Beautiful Streamer

NETWORK AUDIO PLAYERS are an emerging component category aimed at audiophiles who have made a full leap into music streaming. Many such components can also act as a preamplifier by accommodating externally connected sources such as a CD player or turntable and passing on a line-level signal to an amplifier. Because they are network-connected, streaming high-res audio files from a computer or NAS is also on the features menu, and higher-end models are often Roon Ready and MQA Certified.

Simaudio’s Moon 390, which I reviewed in the April/May issue (also online at ), is one example of a network-capable streamer/preamplifier. The Cary Audio DMS-550 under review here is another such specimen, though the company labels it as a network audio player. A lack of analog inputs and a volume control knob on the DMS-550’s front panel would support that categorization, though the presence of digital inputs and analog outputs, plus an ability to switch sources and adjust volume via both a hardware remote and control app, allow for it to be used as a digital preamp. Let’s take a closer