Scottish hi-fi specialist Linn is once again predicting the end of conventional hi-fi components with the news that it is to stop production of all standalone preamps.
Back in 2009, Linn forecast the demise of the CD player when it announced that it would stop making them. That hasn't happened, as many manufacturers still produce standalone players, but certainly sales of disc-based media are in decline as streaming becomes more popular.
MORE: Streaming and downloading set to overtake sales of physical formats
Linn is continuing to focus on its DS range of digital products. It says it signalled the "beginning of the end" for the preamp in 2011 when it integrated the network music capabilities of DS with preamp functionality in a single product, the Linn DSM. Now Linn claims its DSM players are "set to supersede the standalone preamp".
The firm's managing director Gilad Tiefenbrun says: "People told us we were crazy when we stopped making CD players, but it was simply a reflection of Linn's development of a superior technology, together with changes in how people are consuming music."
We can't see every other hi-fi manufacturer following Linn's lead, so those of you who still want a conventional preamp shouldn't have any trouble getting hold of one.
Meanwhile, Linn will offer a 10 per cent discount on any Linn DSM product for customers trading in an old preamp, from Linn or any other manufacturer. The offer runs until 14th August 2015.
