Ten years ago, everyone said that digital broadcasting was the trend of the future, but if you say it ten years later, it is a bit inappropriate. In fact, digital broadcasting, represented by streaming media, has reached the level of competing with CD players, and young audio users prefer digital broadcasting, and some middle-aged and elderly audiophiles do not reject this kind of audio source. In this issue of the magazine, we bring a brief review of 9 digital music players focusing on streaming media, which cover entry-level, junior and mid-to-high-end products for readers' reference.
Entry-level
Audiolab
7000N Play
Brand: IAG Xiange International Video Retail price: ¥4,999 yuan/set
Main features ■ Streaming media playback, (app side) local playback ■ Apple AirPlay2 support ■ Digital output
■ Branding
audiolab was founded in 1983 by two British students, Philip Swift and Derek Scotland, who shared similar skills and hobbies. Its first product was the 8000A integrated amplifier, which has been praised in the audio industry for many years, and the subsequent 8000C preamp and 8000P postamp are also very classic. Audiolab has been involved in the field of digital playback for a long time, and has launched a number of digital players for streaming media.
7000N Play ■总谐波失真(THD)<0.0005% (1kHz @2.1Vrms)■信噪比>115dB (A计权)■尺寸：444×340×78mm■重量：5.0kg
■ Functions and features
7000N Play positioning starter, using ES9038Q2M decoding, signal-to-noise ratio up to >115dB (A weight), support Spotify, TIDAL, Internet radio, Qobuz and other services, support up to 24bit/192kHz specifications, use DTS Play-Fi application, support AirPlay2. In terms of interfaces, the 7000N Play is equipped with 1 optical fiber, 1 coaxial output, and 1 pair of RCA analog outputs.
Apple phone and tablet users can use AirPlay2 to transfer music to 7000N Play, AirPlay2 has built-in multi-room management, which is a good choice. In addition to AirPlay2, 7000N Play's main focus is, of course, DTS Play-Fi system, this system supports PC, iOS, Android platform, that is, users can use mobile phones and computers for streaming media at the same time, compared with many streaming media digital broadcasts, 7000N Play has one more option for computer operation. The 7000N Play supports WiFi and wired networking, connect the machine to the router, connect the 7000N Play to the network from the Play-Fi desktop or mobile terminal, and then you can set up and manage the 7000N Play playback directly from the app.
On the mobile side of Play-Fi, the main menu has entrances to various streaming services and Internet radio stations, which can play music stored in mobile phones/tablets and connect to music servers. If the user has more than one Play-Fi enabled setting, multi-room management can be performed in the app.
The PC side of Play-Fi can be said to be tailor-made for PC playback, and it can also be managed in multiple rooms. Play-Fi can identify various playback software in the computer, and then synchronously transmit the sound that the computer is playing, and the sound such as system sound that does not come from the playback software will not be transmitted to the 7000N Play, so that the music playback will not be disturbed by other operations in the computer, and the user does not need to prepare a computer for the music system, and can play music for the sound system while working and leisure.
Whether it's mobile or desktop, you can see and manage the playback from the other side. For example, if I am playing a song on my phone, and I want to use the computer to work and play other music at the same time, then I can turn off the music on my phone on Play-Fi on the computer, and then start playing the music on the computer, and switch flexibly.
■Comments
Not only should it sound good, but the easy-to-use audio equipment can make people love it. The audiolab 7000N Play is equipped with Play-Fi, which can be used for playback operation and multi-room management through mobile app or PC software, which is convenient and easy to use, and has a good user experience. In addition to the various online streaming services, Internet radio, music servers, and local playback (app-side) supported by Play-Fi, the 7000N Play also supports Apple AirPlay2 to ensure that users have enough music resources to enjoy. And the most important thing is that the 7000N Play's excellent sound quality is excellent, which is worth recommending for its excellent performance in the same price range.
TECSUN 德生
HD-100
Retail price: ¥5,900/unit
Main features ■Support local file playback ■Audio decoder ■Bluetooth music reception
■ branding
Tecsun General Electric Manufacturing Co., Ltd., established in 1994, mainly produces radios. With an annual output of 3 million radios, Tecsun has long been a well-known international radio brand. After his success in the field of radio, Tecsun began to dabble in home audio, launching a variety of products of various types, which were enthusiastically responded to by audiophiles. The HD-100 is one of the earliest digital audio players developed by Tecsun after it set foot in home audio.
