We’re rapidly approaching the Bank Holiday weekend (at least those of us in Blighty are), but that hasn’t stopped hi-fi and home cinema companies from bombarding us with fresh announcements.
Over the past week, we’ve seen everything, from news that yet another powerhouse audio brand is up for sale to our first look at Sony’s home cinema offerings for the year. So it’s more than understandable if you’ve struggled to stay on top of all the announcements.
Here to help, we’ve penned a fresh entry into our weekly Rewind column, giving you all the important news that's broken over the past seven days.
Article continues belowLoads of new Sony stuff
Sony is on the verge of selling a hefty 51 per cent stake of its home entertainment business to TCL. And, while we don’t know what that means for the long-term future of its OLED TVs, projectors and Dolby Atmos soundbars, that didn’t stop it from unveiling a wealth of new hardware last week.
Highlights include two new TVs (the affordable Bravia 3 II and Bravia 2 II) and Bravia Theatre Bar 7 Dolby Atmos soundbar, which looks set to go head-to-head with the long-reigning Sonos Beam (Gen 2) when it launches later this year.
Read the full story: Sony's new Bravia TVs look set for a showdown with TCL
New “Classic” Grado headphones
Grado has a strong track record in the cabled cans market. So much so that the open back SR325x remains a key entry in our best wired headphones guide to this day, hence why the launch of its new Classic Series of wired headphones caught our attention last week.
As the name suggests, the new series updates several classic Grado sets, including the Award-winning SR325x, the more budget SR80x and premium Grado GS3000x – all of which scored five-star ratings when we reviewed them.
The biggest common change is the use of a swish-looking new Grado X2 driver platform, which the firm claims will offer listeners greater clarity, extension and balance. If true, we may be treated to something truly special when the new headphones launch at the end of the month.
Read the full story: Grado upgrades some of our favourite wired headphones with its brand new X2 driver
Yet another audio brand is up for sale
Speaking of iconic headphone brands, last week we also caught wind that Sennheiser's consumer headphone business is up for sale. The news broke via Heise online, which reported that Swiss owner Sonova is shopping around for a buyer so it can focus on its core hearing aid business.
No further details are currently available, but the news has caused a stir, with 2026 already seeing several huge shifts in the hi-fi landscape – including Barco announcing plans to buy VerVent Audio, which includes Naim and Focal, mere weeks ago.
Read the full story: Sennheiser's headphone division is for sale
A surprise from Cambridge Audio
How do you make a five-star music streamer even better? Well, Cambridge Audio seems to think the answer is pretty simple: add an HDMI eARC port so you can connect it to your TV.
And that’s exactly what it did last week when it unveiled its new CXN100 SE. Otherwise nearly identical to the base Cambridge Audio CXN100 we gave a five-star rating to last year, the SE aims to offer the same stellar sonics, plus the ability to quickly and easily connect it to your TV/home cinema set-up.
Read the full story: The sequel to Cambridge Audio's five-star music streamer makes your TV part of your hi-fi system
MORE:
These are the best music streamers we’ve reviewed
Our experts rank the best headphones money can buy
Our picks of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars
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