Logitech Squeezebox Duet in Network media streamers

Proven quality

All the strengths of previous Squeezebox devices still hold true. File format support is superb: it played every track from our rather esoteric test library, which spans a broad mixture of file types, from MP3 and WMA through AAC to the open source FLAC and Ogg formats. Sound quality is equally superb. Music is reproduced cleanly and clearly, though it lacks the ultimate sparkle and punch of similarly priced traditional hi-fi separates. The Receiver module, as with the Squeezbox 3 before it, is capable of acting as a wireless bridge, so other, non-wireless networkable AV components can benefit from the convenience of a wireless connection.

The final feather in the Duet's cap is its extendibility through plugins, and its seamless integration with services such as Rhapsody and MP3tunes Music Locker. Rhapsody is a subscription service that lets you play what seems like any tune on the face of the planet for a cost of around £6.50 a month. MP3tunes Music Locker is a service you can upload your tunes to and then access on the Squeezebox without having to turn your PC or NAS box on at all. Internet radio is available too, with thousands of stations to choose from.

There are only two criticisms we could possibly level at the Squeezbox Duet. The first is that it's not UPnP compatible - which restricts you to SqueezeCenter as a media server. And the second is that it's pricey at £237. But when you consider that the Sonos Digital Music System's controller alone costs the same, we don't think it's too much to ask. If only the engineers who built it could be persuaded to do the same for video streaming...

Author: Jonathan Bray