The world of hi-fi is changing with the times. Over the past half-decade we’ve seen a number of new categories arrive, fuelled by the growing popularity of streaming to prove that point.
These include all-in-one and speaker systems as well as just add-speaker streaming amps. And to be clear, I get why.
If you look at the latest numbers from the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association, in 2024 music streaming alone generated £2018.4m of revenue.
By comparison vinyl spoke for £196m and CD £126.2m. So for any business, if you want a mainstream audience, streaming is where it’s at.
But, this week a product launched reminding me why, for me personally, there’s a growing gap in the market because of this.
Specifically, the Pro-Ject Uni Box S3, which promises to "preserve” analogue signals’ integrity when playing vinyl and CDs, while simultaneously supporting hi-res streaming thanks to its use of a WiiM streaming module.
Hands in the air, we haven’t tested the unit, so we can’t attest to its quality – though we are curious, as the company’s original MaiA amplifier lacked the finesse to earn a recommendation from our testers.
But despite this, its appearance did get my brain cells whirring into action and pondering one big question: why aren’t there more, affordable streaming amps trying to deliver the whole package for hi-fi fans?
From a mass market perspective the answer is probably that people like me, who straddle the line between streaming and physical media, are a minority.
So for most companies it’s better to target the growth area (streaming) directly, as companies such as WiiM and Bluesound have.
For these companies, an HDMI, which lets you connect the amp to a wider selection of modern devices, including TVs and monitors, makes sense.
But as a guy short on space and cash but with a surplus of vinyl and CDs, I honestly would prefer a reliable phono stage in most instances.
If you want don't want to go down the full-fat separates route, either due to lack of space, or because you value pure convenience, there aren't many options available right now.
This is one of the key reasons the Award-winning Technics SA-C600 has become one of my most treasured pieces of hi-fi.
Not only does the unit have an integrated CD player, offer stellar build quality and excellent streaming support, it also has a good – if you match it with a price compatible turntable – phono stage built-in.
I got it three years ago, and honestly I’m still happy as a pig in muck with it as, despite keeping an eagle eye on the market and what’s passing through our listening rooms, I'm yet to see any other streaming amp that can match its holistic offering.
The closest we’ve tested recently is the four-star WiiM Amp Pro, which, while cheap and a solid performer, is almost purely focussed on streaming – it doesn’t even have a physical headphone output.
Am I the minority? Undoubtedly. But I still can’t help but hold out hope for more affordable amps that cater to streaming and physical media.
We may be a minority, but surely there are enough of us who like “owning” a copy of their favourite albums, who occasionally succumb to the allure of Tidal and Qobuz’s convenience to justify it?
MORE:
These are the best music streamers we’ve tested
We rate the best stereo amps money can buy
Our picks of the best wireless speakers
