Over the past couple of decades, the home audio market has experienced a dramatic change with the rebirth of vinyl, the lessening role of the CD format, downloaded content peaking and now minimized, and the popularity of streaming audio.
More recently changes in the streaming market make the case for streaming subscriptions even stronger. Led by services such as TIDAL, Apple Music and Qobuz, music lovers now have access to lossless and high-resolution audio content. Apple Music for example has been offering lossless, high-resolution and spatial audio since June 2021.
Other services depending on the service package offer lossy, lossless and spatial audio content. Summarizing the pricing of today’s popular streaming audio services, Apple Music and TIDAL start at $10.99 per month and that includes access to lossless and spatial audio content. Qobuz provides similar plans. The company’s “Studio” plan costs $10.83 per month and it allows subscribers to stream their favorite content. Qobuz’s “Sublime” plan increases in cost to $14.99 per month and it allows users to collect their content, as well as stream content.
Residential Market Offers Lots of Streaming Audio Device Choices
With the streaming services eliminating the quality debate that use to fuel the criticisms of streaming audio through the availability of lossless, high-resolution, and spatial audio content, the next question for music lovers is how to play this content in their homes.
Answering that hardware question is the fun part of the streaming audio equation—besides the actual listening of music. Today’s home audio market provides lots of choices that include powered (active speakers) with networked capabilities to access streaming media, as well as digital stereo preamplifiers, smart soundbars, and traditional stereo components that are not defined by traditional technologies.
For a closer look at some of these streaming products, here are some of the latest home audio solutions that support digital music consumption:
Streaming Devices that Exhibit Well-Rounded Performance
Anthem STR Preamplifier: The $4,300 audiophile preamplifier from Anthem provides advanced capabilities such as Anthem Room Correction (room equalization software), and DAC (digital-to-analog conversion) options. Music fans can connect devices including CD players, streaming audio components supporting PCM audio up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Apple TV 4K: With prices starting at $129 for the 64GB model, the third-generation streaming product is a popular solution for streaming audio and video, particularly for those that are already invested in the Apple ecosystem. The product offers FaceTime for video calling via televisions, as well as compatibility with 4K video, Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Apple TV 4K users that subscribe to Apple Music can play spatial audio through their home theater systems. (photo credit: Bob Archer CE Pro)
Bluesound NODE NANO: The NODE NANO with its $379 price tag offers homeowners and audiophile level component at a competitive price point. Internally, the streaming audio component utilizes ESS Sabre DACs that support audio up to 24-bit/192kHz, as well as features such as Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, and TIDAL Connect. The unit also offers a choice of stereo analog RCA outputs, along with optical, coaxial and USB digital outputs.
Bose Smart Soundbar: For many consumers Bose is the first name of home audio. The popular brand’s $549 Bose Smart Soundbar offers features such as Dolby Atmos immersive audio, along with proprietary technologies such as Bose TrueSpace and A.I. Dialogue Mode. The soundbar also provides Roku compatibility, Bluetooth, and Apple AirPlay 2.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin: One of the first home audio companies to offer smart, wireless streaming audio solutions was Bowers & Wilkins. Today, the Zeppelin is still available and with a price of $559, the product in conjunction with the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, users can access content from Deezer, TuneIn, Amazon Music, TIDAL, and content from their smart products via Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth.
Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay Leveraged Streaming Products
Devialet Phantom Ultimate 98 dB: The French company Devialet offers a range of streaming audio components, including the newly announced Phantom Ultimate 98 dB. The compact footprint, $1,900 component is available in a choice of several colors, and the 98 dB smart speaker provides amenities such as Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Bluetooth, and it is Roon Ready certified.
Denon AVR-X3800H 9.4-Channel AV Receiver: Streaming audio components range in terms of size, features, and price. Denon’s AVR-X3800H is a $1,800 9.4-channel receiver that provides Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and Auro-3D immersive audio. The IMAX Enhanced product also incorporates the company’s HEOS whole-house audio platform.
JBL MP350 Classic: Blending a retro industrial design with modern features such as Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, and TIDAL Connect. The MP350 Classic carries a retail price of $879.95, and it provides a choice digital coax and Toslink outputs, along with a set of analog RCA inputs.
