Summer is finally here, and while we may have a few more weeks to wait before the High End Vienna show starts, there’s already more new hi-fi and home cinema hardware appearing than any normal person could hope to stay on top of.
Yes, over the past month, we’ve seen everything from new portable CD players designed for Gen Z to high-end hi-fi from Garmin unveiled. And while we love to see our beloved industry flourish, there’s no denying that the sheer volume of launches can make knowing which are worth following a little tricky.
Which is why we’ve penned a fresh entry into our regular On The Radar column, detailing the five big products we’re most excited about, and can’t wait to give the full What Hi-Fi? review treatment.
1. REL Acoustics Planar series subwoofers
REL Acoustics' new Planar PL-1 and PL-2 subwoofers aim to offer buyers who care about their room’s feng shui an easy, discrete path to better bass.
As well as looking swish, the new models are designed to offer floor-standing and wall-mounted orientations that don’t require careful placement to work.
The firm is also offering a clever “rolling car” option that adds wheels to them, in theory making them easier to store when not in use.
Outside of that, both models will feature Class D amplification and REL's Airship Direct wireless connectivity. The main difference between the two is their size.
The PL-1 features 6.5-inch long-throw active FibreAlloy cone drivers and a 10-inch passive, with a claimed power output of 300W.
The PL-2 features a single 8-inch FlatPiston active long-throw driver and a beefier 550W claimed power output. Sadly, there’s no official word on either model’s price yet.
2. Shanling EC Play
It seems that wherever you turn, there’s some bit of AV hardware getting a “retro revival”. Which is why it’s no surprise Shanling’s looked to get in on the action with its new portable CD player, the EC Play – aimed, at least in part, at Gen Z music fans.
The unit comes with some interesting hardware, including Shanling’s active magnetic clamp mechanism, which aims to improve stability and avoid the dreaded skips that those of us old enough to have owned an original Discman remember.
Despite this, it has some nicely modern parts, including a Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC, that can be used in isolation to run PCM files up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD256 via a USB-C connection.
And, while it has enough muscle to run sensitive in-ear monitors and demanding headphones, there’s also Bluetooth support for people who prefer wireless cans (or speakers). All in all, a lot of features for a £209 ($199 / €220) spinner.
3. Bose Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar
The LifeStyle Ultra is the latest Dolby Atmos soundbar from Bose. It’s also one with a lot to prove, with the firm’s previous attempt, the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, earning a middling three-star rating.
Thankfully, from what we’ve seen and heard during our Bose LifeStyle Ultra hands-on demo at its launch, the firm has made a lot of welcome changes. These include a new nine-driver design, featuring a pair of the firm’s proprietary PhaseGuide units, which Bose claims will offer significantly improved immersion, detail and clarity.
For people looking for a system, the firm also unveiled an optional Bose Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer and Lifestyle Ultra Speakers, which can be paired wirelessly with the central bar.
The only big question is whether the changes will be enough for it to defeat our current Award-winner, the Sonos Arc Ultra, with the LifeStyle Ultra’s £1000 (€1000 / $1099 / AU$1800) price putting the two in direct competition.
4. Jamo Concert Series
We all love a good comeback story, which is why we were pleased to see Danish hi-fi firm Jamo finally unveil its new Concert Series of speakers – its first new hardware since being bought by Cinemaster and Rayeligh Lab in 2024.
The new range is a modernisation of the firm’s original Concert 8 (D 830) and Concert 11 (D 870), which launched in 1996. It’s split into premium Legacy and more entry-level Element tiers.
The Legacy feature Jamo’s premium DualCore architecture, which aims to improve and maintain clarity, even during very bassy moments, by physically isolating the midrange and bass chambers.
Meanwhile, the Element speakers feature a single-driver-per-range architecture with a simplified signal path designed to reduce distortion.
Prices start at £629 / $699 for the cheapest Concert Element SW10 standmounts, rising to £7739 / $7999 for the flagship Legacy 11 floorstanders.
5. NAD C 589 CD player
The NAD 589 is a high-performance CD player designed for serious music fans. And as a part of that focus, it comes armed to the teeth with premium hardware.
These include the use of a “top-tier” ESS chip at its heart, which the firm claims will allow it to offer reduced distortion and generally “excellent dynamic range”, as well as MQA Labs Qrono d2a digital audio technology. The latter is a clever bit of tech we first experienced on the Award-Winning Bluesound Node Icon, designed to improve timing accuracy in the audio signal.
NAD claims the combination, plus the spinner's custom circuit design and high-quality disc loader, will let it deliver “uncompromised compact disc playback”. However, you will have to pay for the experience, with the unit confirmed to cost £1199 / $1399 / €1599, making it a smidgeon more expensive than its long-lauded rival, the Cyrus CDi.
MORE:
These are the best CD players we've reviewed
We rank the best speakers money can buy
Our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
