you from hooking up every single output to speakers. Just remember - the system will only drive 7 powered channels at a time. The channels that are driven are decided by either you, or the source material you're playing. Since I don't have tons of money or a huge room to hook up all the speakers, AND from experience I've whittled down my speaker position preferences: I went with center channel, left/right, surround left/right, and rear left/right. This (in my opinion) offers the best experience and most immersion. When you play back media which supports 7.1, it sounds AMAZING. Stuff moves behind you. To your sides. And in front from left to right. You can literally hear things flying in a circle around you. I tried out the height position just to see what it sounded like... wasn't even really noticeable at all, and a complete waste. I have not tried out the wide left/right as my room doesn't have the space to support it.
On-screen menus -
I will touch on these lightly as there are simply too many menus, sub-menus, and sub-sub-menus. The most important ones are setting up the speakers, mapping inputs, and setting up the surround modes for each source. Start by setting up your speakers by going into the Speaker Setup/Speaker Configuration menu. Step through each speaker pairing and choose a frequency to cut off at, or set the pair to OFF if you don't have speakers in that position. Next go to the Input/Output Assign menu and step through each source you have and select the input it uses (this is where you choose, for example, if your game console uses the HDMI input or the component input, etc., depending on which input you plugged it into) Last you will want to set the Listening Mode Preset for each source. The last step can be confusing since there is a myriad of choices to choose from. I've typically found that for sources which can output different surround modes that selecting DIRECT for all modes is the best except for 2 channel signals - then it's up to your preference on what listening mode to choose. "Direct" allows the source material to select the surround mode to use, so you hear media the way it was meant to be heard. If you force a surround sound mode, the receiver does some fancy processing of its own to simulate the chosen surround sound mode, which will not be the way it was recorded. For sources that do not have multiple surround modes (for instance a VCR), it's up to your set up and listening preferences as to the surround mode you choose (my preference based on my set up is PLIIx THX Cinema for almost all sources that don't have the ability to play back in a surround mode.) I'd go through all of them while listening to your source material, and make your selection based on what you think sounds the best.
There are some other items, such as choosing how far apart your speakers are, and naming your inputs more accurately, but again trying to keep this review as minimal as possible here (too late!)
USE:
The remote. Lots of choices, and some odd groupings. There are two different groupings with regard to your sources. One group selects the input you wish the receiver to play from (Cab/Sat, Game, etc.) and the other chooses the mode the remote is in (TV, Receiver, etc.) The latter is so the remote can control the device. You can press TV for instance, and if you have a TV that can be controlled via the Onkyo remote, then you're in luck and can operate most of the TV via this one remote. The remote could be laid out better. Given how complex the receiver is, it's not too surprising the remote is so cluttered.
The cool factor. Look, you can hook the thing up to the web. Why would you want to do that? Because it supports streaming audio over the web, that's why! Whether you set it up to stream from your Windows PC, or directly off the web with Pandora/Sirius/V-Tuner, it's worth it. I have some very strange taste in music, and when I went on the web with the receiver using V-Tuner (which is free with your Onkyo by the way) I found dozens of obscure stations that played back exactly what I like. If *I* can find music on there that I like, I almost guarantee you that you'll have no problems finding hundreds of stations to listen to. It's simply awesome.
On screen display. For menus it's very nice to have them displayed on your HDTV instead of the tiny LED screen on the Onkyo. Makes menu options much easier to scroll through and select.
Video. Setting up the video can be confusing, especially when it comes to mixing HD 16:9 sources with standard 4:3 sources. All the different stretching and zooming modes to squish or pull a 4:3 source so it looks good on a 16:9 wide screen HDTV is a pain. I don't...Read more›

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If you're ready to take your first step into the world of networked home entertainment, let the HT-RC270 be your guide. This versatile A/V receiver sports a handy Ethernet connection that lets you enjoy streaming PC audio and internet radio in the comfort of your living room. When it comes to connectivity, the HT-RC270 handles virtually anything you throw its way. You get six 3D-ready HDMI 1.4a inputs (one on the front-side); 7.1-channel analog audio inputs for legacy components; analog RGB inputs for PC video; a Universal port for Onkyo peripherals; and a front-side USB input for Pod models and flash memory devices. Onkyo has a well-earned reputation for bringing advanced audio features to a wider audience. In the case of the high-value HT-RC270, that means low-jitter Burr-Brown DACs; lossless HD audio from DTS and Dolby; Audyssey MultEQ room-correction; and the expanded surround dimensions of Audyssey DSX and Dolby Pro Logic IIz. All of this connectivity and processing power earns the HT-RC270 the quality assurance of THX Select2 Plus.

