Other than vinyl, which is an outlier on the planet of right this moment’s residence leisure, bodily media gross sales have been on the decline for a number of years. Symbolizing the slowing gross sales of bodily gross sales, the nationwide retail chain Best Buy recently announced that it was going to no longer sell DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

This information was no shock to anybody who follows the patron electronics business.  In a Yahoo report on the information from Best Buy, the story cites knowledge from the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) that states that U.S. bodily media income for the primary half of 2023 fell from $1.05 billion in 2022 to only $754 million throughout the identical interval.

Meanwhile, streaming media companies boast thousands and thousands of subscribers. Some of the biggest subscription video streaming companies in line with USA Today embrace Netflix with greater than 232 million subscribers, adopted by Amazon Prime with 200 million, Disney+ with practically 158 million, Max with simply over 96 million, and Paramount+ with greater than 77 million subscribers.

Over on the music facet of the house leisure world, the numbers are related. The web site Insider Monkey studies the highest international subscription music companies are Spotify with 515 million customers, NetEase Cloud Music with 189 million customers, Apple Music with over 88 million, Amazon Music with greater than 82 million, and Tencent Music with simply over 80 million subscribers.

Underscoring the expansion of the subscription streaming media music market, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) factors out in its 2023 Mid-Year Revenue Report, the whole revenues grew by greater than 9% in 2023 to an all-time excessive of $8.4 billion. Of these revenues, paid subscriptions have been the strongest driver by means of a rise of greater than $550 million and averaging nearly 96 million subscriptions throughout this era.

Moreover, the RIAA says streaming service income made up 84% of whole recorded music revenues rising by greater than 10% to achieve the $7 billion plateau.

Today it’s protected to say that many individuals are glad with the person expertise they obtain from their TVs’ sensible companies. Modern TVs supply streaming media from working techniques that embrace Android TV, Roku, and a number of proprietary options.

Not everybody, nonetheless, is glad with the streaming capabilities their TVs present. Additionally, there are various individuals who need to stream their music by means of their stereos or whole-house AV techniques.

Providing owners that need a larger performing streaming media expertise for both their music, video or each video and music, there are a rising array of product decisions accessible. For a sampling, listed here are 20 streaming media options that tackle music, video, and whole-house AV functions:

Amazon Fire TV Cube

The $140 Amazon streaming media product helps 4K video, in addition to Dolby Vision HDR, and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. The streamer additionally contains Wi-Fi 6E, Alexa Voice Remote choices, and it offers a alternative of streaming companies reminiscent of Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Peacock.

Apple TV 4K

Prices for Apple’s well-liked Apple TV 4K begin at $129. Powered by the corporate’s A15 Bionic chip, the Apple TV 4K helps right this moment’s well-liked video streaming companies, together with the corporate’s Apple TV+ subscription service. The streamer additionally helps 4K video, HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio. Additionally, Apple Music subscribers also can stream their music by means of this gadget.

Autonomic eSeries 3 Music Streamer

Autonomic has served customized electronics professionals for a few years with its whole-house audio options. The Autonomic eSeries product delivers as many as three audio streams and it helps 24-bit/192kHz high-resolution audio. The firm additionally factors out the unit options its eAudioForged applied sciences, and an array of analog, coaxial digital and USB outputs.

Bluesound Node X Streamer

The $749 Node X presents multiroom audio capabilities, in addition to options reminiscent of Apple AirPlay, Roon Ready certification, high-resolution audio functionality, MQA compatibility, TIDAL and Spotify streaming choices. Bluesound emphasizes the streamer incorporates a Quad-Core Arm Cortex A53 processor, and an ESS Sabre HelloFi DAC.

CasaTunes 8×8 Music Server

The CasaTunes product is a high-performance whole-house audio gadget that delivers eight streams of audio to eight zones (rooms). The 8×8 music server with a built-in matrix change offers skilled integrators and owners with a 12-volt set off, and 500 GBs of inside storage. The CasaTunes product permits owners to stream content material from their Sonos merchandise, in addition to music saved on the arduous drive, streaming content material, and content material from Apple merchandise through AirPlay.

Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

The $50 Chromecast with Google TV product is a small, simply hideable gadget that runs on the Android TV platform. Through this well-liked streaming media working system customers can stream companies reminiscent of Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Spotify. The unit additionally helps 4K video and Bluetooth headphone compatibility.

Control4 Wireless Music Bridge

A easy strategy to combine music right into a Control4 sensible residence system, the Wireless Music Bridge permits customers to wirelessly join their music libraries and streaming companies to play music all through their houses. The unit incorporates Apple AirPlay, DLNA and Bluetooth.

Crestron DM-NAX-4ZSA-50 4+1 Streaming Zone Amplifier

Designed to combine into Crestron’s sensible residence platform Crestron Home, the NAX-4ZSA-50 incorporates GaN amp applied sciences that allows the product to supply 50-watts per channel to energy 4 stereo zones of audio. The unit helps Amazon Alexa voice management, in addition to casting companies reminiscent of Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2. The unit additionally presents a wealth of streaming companies, together with Pandora, SiriusXM, Deezer, Qobuz, and TIDAL.

