I have experience with two network music players:
WDTV Live and Marantz 6005.
The WD product is very inexpensive and effective. Mine is an older model no longer in production. The newer models will stream several internet sources but will no longer stream Netflix. As for music it will play various video sites, Tune-in, Pandora, and music files from your network via either wireless or ethernet. It will stream most formats including Flac 24/192 files. It now has only HDMI and digital audio outputs. Mine has analog audio as well. I use the digital output through my separate DAC. The internal DAC on mine sounds just okay. What can you expect from a device that costs less than $100? I guess the latest model doesn't even have a DAC. The problem with streaming higher resolution files is that the digital output on my device is converted to 44.1 kHz. These sound good through my external DAC but they are not the highest resolution.
I would try to find out if the newer models convert the higher resolution files or not. For the money I would say the WDTV is a great value. You might try a discontinued unit for more functionality. I've had mine for seven or eight years. I had a Roku (mainly a Video streamer) that crapped out after two years.
Now for the Marantz 6005 media streamer. It has lots of bells and whistles but the iinternal (infernal) software is buggy. When it works it's great but I have spent hours trying to unlock it after it locks up without having to reset the unit to scratch and reenter all my information. The service people are responsive but unhelpful. I have had to reset it twice to factory settings and then reenter all my network info and music souces. Highly unrecommended.
WDTV Live and Marantz 6005.
The WD product is very inexpensive and effective. Mine is an older model no longer in production. The newer models will stream several internet sources but will no longer stream Netflix. As for music it will play various video sites, Tune-in, Pandora, and music files from your network via either wireless or ethernet. It will stream most formats including Flac 24/192 files. It now has only HDMI and digital audio outputs. Mine has analog audio as well. I use the digital output through my separate DAC. The internal DAC on mine sounds just okay. What can you expect from a device that costs less than $100? I guess the latest model doesn't even have a DAC. The problem with streaming higher resolution files is that the digital output on my device is converted to 44.1 kHz. These sound good through my external DAC but they are not the highest resolution.
I would try to find out if the newer models convert the higher resolution files or not. For the money I would say the WDTV is a great value. You might try a discontinued unit for more functionality. I've had mine for seven or eight years. I had a Roku (mainly a Video streamer) that crapped out after two years.
Now for the Marantz 6005 media streamer. It has lots of bells and whistles but the iinternal (infernal) software is buggy. When it works it's great but I have spent hours trying to unlock it after it locks up without having to reset the unit to scratch and reenter all my information. The service people are responsive but unhelpful. I have had to reset it twice to factory settings and then reenter all my network info and music souces. Highly unrecommended.