HiFi Editorial
Yes Reissue Their 2002 Symphonic Live Concert Album as a Four-LP 180g Vinyl Box Set
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.
HiFi Editorial
FaitalPro Unveils New 21XL3000 Subwoofer, Neodymium Driver Lineup, and Iron Nitride Magnet Woofers at NAMM and ISE 2026
At NAMM and ISE 2026, FaitalPro unveiled an expansive pro-audio lineup, spanning 21-inch subwoofers to compression drivers, highlighted by first Iron Nitride woofers.
New subwoofer family includes 21XL3000, 18XL1700, and 15XL2400, using aluminum baskets, glass-fiber voice-coil formers, high excursion, and demodulation for low distortion.
Flagship 21XL3000 delivers 3000 W AES via a 165 mm dual-layer aluminum voice coil, BL 43 N/A, FEA-optimized neodymium motor, and demodulation ring.
HiFi Editorial
Cinemo Brings Native Spotify Integration to Skoda Enyaq and Elroq Infotainment Systems
Cinemo CORE enables native Spotify integration in Škoda Enyaq (software 4.0+) and all-new Elroq models, delivering in-car music, podcasts, and audiobooks without smartphones.
Spotify runs directly on Škoda’s existing infotainment system via the center display, improving convenience and audio quality through seamless, vehicle-optimized integration.
Infotainment updates also add AirConsole gaming, Škoda Play video service, and native Spotify, all bundled in the Media Streaming Package free for three years.
HiFi Editorial
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Leak Reveals New Flat-Stem Design, IP57 Rating, and 26-Hour Battery Ahead of Galaxy S26 Ultra Launch
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.
HiFi Editorial
Bring Your Own Records Vinyl Listening Event Debuts in Kansai on March 14 at Technica House Osaka
The Japan Audio Society will host the 6th "Bring Your Own Music" audio experience event on March 14 at Technica House Osaka, its first Kansai edition.
The two-session event focuses on analog vinyl, inviting beginners who own records but lack players or high-end listening experience to enjoy authentic audio playback.
Attendance requires online registration, with each session limited to 13 participants; oversubscription will be decided by lottery, emphasizing an intimate, hands-on experience.
HiFi Editorial
Amazon Fire TV Rolls Out Major Interface Redesign With Personalized Home Screen in the US
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.
HiFi Editorial
Black Rhodium Expands Calypso Series with New Twisted-Geometry Speaker Cable
Black Rhodium expands its Calypso series with a new speaker cable, bringing key design solutions from the flagship Charleston at a significantly lower price.
The cable uses a twisted-pair construction to reduce intermodulation distortion caused by high-frequency interference and external magnetic fields.
A braided outer jacket adds vibration-damping properties, improving signal stability in demanding hi‑fi and audiophile speaker setups.
HiFi Editorial
Warner Bros. Discovery Reopens Acquisition Talks With Paramount Skydance Amid Netflix Deal
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced it will renegotiate acquisition terms with Paramount Skydance Corporation during a limited seven-day window ending February 23.
The talks follow Paramount’s hostile tender offer for WBD, emerging after Netflix previously agreed to acquire WBD’s studio assets for approximately $72 billion.
A competitive bidding situation developed as Netflix and Paramount repeatedly raised proposed terms, escalating the acquisition battle for WBD’s media and studio businesses.
HiFi Editorial
Anker Launches Soundcore Nebula P1i LED Projector With World-First Flip-Style Built-In Speakers
Anker Japan launched the Soundcore Nebula P1i projector on February 18, priced at ¥49,990, featuring a world-first built-in flip-style stereo speaker system.
The integrated speakers rotate 90 degrees horizontally and 200 degrees vertically, delivering flexible stereo sound placement with a total output of 20W (10W × 2).
Using an LED light source, the projector outputs 380 ANSI lumens with Full HD resolution (1920×1080), supporting 40–150 inch projection sizes.
HiFi Editorial
F1 2026 Pre-Season Test 2 Starts February 18 With Live Coverage on Fuji TV NEXT and FOD
Fuji TV will broadcast the 2026 Formula 1 Preseason Test 2 live from Bahrain International Circuit on February 18–20 across Fuji TV NEXT, NEXT smart, and FOD.
Fuji TV NEXT airs all three days from 15:50–25:10 JST, while FOD streaming starts earlier at 15:20 JST, covering full daily sessions live.
Test 2 follows Test 1 (February 11–13) and reflects expanded testing schedules due to major 2026 regulation overhauls affecting chassis and power units.
HiFi Editorial
Cinema Audio Society Launches Jeffrey S. Wexler Award for Advancement in Sound Technology
Cinema Audio Society launches the Jeffrey S. Wexler Award for Advancement in Sound Technology, debuting in 2026 to honor non-linear sound recording, editing, and mixing innovations.
Inaugural 2026 recipients include Digidesign co-founders Evan Brooks and Peter Gotcher, and Zaxcom innovators Glen Sanders and Howard Stark, recognized for transformative audio technologies.
Evan Brooks developed Sound Designer and Sound Tools, the first affordable professional digital audio workstation, directly enabling Pro Tools’ emergence as an industry-standard DAW.