Juke Audio Juke 8 Multiroom Audio System: The $1,699 Juke 8 is a single-chassis whole-house audio component that powers as many as eight zones of stereo audio. The product incorporates 16-channels of amplification rated at 40-watts-per-channel, and options for Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect. Juke Audio supports the product with its companion app.
KEF LSX50 II Powered Wireless Speakers: Available in a choice of colors to help the $1,500 speakers blend into a range of home styles, the stylish speakers offer good sound and a discreet footprint. The speaker incorporates Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify, TIDAl, and whole-house audio options.
The KEF LSX II powered speakers offer homeowners a stylish and high performing streaming audio solution. (photo credit: Bob Archer CE Pro)
HDMI-Supported Streaming Hardware
McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC: The $4,000 DS200 can be setup for use as a DAC, or it can also serve as a preamplifier and DAC in a digitally based system. The product provides AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, and it offers a choice of eight inputs headlined by USB and HDMI. The streaming audio unit is also Roon Ready and Roon Tested, and it provides RCA and XLR outputs.
NAD C 658 BluOS Streaming DAC: With a retail price of $2,299, the C 658 provides homeowners with the company’s BluOS whole-house audio platform, along with several other features. The unit provides Roon Ready certification, along with Apple AirPlay, and Dirac Room Correction. Internally, the C 658 incorporates ESS Sabre DACs, dual-band Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, and a host of input and output options.
Naim Uniti Atom: Coming from the audiophile world, the $3,800 all-in-one streaming amplifier offers users a built-in amplifier that’s rated to produce 40 watts into 8 ohms, and a built-in DAC with wireless streaming capabilities. Naim says the Uniti Atom offers Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and control capabilities from the integrated amp’s companion iOS and Android app.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus: Typical Street pricing for this compact unit is about $40. The streaming stick provides the ability to stream 4K video content with HDR compatibility, and access to a wealth of streaming services that include Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube. The product also provides Apple AirPlay and smart home control via Apple Home, and voice-control platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Russound MBX-PRE: The $499 MBX-PRE complements the N.H.-based manufacturer’s MCA Series multizone controllers, as well as any other connected amplifier. The MBX-PRE offers native streaming audio from TIDAL, Tunein, Spotify, and SiriusXM. Russound also includes Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Pandora, and DLNA support for connected NAS drives.
Design-Focused Audio Streaming Devices
Sonos Port: Arguably the most popular manufacturer of streaming products is Sonos, and the $499 Port provides a choice of Ethernet, analog RCA inputs, and an analog RCA stereo output. The key to the streaming audio product line is the company’s S2 OS, which offers just about every streaming service available. Those services include TIDAL, Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 6: The soundbar comes with a companion wireless subwoofer and it delivers 3.1.2 immersive audio to offer homeowners Dolby Atmos and DTS:X spatial audio capabilities. The $600 audio package also provides HDMI with CEC, and the soundbar provides eARC and ARC options.
Sonus faber Duetto: The Italian home audio company is known for its luxurious designs that are highlighted by furniture-grade cabinets. The Duetto retails for $3,999 per pair and the powered speakers offer homeowners Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and TIDAL Connect. The stylish speakers also provide Bluetooth connectivity, as well as RCA line/phono in, digital optical, HDMI, and a subwoofer output.
Wiim Amp Ultra: The flagship product from the global home audio company checks in at a reasonable $529. Rated to produce 100-watts into 8 ohms, the Amp Ultra provides analog RCA, HDMI, USB and digital optical inputs. The small-footprint amplifier also provides Bluetooth and options for a Wiim-based whole-house audio system.
The Wiim Amp Ultra supports traditional legacy audio playback options and today’s home audio capabilities. (photo credit: Bob Archer CE Pro)
Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500: One of the more unique streaming products available to homeowners, the $899.95 turntable provides a host of streaming options. According to Yamaha, the MusicCast VINYL 500 can serve as a MusicCast receiver to play streaming content, and homeowners can utilize the turntable to also play vinyl-based content throughout their homes. MusicCast offers a choice of mechanisms to support streaming audio that include Bluetooth, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple AirPlay.
