High definition audio. That sounds nice, doesn’t it? However, most people are content to listen to regular definition audio via streaming services or via a physical format such as CD or vinyl LPs. Fortunately, these people are unaware that there is an opportunity to speed things up High Resolution.
Several of the The Best Music Streaming Services offer high-resolution audio alongside their standard (uncompressed CD quality) and compressed (reduced quality) streams. Some services, such as Tidal, require you to pay a higher price to access a high-resolution tier, while others like Apple Music and Amazon Music Unlimited pack them into their standard pricing plan. Still others – we’re pointing the finger at you, Spotify – do not offer high-resolution audio at all!
Accessing high-resolution audio isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but it just got a little easier. The new CS1 Endpoint Network Streamer from Canada’s NAD Electronics is a compact device that you can add to your stereo or home theater system to take advantage of the high-resolution audio offerings of music streaming services. Just plug it in, connect it to your receiver or built-in amplifier, connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet network, and you’re ready to rock.
The affordable (US$349 / £299 / CDN$499) CS1 supports dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay for streaming. But what sounds really good is that you can use Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect to stream directly and control playback using the Tidal and Spotify apps. MQA support is built-in to enable playback of high-resolution, master-quality music from Tidal, and the CS1 is a Roon endpoint. You can also use Chromecast to pull music from compatible apps, and the CS1 takes it from there, streaming tracks in standard or high-resolution formats to its 24-bit/192kHz-capable Texas Instruments PCM5141 DAC.
As for connections, the CS1 has RCA analog and both optical and coaxial digital outputs. The analog sockets allow connection to a wide range of equipment, both old and new, while the digital outputs allow connection to the latest generation of powered speakers or even a soundbar system.
Analysis: High-resolution audio doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated
There are inexpensive ways to get into high-definition music, but many of these options are designed for listening with headphones. And while there’s nothing wrong with pursuing audio bliss over that best headphones Some people – myself for example – prefer to listen to music with a good old-fashioned stereo speaker-plus-amp setup.
The high-end audio market is full of integrated amplifiers capable of streaming high-resolution audio over a Wi-Fi network from compatible services like Tidal or Qobuz. But many of these components are expensive and also require the use of a custom, branded app to facilitate streaming, with some apps doing the job much better than others.
Music fans looking to add both streaming and high-resolution audio capabilities to an existing stereo setup that lacks these features may find their choices limited. A good option is the node streaming DAC from NAD’s sister company Bluesound. The Node offers the same features as the CS1, but adds analog input, HDMI eARC output, and most importantly, app-based control with the company’s excellent BluOS control app. But while the Bluesound Node is great value for everything it does, at $599 / £549 / CDN$699 it still costs more than many people are willing to spend.
For such folks, the less expensive CS1 will be a more accessible option for adding streaming and high-res audio capabilities to an existing system. It’s true that you can’t use the BluOS control app used in the company’s more expensive streaming-enabled products, but not everyone will need the high level of functionality that the app offers (eg. multi-room streaming to multiple components). With the CS1, you can simply launch Tidal on your phone, tap play and off you go in high-res.
The NAD CS1 Endpoint Network Streamer will be available in March.