Denon DNP-2000NE High-Resolution Audio Streamer with Built-in HEOS

The $1,599 DNP-2000NE options the Masimo firm’s proprietary HEOS wi-fi multiroom audio streaming platform. HEOS helps companies that embrace TIDAL, Spotify Connect and Amazon Music. Integrators also can join digital sources to the Denon DNP-2000NE, and so they also can join community hooked up storage options. Internally the unit employs Sabre ESS DACs, and it additionally presents AirPlay 2.

JBL MP350 Classic

JBL is likely one of the most well-known names within the discipline of residence audio and its $799 MP350 Classic connects to a house community through Ethernet or Wi-Fi, in addition to by means of the unit’s companion app. The MP350 Classic offers a alternative of analog RCA and digital outputs, and it additionally features a USB type-A enter to assist the connection of native storage units. In addition, the unit runs Roon Core for audiophile performance, and it incorporates Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast.

Juke Audio Juke-6

The 12-channel/6-stereo zone Juke-6 incorporates Class D amplification to run coolly and effectively. Juke’s whole-house audio answer makes use of a web-based strategy to manage to eradicate the necessity to obtain a management app. The Juke-6 additionally permits customers to stream content material from their favourite apps, together with Spotify and Apple Music, and it permits for as many as 4 unbiased simultaneous music streams.

NAD CI 580 v2 4-Zone Stereo Network Streamer

The BluOS-based whole-house audio answer from NAD Electronics streams companies reminiscent of TIDAL, iHeart Radio and Spotify, and it additionally helps the playback of high-resolution audio content material. The unit contains each USB Type A and Type B connections for using community or native disc drives, and customers can management the $1,599 answer through the unit’s companion app, which is obtainable from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

NVIDIA Shield Android TV Pro

This $199 retail product from the favored supplier of laptop elements, delivers 4K video and a alternative of streaming service that features Google Play Movies, Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube. The streamer additionally offers music companies reminiscent of Spotify, and Google Play Music. Providing sensible residence performance, NVIDIA provides the unit contains voice management choices with the inclusion of Google Assistant.

Roku Express 4K+

Roku is likely one of the hottest streaming media product producers available in the market and its $40 Roku Express 4K+ is an reasonably priced answer that features a voice management distant. The small-footprint streaming product delivers 4K video, together with HDR compatibility, and it runs the corporate’s Roku OS, which incorporates an easy-to-navigate person interface.

Russound MBX-Pre

Russound is a N.H.-based firm that manufactures whole-house audio techniques and audio equipment. The MBX-Pre can be utilized as a single-room answer or as a part of a whole-house audio system. The unit might be expanded right into a system to ship 48 zones of audio, and the UPnP appropriate MBX-Pre presents a wealth of streaming sources. Additionally, the part additionally features a USB enter to assist the connection of a USB arduous drives.

Savant Smart Audio

The household of Savant Smart Audio options supply entry to well-liked streaming companies suppliers. Savant additionally presents full integration with Apple Music throughout the whole Smart Audio lineup, enabling customers to get pleasure from a seamless expertise looking for songs, radio stations; accessing customized libraries, and extra from the Savant App. Savant presents entry to streaming from quite a lot of units, together with the Smart Audio wi-fi sound bar that the corporate says lets customers expertise glorious sound high quality together with a large soundstage and clear dialogue—plus the know-how to manage their residence in-built. 

Sonos Port

The $449 Sonos integrates into conventional stereo techniques, in addition to whole-house audio techniques to supply customers a alternative of all of right this moment’s well-liked streaming companies, together with Apple Music, TIDAL and Spotify. The product additionally helps audiobooks, podcasts, and different media sources. Sonos factors out the Port presents Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility, and management choices that embrace an app and voice management.

Tablo OTA DVR & Streaming Player

While not a standard streaming product, the Tablo (4^th gen) permits customers to document OTA (over the air) broadcast content material, in addition to free streaming channels. The $110 unit works with Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple, and Google TV. The Tablo additionally serves as a DVR, and it comes with skill to retailer as much as 50 hours of content material.

Wiim CI MOD S4 from Origin Acoustics

Wiim is a brand new streaming media product firm that gives retail and customized set up options which are accessible by means of Origin Acoustics. Among the customized merchandise accessible from Origin Acoustics embrace the four-zone CI MOD S4, which makes use of inside ESS Sabre DACs and a rack-mountable type issue.

Yamaha WXC-50

Carrying a retail worth of about $450, the WXC-50 from Yamaha incorporates the corporate’s proprietary MusicCAST streaming media platform. The DLNA licensed unit additionally offers Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, and a alternative of streaming companies that features Napster, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, Deezer and TIDAL. In addition, Yamaha helps the WXC-50 with an app for Android or Apple iOS, and it offers Amazon Alexa voice management choices.

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