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Top stories and articles from the last days.

* Duran Duran’s 1993 ‘The Wedding Album’ and 1995 ‘Thank You’ are reissued on vinyl for the first time since original 1990s pressings.

* beyerdynamic launched its flagship wireless over-ear headphones AVENTHO 200 on February 13, priced at ¥47,850, available in Black and Nordic Grey color optio…

* Revival Audio, founded in 2021 in Alsace, launches the Atalante Grande Réserve, a flagship, limited to 300 pairs and distributed in Germany by B&T HiFi.

* OM System announces OM‑3 Astro, a specialized mirrorless camera for astrophotography, launching March 2026 at $2,500—$500 more than the standard OM‑3.

ATC celebrates 50 years with the EL50 Anniversary, a limited-production, fully active 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker rooted in the original 1978 “50” design.
Priced at £49,500 per pair in the UK and $99,999 in the U.S., the EL50 targets statement-class systems with studio-derived engineering credibility.
Each speaker integrates discrete tri-amplification delivering 200W bass, 100W midrange, and 50W treble via proprietary MOSFET Class A/B active electronics.

Queen will release a 5CD+2LP super deluxe Queen II box set on 27 March 2026 via EMI, expanding the original 1974 album extensively.
The main album receives a new 2026 remix by Justin Shirley-Smith, Joshua J McRae and Kris Fredriksson, following their 2024 Queen I remix.
Bonus content spans studio outtakes, demos, BBC sessions and live concerts, including a March 1974 London Rainbow show and Golders Green Hippodrome 1973.

Fiio Disc (Snowsky Disc) is a compact portable music player blending Discman nostalgia with modern design, featuring a slim aluminum alloy body and circular touchscreen.
Audio performance centers on dual Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs delivering up to 280 mW output power, capable of driving a wide range of headphones.
Connectivity includes Wi‑Fi, bidirectional USB audio, LDAC Bluetooth, and AirPlay, plus functionality as a USB DAC for computers and mobile devices.

Innosonix, partnering with EPC since 2020, was an early adopter of GaN transistors in professional Class-D audio amplifiers, overcoming industry reliability concerns.
Its multichannel amplifiers offer high-density 1U/2U racks with 16–32 channels, FPGA-based DSP, and Dante/AES67 or MADI networking for immersive audio installations.
GaN-based designs target 50–300 W per channel using ±60 V rails, leveraging EPC2059 150 V eGaN FETs for improved switching efficiency and fidelity.

Mission’s 778-Series is a compact, retro-inspired HiFi system—streamer, CD transport, and integrated amplifier—designed for high musicality with minimal footprint.
Uniform aluminum chassis echo the 1980s Mission 778, featuring large rotary knobs, shared dimensions, and engineering focused on mechanical stability and channel separation.
778S streamer uses Silent Angel networking, ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DAC, upsampling to 352.8/384 kHz, supporting PCM 768kHz/32-bit and DSD512.

Sonoro introduces VIBES L and VIBES XL outdoor speakers as successors to the ESCAPE series, bridging stationary HiFi systems and portable outdoor audio solutions.
Both models support Bluetooth 5.4 with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast, enabling synchronized multi-speaker playback and sharing across compatible devices.
VIBES L uses two 3-inch full-range drivers plus a 6.5-inch subwoofer, while VIBES XL upgrades to four 3-inch drivers and an 8-inch subwoofer.

Headphone Zone and Chinese audio brand KZ launched Thunder, their first ground-up co-developed in-ear headphones rather than a modified existing model.
Thunder is priced at 1,999 Indian rupees (~$22) and sold via headphonezone.in, offering 3.5 mm and USB Type-C versions.
The USB Type-C variant integrates a built-in DAC, eliminating adapters for smartphones without headphone jacks and ensuring consistent digital audio conversion.

Unison Research introduced the Italian-made Unico V2 series, featuring hybrid tube/solid-state Unico Pre V2 preamplifier and Unico DM V2 power amplifier with dual-mono architecture.
Unico Pre V2 flagship preamplifier debuts a new Unico design language, 15 mm aluminum front panel, Midnight Black or Velvet Gold finishes, and wood accents referencing brand heritage.
The Pre V2 uses a three-stage zero-gain hybrid topology with ECC83/12AX7 Gold Lion tubes, precision IC-based volume control, and extensive RCA, XLR, digital, and phono connectivity.

FiiO DARKSIDE PRO is a linear power supply designed for sensitive Hi‑Fi components, targeting audible improvements through ultra‑clean, low‑noise power delivery.
It offers switchable 12 V or 15 V output with up to 3 A current, ensuring stable power reserves for DACs, streamers, preamps, and headphone amplifiers.
The design centers on a 75 W toroidal transformer, chosen for high efficiency and minimal magnetic leakage, reducing high‑frequency interference common in switching supplies.

