Music Streaming

High-end Brit audio gear maker Bowers & Wilkins has given its iconic Zeppelin portable speaker a Pro upgrade. The blimp-shaped unit is home to improved drivers, better support for hi-res streaming, plus a few eyeball pleasers for good measure.

The vast majority of today's consumed music is served up by streaming platforms, leaving traditional hi-fi setups struggling to stay relevant. Cambridge Audio has launched a multi-driver all-in-one music streamer that can also play nice with legacy gear.

The Harman Luxury Audio Group has added a new family member to JBL's Classic Series, in the shape of a retro-stylish all-in-one music system named the L42ms that puts out 200 watts and features adjustable bass response.

China's Fiio – which recently announced a mechanical keyboard with a built-in DAC – has launched a new flagship desktop media streamer and headphone amp/DAC combo that's dominated by a slick smartphone-like user interface.

Home audio brand Victrola snuggled up with Sonos back in 2022 with a streaming turntable designed to feed groovy tunes direct to Sonos speakers over a wireless connection. Now the company has expanded to Roon and beyond with the Stream Sapphire.

Linkplay Technology's audio brand Wiim has followed the "audiophile-grade" Pro Plus streaming box with its first streaming amplifier, allowing music lovers to cable the device direct to passive speakers, a home-theater setup or an old vinyl spinner.

Audio hardware brand Victrola introduced its first streaming turntable last year with the Stream Carbon. Now the company is expanding its premium lineup with the launch of the Hi-Res Carbon and Hi-Res Onyx models.

"Quintessentially British" audio gear company Ruark has launched the first in a new series of integrated music systems. The R410 offers modern streaming, internet radio and connection to hi-fi gear – all enclosed in gorgeous 1970s-inspired wrapping.

Though most turntables will be cabled to a hi-fi amp, some allow streaming to Bluetooth speakers. Pro-Ject has announced a new addition to its T-series turntables that makes use of Wi-Fi technology for the promise of lossless multiroom playback.

Linkplay Technology's compact "audiophile-grade" Wiim Pro Plus gives folks who listen to music using treasured legacy hi-fi setups a way to bring their aging systems into the modern streaming age, without having to fork out silly money.

Even with convincing deep fakes causing record-label panic and a flurry of new AI tech garnering plenty of interest, we’re still at the very beginning of learning just how modern machine learning will change art and pop culture, for both good and bad.

There's no denying that streaming rules the roost for the way we consume our music these days. But if your perfectly good living room hi-fi is feeling very unloved, a little black box from NAD could help bring your aging setup into the 21st century.