I rarely sing the praises of consumer items, because most things these days are barely acceptable garbage for the sake of profit. The world of internet capable devices to stream audio to your home stereo or bookshelf radio is no different; its a wasteland of cheap chinese plastic and barely shippable software that might do some of what you need if you work at it.
So when I find a device that does exactly what it should and is reliable about it, I feel like I should say something. The Grace Link internet radio tuner is one of those things. Its a small box that connects to any streaming music service (including your local Plex) or shoutcast station, and streams the audio to your stereo. It sounds simple, but the market is loaded with devices that claim to do something like this and are limited in one way or another. Not the Grace Link. It connects to Spotify, SiriusXM, internet radio stations, and other services with ease. It has a small but readable screen, physical preset buttons, and a remote. It will connect to other Grace Links in your home to give you “multiroom” streaming – we usually play Groove Salad from SomaFM around the house.
Honestly it is exactly what I needed to play streaming music on my existing AVC in the living room. It works so well I bought another for the bedroom, and I will probably buy a third for the kitchen. I wanted a simple to use ‘internet tuner’ device for my stereo, and the Grace Link is it.