LATEST ADDITIONS

Vizio today announced the availability of a firmware update that adds HDR10 high dynamic range (HDR) decoding capability to a half dozen of its E-Series SmartCast Ultra HD displays.

We revisit Plex to see how its new DVR and voice-control features work.

PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Balanced and unbalanced output
Drives moderately demanding headphones
Hi-res capable, including DSD
Minus
No album art
No fancy DAC chip
No user-accessible internal RAM

THE VERDICT
The HiFiMan SuperMini combines the sonics of a gentle top end and luscious mids with light weight, long battery life, and enough power to drive slightly less efficient headphones.

HiFiMan was founded in New York by Dr. Fang Bian. The company now operates from China but does not outsource either manufacturing or design. Headphones come from a factory in Dongguan. Music players come from another factory in Kunshan. R&D runs in Shanghai, software is developed in Shenzhen, and headquarters are in Tianjin. Unlike so many storied audio brands that have cut loose from their original motivation, 11-year-old HiFiMan continues to reflect the vision of Dr. Fang.

Vizio has agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and New Jersey’s Office of The Attorney General that it installed software to collect viewing data on 11 million smart TVs without consumers’ knowledge or consent.