CES 2017

Ashley Chloé, a San-Fran-based technology company, combines form and fashion in the Fuse Wireless Earbuds. The Fuse are completely wireless, and come with a variety of different carrying and charging options for fashion-forward convenience.

New in-wall speaker announcements at CES are about as dry and parched as the city’s desert air, so I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped into Paradigm’s Venetian suite and saw the company was introducing six new models across its CI Pro and CI Elite lineups. Designed for residential home theater installations, these new models are all LCR designs featuring integrated backboxes made from ¾-inch MDF to provide an optimal acoustic environment as well as keeping sound from bleeding into adjacent rooms.

Without a doubt, one of the benefits of attending CES is getting to listen to audio systems that reside way outside the realm of what is considered normal. Walking the hallways of the Venetian, it isn’t uncommon to pass suits demonstrating six-figure electronics and speaker systems. But when you enter the realm of mid-five-figure, cost-no-object, premium electrostatic headphone designs, then even the most jaded among us will stop to take a listen. Launching into this rarefied air and going after the title of “world’s ultimate headphone” is HIFIMAN’s new Shangri-La, a headphone system featuring virtual zero distortion and lightning fast response.

Arcam expanded its rSeries of products with the release of the new rPhono phono stage preamplifier. The new executive-sized component resides in a stylish aluminum case with the sole function of allowing vinyl lovers to enjoy their collections regardless of hardware combination or configuration. To ensure maximum compatibility and optimal matching regardless of cartridge type, rPhono offers a huge variety of adjustments.

The Dish Anywhere app has expanded beyond mobile phones to the TV on Fire TV sticks and media players. The app can access a Dish Hopper receiver’s live TV, guides, and DVR. Users can start recording or set up scheduled recordings.

The PW Soundbar, the latest addition to Paradigm’s PW (Power Wireless) portfolio, is a svelte, 9-driver, 3-channel model that uses the DTS Play-Fi platform to stream music from sources ranging from Tidal, Spotify, and TuneIn Radio to high-res music files stored on a computer or NAS drive. With Play-Fi’s latest update, it can also serve as the hub of a wireless 5.1 channel surround system.

Dish and Sling TV showed off the AirTV, the newest device that will make it easier to cut the cord on cable or satellite. AirTV streams from Sling TV, as well as over the air local channels, and from other streaming services and can stream in 4K.