In this post I will cover some methods for streaming music from a PC. I will discuss audio streaming in general and also showcase a number of devices which are suited for audio streaming. Finally, I am going to make some recommendations about saving some money when buying streaming equipment.

Audio streaming is the process of sending music from your PC to other devices such as speakers either wirelessly or via LAN cables. The music is sent digitally, either uncompressed or compressed. WiFi does allow uncompressed streaming while Bluetooth requires audio compression due to its limited transfer rate.

Music transmitters which often also include a music receiver are one of the most cost effective products to send music through the home without wires. These transmitters are usually sold in kits but you can also buy these separately. One of these kits usually costs around $100.

If you do not want to spend any money on these kits, you can also use your network or Bluetooth adapter to stream music via any of those wireless protocols. Note that Bluetooth only has a range of around 30 feet. For streaming inside one room, Bluetooth is a pretty good choice. WiFi is more suitable for multi-room streaming.