NEW PRODUCTS

Bowers & Wilkins is applying knowledge gleaned from nearly 40 years of refining its iconic 800 series of floorstanding speakers to a new line of in-wall speakers.

I’ve been fascinated with player pianos ever since I visited the Alamo Saloon in Old Abilene Town years ago as a kid. The reenactment of Wild Bill Hickok’s famous gunfight was a hoot, but watching those cancan girls dance to an upright piano that was playing itself was downright mesmerizing. I recently visited the Yamaha Artist Services facility in New York to experience a modern, super-charged version of that old player piano—the Disklavier Enspire.

Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Leon Speakers is now shipping its revamped UX line of speakers, designed to complement the thinnest of today’s TVs.

Pioneer has introduced a versatile, hi-res-capable stereo receiver that’s less than 4 inches tall, making it slim enough to fit almost anywhere.

Soundcast VG1 Waterproof Speaker
If you’re looking for a speaker you can use near water—in the bathroom, by the pool—why mess around? The IP67-rated VG1 is waterproof, not just “water-resistant,” meaning it has withstood testing to ensure it’s impervious to dust and submersible in 3 feet of water.
Take It Anywhere: Described as a perfect travel companion, the speaker teams a pair of 2-inch aluminum-cone drivers with a rear-firing bass radiator and is designed to keep an impromptu party going for up to 15 hours when its battery is fully charged. The VG1 supports Bluetooth streaming via aptX and AAC codecs, or you can use its minijack for a hard-wire hookup. It also has a built-in microphone and is compatible with Siri for hands-free control. Two VG1s can be connected for a wireless stereo experience. Price: $150
Soundcast • (619) 591-0126 • gosoundcast.com

iPhone 7 owners who play video games on the go might want to check out the second-generation Gamevice controller due out next week.

Legacy Audio has announced a four-channel follow-up to the Powerbloc2 stereo amplifier it unveiled last fall.