What Hi-Fi? Verdict
The musicm8’s a premium NAS, but it’s brilliantly easy to live with
Pros
- +
Boasts built-in CD ripping
- +
just works, straight out of the box, with loads of popular devices
Cons
- -
There are cheaper ways to get 1TB of network storage
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
If you're interested in using a music server or streaming device, the new XiVa musicm8 could be just what you're looking for.
A sophisticated NAS box with built-in disc-ripping, it's small, very quiet (though not quite silent) and, with 1TB of storage, there's plenty of hard-disk space to store music, photos and video.
Usability justifies price
That said, you'll easily find a media centre PC for the same money, while simpler NAS drives start at £400. So why does the musicm8 cost £800?
Simple: because the XiVA just does what it ought straight out of the box, with no fuss. It has full iTunes support, grabs its own album art and is pre-configured to support many popular devices, such as Squeezebox, Sonos, Linn, Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360.
It's Mac, Windows and Linux-compatible, and rips music into WAV, Flac or MP3. Throw in remote online access and you've a properly thought-out, effective product.
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