You can play digital music in all kinds of ways. For example, you stream a Spotify playlist directly to a network receiver, while you control a handy Bluetooth speaker with a smartphone. In addition, there are all kinds of smart audio streamers, PC speakers and multi-room audio systems that play your favorite tunes flawlessly. An overview!
JBL Tuner
Price:€ 99,99
www.jbl.nl
The JBL Tuner is interesting for radio enthusiasts who do not want to spend too much money on a portable one. Although the suggested retail price is close to a hundred euros, many (web) stores sell this product for around eighty euros. The compact housing is only 16.5 centimeters wide and has a DAB+ receiver in addition to a traditional FM antenna. This allows you to receive digital radio broadcasts. If you want to stream music from a smartphone, you can use Bluetooth for this. JBL promises a playing time of about eight hours with the built-in battery.
Marshall Tufton
Price: € 399,–
www.marshallheadphones.com
With a suggested retail price of about four hundred euros, the Marshall Tufton is quite expensive. It is therefore an extensive model of 22.9 × 35 × 16.3 centimeters in size and almost five kilograms in weight. To make the device even more portable, the top contains a stylish handle. According to the British brand, the battery offers a playing time of twenty hours. In addition to a bluetooth5.0 adapter, the housing contains an analog 3.5mm audio input. As we are used to from Marshall, the speaker has a black ribbed finish. The housing is suitable for outdoor use thanks to its water-repellent design.
Sony SRS-XB12
Price: € 60,–
www.sony.nl
If you are looking for a weatherproof Bluetooth speaker that is also affordable, the new SRS-XB12 is an interesting option. Sony produces this product in no fewer than six color combinations, so there is undoubtedly a design that you like. Unlike most Bluetooth speakers, the audio driver is located on the top. You can regulate the music via control buttons on the back, although you can of course also use a linked smartphone for this. According to Sony, the battery offers a playing time of up to sixteen hours. The cylindrical housing has a diameter of 7.4 centimeters and is 9.2 centimeters high.
Sony WS620 Walkman
Price: From € 150,–
www.sony.nl
There are hardly any new MP3 players on the market, because most people use their smartphone for this. Would you rather not wear a smartphone while exercising? Then Sony offers a handy alternative with its WS620 series. This is an MP3 player and headphones in one. The waterproof housing weighs only 32 grams and the battery lasts about twelve hours, according to the Japanese manufacturer. Sony supplies a modest remote control. Those interested can choose between a model with 4 GB (NW-WS623) and 16 GB (NW-WS625) storage. The suggested retail prices are 150 and 200 euros respectively.
Teufel Rockster Cross
Price:€ 299,99
www.teufelaudio.nl
With the Rockster Cross, Teufel added a new member to its already impressive line of portable audio products last fall. With a width of 38 centimeters, the housing is quite large. To provide some mobility, the device includes a carrying strap. After about 3.5 hours of charging, the battery is fully charged and the Rockster Cross lasts about sixteen hours. The amplifier module divides its attention over three channels, namely two tweeters and a woofer. In addition to a Bluetooth 5.0 adapter with aptx support, the splash-proof housing contains a 3.5 mm audio input and a USB port for charging mobile devices.
Bose S1 Pro
Price: € 649,–
www.bose.nl
It is usually quite a challenge to set up a reasonable sound system on location. The compact Bose S1 Pro lends you a hand. This so-called mobile pa system contains a battery with a playing time of up to approximately eleven hours. The housing contains ports to connect an instrument and/or microphone. Thanks to a mixer with three channels, you can optimize the sound. In addition, a bluetooth module is also integrated, so that you can easily stream other people's music. The housing measures 33 x 24.13 x 28.45 centimeters and has a weight of more than seven kilograms.
Edifier S3000PRO
Price: € 699,95
www.edifier.com
Although we listen to online music services en masse via the PC, many use a dirt-cheap speaker set for this. That could be better, because a brand like Edifier develops excellent PC speakers in various price ranges. The recently released top model S3000PRO has a striking resemblance to a traditional loudspeaker due to the wood look. Users can choose from a variety of analog and digital connectivity options, with the S3000PRO capable of processing high-resolution audio files. A bluetooth5.0 adapter with aptx support is also present and Edifier also supplies a modest remote control.
Razer Nommo
Price: € 109,99
www.razer.com
Razer mainly focuses on gamers with its products and that is clearly visible in the playful appearance of the Nommo. Thanks to the cylindrical design, the speakers look more like two surveillance cameras. In the middle, a full-range driver is responsible for the sound reproduction, while the rear contains a passive bass radiator. A bass and volume control is also visible on the right foot. Under the product name Nommo Chrome, the speaker set is also available with RGB lighting at an additional cost.
Logitech G432
Price: € 79,99
www.logitechg.com
Although Logitech mainly focuses on gamers with the recently released G432, the design does not contain all kinds of superfluous frills. It concerns a headset with an 'old-fashioned' audio cable. Thanks to support for DTS Headphone:X 2.0, gamers enjoy virtual surround playback. Logitech uses audio drivers with a diameter of no less than five centimeters. The left earpiece contains a volume control. Conveniently, the G432 no longer captures your (voice) sound when you push the microphone arm away.
AudioQuest DragonFly Red
Price: € 199,–
www.audioquest.com
Although the DragonFly Red has been available for some time now, it is still an excellent way to get high-quality sound from your laptop, PC, smartphone or tablet. You connect this external digital/analog converter to the system via USB, while you connect a pair of headphones to the 3.5mm sound port. The DragonFly Red has a high reputation when it comes to converting a digital to an analog audio signal. As a result, music often sounds more lively than when you use the integrated digital/analog converter of a computer.
