SV Staff

Almost half (45 percent) of U.S. broadband households have a smart TV, making it the most commonly used platform for streaming video content among this group, according to a new Market Snapshot from Dallas-based research firm Parks Associates.

Headphone makers are really stepping up their game lately. A couple months ago it was Sennheiser’s Ambeo, a headset with 360-degree microphones built into its earpieces. Not to be outdone, startup Funky Sound Studio plans to introduce its take on the smart headphone next month at CES 2018.

As the holidays draw near, it’s time to start locking down your year-end plan. Which of the products on your upgrade list will make the cut? If a 4K/HDR TV is under consideration but your budget is getting a bit tapped out, we have two recent Top Picks to recommend, along with several other products that got the big Sound & Vision thumbs up in November. Among them an integrated amplifier/streamer audiophiles will love, a soundbar with Virtual DTS:X processing for $300 (no that’s not a typo), a wireless multiroom music system that’s inexpensive and sounds great, and a second-generation Ultra HD Blu-ray player that will take your home theater experience to the next level. All deserve serious consideration.

Emotiva Audio has introduced a wall-mountable surround speaker that can be configured as a direct radiating bipole speaker or as a forward- or rear-oriented dipole speaker to accommodate a variety of surround-sound installations.