Apple TV 4K (current generation released late 2022) may receive a major audio upgrade with tvOS 26.4, ahead of a possible 2026 hardware refresh.
The tvOS 26.4 beta introduces “Continuous Audio Connection,” designed to eliminate audio dropouts during format changes like SDR-to-HDR or stereo-to-surround transitions.
Audio is output continuously over HDMI using a fixed LPCM signal, with surround sound and Dolby Atmos encoded via Dolby MAT for seamless playback.

Devialet adds new Light Pearl and Deep Forest color options to its Gemini II true wireless earbuds, launching February 27 in Japan for ¥64,800.
Light Pearl debuts an ultra-matte off-white finish inspired by ceramic bisque, first seen with Phantom Ultimate, emphasizing elegant, cohesive Devialet design language.
Deep Forest introduces a rich, organic dark tone with subtle green nuances, expanding aesthetic variety while maintaining identical hardware and performance specifications.

Firmware update enables Bluetooth direct pairing between iOS devices and RØDE Wireless Pro or Wireless GO (3rd Gen) transmitters via RØDE Capture.
Direct Connect, previously exclusive to the Wireless Micro, expands to higher-end models following user feedback and demand for streamlined mobile recording workflows.
Updating requires the RØDE Central desktop application, with both receiver and transmitter connected to a PC; firmware updates are unavailable via mobile apps.

MOONDROP SKYLAND is an open-back planar magnetic headphone launching February 19, priced at ¥130,000, featuring an exceptionally large 100mm planar driver.
Its proprietary Full Drive Tech (FDT) achieves 95.5% effective drive area, dramatically surpassing conventional planar designs and rivaling electrostatic headphone uniformity.
An ultra-thin ~500nm diaphragm and multilayer pure-silver etched circuit improve Lorentz force uniformity, reducing modal breakup and delivering smoother, more detailed treble.

Marantz introduces a tiered A/V separates lineup—AV10/20/30 processors and AMP10/20/30 amplifiers—supporting scalable, mix-and-match home theater systems up to 9.4.6 Dolby Atmos.
New AV30 and AMP30 models form the most accessible entry point, offering 11.4-channel processing, six-channel amplification, and reference-grade performance within refined, modern industrial design.
All Marantz A/V separates are engineered and built in Japan at Shirakawa Audio Works, individually certified by Sound Master Yoshinori Ogata for tuning accuracy and consistency.

Yes reissued their 2002 concert album *Symphonic Live* on four 180‑gram vinyl LPs via Mercury Studios/UMG, released January 23, 2026.
The set captures the complete 14‑track Yes Symphonic Tour performance, recorded November 22, 2001, at Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam.
Lineup features Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, keyboardist Tom Brislin, joined by the European Festival Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Keitel.

Eversolo released firmware update V1.5.60, introducing Spotify Connect Lossless streaming with up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz audio resolution for the first time.
The update significantly improves detail and dynamic range compared to previous compressed Spotify streams, enabling higher-fidelity playback within Spotify’s native ecosystem.
Spotify Connect Lossless retains the familiar Spotify app interface while allowing Eversolo hardware to better utilize its DAC and audio processing capabilities.

Leaks suggest Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro debut alongside upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra at next week’s event, expanding launches beyond smartphones.
Major redesign introduces flatter stems replacing rounded predecessors, delivering a distinctive aesthetic that departs from competitors’ shapes and prior Samsung generations.
Redesigned charging case is flat and squarish with clear folding lid; buds sit face-down, include USB‑C port and pairing button.

Samsung is rumored to commercialize the world’s first 130-inch RGB LCD TV, previously shown as a CES 2026 concept, signaling an ambitious leap in ultra-large display technology.
Counterpoint Research estimates 130-inch LCD panel production costs are nearly 50% higher than 115-inch panels, despite only a 27% increase in screen area.
Using the Hisense 116UX ($29,999 launch price) as a benchmark, analysts project a 130-inch TV could retail for approximately $40,000–$45,000.

Amazon is rolling out a major Fire TV home-screen redesign in the United States, gradually updating streaming devices with a new, personalization-first interface.
The main navigation menu moves to the bottom of the screen, freeing space for large previews of recommended movies and series to speed content discovery.
Amazon emphasizes smarter recommendation algorithms tailored to individual viewing habits, claiming faster navigation and quicker access to relevant titles.

Duran Duran’s 1993 ‘The Wedding Album’ and 1995 ‘Thank You’ are reissued on vinyl for the first time since original 1990s pressings.
Both albums receive upgraded 2LP black vinyl editions via Warner, correcting original single-LP constraints despite lengthy runtimes of 63 and 54 minutes.
‘The Wedding Album’ marked a major commercial revival, reaching No.4 UK and No.7 US, driven by hits ‘Ordinary World’ and ‘Come Undone’.