A few weeks ago Slim Devices (now part of Logitech) released their latest network audio player, the Squeezebox Boom. In a departure from previous designs this model includes a built in amplifier and speakers, making it a great portable music source. Anyone who knows me probably knows of my Squeezebox obsession, and I’ve been testing this new one for a few months now.
The design is clearly aimed for three situations – the kitchen, the bedroom and outdoor use. The Squeezebox functionality works very much like the previous models (excellently) and as usual there are lots of neat design details such as a magnet in the remote so it will stick to the fridge door.
Sound quality is, for a device this size, amazing. Forget the Bose Waveradio, the custom DSP processing in Boom manages to squeeze exceptionally flat response over the full frequency range – and for times when you want a little more boom, there’s a connector to add a subwoofer.
From a portable point of view I’ve taken to running it outside during cookouts, synced to the indoor system so the music sounds great everywhere. Being able to plug in one power cord and having access to all your ripped CDs, radio and online services such as Pandora and Rhapsody is great – even in a house with as many Squeezeboxes as mine!