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Pioneer AVIC-Z130BT 7" In-Dash Navigation AV Receiver with iPod/iPhone Control, Bluetooth, Pandora Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the first In Dash double din GPS head unit that I have installed. My first impression is that it works well.
I got the optional Ipod cable (Pioneer CD-IU51V) and it connects to my phone (iPhone 3GS) right away every time. I know others have tried to connect with the provided cable and will see connection problems I have seen none with the extra cable.
Pandora and Aha Radio works great. This is my favorite feature. Thumbs up / down, skip songs from the head unit.
The GPS system seems fast and even finds my house which others in the past haven't. I have had several portable (stand alone) GPS units from Garmin and in my opinion Garmin is the best. This unit works well enough for what I need it to do though.
I installed the back-up camera (Pioneer ND-BC4) to this unit and it works very well. I was impressed with the image quality (see picture in image gallery).
The EQ settings are numerous and have allowed me to dial in an excellent sound quality even with the factory speakers.
The voice recognition seems to work OK. I have never found any that seem to work flawlessly OEM or aftermarket.
Ipod controls work well, Album art loads quickly and you can control in easily.
Built in HD tuner seems to work well.
Antenna booster works well.
CD/DVD playback works quickly. I have had no issues with the DVD playback or MP3 CD's I have used.
The Bluetooth connection seems fast and has worked every time for me. Incoming calls (auto mute) works well.
Phone contact transfer worked first try.
The supplied microphone works well and the cable length is great even for longer runs. I ran mine up the A-pillar to the mirror and still had about 3 extra feet of cable.
I'm not sure where the 2 star ratings are coming from but every aftermarket unit will have it pluses and minuses. I did a great deal of research before buying and I am very happy with my purchase.

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Pioneer's flagship navigation receiver, the double-DIN AVIC-Z130BT features built-in navigation with maps of the US, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Get there fast with spoken street names, lane guidance, and a wealth of GPS features, and stay in touch on the way with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling. The motorized 7-inch WVGA touchscreen display is great for GPS and for navigating your entertainment, whether it's DVDs or CDs, your digital media from USB drives or microSD cards, or content from your iPhone. Speaking of iPhones, the AVIC-Z130BT features enhanced integration with Pandora and Aha Radio apps, along with GPS features through the free AVIC FEEDS app.
Pioneer's in-dash navigation systems allow drivers to stay connected to social networks, local searches and traffic services while keeping their focus on the road.