Sonos AMP
Price: € 699,–
www.sonos.com
In addition to its popular wireless speakers, Sonos also develops 'traditional' hi-fi equipment. The new-fangled Sonos AMP is the most recent example of this. As we are used to from the American brand, this compact amplifier has a slick appearance. Two speaker outputs drive a pair of passive speakers with a rated power of 125 watts per channel. Unlike previous Sonos products, an HDMI arc port is now finally available, so that you can also easily play the sound from the television. Furthermore, the audio system contains a double Ethernet port and an output for a subwoofer. Sonos has integrated support for Apple AirPlay 2.
NAD M10
Price: € 2.999,–
www.nadelectronics.com
With a price tag of about three thousand euros, the recently launched M10 is an expensive boy. NAD therefore guarantees quality and this small network receiver is also very versatile. A large touchscreen displays playback information, artwork and the volume level. Thanks to support for BluOS, you can combine this amplifier with multi-room audio systems from Bluesound. Furthermore, the M10 supports various high-quality audio protocols, such as bluetooth-aptx, the mqa codec and Apple AirPlay 2. Under the guidance of a high-quality digital/analog converter, audiophiles can easily play high-resolution audio files. At the rear are all common connection ports, including two speaker terminals with a power of 100 watts per channel.
Denon DHT-S316
Price: € 249,–
www.denon-hifi.nl
A soundbar is in fact an elongated amplifier with built-in audio drivers. The price-friendly DHT-S316 also includes a wireless subwoofer. You can easily connect the device to a television via HDMI arc. In addition, music lovers can easily connect their other playback equipment via an optical input and 3.5 mm port. Thanks to support for Bluetooth, you can effortlessly play music from a smartphone, for example Spotify playlists or locally stored MP3s. The DHT-S316 is an interesting option for those who do not need a direct network function.
Bluesound Node 2i
Price: € 549,–
www.bluesound.com
Bluesound has long been known for its high-quality multi-room audio products. In that context, the Canadian brand also develops user-friendly audio streamers, so that you can play digital music on a traditional music system, for example. The Node 2i offers support for bluetooth aptx and Apple AirPlay 2. In addition, the device can also process locally stored audio files via the network in a maximum quality of 192kHz/24bit. Operation is via the excellent BluOS Controller app.
Logitech Bluetooth Audio
Price:€ 39,99
www.logitech.com
If you still use a traditional audio system, you can easily add Bluetooth functionality with the price-friendly adapter from Logitech. You can easily connect this modest device to the analog input of an amplifier via RCA outputs or a 3.5 mm sound port. According to Logitech, the wireless range is about fifteen meters. You establish the connection via a button on the top, which makes it possible to connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.
Denon DNP-800NE
Price:€ 399,–
www.denon-hifi.nl
Are you looking for an audio streamer that fits seamlessly with your other audio components? The Denon DNP-800NE has a standard width of 43 centimeters, so you can stack hi-fi equipment. When using WiFi, keep in mind the two antennas on the back. This network player accepts just about all common high-resolution audio formats, including high-quality DSD files. In addition, the DNP-800NE can handle Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth. When using the HEOS app, you integrate this versatile device within a multi-room audio network.
Bose SoundTouch Wireless Link
Price:€ 169,95
www.bose.nl
With this music adapter from Bose you can connect practically any audio system to Bluetooth and/or WiFi. In the latter case, you use the SoundTouch app to release audio streams on this device, possibly using well-known online music services such as Deezer and Spotify. The coupling to an amplifier is analog or digital via the optical output. According to Bose, the range of the Bluetooth adapter is about nine meters.
Bowers & Wilkins Formation Wedge
Price: € 999,–
www.bowerswilkins.com
The British quality brand Bowers & Wilkins recently introduced the Formation series, in which music lovers let five products work together in a multi-room audio network. The Wedge is a wireless speaker with a somewhat futuristic design. The built-in amplifier with a total output power of 240 watts drives two tweeters, two midrange drivers and an internal subwoofer. In addition to a (wireless) network connection, the audio system also contains a bluetooth4.1 module with aptx support. You can use the Wedge, for example, to stream music via Spotify Connect or Apple AirPlay 2. The digital/analog converter processes music files in a quality of up to 96kHz/24bit. Bowers & Wilkins produces the speaker in black and silver colorways.
Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500
Price: € 649,–
www.yamaha.com
An old-fashioned turntable in a device full of digital audio equipment? Yes, you read that right! The Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500 can play much more than just LPs. For example, the housing contains an Ethernet port, WiFi adapter and Bluetooth antenna, so you can also use the turntable for streaming digital music. Yamaha also added support for its own multi-room audio protocol MusicCast, so you can enjoy your record collection on other Yamaha audio equipment as well. For example, think of suitable soundbars, AV receivers and wireless speakers. Users can decide for themselves whether they want to use the built-in phono preamp. This belt-driven turntable is available in black or white piano lacquer.
Harman Kardon Citation 500
Price:€ 649,–
www.harmankardon.nl
Harman Kardon now has a considerable number of multi-room audio speakers of various sizes in its range. The Citation 500 is quite large for a wireless speaker and therefore suitable for filling a spacious room with musical tunes. A 200-watt amplifier module drives two tweeters and as many woofers. The connection to the network is only via the WiFi adapter, because an Ethernet port is missing. For direct connection to a smartphone or tablet, the Citation 500 includes a bluetooth4.2 antenna. Thanks to Google Assistant integration, music lovers can control this speaker with their voice.
