what is the purpose of a streamer?

[Blake Klondike]

this is obviously a rudimentary question, but what do people use streamers for? my impression is to access music services without a computer or phone? do they offer other use-cases that might be of interest? thanks!

 

[obsessive9119]

Well, yes - to stream music from either a streaming service, or from your locally hosted music server. Most streamers also have quite good DACs, and many provide EQ and input options.

 

[Karmacoma]

To play music from streaming services on my sound system using my phone or more rarely my computer via dlna.

 

[Blake Klondike]

Well, yes - to stream music from either a streaming service, or from your locally hosted music server. Most streamers also have quite good DACs, and many provide EQ and input options.

thanks-- so is it a Bluetooth broadcaster? I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this. you are all very patient!

 

[obsessive9119]

thanks-- so is it a Bluetooth broadcaster? I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this. you are all very patient!

No. It goes like this: streamer -> [line level] -> amp. Or alternatively, streamer -> [digitial] -> dac -> amp.

Basically it's a way of hooking up your amp to a streaming service.

 

[JustJones]

Some streamers can broadcast Bluetooth. WiiM Ultra uses 5.3 and can send to Bluetooth speakers or headphones. I use a streamer to stream music from my library or online service without the hassle of having a laptop. It's a nice small box that sits on the bottom shelf out of the way and I can control it with a tablet or phone or remote.

 

[kemmler3D]

Two main uses for me: 1) play digital audio without connecting my phone, TV, turntable, or computer to something.

2) multi room audio. I've got 5 WiiM units (4 indoors, one out) so I can play music for parties and whatnot.

What's neat is they can all broadcast their inputs to the others over WiFi. So I have my turntable and CD player plugged into one, and I can take my pick of which speakers to play it on.

 

[somebodyelse]

Part of the problem in explaining it is that 'streamer' covers such a broad range of possible capabilities. At its most basic you've got something that has a network connection, an audio output (analog or digital) and nothing else - you control it from an app, a browser or some other control device like the Squeezebox Duet. At the other you have something like the Squeezebox Boom or Radio that also has a screen, buttons and knobs for the interface, and its own speakers. Or with inputs too, that you can stream to another endpoint on the network. Some can synchronise multiple endpoints so you can have the same music playing in different rooms.

I use LMS to play a mixture of locally stored content, Qobuz and internet radio sources to different sorts of players in different rooms, sometimes synchronised, or moving the current playlist from one room to another. Depending on the situation I control it with an app, a browser or the controls on the streamer (the Boom in the kitchen). Sometimes the 'streamer' is squeezelite running on a computer. I've even used it while on holiday, using a VPN to connect the laptop back to the network at home - useful when you find something's region locked, or only in your own music collection.