Before getting a music streamer, I was something of a music separatist. My expensive stereo system was reserved for first-press vinyl records, whereas my daily streaming of Apple Music playlists with titles like “Y2K Trashy” or “Divorced Dad Rock” happened mostly through my garbage computer speakers. I never thought to combine my disparate worlds by connecting a network audio player to my stereo system, but now that I have, I’m digging my new, “poly-jam-orous” lifestyle—and appreciating how much better my streaming audio sounds.
A streaming music player frees your digital music files and streaming services from the confines of your phone, tablet, or computer without degrading sound quality the way Bluetooth does. After testing 10 streamers priced under $300, we recommend the WiiM Pro Plus because of its wealth of features, stable functionality, and affordability.
Top pick
This feature-rich, user-friendly player integrates a wide variety of streaming services and connection options, and it can stream high-res audio. But it lacks a USB audio port.
The WiiM Pro Plus is the best music streamer because it offers stable performance and quick setup, and it has features that are attractive to both audiophiles and more casual music fans. You can control the player with its included remote or through the WiiM Home app (available on iOS and Android), which integrates most major streaming services so you don’t need an external source. But it also supports pretty much every wireless streaming protocol: AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect, DLNA, and more. Plus, it supports high-res output resolutions up to 24 bit/192 kilohertz.
The device’s compact size (1.75 by 5.5 by 5.5 inches, HWD) and variety of inputs and outputs help it fit easily into a majority of home-audio setups, and it works with voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. You can also send audio to multiple WiiM units simultaneously in a multiroom setup.
Unfortunately, Apple Music is not native to the WiiM Home app, which was the case with every music streamer we tested. This streamer also lacks a USB port for direct plug-and-play from a thumb drive.
Budget pick
This tiny streamer’s CD-quality sound meets most listeners’ needs, and its price is hard to beat—but it doesn’t have as many features or connection options as our top pick.
If you’re willing to give up high-res audio support to save some money, the tiny Audioengine B-Fi is a very good alternative to the WiiM Pro Plus. It can output CD-quality (16 bit/44.1 kHz) jams, it directly supports the major music streaming services (except Apple Music) through the Audioengine control app (iOS and Android), and it allows for multiroom audio playback—all for less than $100.
Although this streamer is able to play a wide variety of lossless and uncompressed audio files, it does not support high-res output and has fewer connection options than our top pick. It supports AirPlay 2 and DLNA but not Chromecast or Bluetooth.
We found its Wi-Fi streaming to be steady and consistent, and this was the only model under $100 that consistently stayed connected to its app. The B-Fi was also one of the easiest music streamers to set up and use.
