The dancing robots and talking smart speakers get all the attention at CES, but there is still a strong showing of traditional audio products. They don't light up or take selfies. They just sound really good.
Sometimes the headlines write themselves. Nevertheless, I have a certain fondness for wireless waterproof speakers. I take them out in the back forty. When it starts to rain, I don't care.
I was not familiar with Massdrop until my fearless S&V Editor Bob Ankosko turned me on to it. Good thing he did. This looks like a heck of a headphone amplifier.
The smart speaker revolution is raging. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is either showing smart speakers or else waving their hands and saying how soon theirs will be available. But there is already a mutant version rapidly emerging - the smart display.
The Aventho looks like a fairly conventional supra aural (on-ear) headphone. Also, fairly conventionally, it offers Bluetooth wireless connectivity. But it also features an interesting accompanying app that is unconventional, but extremely valuable.
IRIVER is hopping on the MQA bandwagon, starting with its Activo CT10 streaming player, with other models to join in later. Is this good evidence that MQA is turning the corner to become the defacto standard bearer of hi-res music?
We audiophiles hate streaming because it's all just low-res junk, right? Tidal hasn't been awesome enough so we hate that too and we're just going to sit in our rooms and sulk and not listen to anything at all because it all just sucks. But Qobuz is knocking gently on our bedroom door....
Smart speakers are popping up left and right, wack-a-mole style, one virtually indistinguishable from another. But, some are very distinguished. Take, for example, JBL's Link View.
I am a fan of 1More. Their wired earphones have provided me with audiophile playback quality at reasonable price points. In particular, their triple-driver earbuds have been a personal favorite of mine. Now, this design, and others, will be available in a wireless format.
The Mytek Digital is now shipping the Clef. What, exactly, is the Clef? Oddly shaped, it is a digital-to-analog converter and headphone amplifier that lets you significantly up the quality of playback from your phone.