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Top stories and articles from the last days.

* The M3 Plus ASANO TANCH Edition DAP, a collaboration between SHANLING and TANCHJIM, launches globally on February 20, limited to 2,000 units.

* Steven Wilson announced the release of his new concert album, 'Impossible Tightrope,' recorded live in Madrid.

* Knowles has introduced a new family of multi-way balanced armature drivers, designed to enhance premium TWS earbuds and in-ear monitors.

* Samsung Display introduces the Penta-Tandem technology for its QD-OLED panels, enhancing performance and durability significantly.

Source-Connect 4 becomes the first Dolby Atmos–certified remote collaboration tool with direct metadata connection to the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
The software supports up to 128 streaming audio channels, handling full Atmos beds, objects, and metadata without re-renders or channel limitations.
Mixers, directors, and stakeholders can remotely attend Dolby Atmos playback and mixing sessions from any location or monitoring setup.

AtlasIED unveiled Atlas+Fyne FC-D ceiling and FS-D surface-mount speakers at ISE 2026, leveraging PoE++ and Dante networking for single-cable, full-bandwidth audio.
Unlike typical PoE speakers, the coaxial Atlas+Fyne designs use PoE++ power to deliver higher headroom, dynamic range, and premium output without sonic compromise.
Each speaker integrates Fyne Audio’s Isoflare point-source driver, ensuring phase-coherent summation, constant directivity, lobe-free dispersion, and predictable coverage for commercial installations.

Questyle introduced Sigma and Sigma Pro portable DAC/AMPs, aiming to redefine mobile high-fidelity by delivering studio-grade sound quality in compact, travel-friendly designs.
Questyle Sigma miniaturizes the CMA 12 Master, using patented Current Mode Amplification (CMA) with ultra-low 0.0002% distortion and over 5 V output power.
Sigma supports high-resolution playback with PCM up to 768 kHz, DSD512, and a three-stage TTA decoding architecture for enhanced clarity and dynamics.

Excalibur Midnight Blue MC cartridge targets near–high-end performance using premium materials, positioned as the technical and visual flagship of the Excalibur lineup.
Unlike other models, Midnight Blue uses a Delrin (POM) body, chosen for high stiffness, low friction, and exceptional resonance control.
The moving-coil generator features a boron cantilever, true diamond stylus with Microridge profile, and an Alnico magnet drive system.

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.

AES Europe Convention 2026 marks the 160th AES event, held May 28–30 at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Copenhagen’s Lyngby campus.
The convention continues AES Europe’s tradition of high-level technical programs, focusing on immersive audio, artificial intelligence applications, and peer-reviewed research sessions.
Keynote speaker Geoff Martin, Bang & Olufsen Director Specialist for Audio Quality, presents “The Perceptual Irrelevance of Physical Measurements,” challenging conventional audio metrics.

Hi-Unit will launch the RYUCHU2 (龍柱2) balanced earphone cable in late March, featuring 4.4mm plug and 2-pin connectors, priced around ¥12,100.
As the successor to the original crowdfunding-exclusive RYUCHU, RYUCHU2 prioritizes accurate signal transmission, preserving sound balance, clarity, and the earphones’ inherent performance.
The cable uses ultra-high-purity copper conductors equivalent to 7N grade, with a thick 18AWG-class cross-sectional design optimized for 4.4mm balanced connections.

Emotiva’s Differential Reference Design series includes DRS-1 streamer, DRD-1 DAC, DRP-1 preamp, and DRA-1 amplifier, priced $2,599 bundled or $699 standalone.
DRP-1 is a fully balanced preamplifier with electrically symmetrical, short signal paths and sealed electromagnetic relay input switching to minimize noise.
Volume control uses a precision resistor ladder instead of a potentiometer, ensuring accurate gain steps and channel balance across the entire range.

Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds achieve a claimed 25% better active noise cancellation using the new HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3e and four microphones per earbud.
Dual-processor architecture combines QN3e with Integrated Processor V2, enabling adaptive real-time ANC optimization, 32-bit signal processing, and improved mid-to-high frequency noise reduction.
Redesigned earbuds are approximately 11% slimmer with a rounder shape, larger internal ventilation, and new Noise Isolation Earbud Tips in four sizes for improved comfort and seal.

