Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Digital Audio Hi-Fi

These devices let you play digital audio through your stereo system, and the only finger you have to lift is the one on your remote control.

Josh Taylor

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

Click here for full-size image.

Photograph: Paul Berg
For most of us, listening to digital music is something we do when we're sitting in front of our computers, or when we're out cruising around with our portable audio players. In the living room, we're still more likely to be playing compact discs. But a new crop of digital audio devices allows you to listen to digital audio through your stereo system.

Compressed digital audio still has a long way to go before some people will relinquish their CDs. But it's truly convenient. You can spend as little as $100 to bring thousands of MP3, WMA, or AAC audio files from your PC into your living room. Spend a little more, and you can play the files over a wired or wireless network. Or you can spend thousands of dollars on a full-blown digital audio server (the fact that it has a hard disk is a sign that digital audio may be edging toward respectability among audiophiles).

Several of the devices that I looked at can do more than simply play audio files. Want to listen to Internet radio on your home theater system? No problem. How about watching your vacation photos on your TV, in perfect sync with your favorite music? Can do.

You might be thinking, "Great, all I need is another big box in my living room." Relax: These devices come large and small, wired and wireless. Besides, think of the space you'll save once you stick your old CDs in the attic.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

Featured APC Accessories

  • APC Back-UPS ES Safeguards your equipment from damaging surges and spikes that travel along your utility & data lines.
  • APC SurgeArrest Performance Highest level of protection for your professional computers, electronics and connected devices, as well as provides surge protection.

Deal Breakers

Special Offers for PC World Users

People who read this also read:

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links