This week Google updated its fantastic Chromecast Audio device (hi-res playback!), and Aston Martin dropped its clutch and entered the wireless speaker market with the Zygote.
Elsewhere we tested Apple's big iPhone, the 6S Plus, had a look at Dali's Zensor 1 AX speaker, and wrapped our ears around the 2015 version of Libratone's Zipp wireless speaker.
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News
Chromecast Audio gets hi-res music and multi-room support
Google has updated it's audio streaming puck with a couple of handy new features.
The update bumps audio quality up from 320kbps to 24-bit/96kHz lossless playback. It also throws multi-room functionality into the mix, with the device now capable of streaming music to mulitple devices.
READ MORE: Chromecast Audio gets hi-res music and multi-room support
MORE: Google launches family plan for Play Music streaming service
MORE: Google Chromecast Audio review
Aston Martin Zygote is a £2500 wireless speaker
British car maker Aston Martin has sped into the wireless speaker market, thanks to a collaboration with luxury audio maker, Audiomoda.
The oddly-shaped speaker (loosely resembling a car wing mirror) features analogue and digital connections, Apple AirPlay, DLNA and an Android/iOS control app.
It also features Class D amplifiers that deliver 240 watts of audio power. That probably goes some way to explaining the price, which is a hefty £2500.
READ MORE: Aston Martin Zygote is a £2500 wireless speaker
Spotify may hold back some albums from its free streaming service
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal this week, Spotify may consider a change to its release strategy, holding back new albums from its free service.
The idea appears to be twofold: incentivize users to pay for the premium service, and appease disgruntled artists who don't want albums available for free at launch.
Subscribers would get access first, with albums trickling onto the free service later. A good idea or a bad one?
READ MORE: Spotify may hold back some albums from its free streaming service
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Audeze unveils EL-8 Titanium headphones with 'fully integrated Apple Lightning cable'
This AV system costs $17.4 million and is made of gold
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Reviews
After last year's four-star effort, did Apple have something to prove with its bigger phones? If so they've done it spectacularly.
The 6S Plus is the perfect showcase for what we've come to expect from the Cupertino company, a fantastic multimedia device with top performance the board.
The only thing that gives us pause? The price.
Read the full Apple iPhone 6S Plus review
The Zensor 1 AX speakers are the powerered version of its much-admired Zensor 1s. And anyone looking for a desktop speaker should consider these.
They're more convenient than their bigger brethren and offer the flexibility of Bluetooth. The bass isn't huge, but that's a problem we can overlook when the performance is this enjoyable.
Read the full Dali Zensor 1 AX review
In some ways the latest iteration of the Zipp is better than its predecessor, but three years on and with competition in this market rife, its not as easy to reach the top of the pile.
The performance is very enjoyable - full-bodied and warm - but it's not helped by a congested soundfield. Regardless, this a fine wireless speaker and worth considering.
Read the full Libratone Zipp (2015) review