Network Audio Players/Servers

For many of us, our first exposure to halfway decent sound was via a 'music centre': the spiritual descendant of those radiograms of the post-war decades, combining turntable, record player, amplifier and speakers. By the 1970s these huge tabletop units, complete with piano-key cassette recorder controls, record changer (which dictated that size) and all-covering acrylic lid, were everywhere. Some had names still familiar today, but many British brands are now long gone.

The advent of the CD changed all that as 'mini-systems' took over – small enough to slot onto a shelf, either as all-in-ones or miniature hi-fi separates. Denon's D-70 was influential, being advertised in 1992 as 'Hi-Fi with a notable difference' – a compact receiver, CD player and cassette deck, all separate but controlled by a single remote handset. Now, with the rise of streaming, the music centre is reinventing itself, from completely integrated units to 'just add speakers' designs such as the Caruso R. And the radiogram? Nostalgia has passed it by, as even the most diehard vintage collectors remain focused on separates.