Best network music players

(Aug 30, 2008)

John P. Falcone
Senior Editor Digital audio is everywhere--from gigabytes of MP3s stored on your computer's hard drive to Internet radio stations and subscription music services. But the challenge has always been to get the music from your computer to the stereo system. That's where a digital audio streamers come in. While they're known by a variety of names--including digital audio receivers and digital media adapters--these products let you enjoy a wide range of digital music from your PC or the Internet over the big speakers of your home stereo, even if it's in a different room of the house. All of the options listed below use a home network (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) to transmit music. Just remember that pesky DRM and copy-protection issues are still a problem, so make sure your prospective player can handle your preferred audio file or subscription service.