When I started this website in 2008, streaming audio players were rare.
Startup’s like Slimdevices and Sonos made streaming audio popular.
Sonos Zoneplayer 90 (2008)
Squeezebox classic
Check if a player supports gapless playback.
Nothing as annoying as some white space in a live album or in case of classical between two movements played as one.
Streamer supporting Apple AirPlay 2, DNLA/UPnP, GoogleCast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon. Digital and analog out.
Streamer with Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi (24 bit / 192 kHz, probably UPnP), Airplay2
Streaming services: Spotify, iHeartRadio, Tidal, Amazon Prime Music, Napster, Deezer.
Codecs: MP3, AAC, ALAC, APE, FLAC, WAV, WMA, OGG
Output: Analog (RCA) and SPDIF (Toslink)
Meaurements on
A list of streamers (no longer maintained)