Vinyl’s resurgence (outselling CDs for three years) plus 50% of buyers lacking turntables drives Bluetooth models targeting wireless-first, under-40 listeners prioritizing convenience over traditional hi-fi stacks.
Sony PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT are fully automatic belt-drive turntables with aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, aluminium platters, built-in phono stages, USB vinyl ripping, and minimalist living-room-focused design.
PS-LX3BT ($400) uses a fixed cable and heavier 3.5g tracking cartridge, while PS-LX5BT ($500) adds gold-plated detachable RCA outputs, 2.0g tracking, stiffer chassis, and enhanced vibration damping.

Audio Note (UK) marks 35 years of its Oto integrated amplifier with the Oto SE 35 35th Anniversary Edition, described as the most substantial redesign in decades.
Originally launched in 1991, the single-ended pentode tube amplifier was Audio Note’s first fully in-house design, proving high musicality at a more accessible price.
The anniversary model introduces newly designed output transformers, an upgraded choke-based power supply, optimized timing constants, and revised output stage circuitry.

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.
Positioned as a compact reference speaker, it combines classic proportions with advanced materials and targets audiophiles seeking high-end performance in living-room-friendly dimensions.
Newly developed three-way system uses a 28 mm RASC-Évo tweeter, 75 mm RASC-Évo midrange, and revised 12-inch basalt-sandwich woofer.

Lyngdorf Audio introduced the passive SB-75 stereo soundbar at ISE 2026, targeting true hi‑fi stereo performance without bulky floorstanding speakers.
Unlike powered soundbars, SB-75 uses a fully passive architecture, letting owners choose amplifiers while optimizing efficiency and high sound pressure levels.
Ultra‑slim, rigid enclosure is acoustically tuned for wall mounting or placement behind acoustically transparent cinema screens.

Huawei will unveil FreeBuds Pro 5 globally on February 26 in Madrid, ahead of MWC 2026, following their initial China debut in November.
Each earbud uses a dual-driver acoustic system, delivering clearer, richer sound and supporting AAC, SBC, LDAC, and Huawei’s L2HC codecs.
Lossless wireless audio is enabled via Huawei NearLink technology, offering transmission speeds up to 4.6 Mbps for high-resolution playback.

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.
Based on the February 2025 OM‑3, it features a 20.37‑MP BSI sensor, 4K/60p 10‑bit video, classic controls, and Olympus OM‑1 (1972) styling.
The key innovation is a custom infrared filter passing H‑alpha light at 656.28 nm, enabling accurate dark‑red nebula reproduction usually blocked by standard IR filters.

Potafes 2026 Hiroshima will be held March 21, 2026, 11:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), offering free admission with no preregistration required.
The event marks Hiroshima’s first full-scale Potafes and its first local edition in 11 years since 2015’s limited-format showcase.
A total of 98 domestic and international brands (as of February 12) will exhibit earphones, headphones, and portable audio players, including unreleased prototypes.

Panasonic unveiled its first professional 4K projector, PT‑HTQ20J, achieving 95% Rec. 2020 color gamut coverage—an exceptional benchmark not yet fully reached by consumer displays.
The projector uses a single DLP chip with an RGB laser light source, delivering up to 20,000 lumens for high‑brightness professional environments.
Vivid Prime technology combines three primary‑color lasers with a phosphor wheel, optimizing color purity, brightness efficiency, and overall image realism.

beyerdynamic launched its flagship wireless over-ear headphones AVENTHO 200 on February 13, priced at ¥47,850, available in Black and Nordic Grey color options.
The closed-back design uses powerful drivers for clear, high-quality sound, optimized for modern lifestyles with intuitive controls and comfortable all-location listening.
Advanced noise control includes high-performance Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and ambient sound mode, plus Qualcomm cVc technology for clear, business-ready voice calls.

Wilson Benesch will showcase two Fibonacci series loudspeakers at Bristol HiFi Show 2026, using a single reference stereo system to ensure controlled, direct comparisons.
The demonstration setup keeps identical Trilogy amplification and Computer Audio Design (CAD) digital sources and grounding, isolating audible differences solely between loudspeaker models.
The compact Discovery 3zero standmount opens the Fibonacci range, applying the same core engineering principles and proprietary technologies as larger models despite its smaller footprint.

Canon celebrates 30 years of PowerShot, launched in 1996 with 0.57MP PowerShot 600, expanding to over 200 compact camera models worldwide.
PowerShot G7 X Mark III Anniversary Edition retains 2019 hardware: 20MP CMOS sensor, Digic 8 processor, and 4K video recording up to 30fps.
The unchanged 24–100mm f/1.8–f/2.8 lens remains a key differentiator, previously helping the G7 X Mark III lead its competitive compact segment.