Mark Henninger

Victrola’s recent acquisition of KLH Audio brings together two long-standing names in American hi-fi. KLH started in 1957. Henry Kloss, Malcolm S. Low, and Josef Anton Hofmann founded it. They gained fame for their innovative loudspeaker designs and cutting-edge acoustic research. Victrola started in 1906. It became famous for popularizing in-home record players.

Kaleidescape has unveiled the Strato M, an entry-level movie player designed for home, marine, and commercial theater systems. The new player offers reference-quality 2K video output, surpassing standard Blu-ray quality, along with support for lossless audio.

xMEMS Labs has introduced Lassen, a new silicon MEMS tweeter for 2-way True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds that eliminates the need for a separate piezo amplifier. This design choice, according to xMEMS, reduces cost and power consumption while freeing up valuable space for manufacturers to incorporate additional advanced features. By focusing on the frequency range from 6kHz to 20kHz, Lassen targets clear, detailed highs that bring out nuances in music and immersive audio formats.

Focal is expanding its lineup of premium headphones with the Bathys MG, a Bluetooth model that, according to the manufacturer, delivers a new benchmark in wireless sound. The company points to its background in acoustic engineering to explain how these headphones maintain high-fidelity reproduction while incorporating active noise cancelling. At the heart of this performance are magnesium speaker drivers with “M”-shaped domes—technology Focal says is crucial for producing a precise, powerful sound signature.