A hi-fi streaming box to replace your receiver

It used to be that network players were a relatively niche hi-fi component, bought by those with large libraries of digital files at a time when many still preferred CDs or other physical media. But these days a streaming box can be the very heart of your setup, and you’ll need a good one if you want to avoid the lossiest wireless codecs or drive your digital music to really nice speakers.

On the other hand, you could look at replacing your setup or receiver with an all-in-one that has high-end networking built in. I’ve been testing the Evo 75 from British engineering stalwart Cambridge Audio and, while you miss out on some flexibility using an all-in-one box rather than separate components, the results have been very impressive.

Cambridge Audio’s Evo 75 is an all-in-one receiver and network streamer, just add speakers.

In essence, this is a box designed to output the highest quality sound from every streaming service and source, but there are options to support your physical media via external devices too. It’s a decent investment at $3300, but then all you need to add are speakers and you have a seriously high-end setup.

The Evo 75 is a slick and solid unit with the front dominated by a dual rotary dial for volume and input select, plus a set of buttons and a large LCD to show off your album art. It comes with a nice remote control, as well as two sets of magnetic side panels; you can choose between retro wood veneer or a modern grey ridges.

Around back you’ll find your outputs â€" speakers, sub and pre-amp â€" as well as analogue RCA, optical, and coaxial inputs for your CD player or any other gear. There’s also a USB for attaching storage, a HDMI ARC so the Evo can drive your TV audio and a 3.5mm output up front for headphone listening. Unfortunately there’s no phono input, so any turntables will need their own phono stage.

If you’re not into wood grain, there’s a more modern side panel option in the box.

But that’s all fairly regular receiver stuff and, while the Evo 75 performs very well with local sources, it’s the networking that’s front and centre.

It works with Tidal and Spotify straight from their respective apps, as well as more niche streamers Qobuz and Roon via Cambridge’s StreamMagic app. You can also send music over AirPlay or Cast, tune into internet radio, or tap into your own server or network storage. As a last resort it can also do Bluetooth, up to aptX HD if your phone supports it. You can use the app to define preset stations or playlists, choose which sources appear on your unit so you don’t have to wade through stuff you don’t use, or configure your library over the network.

At first I had a lot of trouble getting the Evo to stay connected to Wi-Fi, which made it impossible to play more than a few seconds of music or even use the app. I had better luck after moving it near my router, so it could just be my house, but I’d highly suggest using the Ethernet port on the back of the unit to hardwire it to your network.

Once you’re all set up and it’s time to listen the Evo is a joy to use; just turn the dial to select a source, pick something to listen to with your phone and settle in. This is no tinny Bluetooth speaker or lossy data-sipping app; Cambridge’s sound is punchy and well-defined, with a wide and musical stage. There’s an extremely basic EQ in the app, but you likely won’t need it; it’s fluid and detailed out of the box.

I really enjoy that, next to the track info and art, the Evo displays bitrate information so you know you’re getting the highest quality streams possible from your source of choice. It also has an MQA decoder on board so compatible streams â€" for example from Tidal’s Master library â€" can have their authenticity and provenance verified automatically and you can get that reassuring blue check.

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Tim Biggs is the editor of The Age and Sydney Morning Herald technology sections.Connect via Twitter or email.

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