HD-100 ■ Decoder Chip: AK4493 Dual-Core Decoder Chip ■ Display: 5-inch IPS full-view touch screen ■ Support audio file format: DSD256 DSF/DFF; 24bit/192kHz WAV/FLAC/APE; 320kbps WMA/MP3/OGG ■Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz (±1dB) ■Channel isolation: Approx. 100dB ■Harmonic distortion: <0.005% (20Hz - 20000Hz) ■Signal-to-noise ratio: Unbalanced (RCA): Approx. 115dB; Balanced (XLR): Approx. 120dB ■Maximum Output Level: Unbalanced (RCA): Approx. 3.3V; Balanced (XLR): Approx. 6.0V ■ Bluetooth: 5.0, Audio Coding Support: aptX-HD/aptX/AAC/SBC ■ Digital Input: Coaxial × 1, Optical × 1, USB×1 ■ Analog Output: RCA Unbalanced × 1 Group, XLR Balanced × 1 Group ■ Amplifier Output: 1 High Impedance, 1 Low Impedance (3.5mm Output Port) ■ Input Voltage: 220V/50Hz ■ Power Consumption: Approx. 15W ■ Configuration: Built-in 64GB FLASH, SD card × supported2 ■ Net weight: 3.1kg (without power cord) ■ Size: 171×105× 261mm
■ Functions and features
HD-100 is a high-fidelity pure audio player carefully designed by Tecsun for Hi-Fi audiophiles, with the following features: high-resolution touch screen, simple and convenient operation; BUILT-IN 64GB FLASH; Dual SD card slots, each card slot supports up to 512GB SD card; Supported audio file formats include DSF/DFF for DSD256, WAV/FLAC/APE for 24bit/192kHz, WMA/MP3/OGG for 320kbps. Support track selection playback of the whole track audio file (CUE); Bluetooth 5.0 reception, support aptX-HD/aptX/AAC/SBC audio coding; It has optical, coaxial, and USB digital stream signal input ports, which can be used as an independent advanced decoder; Audio files can be copied to each other from the SD card and internal memory; Balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) stereo audio outputs to meet different needs; High-quality monitoring headphone amplifier, including high-impedance and low-impedance independent headphone output interfaces, suitable for 32Ω~600Ω stereo headphones, high-impedance headphones can be used at the same time; Built-in six forms of DSP equalizer, 10-band frequency response adjustable; It has a remote control function.
The HD-100 is operated by a touch screen, automatically plays music when powered on, and features such as music collection and file copying, as well as a DSP equalizer. The difference is that HD-100 adds support for DSD256 DSF/DFF files, CUE full-track audio files, and also adds Bluetooth 5.0 reception (support aptX-HD/aptX/AAC/SBC audio encoding), and the decoding chip is dual AK4493. All of this keeps the HD-100 in line with current trends.
The HD-100's settings menu provides only a first-level page, simplifying operation. In the settings menu, you can choose the orange/blue personalized page display color; Change the display language of Simplified and Traditional Chinese Chinese and English, and adjust the brightness of the screen; The automatic shutdown time is set, and the capacity information of the storage space is also displayed. There is also a simple EQ setup and firmware upgrade function on the settings page.
■ Reviews
It can be said that having Desheng HD-100 is equivalent to having 3 machines: digital player, audio decoder and Bluetooth receiver, and these 3 main functions have certain qualities, which is quite cost-effective. The HD-100 also features a headphone output for intimate music enjoyment. The line output is also volume-controlled and can be output directly to a post-amp or active speaker. The sound balance presented by the HD-100 can present a dynamic sense of music and an open music picture, coupled with humanized operation, making it very suitable for ordinary audiophiles who have a large collection of music files, especially those who have burned to own.
Cambridge Audio
AXN10
Product agent: Aiwei Audio-Visual Product retail price: ¥6,490 / set
Main features ■ Streaming media play ■ Local U disk playback ■ Roon support ■ Digital output ■ Bluetooth music reception
■ Branding
Cambridge Audio was born in 1968 in Cambridge, England, where a group of talented young graduates pioneered the high-tech development and prototyping of equipment. In the year of its establishment, it launched the world's first P40 amplifier with toroidal transformer, presenting the most natural music replay. As a result, many recording studios and manufacturers have also begun to develop related equipment and systems based on the standard of "capturing and reproducing music as naturally as possible".
AXN10 ■输入：有线网络网络、USB-A接驳U盘/硬盘、Wi-Fi、蓝牙5.0■输出：RCA模拟输出、同轴和光纤数码输出■解码芯片：ESS Sabre ES9033Q■频响范围：20Hz - 70kHz（-1dB）■支持服务：UPnP、网际网络广播、Chromecast、Spotify connect、Tidal、Qobuz、Roon Ready、Airplay 2■支持格式：ALAC、WAV、FLAC、AIFF、DSD、WMA、MP3、AAC、HE AAC、AAC+、OGG Vorbis ■支持码率：32bit/768kHz PCM、DSD512 ■功耗：20W（待机0.5W） ■尺寸：430 x 75 x 305mm ■重量：3.3kg
■ Functions and features
AXN10 Streaming Player is very feature-rich, supporting Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnP, etc. to play content on local networks or mobile phones and tablets. In addition, AXN10 also supports Roon, and friends who have higher requirements for network playback can use Roon software to control it. Support for streaming services is also extensive, including Spotify Connect, Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer, and the AXN10 gives you easy control no matter what platform you use through its own StreamMagic software. In terms of file formats, AXN10 supports ALAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD, WMA, MP3, AAC, HE AAC, AAC+ and OGG Vorbis.
The back of the AXN10 streaming player provides RCA analog audio output, optical, coaxial and one set of USB flash drive, network cable interface and a pair of Bluetooth/Wi-Fi antennas. In terms of power supply, it is an 8-character power cord, and users with higher requirements can replace it with a higher quality power cord. According to the manufacturer's information, AXN10 Streaming Player uses ESS Sabre ES9033Q decoding chip, which can support PCM and DSD512 files up to 32bit/768kHz.
The 4 preset buttons on the front panel are also very innovative design, users can set these 4 buttons as their favorite playlist or related functions, and only need to click the corresponding button to play the corresponding music, which is very convenient.
■Comments
The Cambridge Audio AXN10 Streaming Player is ideal for those who want to jump into the web streaming bandwagon but don't have much of a budget. Cambridge Audio is one of the earliest developers to launch digital playback and network playback products, so it has a wealth of experience, the software and hardware are very stable and easy to use, and at the same time, it does not require complex settings, and the sound is also decent, AXN10 Streaming Player can be said to be a cost-effective product, which is worth recommending.