MusicRadar Verdict
At this price, it makes getting a Sonos system look increasingly crazy.
Pros
- +
Connects easily. Decent sound quality. Affordable.
Cons
- -
Mains powered and no battery option.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Digital music streamers can be expensive and complicated. In this age of Spotify and capacious mobile devices, they're also increasingly irrelevant. Step up the Aves Mercury. It's the size of a well-worn bar of soap and acts as the perfect go-between for your clever mobile device and your dumb stereo.
"Our iPhone 5 picked up the Mercury every time without a hitch"
The phone sees the Mercury via Bluetooth and streams audio from your choice of app, be it the onboard music player, Spotify, radio... whatever. Meanwhile, the Mercury connects via a 3.5mm stereo line-out to RCA jack and your amp and speakers treat it like a CD player.
Our iPhone 5 picked up the Mercury every time without a hitch and Bluetooth range is great (we even streamed tunes through walls from adjoining rooms).
Sound quality is loud and proud and certainly good enough for Spotify's 'high quality' streams and 256 AAC on-board audio.
“The PB-62 continues our tradition of delivering outstanding price-to-performance value, and a fresh take on a classic theme”: Vintage mojo from a $180 beginner bass guitar? Meet the Harley Benton PB-62
"Create unique and professional tracks in seconds": Sugar Bytes' Dialekt is an 8-track groovebox that can create instant songs in a variety of genres
“This isn’t just an Artist Signature model – it’s a glimpse into what could have been, had this concept made it to production”: Fender and Brad Paisley introduce the 1967 ‘Lost Paisley’ Telecaster
