Denon is popular among the digital audio enthusiasts for its high fidelity music systems. Their RCD-N7 is a neat looking Wi-Fi based audio streamer with a built in CD player, iPod/iPhone dock and AM/FM receiver; all integrated on the same device. It is a compact network streamer that accepts a wide range of inputs and streams it efficiently using its built in Wi-Fi capabilities. The brilliance does not end here, it can also hook up to the internet for unlimited access to music streaming websites and extremely easy to setup.
What is it?
As mentioned earlier, Denon RCD N7 is a music streaming device. You can think of it as a wireless router that connects the home Wi-Fi network, but only for specifically streaming music. It has a built in CD player to play any of the music CDs from your collection and supports AM/FM radio to catch up with your favorite radio stations anytime. It streams the music over an 802.11 b/g/n network which is standard Wi-Fi and supported by most of the modern Wi-Fi enabled devices out there. And the special part, Denon RCD-N7 is one of the few music streamers that has native support for Apple AirPlay.
Key features
1. Compact and robust
Denon RCD-N7 uses a compact and robust body to house all the features. It is nicely built with glossy plastic case which has a premium feel to it. And at 12 x 11 x 4 inches with a weight of 4.3 kg, the device is not exactly portable but it is not unmovable either.
2. Different input support
RCD-N7 supports a plethora of input options for receiving the music input. It does not complain if you have a large music CD collection and can play all of your CDs just right inside. To listen to your favorite radio stations, you do not need a separate device anymore, RCD-N7 is just going to fulfill that for you.
3. iPod/iPhone support
Denon has also cleverly included native iPod/iPhone support using a connecting dock on the device. Now it is really easy to connect any of your existing iPod or your iPhone to the device for streaming music across your home.
4. Internet radio
With more than 12000 different radio stations to choose from, can anyone really complain about the lack of music anymore? RCD-N7 has the internet radio feature just baked in.
5. Quick and easy internet connectivity
Denon successfully did away with all the clutters usually gets stuck with a traditional internet connection. You need a computer, a lot of wires, a small box called router; in a word, confusing. RCD-N7 supports direct connection to the internet without a PC which is a great boon in usability and also clutter less.
6. Apple AirPlay support
AirPlay is an advanced protocol developed by technology that allows smooth wireless streaming of music, videos and photos; all of them without the hassle of configuring each and every device with a computer for their network configurations. AirPlay makes it extremely easy to share your media across compatible devices. Denon RCD-N7 has a native support for AirPlay which allows a far easier connectivity.
Whatâs innovative?
While media streams are more or less common in these days, Denon RCD-N7 has some immediate features that set it apart. Being one of the few media streamers using Apple proprietary AirPlay technology, Denon RCD-N7 can be configured quickly and easily for streaming your music. The CD player not only supports traditional Audio CDs but custom CDs having MP3, FLAC, AAC, WMA files as well. Inclusion of a USB port in the front allows the users to attach their own media players, thumb drives or even USB based hard drives for easier access. While the accompanying remote is packed with features and buttons, the front panel of RCD-N7 also offers comprehensive controls over the streamer.
Price and availability
The Denon RCD-N7 is available at $599 from most of the big online retailers.
The up side
The plethora of input connectivity options Denon RCD-N7 offers is pretty impressive and quite comprehensive as well. Support for popular online music streaming services like Pandora, Rhadopsy and Napster is a welcome addition which only increases the scope for music. Apple AirPlay is a very interesting feature and offers surprisingly easy and streamlined setup. The size and weight of the system is also not like a hunk which makes it easily accessible.
The down side
The feature-filled remote is sometimes hard to control and confusing. When the Wi-Fi is set up for the first time, things can go a bit shaky for the uninitiated. Typing credentials on protected networks is really a chore. The front panel offers limited controls.
Our experience
Denon RCD-N7 performed as expected in real world tests. The wireless connectivity is pretty good and offers fairly strong signals for adjacent rooms to the one this system is housed. Although the sound quality actually depends on the used music files, the in-built amplifier is also fairly powerful. Connectivity to online music services is pretty straightforward and does not take much effort.
The bottomline
The plethora of connectivity options that Denon RCD-N7 offers can easily become the only reason to buy this device but the amazing usability and satisfying wireless performances also back it up pretty strongly. If you are looking for a music streaming device for your home and also have Apple devices like iPod/iPhone, etc., then itâs a recommended buy. Even if you donât, as we mentioned before, the multiple connectivity options make quite a strong unique selling point.
