HiFi Editorial
BluOS Integrates airable to Expand Internet Radio and Podcast Discovery Across NAD, Bluesound, PSB and Partner Brands
BluOS, Lenbrook Media Group’s multi-room audio software, partners with airable to centralize internet radio and podcast discovery directly within the BluOS Controller app.
The first-phase integration adds access to tens of thousands of global radio stations and podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, The Daily, and independent shows.
Content is browsable by country, city, genre, and newly added stations, eliminating the need for separate radio or podcast apps.
HiFi Editorial
Marshall Launches Mode USB-C Wired Earphones with USB-C Plug
Marshall releases Mode USB-C wired earphones featuring a USB-C plug, priced at ¥8,990, targeting modern smartphones lacking 3.5mm headphone jacks.
Dynamic drivers promise rich bass, clear vocals, and detailed reproduction, delivering a consistently balanced, immersive sound signature aimed at everyday music listening.
Redesigned built-in microphone improves call clarity while suppressing ambient noise, offering more stable voice quality for calls and online communication.
HiFi Editorial
Epson Launches EH-LS970B/W Ultra-Short-Throw 4K Laser Projector with 120-Inch Image from 17.5 cm, Plus EF-73 Lifestudio Flex Special Edition
Epson launches two home projectors: ultra-short-throw Lifestudio Grand Plus EH-LS970B/W on March 12, and design-focused EF-73 on April 9, Japan.
EH-LS970B/W projects 120-inch images from ~17.5 cm, up to 150 inches, using 3LCD, laser light source, 4,000-lumen brightness, and proprietary 2-axis 4K enhancement.
EH-LS970B/W supports Google TV, Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, three HDMI ports with eARC, 20 ms low-latency gaming, and 2.1ch 20 W BOSE speakers.
HiFi Editorial
Apple iPod Classic and iPod Nano Sales Surge as Interest in Distraction-Free Music Players Returns
Interest in discontinued Apple iPod Classic and iPod Nano surged, with Google Trends and Axios reporting renewed popularity despite Apple ending production in 2022.
eBay data shows iPod Classic searches rose 25% and iPod Nano searches increased 20% from January–October 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
Computer science professor Cal Newport attributes the trend to iPods being single‑purpose devices, helping users avoid distractions inherent to smartphones and social media ecosystems.
HiFi Editorial
IMAX to Broadcast Live Formula 1 Races in US Cinemas Through Apple TV Partnership
IMAX will livestream Formula 1 races in U.S. theaters through a partnership with Apple, addressing content shortages and expanding beyond traditional film programming.
Five Grands Prix—Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza, and Austin—will be shown live in at least 50 IMAX theaters from May 3 to October 25, 2026.
The deal applies only to the U.S., where Apple TV holds Formula 1 broadcast rights, while races also stream via the Apple TV app with standard subscriptions.
HiFi Editorial
Sumiko Introduces Oriole Low-Output MC Phono Cartridge with Shibata Stylus, Priced at EUR 1,699
Sumiko introduces the Oriole MC cartridge, expanding its Reference Series to bridge the gap between the Songbird and flagship Starling models.
Designed and manufactured in Japan, the Oriole is a low-output moving-coil cartridge emphasizing musical coherence over analytical sharpness.
It features a nude Shibata-cut diamond stylus mounted on an aluminum cantilever for deep groove tracing and high-frequency detail retrieval.
HiFi Editorial
DALI SUB V-16 F Active 16-Inch Subwoofer Achieves THX Dominus Certification
DALI SUB V-16 F earns top-tier THX Certified Dominus status, confirming suitability for very large home theaters with multiple seating rows and reference-level playback.
THX testing verified sound pressure levels exceeding 120 dB at one meter, maintaining low distortion, controlled dynamics, and no audible compression at extreme volumes.
The active subwoofer uses a single 16-inch long-throw driver in a 90-liter bass-reflex cabinet with four ports to minimize airflow noise.
