New Products

KEF today introduced an updated R Series of speakers that incorporates key technologies from its flagship Reference Series, which is topped by the $22,000/pair Reference 5 Meta tower.

MartinLogan has introduced an avalanche of new speakers in its Motion Series, which dates back more than a dozen years. When the line was launched in 2010, Motion represented a new direction for the Kansas-based company known for the magnificent sounding electrostatic and hybrid electrostatic speakers it had been producing since 1983.

Yesterday’s announcement of a new ES line of AV receivers was big news for fans of Sony audio products but the company also recently revealed plans to start shipping two new series of modular MicroLED displays in March under its high-end Crystal LED banner.

In what may seem like a curve ball, McIntosh today announced plans to ship the MHT300 “home theater receiver” in March. The pioneering audio company is first and foremost known for its iconic tube-based power amplifiers, which date all the way back to its founding in 1949, and an assortment of separates, including stereo preamplifiers, integrated amps, and more. But AVRs?

Today I took a trip to Manhattan to hear the new HomePod Generation 2 from Apple. First impressions of how it handled music playback made me emotional because I realized Apple has achieved that blend of performance plus stylish minimalism it is so well known for. This second-generation HomePod is a game changer because at $300 each, it only costs $600 to put a full-fledged, spatial audio-capable sound system anywhere you want and enjoy jaw-dropping fidelity.

Now that CES and the holidays are behind us, we’ve gathered up some A/V news and new product announcements that slipped between the cracks in recent weeks, starting with a story out of China about counterfeit speakers.

Victrola is coming out with a less-expensive follow-up to the impressive Carbon Stream turntable it introduced at CEDIA Expo 2022.