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.

Polish manufacturer of unusual loudspeakers, Qualio, has introduced the Quanteen, its first bookshelf speaker and one of the more interesting attempts to bring the open-baffle concept into a format that is easier to integrate into a smaller listening room. The brand, previously associated mainly with unconventional open-baffle loudspeakers, has prepared a model for listeners looking for a spatial, natural and unforced presentation without having to place large floorstanding speakers in the room. The Quanteen is therefore a monitor only in name and size, because its architecture clearly departs from the usual two-way speaker enclosed in a conventional box. It is a compact semi-open design in which the midrange and treble section operates as a dipole, radiating sound both forward and backward. According to the manufacturer, this solution is responsible for the three-dimensional, holographic soundstage, the reduction of colorations introduced by traditional cabinets and the greater sense of freedom usually associated with larger open-baffle loudspeakers.

Fostex has introduced two new premium headphones, the TH810 and TH818. Both models are designed to bring technology and sound characteristics associated with the flagship TH910 and TH919 into a new, more standard product line. The Japanese brand has combined its familiar biodynamic driver technology with solid wood housings and lightweight magnesium mechanical components, creating two headphones aimed at slightly different listeners. The TH810 is a closed-back design intended for users who want greater isolation from the outside world and a more intimate connection with the music, while the TH818 is an open-back model designed to provide a freer soundstage, a more natural sense of space and long-term comfort during extended listening sessions.

JPLAY has received a major update that expands the app with one of the most requested features in its recent history - full support for the HQPlayer library. For hi-fi users, this may be a more significant change than a simple feature list would suggest, because JPLAY has never positioned itself as just another app for playing music. From the beginning, it has functioned as a specialized control center for listeners using streamers, network DACs, services such as Qobuz, Tidal and HighResAudio, and local UPnP libraries. Now it adds the ability to browse and control an HQPlayer library directly from within JPLAY, alongside dynamic Smart Playlists, a completely new History screen with a calendar view and several refinements based on community feedback. The update is available in the latest version of the app as a free upgrade for existing users through the App Store.

Dual has introduced the CS 618Q, a direct-drive turntable that represents the most advanced model in the company's current lineup and a clear statement of intent in its ongoing revival as a serious analogue specialist. Combining quartz-controlled speed regulation, a precision gimbal-bearing tonearm and a factory-mounted Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, the CS 618Q is positioned as a ready-to-use premium deck aimed at listeners who want high-performance vinyl playback without moving into the complexity of fully manual audiophile platforms. Although the CS 618Q sits at the top of Dual's contemporary range, its design deliberately avoids unnecessary complication. Instead, the turntable follows a restrained, classic layout that echoes earlier generations of the brand's direct-drive machines. A brushed-aluminium control plate carries the speed selector and status indicator, allowing switching between 33, 45 and 78 rpm operation, while the overall proportions remain close to traditional hi-fi component dimensions for straightforward system integration.

Wilson Benesch announced the Greenwich Turntable, a new model within its GMT analogue platform that establishes the entry point into the company's latest reference-level record playback architecture. Rather than representing a simplified derivative of existing designs, the Greenwich Turntable is conceived as the foundation of a modular analogue ecosystem in which structural, damping and isolation strategies evolve progressively through the GMT range while preserving a common motor platform. This approach allows owners to enter the architecture at the Greenwich level and move upward toward Prime Meridian and ultimately the flagship GMT One without replacing the core drive system.

Jamo, one of the most recognizable names in European loudspeaker design, is preparing a return to the international audio market under new ownership and with a renewed development structure that brings engineering activity back to Denmark. The relaunch marks the beginning of a new phase for the Danish brand, combining continuity with its Scandinavian heritage and a broader strategy aimed at both traditional hi-fi systems and modern lifestyle audio solutions. The first products created under the new structure are scheduled to be presented at the Vienna High End Show, offering the first public glimpse of Jamo's direction after its restructuring.

Advance Paris has introduced the Nova series, a new flagship platform of hybrid integrated amplifiers designed to function as complete control centers for modern stereo systems while preserving the company's established tube-assisted analog architecture. Positioned above the Classic and Apex ranges in the manufacturer's lineup, the Nova platform represents Advance Paris's most ambitious integrated amplifier concept to date. The series includes two amplifiers - the A-i130 and A-i190 - together with optional streaming and Bluetooth expansion modules and a dedicated rotary remote controller. First previewed at High End Munich 2025, the lineup is scheduled to make its North American debut at AXPONA 2026, with global availability expected from May 2026.

Avid HiFi has introduced the Velsonic, a new reference-level phono preamplifier positioned as the flagship of the company's analog electronics lineup and its first completely new phono stage platform since 2012. Developed and manufactured at Avid's Cambridgeshire facility, the Velsonic replaces both the Pulsare II and Pellere models while carrying forward circuit concepts derived from the company's Reference Pre-Amplifier, signaling a broader refresh of its upper-tier analog architecture. Rather than pursuing a hybrid or digitally assisted topology, the Velsonic follows a strictly analog design philosophy built around a fully dual-mono signal path from input to output. Separate channel layouts are intended to maximize channel separation and reduce crosstalk, while the absence of digital control circuitry reflects Avid's long-standing preference for preserving signal purity in low-level phono applications. According to the manufacturer, particular attention has been paid to minimizing noise throughout the gain structure, an area especially critical in high-resolution MC cartridge systems.

In a surprisingly short period of time, Meze Audio has managed to move from the margins of the market to the center of the premium headphone conversation. The Romanian brand, founded by industrial designer Antonio Meze, built its reputation on a combination of unmistakable design, carefully considered ergonomics, and a warm, natural, easy-to-like sound. Its first major hit, and the model that really changed everything for what was still a tiny workshop at the time, was, of course, the 99 Classics. Over the years, that headphone evolved into several versions and an entire family of related models. The more affordable 99 Neo followed, along with the 12 Classics and 11 Neo in-ear monitors, but that was still only the beginning. Not long after that, the Romanian company stopped playing cautiously and stepped into the world of high-end planar magnetic headphones with models such as the Empyrean, Elite, and Liric. It was a very good decision. The workshop from Baia Mare, already associated with well-made, distinctive headphones thanks to the 99 Classics, suddenly began to be viewed as one of the true leaders in the field, mentioned alongside giants such as Sennheiser, Audeze, and Focal. After several years of building that image with remarkable consistency, Meze Audio became the kind of brand even less experienced music lovers can recognize from the shape of the ear cups alone.