A surprising problem is hitting the hi-fi industry: the optical drives used for CDs and SACDs are becoming increasingly difficult to source. The shortage has already forced two well-known audio companies, Naim and PS Audio, to discontinue products that rely on these drives. Among the affected products are the Naim Uniti Star streaming amplifier and…
Sonance has unveiled two unusual home theater solutions at CEDIA Expo 2026: the SBXL-100, a massive 2.1-meter-wide soundbar designed for giant TVs, and the PowerPipe X series of architectural subwoofers that can be hidden inside walls, ceilings, or furniture. The two products offer a different approach to large-screen home theater, combining a huge front soundstage…
Wharfedale’s new Nova subwoofers take a different approach to deep bass with passive radiators, Class D amplification and DSP control.
British hi-fi company iFi Audio has introduced the iCAN Phantom 1.5, an updated version of its flagship headphone amplifier. Rather than completely redesigning the original Phantom, iFi has focused on refining the areas that matter when pairing it with different headphones, from sensitive IEMs to demanding planar magnetic and electrostatic models. The new iCAN Phantom…
What if the Sonos speaker you carry out to the patio could also become part of your home theater when you bring it back inside? That is now possible, thanks to a new Sonos feature that lets compatible portable speakers work as wireless rear surround channels. Sonos has begun rolling out Sonos OS version 27,…
What if your next CD player wasn’t something you wanted to hide inside a cabinet? That seems to be the question behind the Syitren RM1, a compact new CD player that puts its internal mechanism on full display inside a transparent case. Instead of looking like another piece of black or silver hi-fi equipment, the…
Orchard Audio is bringing its GaN amplifier technology into the home theater world for the first time with the new Starkrimson HT Ultra series. The new multichannel power amplifiers are designed for serious home theater systems that need substantial power, while offering something a little different from the conventional Class D amplifiers most enthusiasts are…
Argon Audio has introduced the Aurora, its first direct-drive turntable, combining a heavy low-resonance chassis, S-shaped tonearm, Ortofon cartridge, and built-in phono preamp in a design aimed at both newcomers and experienced vinyl listeners. The Danish hi-fi company is expanding its turntable lineup with the Argon Audio Aurora, a new direct-drive model designed to deliver stable…
Klipsch has been making speakers for 80 years, so you’d think there wouldn’t be much left to surprise us. And yet, here we are. The company has introduced its new Reference Signature loudspeaker series at CEDIA Expo 2026, and this is not simply another cosmetic refresh of the familiar Reference formula. Klipsch has taken something…
HYPERSUB’s new Frontier subwoofers range from the F-15 to the outrageous F-24 DUO, featuring two 24-inch drivers, serious amplification and custom-install integration.