HiFi Editorial
GAD Records February Premieres: Lost Polish Pop Anthology, 1964 Polish Jazz Quartet Live, and Final SBB Radio Sessions
GAD Records’ February releases spotlight Polish musical heritage, spanning lost pop, archival jazz, electronic experiments, film soundtracks, and rare radio and festival recordings.
The centerpiece is *Kto tu jest niewinny*, an anthology of Małgorzata Panecka, featuring a long-lost pop recording plus twelve additional tracks documenting her artistic evolution.
A “sensational” archival discovery includes the Polish Jazz Quartet’s 1964 live concert from the Bled Festival, sourced from Slovenian radio archives.
HiFi Editorial
Fostex TH900mk2LE Amazon Exclusive Simplified Package Drops Headphone Stand, Priced at 198,000 Yen
Amazon-exclusive Fostex TH900mk2LE launches with simplified packaging, priced at ¥198,000 versus ¥247,400 for the standard TH900mk2, available while limited stock lasts.
Cost reductions include no bundled headphone stand and simplified box, while the detachable cable uses the same wire material as Fostex TH910.
Closed-back design employs 50mm dynamic drivers with Bio-Dyna diaphragms, neodymium magnetic circuits achieving 1.5-tesla flux density for high sensitivity.
HiFi Editorial
iBasso DX340 Titanium Limited Edition Portable Music Player Launches with Dual Batteries and Modular Amplifier
iBasso DX340 debuts as a flagship digital audio player, including a Titanium Limited Edition of just 300 CNC-machined units for collectors.
Dual-OS design lets users switch between music-focused Mango OS and full Android 13, enabling both pure playback and streaming service access.
Modular amplifier system allows swapping the stock AMP15 via two screws; included module delivers 2150 mW per channel at 32 ohms.
HiFi Editorial
Gold Note CD-5.2 Compact Disc Player with AKM AK4493 DAC, Balanced Outputs and Integrated Volume Control
Italian manufacturer Gold Note expands its 5.2 series with the CD-5.2 Compact Disc player, positioned as a direct evolutionary upgrade to the CD-5 model.
CD-5.2 integrates an AKM AK4493 DAC with fully balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs, plus built-in volume control for direct power amplifier connection.
A redesigned black anodized, sandblasted aluminum chassis improves mechanical and electrical stability, delivering lower noise, blacker background, and enhanced micro-detail.
HiFi Editorial
Emotiva DRA-1 Fully Balanced Stereo Power Amplifier with Hypex NCoreX Modules
Emotiva DRA-1 is a fully balanced two-channel power amplifier from the Differential Reference Design series, complementing DRS-1 streamer, DRD-1 DAC, and DRP-1 preamp.
The amplifier uses Hypex NCoreX Class D modules, chosen for high energy efficiency, ultra-low noise, minimal distortion, and neutral sound character.
DRA-1 delivers 90 W per channel into 8 ohms and 130 W into 4 ohms (20 Hz–20 kHz), with THD below 0.02% and 0.05% respectively.
HiFi Editorial
Prime Video to End Paramount+ Subscription Service on March 31
Prime Video will discontinue the Paramount+ add-on service in Japan on March 31, ending the ¥770 monthly subscription offering within the platform.
Active Paramount+ subscriptions will automatically terminate on March 31, even if the billing period extends beyond the official service shutdown date.
Customers with remaining paid days after March 31 will receive prorated refunds, credited back to their original payment methods, such as credit cards.
HiFi Editorial
Maxell MXCR-200 Bluetooth CD Radio Cassette Recorder Lets You Record Music to Tape
Maxell-branded MXCR-200 CD radio cassette recorder launches February 25, priced at ¥17,800 direct, integrating CD, radio, cassette, USB, microSD, and Bluetooth playback.
Designed around preserving music on cassette, the unit bridges analog warmth with digital sources, enabling cross-media recording and personalized listening styles.
Supports MP3 playback from USB memory and microSD cards, while recording CD or cassette audio to digital storage for easy archiving.
HiFi Editorial
Netflix Begins Streaming Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ Worldwide
Netflix began streaming Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ on February 16, expanding its Gundam catalog with a direct sequel set after the Gryps Conflict.
The series follows Bright Noa commanding the Argama cruiser, recruiting junk dealer youths led by Judau Ashta as mobile suit pilots.
Story centers on the First Neo Zeon War, pitting the ZZ Gundam against Haman Karn’s Neo Zeon forces.
HiFi Editorial
Kiwi Ears Cadenza II Wired IEM Launches With New 10mm Titanium-Coated Dynamic Driver at JPY 8,250
Kiwi Ears Cadenza II wired earphones launch February 20 at ¥8,250, offering blue or gray finishes and a single 10mm dynamic driver design.
New 10mm titanium-coated PET diaphragm delivers fast transient response, clear bass punch, high-resolution treble, and under 1% distortion at 1kHz.
Kiwi Acoustic Resonance System 2.0 uses labyrinthine acoustic tubes to control back pressure, boosting sub-bass by ~8dB while sharply attenuating around 200Hz.