Audio Video News

KEF has extended its partnership with Lotus to bring killer sound to the new Eletre Hyper-SUV, the carmaker’s first all-electric “lifestyle” vehicle.

Nakamichi has expanded its Shockwafe series of high-end soundbar systems with an upgraded version of its flagship Ultra 9.2 SSE, an advanced version of the Pro 7.1 system we reviewed back in 2017.

Devialet, the Paris-based maker of the utterly unique Phantom line of speakers, has brought its considerable design prowess to bear on its latest creation: a super sleek soundbar designed to deliver an immersive Dolby Atmos experience without the need for a separate subwoofer.

Monoprice is on a roll with the expansion of its upscale Monolith line, this time in the form of two new THX Certified Ultra subwoofers, both of which are rated to reach THX Reference levels with low distortion in rooms as big as 3,000 cubic feet.

Okay, we’re still a couple days away from the official first day of spring but it’s warming up and the dreary winter landscape is starting to show signs of life. It’s a great time to celebrate the arrival springtime and have a look the latest A/V news and gear.

Time for a new set of speakers or subwoofer? An AVR with the latest features? Or maybe it’s time to bring your audio setup into the 21st century with a new music streamer. Wherever your home entertainment path is leading, click on to the next page for capsule reviews of more than two dozen products — all awarded Sound & Vision Top Picks in recent months.

Looking back at Sound & Vision’s Top Picks so far in 2022, speakers figure prominently into the mix, starting with a tower-based home theater ensemble that delivers the goods without draining your wallet. The lineup also includes a stately set of towers from a prominent German brand hoping to make a comeback in the U.S. and high performance subwoofers in two price categories — one from a well-known brand, the other from a name you probably don’t know. The odd man out is a new mid-priced AV receiver from Onkyo that can do just about everything you need it to do…except pop the popcorn.