Looking for an all-in-one just-add-speakers streamer for my son to take to college


Cambridge Audio Evo 75 is probably the top of the range, but maybe a BlueSound Powernode is good enough? Maybe there is something cheaper that fits the bill?

My son is not (yet) an audiophile, so sufficient volume may be the most important, but interested in any thoughts folks have on this topic.

saulh

The new Marantz Stereo 70s would fit the bill. An added bonus is he could run his TV audio through it as well. Has HDMi ports.

Around $1000.

The Yamaha R-N800A would be a better buy/all in one solution (1200 bucks) for a kid going to college at half the price of that Cambridge.

The Yamaha is a Class AB grunt that can drive any speaker he’s gonna haul without breakin a sweat.... clean DAC, full featured streamer with its MusicCast Eco system and room correction (if he’s gonna have a crappy room), etc

He may very much become a audiophile convert after he’s lived with it.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RN8HASL/Yamaha-R-N800A-Silver.html?tp=47041

 

If you are just streaming, check out a Wiim Mini or Pro as the streamer and look into AudioEngine speakers. Good performance at a great price. I set up an office system with a Mini and the AE B2 and connect them with Bluetooth. The B2 is a one-box speaker so is great for a dorm room or small bedroom. The also have several other stereo pair options that you could use. 

My thoughts tend towards a PowerNode for a first one. It should be easy to sell if he decides to move up. I bought my son a nice biwired rig that he kept all through school. Now that he got PhD ed (& married?) he doesn’t even want that or any hifi.