HiFi Editorial
Gold Note PH-5.2 MM/MC Phono Preamplifier with Multiple Equalization Curves
Gold Note PH-5.2 is a new Italian MM/MC phono preamplifier, evolving the PH-5 and reinforcing the brand’s philosophy of faithful, recording-accurate analog playback.
The redesigned anodized aluminum chassis minimizes magnetic interaction and micro-interference, delivering lower noise floor, improved detail retrieval, and more natural musical presentation.
An upgraded power supply architecture improves stability and control, resulting in tighter bass, cleaner highs, and coherent sound during complex, dynamically demanding passages.
HiFi Editorial
Panasonic Partners with Skyworth to Lead European TV Sales and Co-Develop Flagship OLED Models
Panasonic Entertainment & Communication announced a comprehensive partnership with China’s Shenzhen Skyworth Display Technology to lead Panasonic TV sales, marketing, and logistics across Europe.
Skyworth will manage European distribution while leveraging its global-scale manufacturing capacity and speed, paired with Panasonic’s AV processing, quality control, and service standards.
The companies will jointly develop top-end OLED television models, with Panasonic providing expertise to maintain high audiovisual benchmarks and rigorous quality assurance.
HiFi Editorial
AZLA Releases SednaEarfit XELASTEC II Eartips Designed Specifically for AirPods Pro 3
AZLA will release SednaEarfit XELASTEC II for AirPods Pro 3 on March 6, offering six sizes across set or single-size packages priced ¥3,190–¥4,290.
Developed using analysis of 788 ear canals and tens of thousands of tests, the ear tips optimize AirPods Pro 3 performance through refined material, shape, and fit.
The premium custom TPE material softens with body temperature for adaptive sealing, yet resists deformation better than standard TPE for long-term comfort and stability.
HiFi Editorial
Audio Research S-100 Stereo Power Amplifier Expands the Brand’s Solid-State Line
Audio Research expands beyond tube designs with the S-100 stereo power amplifier, a solid-state Class A/B model targeting demanding high-end stereo systems.
The dual-mono architecture uses two independent toroidal transformers and fully balanced circuitry, minimizing crosstalk while ensuring stable power delivery under dynamic loads.
Rated at 100 W per channel into 8 ohms and doubling to 200 W into 4 ohms, the S-100 offers high current capability for low-impedance speakers.
HiFi Editorial
JBL 4305P and 4329P Active Speakers and MP350 Classic Add Qobuz Connect and Spotify Connect Lossless via Firmware Update
Harman International released firmware enabling Qobuz Connect and Spotify Connect lossless on JBL active speakers 4305P, 4329P, plus MP350 Classic network player.
Supported firmware versions are V2145 for JBL 4305P and 4329P active speakers, and V2141 for the MP350 Classic network player.
The update allows direct, high-quality network streaming from music services without relying on smartphones or PCs as playback intermediaries.
HiFi Editorial
Ultraman Symphonic Poem Ultraman/Ultra Seven SACD Free High-End Audio Listening Event at Oliospec Akihabara
A free two-part talk and listening event celebrates the SACD Hybrid release of “Symphonic Poem Ultraman/Ultra Seven” on March 15 in Akihabara.
Originally released as a 1979 LP, the orchestral work features Tokyo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Kazuhiko Komatsu, recorded December 3, 1978 in Fussa.
The SACD Hybrid commemorates composer Tohru Fuyuki’s 90th birthday and Kunio Miyauchi’s 20th anniversary, remastered from original master tapes using latest technology.
HiFi Editorial
Technics SL-1500CS Turntable Debuts With Delta Sigma Drive and Built-In MM Phono Stage
Technics SL-1500CS debuts in March 2026 as an affordable evolution of the award-winning SL-1500C, expanding Delta Sigma (ΔΣ) Drive technology into lower-priced turntables.
