Use the following criteria to easily decide which network player you need: intended use and expectations. The more you spend on a network player, the more features and quality you will generally get.
Wireless connectivity
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
Streaming features
• Airplay
• Chromecast built-in
• Spotify Connect
• Streaming services
Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music Streaming, Google Play Music, Deezer, TIDAL.
• Hi-Fi or Hi-Res streaming
• DLNA streaming
• Internet radio (e.g. vTuner or TuneIn)
• Multi-room (e.g. FlareConnect, HEOS, MusicCast)
Formats
• Common formats
e.g. MP3, WMA, AAC, ALAC, FLAC/WAV and many more.
• DSD format
• Hi-Res streaming (e.g. FLAC, ALAC, WAV)
Technology
• Gapless playback
• D/A converter
• Analogue and digital connections
• USB connection
Connecting network players to your home network
Network players are usually real team players, as they are compatible with internet radios, televisions and UPnP music servers and connect effortlessly to your Wi-Fi. Network-attached storage (NAS), USB hard drives and shared network folders can easily be integrated as music sources.
