Streamers, streamers, streamers. They are all the rage – and for good reason! Having one of these in your household will revolutionise the way you listen to music for good. A decent streamer will take most – if not all – of the stress and hassle out of playing your digital music, taking home hi-fi to the next level. Picture it: with the touch of one button – or swipe of your smartphone screen – every audio file on your computer, every internet radio station, every file stored on your phone and even streaming websites like Spotify, will all be ready to stream any track you can think of completely at a whim, from anywhere in the house (… with some of the hi-end models).
Don’t get us wrong, streamers are not here to take the place of vinyl or CD – both of which are very much here to stay, and just a few years ago the streaming solutions available simply didn’t cut the mustard. But time is a healer and huge advancements have been made in the streaming fields. Streaming websites like Spotify not only offer excellent value for money and music in abundance, but the quality is very good indeed, even for the most discerning ear. Bluetooth technology has vastly improved too, as anyone with an AptX enabled device can tell you.
The best streamers are designed and built with simplicity in mind. To remove several major steps of your music collection – thus making everything distinctly streamlined and hassle-free. However, when selecting the perfect streaming partner for your home, it’s anything but an easy decision to make. So that’s why we’ve taken a step back and focused our attentions on all things streamer, to help streamline your decision. The models below are all one-box-systems, which means amplifiers are built-in. Just add speakers and a source of your choice.
Remember, all prices stated were correct at the time of publishing and may be subject to change.
1. Cocktail Audio X30 All-In-One Hi-Fi System – £849
For a truly versatile music hub, the Cocktail Audio X30 has everything you could ask for, and at a very reasonable price. The stylish X30 is available in two finishes and has a HD music server, a network streamer, a NAS drive, a hi-end CD player and an integrated amplifier in one unit. There are a huge choice of hard drive options available – from none to 0.5 TB SSD, and there’s a hi-end CD ripping device on board which can rip an hour’s worth of music in ten minutes. In just a day even the most dedicated Audiophile can have their entire CD collection backed up, stored and ready to play. The a huge array of optical and digital inputs and outputs means every base is covered. Just add speakers and let the included remote/dedicated app do the work for you.
Why do we like it?
All of our CDs in one place, as well as all of the benefits of a network streamer? What’s not to like? It has a beautiful and easy-to-use LCD screen too and can be easily hooked up to a monitor if you would prefer.
Why do they like it?
‘… the sheer versatility of the X30 is impressive and clearly its biggest attraction. Nothing else we’ve reviewed so far has come close to the combination of amp, streamer and server here offered by Cocktail Audio.’ (What Hi-Fi? Magazine)
2. Cyrus Streamline v2 Digital Streamer System – £1200
Next up we have the Cyrus Streamline v2, which is the same basic unit as the acclaimed XP2 QX, but with a built-in amplifier. As with everything else on this list, all your need to get this little box to spring to life are speakers something to stream, be that music from your Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, a streaming service like Spotify or internet radio. Cyrus are renowned for top quality streamers, and their experience in the field really does shine through with this compact and stylish unit. It can decode the highest resolution 24 bit 192kHz files and is compatible with all the popular file formats including Apple Lossless (ALAC), FLAC, WAV and common compressed formats like MP3 and is available in both sparkly quartz and brushed black – so broad tastes are covered!
Just as a little sideline… our current stock of Streamline V2s are on sale at a massive discount. So, you know, may be worth a little look!
Why do we like it?
It’s a no-nonsense, excellent value for money streamer which carries the Cyrus seal of experience (ergo, quality). A very good addition to your existing system – or a great place to start.
Why do they like it
‘The Cyrus Streamline 2 is very much an evolution of the streaming family but, frankly, that was all that was required. The combination of stellar sound quality, ease of use and advanced functionality make it an undoubted star’ (What Hi-Fi Magazine)
3. Linn Sneaky Music DSM Network Streamer – £1750
Jumping back into (nearly) all-in-one territory, the adorable and tiny Sneaky DSM is an extremely powerful – yet compact – digital streamer with a built-in amplifier. Available in black, silver and white finishes, the little Sneaky is highly versatile and will happily (and beautifully) stream your music seamlessly via Ethernet– all you need is an internet connection and some loudspeakers! Sneaky features a custom designed up-sampling engine which effectively reduces all noise and distortion, resulting in the best possible reproduction of music files. And a completely customisable user-interface, making it a very user-friendly device.
Why do we like it?
It satisfies on pretty much every level. This little streamer would please anyone, from a layman beginner all the way through to the most dedicated and hardened of audiophiles. And it’s bloody adorable. Can we say that? Ah well, we’ve said it now.
Why do they like it?
‘A startling departure from Linn, but a brilliantly realised one, too. This is a genuine alternative to a CD player.’ (What Hi-Fi? Magazine)
4. Naim Uniti 2 All-In-One System – £2895
A reinvigorated and evolved reincarnation of the startling popular Naim Uniti, this all-in-one system is a no- brainer. Naim earned their name (…hah) through the design and manufacture of virtually flawless, world class hi-fi products and this streamer is by no means an exception. It combines a 70W integrated amplifier, a CD player, a DAB/FM tuner, internet radio, an iPod, iPhone and iPad dock, a hi-end DAC and a high-resolution 24bit/192kHZ capable network stream player. So yeah, Naim have pretty much thought of everything. You’d be mistaken to think that so many features would impede upon usability too; the Uniti 2 is extraordinarily user-friendly, especially if you happen to be an Apple enthusiast – it’s compatibility with Apple products is off the chart. And the sound is just as good as you can expect from any Naim – very.
Why do we like it?
It is an extremely refined streamer which performs as gorgeously as it looks, and its wireless capability means it can function in a multi-room setting.
Why do they like it?
‘Yes, it’s still fast, dynamic and powerful, but it’s also rather more refined, with a crispness and clarity to the way voices, the leading edge of instruments and high percussion is presented that makes the old model sound just a bit loose and rough.’ (What Hi-Fi Magazine)
5. Naim SuperUniti All-In-One System – £3495
Super by name, super by nature. If you have a little bit of extra cash to spend, the Naim Super Uniti is one of the best – if not the best, all-in-one streamers you can invest in. In a nutshell – it can do it all. And it can do it all well. So, let’s take a deep breath… SuperUniti has: an integrated wireless UPnP network stream player, USB audio player, iPod and iPhone dock, internet radio, DAB radio, FM radio, has ten inputs (digital and analogue) in-built preamplifier, digital to analogue converter, and stereo 80 Watt power amplifier and Bluetooth. Oh, and an alarm clock. SuperUniti does everything you would ever want a player to do and it does it all with the most jaw dropping clarity and heart wrenching emotion. And it comes with a Naim guarantee of quality, across the board.
Why do we like it?
Like it? We love it. Top of every Christmas list for every staff member. And we’ve been good boys and girls this year.
Why do they like it? ‘The SuperUniti is the best all-in-one streamer system to date.’ (What Hi-Fi Magazine)
A good streamer isn’t exactly the cheapest endeavour, but it is a life changing one. A purchase of any of the above will enhance the way you listen to (and indeed experience) music, and make everything to do with selection and playback much much easier. But the question is… how far are you willing to go?
Remember, all of the above are all-in-one systems. If you already have an amplifier set-up, we have dozens of fantastic standalone systems too – just in case the streamer itself is all you need!