HTD offers audio systems designed for the life of your home. Today's streamers will be outdated before then.

HTD whole-house audio controllers deliberately do not include built-in music sources. This includes streamers. Music streamers come with different features and different budgets. Streaming technology is changing much more rapidly than your quality amplifier, speaker, and whole-house audio controller.

Systems that include a built-in streamer could become outdated. Streamers from just a few years ago are NOT the same as those being sold today, and the streamers of today will certainly be replaced with something new in the future (requiring an AI chip, perhaps?).

Alternatively, HTD systems keep ALL of your home audio devices, not just music streamers, playing in sync and allow you to replace streamers as new tech is introduced.

The following is our list of currently recommended music streamers. Many of our customers opt for one higher-end streamer for primary use, along with one or more inexpensive streamers dedicated for kids and/or guests.

Wiim Mini AirPlay 2

• Price: around $80
• Stream music services through the device, using apps for Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, and others.
• Stream audio from your iOS device to the Wiim device using AirPlay 2.
• DAC quality: average

Wiim Pro

• Price: around $150.
• Stream music services through the device, using apps for Amazon Music, Spotify, Tidal, and others.
• Stream audio from your iOS device to the Wiim device using AirPlay 2.
• Stream audio from your Android device to the Wiim device using Chromecast.
• DAC quality: above average

Sonos Port

• Price: around $450.
• Plays in sync with other Sonos devices.
• Stream music services through the Sonos Port using the Sonos app as well as directly from within many popular streaming services including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify, Pandora, Tunein, and Tidal.
• Stream audio from your iOS device to the Sonos Port using Airplay 2
• Access and play media stored on your network
• DAC quality: above average

Bluesound Node

• Price: around $600.
• Stream audio from your iOS device to the Node using Airplay 2
• Stream music services through the Node using the BluOS Controller app as well as directly from within many popular streaming services.
• Access and play media stored on your network
• Dual band Wi-Fi and support for 2-way Bluetooth aptX HD.
• DAC quality: well above average

Your home theater receiver may have one already built-in

• Certain home theater receivers include a streamer. If your model offers an ethernet connection and advertises one or more streaming services (Spotify, Pandora, etc.), the chances are good the receiver includes a built-in streamer.
• Connect the receiver's pre-amp or Zone 2 output to one of the source inputs on your whole-house audio system.
• On the receiver, select the music streamer as the source for that output.
• DAC quality: typically average

Music streamers are typically positioned at the central location and controlled by a smart phone over your WiFi network. Certain streamers can be installed throughout the house with the use of one of our Voice Assistant Accessories. One alternative to a separate streamer is to use your smart phone as the streamer and connect its audio output to your central equipment using our BTX Bluetooth receiver and extension kit.

*There are other music streamers priced as high as several thousand dollars which may or may not be relevant to your needs, but for most people it is difficult to justify the higher cost for the purposes of whole-house-audio.

Please contact us if you discover a mistake with any of the information on this page and/or would like to recommend a model not already mentioned.