New Products

Sennheiser has announced a higher-resolution, fully balanced version of the HDVD 800 headphone amplifier it introduced in 2013.

HiFiMan founder Dr. Fang Bian has been crafting fine headphones for more than a decade, collecting numerous awards along the way. In the past two years alone, five of his designs have been designated Top Picks in these pages. Despite this incredible success, Bian wanted more. He had a lifelong dream to fulfill: To create the “world’s best-sounding headphone.” As he put it, “While HiFiMan has made many good headphones, and people certainly enjoy them, none has ever fully satisfied that dream.”

Lake Grove, NY-based audio distributor Vana Ltd. has announced the arrival of an upscale European turntable in the U.S. market.

Integra DLB-5 Soundbar System
Object-based surround sound has advanced the art of home theater sound but at the cost of yet another set of speakers. Enter Integra’s DLB-5, which provides a simpler path. The 3.1.2-channel system comprises a passive soundbar, wireless subwoofer, and svelte 5 x 50-watt receiver that supports Internet Radio, several streaming services (including Tidal, Spotify, and Pandora), and more connectivity options than you’ll need: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, Blackfire’s FireConnect, and DTS Play-Fi (due via a future firmware update).

Next Level Acoustics, a Boston-based startup specializing in custom speaker systems, also offers a unique line of custom soundbar enclosures designed to provide “the perfect balance between aesthetics and integration.”

Essence For Hi Res Audio is shipping its new second-generation digital-to-analog converters (DACs) for owners of late-model AV receivers and preamp/processors who want to upgrade to HDMI 2.0a instead of replacing the gear.

Epson says its new portable 1080p LCD projector is up to three times brighter than competitive models, making it suitable for watching movies and sports or playing video games in a large room with the lights on.