upstatemike
Senior Member
I'm looking to replace my Sonos system and am wondering what the 2018 thinking is for alternatives. I'm not really looking for a Sonos clone but rather something that works well with Home Automation while doing a better job of managing my local music library. I am thinking about LMS plus a Russound or HTD setup. I still have several Squeezebox 3 players to connect to source inputs on a multi-channel amp so this seems the most cost effective route but open to any other options I might not have thought of.
My main requirements are:
- Probably only need 6 to 8 zones. My Sonos system is much larger but experience has shown that there are only about 6-8 locations that I need to have linked together to play in sync.
-Currently using Homeseer so I need to ensure plugins exist for whatever I choose. Flexibility to work with CQC and other platforms in the future would be a bonus.
-Must have a good way to manage local music library and playlists. After spending the past 2 years messing with streaming music services I still can only get about 40% of the songs (or versions of songs) I want to listen to that way and have come to have zero trust that any song I am enjoying will be available on a given streaming service (or any streaming service) tomorrow. I just want to collect and curate my own music library and not be subject to external forces screwing with my music.
-Must have good hard button control options that the whole family can use. I don't need fancy in-wall controllers but might use a couple keypads in table stands and some small remotes for volume, pause, and mute in each room.
-Must have a web controller for configuration and operation from my desk PC. I also want to use a keyboard and mouse to manage my music library and playlists. Not comfortable doing extensive edits using touch screen devices.
-Alexa integration would be a plus. I can achieve most transport functions using the integration to Homeseer but voice access to songs, albums, and artists in my local music library would be nice since the family is used to doing that for casual listening from Amazon Music through Echos.
My main requirements are:
- Probably only need 6 to 8 zones. My Sonos system is much larger but experience has shown that there are only about 6-8 locations that I need to have linked together to play in sync.
-Currently using Homeseer so I need to ensure plugins exist for whatever I choose. Flexibility to work with CQC and other platforms in the future would be a bonus.
-Must have a good way to manage local music library and playlists. After spending the past 2 years messing with streaming music services I still can only get about 40% of the songs (or versions of songs) I want to listen to that way and have come to have zero trust that any song I am enjoying will be available on a given streaming service (or any streaming service) tomorrow. I just want to collect and curate my own music library and not be subject to external forces screwing with my music.
-Must have good hard button control options that the whole family can use. I don't need fancy in-wall controllers but might use a couple keypads in table stands and some small remotes for volume, pause, and mute in each room.
-Must have a web controller for configuration and operation from my desk PC. I also want to use a keyboard and mouse to manage my music library and playlists. Not comfortable doing extensive edits using touch screen devices.
-Alexa integration would be a plus. I can achieve most transport functions using the integration to Homeseer but voice access to songs, albums, and artists in my local music library would be nice since the family is used to doing that for casual listening from Amazon Music through Echos.