Displaying items by tag: speaker - StereoLife Magazine

In the world of loudspeakers, some designs command respect through advanced engineering, exotic materials and impressive specifications. Others do not look like spaceships, make no use of materials seemingly borrowed from z science-fiction film, and yet win people over with beautiful, musical sound and the simple fact that one can imagine living with them every day. Vienna Acoustics belongs firmly to the second group. The Austrian manufacturer has never built its identity around simulations, calculations and graphs alone, focusing instead on what makes its products appealing to the eye and the ear. The company was founded in 1989 by Peter Gansterer and Peter Haferl, whose goal was to bring together two worlds - solid engineering and the kind of aesthetics usually associated with fine furniture. Based in Rust, a small town in Austria's Burgenland region, the company now employs around 40 people. Among audiophiles, it is known for distinctive loudspeakers with exceptional cabinet work. Its catalog is dominated by models designed for stereo systems, and the names chosen for individual models will feel familiar to any music lover. Liszt Reference, Beethoven Concert Grand Reference, Haydn SE Signature, Mozart SE Signature - there is clearly a theme here. The last of these is the latest incarnation of one of the most important floorstanders in Vienna Acoustics' history, and also a very good example of just how differently hi-fi can be understood.

SVS has expanded its compact subwoofer lineup with the introduction of the SVS 3000 Micro R|Evolution, a new sealed-cabinet model designed to deliver reference-grade low-frequency performance from an enclosure measuring just 11 inches across. Positioned as a successor to the earlier 3000 Micro, the new version brings updated drivers, a more powerful amplifier platform, and significantly increased DSP capability while maintaining the lifestyle-friendly form factor that made the original model popular in space-constrained listening rooms.

Klipsch has introduced the ProMedia Lumina, a new 2.1-channel desktop speaker system that updates one of the company's longest-running multimedia audio platforms with revised acoustics, expanded connectivity, and integrated lighting control. Positioned as the successor to earlier ProMedia configurations first introduced in 1999, the Lumina version adapts the concept for contemporary desktop environments used for gaming, content creation, remote work, and everyday listening. The original ProMedia series established a distinctive position in the compact speaker category by incorporating horn-loaded high-frequency drivers, a feature rarely found in desktop audio systems. The new ProMedia Lumina continues this approach with updated MicroTractrix horn technology, now implemented in a wider geometry intended to improve dispersion and maintain clarity in nearfield listening conditions. Each satellite speaker uses a two-way configuration with a 3-inch midrange driver designed to support dynamic output and intelligibility across mixed-use scenarios ranging from voice communication to music playback and gaming.

The moment comes in every audiophile's life. After enough experimenting with speakers, amplifiers, and source components, once the system finally starts sounding genuinely good, a question begins to nag at us - should we be paying more attention to cables? Some people agree completely, arguing that cables are just as much a part of the signal path as an amplifier or speakers. Others laugh the whole idea off and insist that anyone who believes in cable differences simply should have paid more attention in physics class. In truth, there is only one way to find out - try it and decide for yourself. If we hear no difference, there are really only three logical explanations. The first is that our system still is not revealing enough to expose those nuances, or that the cables we borrowed for comparison, despite their prettier plugs and more upscale appearance, are not actually much different from what we already use. The second is that our hearing is not quite as sensitive as we would like to think, and what others describe as a night-and-day transformation is, for us, barely there at all. The third is that cables have no effect on sound whatsoever and serve only to improve the owner's mood and the manufacturer's cash flow.

Sheraton Stockholm is preparing to reopen in May after an extensive renovation programme that has already transformed all 463 guest rooms and is now moving into its final stage in the hotel's shared spaces. As part of that overhaul, the property has chosen to equip every room with Audio Pro C5 MkII wireless speakers, integrating the Swedish brand's compact multi-room model into a broader interior concept built around local design, craftsmanship and long-term quality. Opened in 1971, the hotel has long been one of the Swedish capital's landmark hospitality addresses, and the current refurbishment is intended not simply as a technical update, but as a repositioning towards a more lifestyle-oriented, boutique character while retaining the standards associated with the Sheraton name.

Harman Kardon has introduced the Luna 2, a compact wireless speaker that continues the brand's familiar way of approaching the lifestyle audio segment. Instead of presenting another purely technical Bluetooth speaker built around ruggedness or raw output figures, the company is clearly aiming at a product that can function as part of the home environment first and as a portable speaker second. The new model is intended for everyday listening in spaces such as the living room, kitchen, terrace or garden, combining a small footprint with a more refined visual identity and a feature set that goes beyond simple Bluetooth playback.

Revival Audio is expanding its Atalante family with a new limited edition flagship, the Atalante Grande Réserve, restricted to 300 pairs worldwide. The name borrows from the vocabulary of fine cognac and champagne and is intended to signal a carefully crafted, rare expression rather than a simple cosmetic variant. The new model develops the benchmark set by the Atalante 7 Évo, yet is aimed at listeners who want genuinely reference level performance in a more refined, well proportioned format. It brings together the design language and acoustic engineering of the Atalante series in a loudspeaker that is meant to feel like a complete, self contained statement rather than just the next step up the range.

Audio Pro, the award-winning Scandinavian audio brand known for redefining what compact speakers can do, is opening a new chapter in wireless sound for the US and international markets. Following the rollout of its W-Generation speaker range, the company is now introducing W-Generation versions of its most powerful models, Drumfire II W and Drumfire D-2 W, completing a family that refreshes almost every aspect of the Audio Pro experience, from the control app and streaming platform to the core sound signature and industrial design. Positioned as a complete evolution rather than a minor refresh, the W-Generation is designed to offer a smarter, more robust multiroom platform, a more powerful and refined acoustic performance and a cleaner, more unified aesthetic across the line.

In the world of hi-fi there are few things as satisfying as a well voiced compact monitor that can fill a living room with the authority of larger loudspeakers while looking like a small piece of industrial art. It is exactly this role that Bowers & Wilkins has in mind for the latest version of its smallest 700 Series model. The 707 Prestige Edition is a standmount loudspeaker created for music lovers who are unwilling to compromise on either aesthetics or sound quality and who appreciate carefully executed details and a finish that clearly sets their speakers apart.

Harman Kardon is returning to the market with a new generation of one of its most recognisable speakers. Aura Studio 5 is the latest incarnation of the brand’s transparent audio system, designed not only to fill a room with music but also to shape the atmosphere with light that matches the moment, from a calm background glow to the visual backdrop for an evening with friends. The new model immediately stands out through its form. A slim, transparent dome with an undercut edge reveals a multi layer interior that creates a sense of depth and visually draws the eye into the centre. Light plays across the subtly tinted, slightly mirrored surface, while the whole structure sits on a soft looking base finished in a high quality acoustic fabric. As a result the iconic Aura silhouette has gained a more contemporary, slightly more substantial profile that is at home in both minimalist and more cosy interiors.