When putting together a hi-fi system, a lot has changed over the past few decades. Sure you’d have your amplifier and speakers, but what would be the source? A record deck perhaps? Maybe a CD player or even a trusty tape player? It just shows how things move on and now we are seeing something new taking up prime position in the hi-fi rack: the music streamer.
With this massive upturn in interest of music streaming Tibo have given us another option in the simply named Smart Streamer. Upon opening the box it’s clear from the size of the streamer that this is meant to go with a hi-fi separates or AV system. It will be the same width as most separate hi-fi components at 430mm but it’s noticeably slimmer than the norm at just 65mm. This gives it a sleek and modern design and shouldn’t give you headaches if you’re trying to fit it in a tight space. On the front there are preset buttons to make use of the internet radio included – up to 18 presets to be exact.
Connecting this up to any hi-fi system is straight forward as can be. Simply use either the digital optical or RCA analogue outputs and you’re good to go. If needed, you can take advantage of the pre-amp facility the Smart Streamer offers. Due to its volume, balance, bass and treble controls, you could plug this straight into a power amp and away you go, which is a massive plus at this price point. Oh and they’ve also included an RCA input which comes in handy if you wanted to plug something into the streamer and especially useful if you wanted to use the it with a power amp. There’s also your standard ethernet connection too, for a faster and more reliable connection. However, with broadband and Wi-Fi speeds getting faster and more reliable, most people will likely opt for the built-in Wi-Fi the Tibo offers.
So what does this “streamer” actually stream? First of all, Tibo have included a standard Bluetooth connection for maximum flexibility. You can also get a free application to download to your smart phone or tablet. This allows you to not only control the streamer but to take advantage of its multi-room capabilities. Tibo are releasing more and more compatible products and this app allows you to control the music played on the Smart Streamer as well as controlling a different product in a different room. I must add though that the Tibo products that are linked together must be more than 10 metres away from each other. You could take advantage of the internet radio on the Smart Streamer and play thousands of stations to your hi-fi and then go play some music in a bedroom via Spotify. Again, for the money there’s a lot to get stuck into. On top off all these great features, the unit also offers Hi-Res audio playback. This streamer really offers you plenty of options and a lot of flexibility. The sound it produces, combined with all of its features makes it a real winner while remaining cost effective.
If you want to come and hear the Smart Streamer for yourself or have a look at what streaming can do for your music, why not pop down to your local Richer Sounds for a demonstration?
Click here to find out more about the Tibo Smart Streamer.
Author: Bradley, Plymouth store
