Music all around
Described as a ‘modern cloud jukebox’, this beautifully made little cuboid has a simple purpose: it gets music from the internet and plays it in your house. There’s no screen or buttons to press because everything is controlled from your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.
Spotify is the world’s most popular music-streaming service, giving you access to millions of tracks old and new with a £10-a-month Premium subscription (the free version contains adverts). Gramofon comes with Spotify Connect, a feature that sends music straight from Spotify’s servers to any compatible device. You plug Gramofon into the mains and connect its stereo jack (no fancy hi-fi sockets here) to an amplifier or a set of powered speakers.
Using the Gramofon app on your device, you connect the box to your router over Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet cable – and you’re ready to play. Whenever you want music, simply select it on Spotify or Gramofon on your touchscreen and it’ll play through your speakers. You can play from multiple devices, and if they’re on the same Spotify account they can all add tracks to the queue to play next. You can also play music stored on a Mac or PC using the standard DLNA protocol, or listen to free internet radio stations via AllPlay Radio, which also supports Napster, TuneIn and more. SoundCloud, Tidal and others are due to be added.
It all works over Wi-Fi, which gives better sound quality than Bluetooth. The Gramofon’s attractive LED ring tells you what it’s doing at any time, and you can tap within it to shush the music if necessary. Buy more than one Gramofon then sync them, so you can play the same music on each or control what you hear in different parts of your house. This ‘multi-room’ capability is usually more expensive.
As a bonus, each Gramofon can extend your Wi-Fi coverage, helping to reach rooms with poor reception. It can also share your broadband with passers-by as part of Fon, the global free Wi-Fi network. This public-spirited act is entirely optional and won’t compromise your own security.
VERDICT
Not everyone needs a music-streaming box, but this is a particularly neat one with multi-room and useful extra functions. If you have speakers to use, it’s an excellent buy.
SPECIFICATIONS
802.11n Wi-Fi • 2x Ethernet ports • 3.5mm stereo output (RCA phono adapter incl • 43x80x80mm (HxWxD) • Two-year warranty