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Author Topic: options for commercial music service / player?  (Read 7398 times)

Robert Lawson

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options for commercial music service / player?
« on: September 29, 2016, 05:05:33 PM »

I'm helping a friend set up a system in a new brewery tasting room.  I understand we need to use a commercial/business music service (vs. pandora, spotify, etc. for personal use).  I'd like to keep the sound quality as good as it can be.  I'd like to feed the streaming music into a Rane RPM 88 DSP box that has a AES3 digital input.  I've used this before by taking a coaxial digital output from a CD player, and then through a Canare 75ohm/110ohm transformer to get the signal converted up to AES3 levels.

I'm finding most of these commercial music services use some low-cost boxes that do not offer a digital output.  Generally they have RCA analog outputs, or 3.5mm headphone jack outputs.  Pandora/MoodMix is in this club.  Umix media is as well, plus that's only mono.  Details are generally a bit sparse with all these services, as they seem to be geared towards a less audio-tech savvy crowd. 

So far, Rockbot appears to be my best option.  I could use that with a Sonos Connect which has a coax digital output. 

So what are other people using for commercial music services when sound quality really matters?  I'm interested in both the music service and the hardware.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks!

- Robert

 
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Christine.Ock

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2016, 03:15:24 PM »

Hi Robert,

I work at Rockbot and would love to answer the questions you have. We offer both a digital output as well as the option to use the 3.5 mm jack. You can use Rockbot with your Sonos Connect as well, like you said. Let's chat more about audio quality and other commercial music options in our space. Feel free to email me at [email protected] .
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Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2016, 03:37:18 PM »

I understand that you want to "keep the sound quality as good as it can be" but understand that (and somebody else can correct me if I'm wrong) as good as it can be is probably on par with .mp3. So digital outputs would be a waste of money unless they were provided just to facilitate the interface with other equipment.

I would also further say that quality any better than that and indeed stereo in a retail foreground or background music system is a waste.


-Hal
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Alex Donkle

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2016, 06:27:20 AM »

Late reply on this thread, but in case you're still looking...

A lot of the current digital music subscription services run on PC programs, so if you want digital output can just just buy a USB interface with AES outputs, or install something like Dante Virtual Soundcard to run audio directly onto your network and into the DSP.

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BenGibbs

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2017, 07:32:47 AM »

I'd like to post a related question on this thread, as it seemed the most relevant:

What hardware are people using or recommending to get Spotify into a BGM system? PC/mac running the Spotify player? A media player like an AV receiver? Some form of Bluetooth/wifi gateway like the Apple Airport Express?

Thanks for your time.
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Jean-Pierre Coetzee

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2017, 10:05:37 AM »

I believe that was exactly what this thread was about, for the OP question I believe he probably went with the rockbot.
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Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2017, 10:15:52 AM »

I don't believe Spotify can be had as a commercial service hence it cannot be used in any kind of business. A music service that can legally be used in a business will have receiver or player options available to connect to a sound system.

Last time I spoke with Rockbot (which IS a commercial service) they were using a digital signage player which is inexpensive and fine for the use. You can use the audio out alone and I believe the video out can be used to feed a display if desired that shows the selection being played, the album cover, etc. You control your service from anywhere via PC or internet enabled mobil device by logging into your account.

-Hal
« Last Edit: May 19, 2017, 10:22:47 AM by Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC »
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Craig Hauber

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2017, 01:30:55 PM »

I understand that you want to "keep the sound quality as good as it can be" but understand that (and somebody else can correct me if I'm wrong) as good as it can be is probably on par with .mp3. So digital outputs would be a waste of money unless they were provided just to facilitate the interface with other equipment.

I would also further say that quality any better than that and indeed stereo in a retail foreground or background music system is a waste.


-Hal

I was trying once to fix a friend's digital "internet jukebox" at his bar because everything sounded so flat and rolled-off coming out of it. 
Internally it was just a windows box on commodity hardware that the sound card in it actually had an sp/dif output (the jukebox internal amplifier was fed just using the 1/8" analog output).
I piped that sp/dif straight into the house DSP (dbx zonepro) and discovered it sounded exactly the same.  Apparently the digital jukebox service was sending such crap MP3's that all the digital output revealed was just more compression artifacts!
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Craig Hauber
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Craig Hauber

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2017, 01:36:57 PM »

I don't believe Spotify can be had as a commercial service hence it cannot be used in any kind of business. A music service that can legally be used in a business will have receiver or player options available to connect to a sound system.

Last time I spoke with Rockbot (which IS a commercial service) they were using a digital signage player which is inexpensive and fine for the use. You can use the audio out alone and I believe the video out can be used to feed a display if desired that shows the selection being played, the album cover, etc. You control your service from anywhere via PC or internet enabled mobil device by logging into your account.

-Hal
"Spotify for Business" exists -but only in the "Nordic countries" -the site says
Everywhere else it's apparently called Soundtrack for Business but it's the same thing.
https://www.soundtrackyourbrand.com/soundtrack-business
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Craig Hauber
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Jay Barracato

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Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2017, 01:40:21 PM »

I was trying once to fix a friend's digital "internet jukebox" at his bar because everything sounded so flat and rolled-off coming out of it. 
Internally it was just a windows box on commodity hardware that the sound card in it actually had an sp/dif output (the jukebox internal amplifier was fed just using the 1/8" analog output).
I piped that sp/dif straight into the house DSP (dbx zonepro) and discovered it sounded exactly the same.  Apparently the digital jukebox service was sending such crap MP3's that all the digital output revealed was just more compression artifacts!
On anything pop or hip-hop, the one in my club needs a high pass, an additional low end roll-off, a boost in the vocal range, and a roll-off of the high end hiss just to tell there are vocals included in the track. In other words undo the smiley eq.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

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Jay Barracato

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: options for commercial music service / player?
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2017, 01:40:21 PM »


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