Streaming audio player

This is a device with a user interface allowing you to select music sources (servers), to browse their content and select songs to play.

The source could be internet radio stations or your own music collection on a server in your home network.
As these players use internet technology to access the source, you need a home network.
To access a music server, it must talk the same protocol.

In general UPnP AV is used. If not, you are locked into a proprietary protocol.
The player must support the audio formats on the server or the server supports conversion on the fly (transcoding).

The player converts the audio stream to analogue. Digital out might also be supported.

You can connect it to an amplifier.

Some have a build in amplifier. You must supply the speakers.

Players with build in speakers are called internet radio.

Freecom MusicPal internet radio 169,00 USD

Wireless digital internet radio and MP3 player
• Plays internet radio without the use of a computer
• Streams MP3 music from your computer or network
• Supports over 10.000 radio stations, including BBC 1,2,3,4 and 5Live
• Supports MP3, WAV & WMA
• Alarm clock functionality
• Live RSS feeds / Blog feeds in display
• Built-in speaker and WLAN antenna
• Stereo audio out (2 x cinch) to connect to amplifier set
• Line out (mini jack ) to connect to headphones or active
speakers

Linksys Wireless-N Music Extender €299.00

TosLink, S/PDIF, RCA and 3.5 mm Audio Outputs
RCA L/R Analog Input
Draft-N Wireless
External Power Supply
Internal Antennas
May be Streamed in PCM or MP3
Uncompressed Formats: (WAV, PCM)
Compressed Formats:(MP3, AAC-LC, MP2, WMA). May be streamed in PCM, MP3
UPnP Compliant

Linn Digital Stream Players

Linn’s first attempt at streaming audio players was the Klimax DS
Today they have a range of UPnP players:

Klimax DS Player	$18,500.
Akurate DS Player	$6,850.
Majik DS Player	$3,500.
Sneaky Music DS Player	$2,000.

Network: ethernet

Protocol: UPnP™ AV 2.0

Formats: up to 24-bit/192 kHz native sample rate, FLAC, WAV, MP3 & AIFF

Analogue audio outputs: RCA / XLR

OS: RTEMS

Open source: http://oss.linn.co.uk/

Naim uniti €2995

Internet Radio Player
FM and DAB Tuner
Naim CD player with swing drawer CD tray
Front panel USB port for MP3 and USB-stored audio playback
iPod control, charging and front-panel screen content display via Naim n-Link*
Integrated amplifier (50 W per channel into 8Ω) with 5 analogue inputs
On-board DAC with 5 digital inputs
Plays WAV, MP3, Windows Media-formatted content, AAC, Apple Lossless (from an iPod), FLAC from any suitable UPnP device
Network connectivity via WiFi or Ethernet

Olive Melody No.2 $ 599

Network: ethernet/Wlan (WEP/WPA)

Protocol: DLNA/UPnP

Output: 1x analog (RCA), 1x optical Toslink, 1x S/PDIF coaxial cinch

Audio format: WAV, FLAC, MP3 (128 to 320 bit/s)/ Internet radio

4.3" wide-aspect ratio, colour touch-screen(480 x 272 pixels)

Sonneteer Morpheus £2200

100 Watt amp

Protocol: UPnP/Internet radio/file sharing

Network: Ethernet/Wifi

Sonos ZonePlayer 90 €349,-

Also available with build in amplifier.

Network: ethernet/Wlan. First unit must be connected to router using a cable or you use a ZoneBridge for an all wireless setup.

Number of tracks limited to 65.000

Protocol: CIFS / SMB (file sharing) to access NAS/PC/Mac

Output: Analog (RCA) and digital out (Toslink/coax)

Audio format: MP3, WMA (WMA Lossless and WMA Pro are not supported), AAC (MPEG4), Ogg Vorbis, Audible (Format 4), Apple Lossless, Flac, WAV, AIFF

Resolution: 16 bit / 48 kHz

Internet radio: RadioTimes, MP3 and WMA streaming audio formats

Squeezebox Classic

One of the first streaming audio players by Slimdevices.
Looks like Logitech stopped producing them but it is a classic indeed.

Squeezeboxes use their own proprietary protocol.
You need an computer in your home network running SlimServer/SqueezeCenter/Squeezebox Server /Squeezebox Server or what ever new name Logitech marketing department conjectured up to access your own music collection.
Often a NAS is used like the Vortex box

Squeezebox Touch USD 299.99

Audio formats:
-MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Apple Lossless
-WMA Lossless, APE, MPC and WavPack supported through transcoding
-Some formats may require additional software installation
Internet radio
-Support for MP3, Ogg Vorbis, and WMA formatted Internet Radio streams
Wireless interface
-True 802.11g wireless networking
-Support for 802.11b and 802.11g routers and access points
-One-touch setup (with compatible WPS-supporting routers)
-Supports WPA Personal, WPA-2AES, and 64/128-bit WEP encryption
Ethernet interface
-Connects to any 100 Mbps or 10 Mbps network (with Auto MDX)
General:
-USB host connector for accessing music and photos via USB drive or USB key
-SD card slot for music and photos
-Supports sampling rates up to 24 bit / 96 kHz
-Stereo analog (RCA), headphone jack, digital optical, and digital coax output
-4.3-inch 24-bit color LCD with capacitive touch screen
-Ambient light sensor to adjust display brightness according to environment
-Infrared proximity sensor to detect presence