2026 is here, and it has brought with it a fresh entry into our weekly Rewind, hi-fi and home cinema news digest.
And what a start it has been. Though we’re only at the start of the year, we have already seen more new hardware than any normal person could hope to stay on top of, thanks to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which ran last week.
Here’s what you need to know.
There are loads of new OLED TVs coming
As is always the case, loads of new TVs were launched at CES. Like past years, this included a number of new OLED sets.
From LG, we saw the new LG G6 flagship and C6 step-down models, as well as a surprise new entry into its Wallpaper range, the LG W6. The big headlines here are that the two largest sizes of the C6 will feature next-generation, brightness-boosting Primary RGB Tandem OLED panels, and the W6 will match the top-end specifications of the G6.
Samsung launched its new flagship S95H at roughly the same time. The set is particularly interesting as it has a completely new design that is clearly inspired by the firm’s The Frame range, alongside the usual smattering of “X per cent” brighter and AI refinements we have come to expect each year.
Finally, we also got some early information on Philips’s new DLED 9001 flagship and OLED811 step-down series of OLEDs. The DLED 9001 is the first OLED confirmed to support Dolby Vision 2 and Dolby Vision Max 2. The only other sets we know of so far that will support the new HDR standard are non-OLED models from TCL and Hisense.
Onkyo celebrated a milestone
Turning 80 is always a big deal, which is why it was no surprise to see Onkyo celebrate the milestone at CES with not one, but three product announcements.
First up, we have the new Muse streaming amplifiers. The range consists of two options, the Y-50 and Y-40. Each is designed to be a simple, just-add-speakers system offering streaming smarts alongside Class D amplification.
We don’t have pricing yet, but the Y-50 is the more premium option, offering 250W per channel into 4 ohms. Below it, the Y-40 offers 150W per channel into 4 ohms.
Next up are the 80th anniversary limited-edition versions of Onkyo's Creator Series GX-30 and GX-10 powered speakers. The speakers are designed to work with everything from desktop computers to turntables and TVs, and aim to pay homage to the older Onkyo D-200 speakers from the late 1980s.
We don’t have full specifications or price information yet, but they certainly look nice, featuring PVC walnut cabinets with silver ring finishes and textured black baffles.
Finally, for home cinema fans, the Japanese firm teased a new generation of TX and RZ Series AV receivers. Details were similarly thin on the ground, but Onkyo promises both will offer “monstrous multi-channel and multi-room performance” and confirmed that they support up to 15-channel processing and up to 11 channels of power.
Cambridge Audio has called KEF outside for a fight
Finishing off this week’s Rewind, Cambridge Audio launched its new range of L/R all-in-one wireless active-speaker systems at CES. The range is split into three models: the entry-level L/R S, the step-up L/R M and the more premium L/R X.
They are interesting for multiple reasons, the two biggest being that they are the first speaker systems Cambridge has made, and that they are also direct rivals to KEF’s established, Award-winning KEF LS50 Wireless II or KEF LSX II LT.
Coming out of the gate gunning for an established champ is a ballsy move; but we have had an early listen to the Cambridge Audio L/R X, and it could be an interesting tussle between two British hi-fi heavyweights when the new Cambridge products launch later this year.
MORE:
These are the best hi-fi systems we have tested
We rank the best AVRs
Our picks of the best OLED TVs
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