Network Audio Player

EASILY ENHANCED WITH AN ADD-ON DAC—the Allo Boss ($59) gives a massive sound and attaches to the Pi’s GPIO pins—a Pi makes an ideal network audio player. There’s a couple of ready-to-rock distros that aid in setting up support for the likes of Spotify, DNLA audio, web radio stations, and all the formats you could want. Our pick, Volumio, bills itself as “the open audiophile audio player,” enabling you to fire off tunes using its comprehensive web interface on your phone or PC, and even offering its own hardware, including amps that do away with the need for anything beyond a pair of passive speakers. https://volumio.org