New Products

Whether it dates back to classic TV shows like My Favorite Martian who knows but levitating speakers are apparently a thing. We recommended the Om/One novelty speaker in our 2014 Holiday Gift Guide and now Taiwan-based ASWY has announced that it will unveil a prototype wireless home theater system with levitating speakers at IFA 2016 in Berlin, which opens September 4.

Triad’s new Outdoor Series of two-way speakers are available in two woofer sizes but what sets them apart from the scads of other weather-resistant speakers is that the company will paint them any color you want and even custom-match colors for a “slight upcharge.”

There’s no shortage of weather resistant/waterproof outdoor speakers to choose from but Monitor Audio offers a twist on the theme with its CWT all-weather in-wall/ceiling speaker series.

Sony UHP-H1 Hi-Res-Certified Blu-ray Player
Video is usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think Blu-ray, but Sony has gone out of its way to build a player that puts audio and video performance on equal footing—and maybe even gives audio an edge. The Hi-Res Audio–certified UHP-H1 is built to withstand vibration and equipped to play just about any file or disc you throw at it—including SACDs and DSD or 192-kilohertz/24-bit music files. It also has built-in Wi-Fi and supports Bluetooth streaming via Sony’s LDAC codec for “higher-than-typical” bit rates. And it’s no slouch in the video department, either, offering 4K upscaling at up to 60 hertz (though no compatibility with the new UHD Blu-ray Discs). Get Connected: When you’re not connected wirelessly, you can choose between optical and analog inputs or play Hi-Res files via the front-panel USB port. Price: $350

Yamaha today announced plans to ship a low-profile $200 soundbar featuring Bluetooth streaming and two built-in “subwoofers” in mid-August.

Vava today introduced the Voom 20 portable speaker featuring a water-resistant design, wireless aptX/Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, and a battery life rated for 10 hours at 80 percent volume.

Puro Sound Labs has added a headphone and in-ear monitor to its “Audio Protection” (AP) line of headphones designed to combat hearing loss.