Network Audio Players/Servers

The 9000N's Pixel Magic-designed app and streaming platform gives it a leg-up over Audiolab's other network audio products – DTS Play-Fi, which you'll also find on all manner of hardware including soundbars, televisions and AV receivers, is less 'specialist'. The app will also be familiar to some, as outside of a red-and-black colour scheme to complement that of the 9000N's LCD display (there are no other 'theme' options), its settings and functionality are akin to that of the Lumin app [HFN Jul '20]. This includes the size of its text and an interface that's more suited to a tablet (or M1 Mac) than a smartphone.

Music can be played from the Qobuz, Tidal and Spotify platforms, online radio, network shares, and connected USB storage. Here the app impresses with responsive operation, file type/sample rate info and fullscreen album artwork presentation at the touch of a finger. Playlist management, up to 2000 tracks, is also excellent, with the 9000N app making editing and track addition quick and intuitive. Arguably less easy to get to grips with are the app's wider settings, including various options to alter its presentation, as the labelling isn't always obvious – it's therefore a good job that Audiolab has made an online user guide available.