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Logitech Squeezebox Touch Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased my Squeezebox Touch directly from Logitech, and have enjoyed it enough over the first few days of ownership to write a quick review.
To understand where I'm coming from, it may help to know I enjoy classical music, especially when its reproduced by a traditional stereo system with high quality discrete components. I own a British designed and built integrated amplifier and some tall floor-standing speakers from a Canadian manufacturer. Sound quality matters a whole lot to my enjoyment of music, and that shows in the care with which I select the components in my audio system.
I have owned a number of Logitech's previous Squeezebox WiFi streamers, including the Squeezebox Classic and some Duet receivers, so I am not new to the Squeezebox ecosystem. I keep my music collection as a large library of FLAC-encoded files, so as to avoid any potential losses due to codec compression artifacts.
On receiving my new Squeezebox Touch, I swapped out an existing "Slimdevices" branded classic Squeezebox in my main HiFi system for the new device. The Squeezebox Touch first discovered MySqueezebox.com as its source of music and asked me to provide login credentials, which caused it to upgrade its firmware from that site. After that, it rebooted and was able to connect to my local Squeezebox Server that I have running to serve music around the house. After that, I was able to browse my music collection and navigate to internet radio stations either using the touch interface or by using the supplied remote control.
I noticed that the interface automatically uses bigger fonts if you are controlling it from the IR remote and smaller ones if it finds you are controlling it via the touchscreen, which obviously makes sense when you are within an arm's length of the display.
As a first test, I played back a 96kHz, 24-bit high resolution copy of Marianne Thorsen on violin with the TrondheimSolistene playing Mozart's D-major Violin Concerto. At first I played the tracks via a Benchmark DAC1, which is a studio-quality monitoring DAC for use by mixing engineers. The sound was detailed, rich with a deep stereo image and musically involving. Next, I removed the Benchmark DAC from the signal path and tried again. Once again the sound was clearly better than a CD could provide and very close to that rendered through the Benchmark DAC. There has clearly been an improvement to the quality of the analog stereo outputs compared to previous Squeezebox versions, which was already pretty good.
I then went on to listen to Emanuel Ax, Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma playing some Mendelssohn Piano Trios. This recording was "only" in 16-bit/44.1kHz CD quality audio, nevertheless I was soon captivated by the musicality of the performance, and could find no significant short comings of the quality as rendered by the built-in DACs compared to the external, studio quality Benchmark DAC1.
Someone starting to use this system without prior experience of Squeezebox Servers or software might face something of a learning curve to begin with. I can't speak to that, but I appreciate that I was able to drop this new device into an existing system and, within a few minutes, start to enjoy some very high quality reproduction of my music library.
The advantages over the previous Squeezebox Classic are:
* Color, touch-controlled user interface and display
* Ability to play back high resolution music without loss of quality
* Excellent audio quality from the analog outputs; significantly better than previous versions.
Another possible advantage is to use the Squeezebox Touch as a music server as well as a client, by attaching a USB hard drive to the supplied USB port. I have not tested this functionality, so I can't comment on how well it works. This review was mainly focussed on sound quality.
Based on my short experience, I recommend this device highly. I think it is a worthy successor to the Squeezebox Classic, as it provides significantly more in terms user interface and sound quality for the same retail price as the older player.

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Logitech Squeezebox Touch. The color touch-screen Wi-Fi music player that lets you discover a world of music—all through your stereo.

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Logitech Squeezebox Boom All-in-One Network Music Player / Wi-Fi Internet Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a radio nut (going back to the tube days)and the Squeezebox Boom is my third internet radio. I have a Roku Soundbridge R1000 and Sangean WFR-20 as well. All have their strengths, but the Squeezebox Boom is without a doubt a significant step up; it sets a new high standard in performance, capabilities, and ease of operation.
For wireless streaming of your music collection from a PC or Mac, the Boom is best. It can handle more formats (nearly anything except DRM protected iTunes files) and works well without crashes or delays. In this the Roku is #2, and the Sangean ranks 3rd(crashes and stutters a lot).
For internet radio, they all work well. The Sangean is the only one that natively handles RealAudio Streams (like BBC) but has problems with clear channel stations. All of them pick up the stations I want without problems, so I rate this a tie.
If you want to interface with online music services like Rhapsody/Pandora/ MP3Locker etc, the Boom works great, with far more capacity than the other two. The Slimdevices/Squeezebox folks also update and improve their software far more frequently than the other two, so I expect it to remain in the lead in features and available services.
In sound quality, the Roku and Boom are both outstanding, with the Sangean good, but clearly a step lower. The Roku's subwoofer seems to go a bit deeper in my room, but the Boom is perhaps a bit more smooth and musical. The Boom uses the same woofers and tweeters as the highly rated Logitech Z-10, but with better bass (because of a larger cabinet and new amp/equalizer circuitry). They both sound absolutely great and play quite loud.
Ease of initial setup: If you are starting from scratch, I think the Sangean is the easiest to set up, if you do NOT want to stream audio from your PC...that is a real hassle. Both the Boom and Roku require a bit more work.
Ease of Use AFTER set up: Boom is best BY FAR. Not only do the menus make real sense, but the illuminated controls make it the only radio you can use easily without turning on the lights. The big control knob and back lit function buttons get you through all of the functions fast.
As a Clock Radio, the Boom has more options than the others, and the display has a huge adjustment range so it will not disturb light sleepers.
All of these radios are a lot of fun. The Boom does most, and does it best.

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Logitech Squeezebox Boom all-in-one network music player with integrated speakers. Plug it in. Turn it on. Rock the house! The all-in-one network music player that combines award-winning squeezebox functionality with an integrated amplifier and speakers to deliver your digital music to any room in your home. Enjoy the music and content you love, with crystal clear sound.

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