CES 2021

Once upon a time, CES was a huge show for audio but those days are long gone and showed no signs of returning in the virtual world that was CES 2021, with one possible exception: Wireless headphones, a category that has made incredible strides in just the past year or so. A number of companies — some familiar, many not-so-familiar — used the world-class venue as a showcase for new headphones you can buy now and models you can expect to see online and in stores in the coming months. Prominent among the new entries were earbuds and full-size headphones with active noise canceling and features designed to improve wireless performance and the sound quality of music and phone calls. Wired models, as you might expect, were few and far between. Here’s a look at what a few of the more familiar brands are bringing to market.

As the first virtual CES comes to a close, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has already proclaimed the event the largest digital tech show in history with close to 2,000 companies congregating online to introduce a staggering variety of new products and technologies. Here’s a look at some of the A/V related news we came across.

China’s Hisense announced plans to launch a range of TriChroma Laser TVs with 55- to 100-inch screen sizes in 2021 at its virtual CES press conference. The announcement, made by Fisher Yu, Vice President of Hisense Visual Technology, is the first indication that the tech, which has been displayed in prototype form at previous CES events, will make it into actual ultra short throw projection TV products destined for the U.S. market.

Chinese manufacturer Konka is mostly focused on launching its new smart home products at CES, but the company did also provided some specs for its forthcoming TV 2021 lineup. There are four series of LCD models in all, including 4K sets featuring LG’s webOS smart TV interface and bigscreen models with quantum dot tech for extended color reproduction. Konka is also thinking big for 2021, with an 82-inch Android TV-powered model on the way.

JBL is celebrating its 75th anniversary with the launch of the SA750 integrated amplifier and L100 Classic 75 loudspeaker, two retro modern products that reference hi-fi’s golden age—specifically, the 1970s part.

TCL today announced its 2021 TV lineup. The range includes the company’s first 8K UHD TVs for the North American market, its largest screen sizes ever for the continent at 85 inches, and third-generation contrast-enhancing mini-LED backlighting that slims down the profiles of bigscreen TVs.

Like so many other things in this upside-down world, CES 2021 is a casualty of the pandemic. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) decided months ago to transition from the usual mega gathering in Las Vegas to an all-digital virtual experience. The show must go on — just not in person this time around. So instead of walking an expansive show floor and visiting company booths to check out new wares firsthand, the staff of Sound & Vision will be logging onto the official CES portal to seek out news and information relevant to our readers. (Sorry, the portal is available only to media and members of the trade who have registered for the show.) Though the virtual show officially goes live on Monday (January 11), A/V-related news is trickling in with high-tech TV leading the way.