Displaying items by tag: hometheatre - StereoLife Magazine

Focal is adding a bookshelf model and a center speaker to the Aria K2 family, allowing for a range of thrilling hi-fi and home cinema set-ups, alongside the Aria K2 936 floor-standing speaker launched last year. Aria K2 is a special edition of the original high-performance Aria 900 range, first launched by Focal in 2013. The Aria K2 906 and Aria K2 Center join the Aria K2 936 in offering an exceptional listening experience, enabled by a range of Focal innovations, including a next-generation K2 cone.

Audiomica Laboratory has updated its product line with two models that belong to their reference Red series. The current Audiomica Labs catalog includes over 60 proprietary cables, and the existing models are successively modified and updated after extensive testing. The latest cables are the Red Reference series which have been recognized by demanding music lovers around the world for their great value for money.

Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, Klipsch introduced a complete lineup of new feature-rich soundbars that are a major upgrade to stand-alone television sound, enhancing movies and music with dimension, clarity, and realism. Klipsch has been a leading manufacturer of movie theatre speakers for decades and has applied these principles into its home theatre speakers, and now this lineup of soundbars. The new Klipsch Cinema Sound Bars are crafted from wood and utilize horn-loaded technology to look and sound like the brand’s acclaimed Reference speakers. In addition, the soundbars come with large, powerful, class-leading subwoofers to complete the impactful cinematic experience.

IsoAcoustics adds to their award-winning line of isolation products with the Aperta Sub, an isolation stand designed for subwoofers weighing up to 80 pounds (36.3 kg). The Aperta Sub allows the listener to discover greater bass definition from their subwoofer with fewer complaints from their neighbors. The manufacturer explains that we are hard-wired to pick up bass rhythms more than other tones, and low bass frequencies allow the listener to feel a deep syncopated connection to their favorite music or movies. The large pulsating driver produces energy and vibrations that travel through solid structures that create issues in the listening space and can often be disturbing to others. Room treatment can be costly and doesn't mitigate structure borne-noises. Enter the Aperta Sub isolation stand that not only reduces these disturbances but also delivers better-sounding audio.

A new technology company launches a world-first high-performance product that combines audio and light to give users an incredibly immersive experience. Zuma is voice-controlled and will declutter homes of smart devices, cables, plugs, and sockets. A unique hardware and software product that has reinvented the way sound and light can be experienced in the home has today been launched by a British company with international investment. This new smart home product is the brainchild of Morten Warren, who designed the saxophone-inspired Emphasis loudspeaker for B&W and their 800 series, Pressure Vessel, Zeppelin, and P5 headphones.

Linn launched next-generation Klimax DSM, the ultimate streaming product and the closest you can get to streaming audio perfection. Applying almost five decades of digital technology learnings and expertise, every element has been designed from first principles and is fully optimised for the best musical performance. A complete reimagining of its flagship streamer, the new Klimax DSM introduces an exquisite custom-designed enclosure that provides acoustic isolation along with visual and tactile luxury. Crucially, the enclosure cradles the beating heart of Klimax DSM and its most critical component, Organik DAC - the ground-breaking, first ever, all-Linn digital to analogue converter.

DALI launched the Opticon MK2 Series, updating and replacing the Opticon Series. With a continued focus on improved music reproduction, thoughtful design, stylish aesthetics, and the use of the latest technologies, the upscale Opticon MK2 provides a truly immersive listening experience for both music and movie lovers alike. The Opticon MK2 Series is comprised of six models - two bookshelf/stand mount models - Opticon 1 MK2 ($999/pr US MSRP) and Opticon 2 MK2 ($1,499/pr US MSRP), two towers - Opticon 8 MK2 ($3,999/pr US MSRP) and Opticon 6 MK2 ($2,499/pr US MSRP), a center channel - Opticon VOKAL MK2 ($799/ea US MSRP) and a low profile on-wall LCR - Opticon LCR MK2 ($999/ea US MSRP). The DALI Opticon MK2 initial availability varies by model and finish beginning in late February/late March 2021.

If we asked audiophiles which element of the stereo system is the most important in their opinion, most of them would definitely bet on speakers, an amplifier or a source, or - in some cases- on something like cables, power accessories, or anti-vibration pads. A large group will answer, however, that the room in which all this equipment works has the greatest impact on the final sound result. In a room with poor acoustics, even the most expensive and the most refined equipment will not be able to show even some of its capabilities, while in interiors adapted to listening to music, even inexpensive equipment should do well and give us a lot of pleasure. What to do to find ourselves in the latter group? There are, of course, many simple home methods to improve acoustics, but more and more people are choosing a "real" solution - the assembly of professional acoustic panels. There are many companies on the market offering specialized products for the adaptation of room acoustics - not only listening rooms, but also recording studios, concert and conference halls, offices, hotels, restaurants, and public facilities. One of them is Vicoustic. The Portuguese have long been providing audiophiles, sound engineers, and installers with panels that do not look like typical, ugly, gray pieces of foam. A lot has changed recently, so I decided to explore the subject in more detail and talk to Vicoustic's technical director, Gustavo Pires.

Denon introduced the Denon Home Sound Bar 550, a high-performance, a compact soundbar that adds superior TV audio to the Denon Home family of products. With the ability to deliver Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D surround sound from a six-driver array, the soundbar makes movies, TV, and music sound huge. Listeners can also stream high-resolution music from their favorite music services or local music libraries directly to the soundbar leveraging HEOS Built-in. Additionally, listeners who already invested in the HEOS ecosystem, including other Denon Home products, can add the Denon Home Sound Bar 550 as a separate wireless zone without pulling a single wire.

I have long got bored by the discussions on whether or not the power cords actually work. Maybe it's because, unlike some of their participants, I have experienced all or almost all the stages of this adventure. Just like many audiophiles, I have started as a skeptic. It cannot be done in any other way, since one gains expertise in this field through time-consuming experiments and listening sessions, not sudden enlightenment or the purchase of the most expensive accessories on the market. To hear the difference, one has to reach for hi-end products. Buying a cord that is more expensive than the appliance it's connected to seems ridiculous, yet, the system does not sound the same way it used to, and the thought of improving the sound returns like a boomerang. Over the years, I have tested many cables and conditioners. I have participated in many listening sessions and different sorts of experiments. I have compared standard 'computer' cables to hi-end wires worth thousands of dollars. That is why I am not particularly interested in purely theoretical discussions. Been there, done that, have a t-shirt. I prefer to check power accessories in practice. And that is what I'm going to do now.