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'Affordable' it is not — Nagra's music streamer and DAC costs thousands, but you know you want it anyway

March 05, 2026 • 5 min read • views
'Affordable' it is not — Nagra's music streamer and DAC costs thousands, but you know you want it anyway
  1. Audio
'Affordable' it is not — Nagra's music streamer and DAC costs thousands, but you know you want it anyway News By Tom Bedford published 5 March 2026

Nagra's new release is a compact DAC and streamer combo

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The Nagra Compact Player on a black background, with TR's 'Money no Object' badge (Image credit: Nagra)
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  • Nagra announces a new 'Compact Player'
  • No CDs here though — it is a distinguished streamer and DAC combo
  • At £6k (around $8k / AU$11.3k) it's still cheaper than the brand's alternatives

Nagra's at it again: the high-end Swiss audio brand has just unveiled a brand-new piece of Hi-Fi hardware to blow a hole in your bank account... but only a medium-sized hole this time.

Money no object

We love to give practical buying advice about the latest tech products here on TechRadar. But sometimes what we love even more is to indulge in the most outrageously high-end, cutting-edge, luxurious propositions on the planet. That's what we bring you in these Money no object columns – you can read the whole series here.

This is the Nagra Compact Player, unveiled as a music streamer and DAC using the brand's bespoke technology and design. I'm talking power regulation, a clock generator and a simple, small bar design: everything you need (and nothing that you don't), to get natural sound.

The brand is presenting this new release as an alternative to the Nagra Streamer, but with a DAC thrown in for space-conscious buyers.

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The device plays from Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz's Connect services, as well as AirPlay 2 and vTuner, and local storage playback too thanks to a USB port, and it has support for various music management apps like mConnect and Roon. By the sounds of the press release, though, you can only control it from a smartphone.

A solid price to pay for audio greatness

The Nagra Compact Player on a black background.

(Image credit: Nagra)

The Nagra Compact Streamer isn't for the light of funds, hence the 'Money No Object' part of the headline. In the UK, it's set to sell for £5,998, which converts to around $8,000 or AU$12,000. It's fair to say it's not a budget pick.

However, as part of Nagra's Compact family, it's not a super premium model either. These devices are designed to be smaller and more affordable than other offerings from the company.

The Nagra Classic Amp, for example, goes for over twice that price, and you'll have to add a '0' to the end of the Compact Streamer's price if you want to pick up multiple devices from the brand.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

So while the Compact Streamer may seem like a premium pick, it's actually a reasonably affordable pick for audiophiles on a medium budget, who want an all-in-one device.

iFi Go Link MaxThe best headphone DACs for all budgetsOur top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

➡️ Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC:iFi GO Link Max2. Best budget desktop DAC:iFi Uno3. Best premium portable DAC:iFi xDSD Gryphon4. Best wireless DAC:Fiio BTR17

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Tom BedfordTom BedfordSocial Links NavigationContributor

Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor covering tech, entertainment and gaming. Beyond TechRadar, he has bylines on sites including GamesRadar, Digital Trends, WhattoWatch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022 he was on the TechRadar team as the staff writer and then deputy editor for the mobile team.

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