Another week, another sea of hi-fi and home cinema releases, with a smattering of hands-on looks from our roaming team of experts, in between.
And yes, it’s great to see so much happening. But, at this point, there is so much to keep on top of that even most serious music or movie fans may be struggling to stay apprised of all the important headlines right now.
Bose has new Sonos rivals
Last week, our intrepid deputy editor, Andy Madden, took a trip across the pond to get a hands-on look at Bose’s new Lifestyle Collection. The series includes a new Dolby Atmos soundbar, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar, which aims to take on our current Award-winner, the five-star Sonos Arc Ultra.
Can it succeed where its predecessor, the three-star Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, failed? It’s too early to tell, but Andy walked away from his preview session with a positive impression – and the ’bar is certainly packed with new hardware. Highlights include a completely reworked nine-driver arrangement that includes two of the firm’s proprietary PhaseGuide units, which Bose promises will let it deliver improved immersion, detail and clarity.
Add to this the optional, also new, Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer and Lifestyle Ultra Speakers, which can be used to turn it into a wireless surround sound system, and it has certainly piqued our interest. Here’s hoping it delivers the goods when we get it in for testing!
Read the full story: Watch out Sonos! Bose just launched a Dolby Atmos soundbar, subwoofer and wireless speaker – and a “reimagined approach to home audio"
We visited London’s new David Bowie experience
While Andy was with Bose, our regular contributor, Joseph Svetlik, was out and about checking out Lightroom's new 360-degree immersive David Bowie experience.
Taking place in London right now, the David Bowie: You’re Not Alone exhibition is an audio-visual experience split into different rooms and chapters chronicling the iconic musician’s work and life.
And, based on Joe’s time there, it’s well worth a look for any Bowie fan, with the exhibit offering a variety of different experiences, ranging from 360-cinema segments that make you feel as though you’re in the room with Bowie, to epic Spatial Audio renditions of some of his greatest hits.
Read the full story: I listened to David Bowie in a 360-degree show, and now I've seen what spatial audio can do
A big player in wearables and satnavs is getting into high-end audio
If you hear the name Garmin, your first thought is likely to be of one of its wearables or satellite navigation systems. But last week, it charted a course into different territory when it unveiled its new JL Audio Primacy range.
As the name suggests, it is built on technology from JL Audio, a US-based firm best known for its subwoofers, which Garmin acquired in 2023. The range includes premium S3 standmount and T6 floorstander speakers, which are powered by a central CS unit. This acts as a network streamer and preamplifier, and comes loaded with a custom room-optimisation processor.
Garmin certainly isn’t starting small: whichever speaker option you go for, the package is undeniably high-end, with the central CS set to retail for £14,500 ($15,000). A pair of the S3 standmounts will then set you back £34,000 ( $35,000), or, if you’re in the mood to go big, the T6 floorstanders are an even more premium £86,000 ($90,000).
Read the full story: Garmin – yes, Garmin – has launched a premium home sound system with a neat trick up its sleeve
We finally know what Jamo’s been working on
Remember a few weeks ago when Jamo teased new hardware, and we all went a little crazy with excitement? Well, now we finally know what the iconic Danish hi-fi brand has been working on. Last week, the firm unveiled its new Concert Legacy and Concert Element lines of speakers.
Part of the same line the firm launched all the way back in 1996, the new speakers feature a distinctly Scandinavian design, with nearly all the parts being made in the region. We haven’t had a chance to listen to either passive speaker, but there’s no denying they pack some interesting hardware.
Highlights include Jamo’s DualCore architecture, which physically isolates the midrange and bass chambers in a bid to maintain clarity as the low-frequency energy increases, and down-firing bass loading to allow for more versatile placement within your room.
Read the full story: Jamo's Concert series gets an encore with two new ranges from the newly resurrected brand
Speaking of legendary speaker lines…
Jamo and Garmin’s new offerings were not alone. Last week our technical editor, Ketan Bharadia, took the time to visit Wilson Audio and have an inside look at the firm’s latest high-end WATT/Puppy standmount speakers.
Speaking to the owner, engineers and more at the firm’s headquarters, he examined why a company that started life modifying turntables and producing high-quality records created what is now one of the world’s most iconic and successful lines of premium speakers – a legacy culminating in Wilson Audio’s current generation, which he got a chance to listen to while there.
Read the full story: “They fully deserve their legendary status” – listening to Wilson Audio’s The WATT/Puppy speakers, a resurrection with a modern twist
MORE:
These are the best floorstanding speakers we have tested
We rank the best Dolby Atmos soundbars money can buy
Our picks of the best standmount speakers
