Another month has rolled by, and with it came a raft of new product announcements that caught our attention.
It has been a busy time for the world of AV and hi-fi, with new launches across categories including, but not limited to, soundbars, stereo speakers, USB DACs, Bluetooth speakers and smartphones.
Headlining this edition of On the Radar is the Bluesound Pulse Cinema, a stylish Sonos Arc Ultra alternative that could challenge the five-star ’bar’s title of the best Dolby Atmos soundbar.
Following closely behind is iFi's latest pocket-sized USB DAC, as well as JBL's latest addition to its Award-winning Bluetooth speaker family.
These are joined by Dali's cutest speakers to date, as well as Google's latest flagship Android-powered smartphone.
We told you it had a been a busy time…
Bluesound Pulse Cinema
The premium Dolby Atmos soundbar market is a competitive place, with the likes of Sony, Sennheiser, Sonos, KEF and Samsung all vying for your attention.
That hasn’t stopped Bluesound from taking a stab at the competition, however, with its latest offering: the Bluesound Pulse Cinema.
This 3.2.2 ’bar touts a total of 16 drivers, including dual 4-inch woofers and dedicated upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos height effects, with a total claimed power output of 500W; pretty punchy if you ask us.
The Pulse Cinema also wears its hi-fi influence on its sleeve, as it is compatible with Bluesound’s BluOS platform, which can be linked to a wide range of streaming services – including Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify – for hi-res streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Priced at £1149, the Pulse Cinema is going head to head with our current favourite Atmos-equipped soundbar on the market: the Sonos Arc Ultra.
Read the full Bluesound Pulse Cinema news
- Price: £799 / $999 (around AU$1543)
- Release date: November 2025
Dali Kupid
As cute as the cherub it is named after, the Kupid puts a colourful and affordable spin on Dali’s signature and highly regarded hi-fi sound.
Best known for its high-end Epikore speakers, which can cost upwards of 30 times the price of these new budget speakers, Dali hopes to bring its signature sound to more people by pricing the Kupid very aggressively.
Inside each cabinet, you’ll find a proprietary 4.5-inch paper and wood fibre mid/bass driver, which is reinforced with a ferrite magnet system and low-loss rubber surround.
This is backed up by a custom-developed 26mm ultra-light soft-dome tweeter, which promises “detailed, extended highs with smooth dispersion and minimal distortion”.
With a custom crossover for accurate timing and a dual-flare reflex bass port for low distortion and deep bass, these speakers should sound as good as they look.
Read the full Dali Kupid news
- Price: £299 per pair (around $400 / AU$600)
- Release date: 1st October 2025
iFi Go Blu Air
Looking to boost your smartphone’s audio performance with a DAC that won’t bog you down? Enter the iFi Go Blu Air, which is one of the British audio company’s smallest and lightest offerings to date.
Measuring just 5cm and weighing a mere 30g, the Go Blu Air somehow manages to cram in separated DAC and amplification stages in pursuit of reduced noise and low distortion – despite its tiny chassis.
You’ll also find Qualcomm’s QCC5144 chipset for Bluetooth connectivity, a Cirrus Logic MasterHIFI DAC, and a twin-mono amplifier stage as part of the audio signal path to deliver up to 256mW of power.
Wired connectivity comes in the form of 4.4mm and 3.5mm balanced headphone outputs, and Bluetooth 5.2 is backed up by the latest hi-res codecs, including LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX HD.
Despite all this tech, iFi claims that this miniature portable DAC can last 10 hours on a single charge – impressive indeed.
Read the full iFi Go Blu Air news
- Price: £129 / $129 / AU$229
- Release date: Available now
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
Google’s latest smartphone series celebrates a decade of Pixel, and the brand is adding some much-needed AV-focused features which have caught our attention.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the biggest and flashiest of the new range when it comes to conventional smartphones (the 10 Pro Fold is the highest-end model with a pliable folding display), and it comes with a big and bright OLED display.
Measuring 6.8 inches, the Super Actua LTPO OLED (now that's a tongue twister) screen will reportedly sport an eye-searing 3300-nit peak brightness, support HDR, and feature a variable refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz.
It is also Google's first phone to include Pixel Snap, a nifty magnetic system that clips accessories (such as a wireless charger and grip/stand combo) into place, similar to Apple's MagSafe system.
The real question is, will it compare with the best that Sony, Apple and Samsung have to offer?
Read the full Google Pixel 10 Pro XL news
- Price: £1199 / $1199 / AU$1999
- Release date: Available now
JBL Grip
There's a new member in JBL's impressive Bluetooth speaker roster, and it sits just below a five-star favourite of ours.
The Grip undercuts the Flip 7 in price and stature, with a design that can be clutched in one hand; though, as we have come to expect from JBL, a small speaker doesn't mean small sound.
Within the Grip's cylindrical body, you’ll find a 43 x 80mm full-range transducer, delivering a continuous output of 16W on average, with a claimed frequency response spanning 70Hz to 20kHz.
Pair that with a rugged woven-fabric covering, IP68 water and dust resistance, a claimed 12 hours of playback on a single charge and a customisable ambient-light feature, and you should find that the grip is ready to party in any condition.
The real question is, will it carve out a name for itself among its talented peers?
Read the full JBL Grip news
MORE:
Check out our picks for the best Bluetooth speakers
As well as the best DACs: USB, desktop and portable
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