T+A Symphonia STREAMING INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

German aesthetes are fond of saying “Das Auge isst mit”: “The eye feasts too.” In audio terms, your ears do the listening, but your eyes want their share of pleasure.

- ROGIER VAN BAKEL

I thought of that expression after I opened the T+A Symphonia's double factory box. This German-built all-in-one has an attractive, subtly beveled, anodized-aluminum chassis that's a few inches narrower and lower (14.9" W × 3.9" H) than the typical stereo amplifier. At 13.7lb, it isn’t heavy either, though it feels substantial, even dense, conveying a sense of quality. Looking at the Symphonia gave me a case of Ebenmäßigkeitsentzückung—a feeling of delight brought on by an object’s symmetry. Those Germans have a word for everything.

The Symphonia looks understated, which is surprising considering that its silver-gray fascia is chockablock with controls. I counted 10 small round buttons, a knob on either end—play/pause control on the left, volume on the right—a text-only white-on-black display, two small white VU meters, a Pentaconn headphone jack, and a USB-C port. If you fondly remember Dieter Rams's product designs for Braun of the 1970s and '80s, you may appreciate this T+A aesthetic. While not looking retro exactly, it shares with Rams's work an understated, hyperorganized quality despite all those front-panel features.

Around back, the Symphonia sports several inputs, analog and digital: two analog on RCA, two USB, two S/PDIF (coaxial and TosLink), and an HDMI ARC bus. Via the menu function, the second analog input can be configured to accept the signal from an MM or high-output MC phono cartridge and do with it what needs doing. Close by is a 75 ohm antenna input suitable for either a domestic aerial or a cable connection: Yes, it's for radio. There's also a place to plug in the two included WiFi antennas—I preferred the hardwired advantage of an Ethernet hookup—an analog pre-out to connect active speakers or an external power amplifier, two subwoofer outputs, and a standard IEC socket.