The SL-1500CS uses a coreless direct-drive motor with single rotor and stator, combining ΔΣ-Drive digital control to minimize cogging and reduce motor vibrations to near-measurable limits.
Lightweight platter designs particularly benefit from ΔΣ-Drive vibration suppression, allowing the SL-1500CS to deliver sound quality exceeding typical expectations for its price class.
HiFi Editorial
VPI Titan Direct Turntable Featured in Lexus RZ EV Ad Costs Nearly Twice as Much as the Car
Lexus promotes its first all-electric RZ SUV using a Miles Davis vinyl scene featuring the ultra-high-end VPI Titan Direct turntable.
The VPI Titan Direct costs $95,000—roughly double the Lexus RZ’s $47,295 base price—even before adding a phono cartridge.
VPI Titan Direct uses a high-mass magnetic direct-drive design, pneumatic air suspension, and a three-layer chassis for extreme resonance control.
HiFi Editorial
Shure KSM44MP Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone with Dual 1-Inch Capsule and 5 dBA Self-Noise
Shure introduces the KSM44MP, a versatile large‑diaphragm condenser microphone designed for modern recording, from vocals and piano to ensembles and remote sessions.
It features a 1‑inch dual‑diaphragm capsule with natural frequency response, subtle high‑frequency presence, and ultra‑low self‑noise rated at 5 dBA.
Selectable polar patterns include cardioid, figure‑eight, and omnidirectional, supported by effective low‑frequency control that reduces off‑axis coloration and unwanted noise.
HiFi Editorial
Lockwood Universal XP5 Floorstanding Speakers with 5-Inch Alnico Coaxial Driver Debut in Scotland
Lockwood Loudspeakers unveiled the Universal (XP5), a new floorstanding model described as a “modern classic,” blending compact proportions with uncompromising, authenticity-focused sound design.
The XP5 features a sealed 19 mm birch plywood cabinet, handcrafted in Hamilton, Scotland, with striking aluminum side panels and an integrated stand.
At its core is a custom 5-inch coaxial driver with treated paper cone, Alnico magnet system, and near point-source dispersion characteristics.
HiFi Editorial
HiBy W4 Portable DAC and Headphone Amplifier with Dual CS43198, Bluetooth 5.4, and 4.4 mm Balanced Output
HiBy W4 combines DAC and headphone amplifier with eye-catching design, offering clip and magnetic MagSafe-style mounting for flexible, anywhere attachment.
Built-in 1500 mAh battery and Uncharge Mode disable smartphone power draw, extending playback time while reducing electrical noise and interference.
A 2-inch touchscreen displays album art in Bluetooth mode and enables pairing, playback, and settings control—still rare among portable DAC/amps.
HiFi Editorial
Xiaomi Launches REDMI Buds 8 Pro With 55 dB ANC, Coaxial Triple Drivers, and LDAC Support
Xiaomi Japan launched the REDMI Buds 8 Pro on February 24, priced around ¥9,980, with an early-bird discount of ¥8,980 until March 9.
The earbuds feature a coaxial triple-driver system combining an 11mm titanium dynamic driver and dual 6.7mm PZT ceramic tweeters for Hi-Res audio.
Supporting LDAC and Bluetooth 5.4, the REDMI Buds 8 Pro deliver high-resolution wireless audio with improved bandwidth and stable low-latency connectivity.
HiFi Editorial
DirectOut Reorganizes Leadership With New Management Board and Marketing Director Appointments
DirectOut appointed a new three-member Management Board: Luca Giaroli as CEO, René In der Stroth as CFO, and Jan Ehrlich transitioning from CEO to COO.
CEO Luca Giaroli, former Chief Strategy and Solutions Officer, spearheads strategy, sales, and marketing, building on innovations like PRODIGY.MP and the Audio Solution Model (ASM).
The leadership reorganization supports DirectOut’s shift from hardware manufacturing to integrated, software-enhanced audio workflows serving broadcast, studio, live, and installed sound markets.
