Podcasts
On this live stream podcast, the eCoustics team discusses the very best of what we saw and heard at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
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CD Players
Shanling’s $999 CT90 CD transport targets modern CD collectors with digital-only outputs and Bluetooth, but skips SACD, analog outs, and compact rack-friendly design.
New Products
FiiO’s EH11 headphones and updated JM21 music player target commuters and travelers with retro design, hi-res Bluetooth, solid performance, and an affordable $240 combo.
New Products
Audeze debuts the LCD-5s at NAMM 2026 with SLAM acoustic technology and refined planar drivers—but will listeners pony up $4,500 for its flagship performance?
New Products
Can Meze’s $799 STRADA closed-back headphones stand out with premium design, easy drivability, and balanced sound in today’s crowded high-end market?
New Products
Just days after CES 2026, SVS’s 3000 R|Evolution subwoofers are now available—but do they raise the bar for output and control?
News
Sony and TCL are forming a global TV joint venture with TCL holding majority control. It’s a seismic power shift that rewrites the future...
Gift Guides
Last-minute shopper? These 12 hi-fi, headphone, and home theater gifts still ship in time for Christmas and Chanukah. Fast delivery, great picks.
Over-Ear Headphones
FiiO FT7 Review: Can $699 Open-Back Planar Magnetic Headphones Really Compete with the Heavyweights?
Can FiiO’s $699 FT7 open-back planar headphones deliver true high-end sound, or do build issues hold them back?
Headphone Amps
Can iFi’s $4,499 iDSD PHANTOM be the ultimate headphone DAC/amp and streamer, with tube/solid-state modes, DSD2048, K2HD, and Class A power?
DACs
Is the FiiO K11 R2R the most musically engaging DAC/headphone amp under $200, blending R2R texture with real-world balance at $175?
New Products
Sony’s LinkBuds Fit Hatsune Miku Edition blends ANC earbuds with a virtual idol—real human voice, not AI hype. Culture, color, and clarity collide.
Music
Spotify is raising prices across Premium plans, now ranging from $6.99 to $21.99. Is the added cost justified, and who really benefits?
New Products
Austrian Audio’s Arranger open-back headphones combine a new 44mm DLC driver, low 25Ω impedance, and foldable metal design. A serious mid-tier reference option?
Reviews
Andover Audio’s SpinPlay is a brutally well-executed all-in-one record player that sounds far better than it should at its price—and may be the company’s...
Bookshelf Speakers
Are the DALI KUPID just flash and color for $600—or something more?
Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers
The Quad 3 integrated amplifier blends classic British design with modern versatility, delivering tonal weight, balance, and real-world power without hype—an easy Editors’ Choice...
Over-Ear Headphones
Audio-Technica's ATH-ADX7000 deliver stunning dynamics, vast staging and refined tuning at $3,499 with some drawbacks.
Reviews
Can $129 wireless earbuds really deliver xMEMS clarity, LDAC, aptX Lossless support, and strong ANC? The SOUNDPEATS Air5 Pro Plus makes a compelling case.
Reviews
The Edifier MR5 delivers impressive near neutral accuracy, deeper bass, LDAC support and true three-way power for $350, making it a top budget studio...
Headphone Amps
Cayin RU9 delivers tube warmth, solid-state detail, strong power, and rare versatility in a pocketable DAC/amp with one drawback.
Home Theater
The eCoustics team shares what impressed us most across the hi-fi, head-fi, and home theater industries in 2025.
Music Streamers
A/V Receivers & Preamp/Processors
Best Right Now
Music Streamers
Is Mission’s 778S worth $1,699? ESS DAC, Roon Ready, no Bluetooth or Chromecast, with cheaper Bluesound, Cambridge, WiiM and Eversolo rivals.
Amplifiers
Dan D’Agostino’s Momentum Z Monoblock pushes the Momentum platform forward with regulated power delivery, revised circuitry, extreme output—and a price that firmly places it...
New Products
Onkyo wowed crowds at CES 2026 with an entirely refreshed line of A/V receivers, as well as a return to the A/V separates market.
Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers
NAD launches the C 3030 and C 3030S integrated amplifiers, blending vintage design with modern features, priced from $1,199 to $1,499.
A/V Receivers & Preamp/Processors
Marantz brings the cost of A/V separates down to a more affordable price point with the AV 30 preamp/processor and AMP 30 multi-channel power...
Bookshelf Speakers
Eversolo’s SE100 passive bookshelf speakers promise big sound from a compact cabinet for $399 a pair, designed for real rooms and modern hi-fi systems.
New Products
Edifier’s M90 is a "cross-scenario, multi-purpose" active speaker, performing equally well in TV and home entertainment setups as well as in PC, desktop, and...
News
Epson brings Google Gemini AI to its Lifestudio projectors, adding smarter content discovery, voice control, and smart home features ahead of CES 2026.
Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers
Hi-Fi Components
Articles
Discover if vintage turntables still beat modern models under $2,000. Pros, cons, sound quality, and where to buy for the best vinyl experience.
Amplifiers
At $3,200 for the combo, Quad revives a 57-year old design for audiophiles seeking modern conveniences with retro nostalgia.
Amplifiers
Is it worthwhile to combine the Aragon 4004 MKII and Audible Illusions Modulus 3A or is this one vintage audio system too far?
Articles
How a tiny turntable restoration company called Vinyl Nirvana turned a new generation of vinyl listeners into the cult of Thorens.
Articles
The COVID pandemic took a lot from us including thousands of restaurants. But a small vintage audio and record store in thriving in Brooklyn.
DAPs
FiiO’s M33 R2R enters the ~$600 DAP segment with a discrete ladder DAC and high expectations—but key specs and Bluetooth support remain unanswered.
New Products
ASUS ROG Kithara is a wired open-back planar gaming headset developed with HiFiMAN, prioritizing audiophile sound, wide soundstage, and precision over wireless convenience.
New Products
EarFun unveils Air Pro 4+, Clip 2, and Wave Pro X at CES 2026 with hybrid ANC, Bluetooth 6.0, lossless audio, AI translation, and...
New Products
Audeze’s Maxwell 2 raises the bar for gaming headsets, featuring SLAM technology with improved sound, comfort, and a new control app.
New Products
Cleer’s ARC 4 and ARC 4+ debut as the first THX-certified open-ear wireless earbuds, refining fit, sound quality, and spatial audio ahead of CES...
Music
Red Garland’s Soul Junction returns in a superb OJC reissue—clean, balanced sound, authoritative piano, and essential listening for anyone who loves the piano.
Articles
CES 2026 reveals a turning point for movies: IMAX hits record highs, home screens get massive, and Netflix–Paramount reshape the future of theaters.
New Products
Sylvox debuts the world’s first frameless outdoor TV at CES 2026, plus a 110-inch 4K QLED model built to survive sun, rain, sports nights,...
New Products
Samsung previews its 130-inch Micro RGB TV at CES 2026, showcasing bold industrial design and advanced AI features. Availability and pricing remain TBD.
New Products
XGIMI’s TITAN Noir Max aims to bridge lifestyle design and premium projection, but pricing, final specs, and Q1 2026 availability will determine where it...
New Products
TCL’s X11L SQD-Mini LED TV debuts at CES 2026 in large sizes with premium pricing, boasting 100% BT.2020 color, 20,000 dimming zones and up...
New Products
LG revives its iconic Wallpaper TV with the OLED evo W6 in 77- or 83-inch screen sizes that are only 9mm thick.
Articles
Upgrade the sound of your turntable with our favorite MM and MC phono cartridges you can buy in 2024 without breaking the bank.
Articles
With over 20,000 attendees, CEDIA Expo is back and better than ever. Here are our picks for "Best in Show."
Articles
A clean record sounds better and prolongs the life of your phono cartridge. My best record cleaning solutions to achieve both and maintain your...
Articles
What are the best audiophile phono preamps for under $1,000? See which models we picked from Croft, iFi, and Pro-Ject.
Articles
With so many different types of smart phones, DAPs, and portable headphone amplifiers, we think these headphone accessories make a lot of sense.
Reviews
Can the $2,150 Muarah MU-2 compete with phono preamps from EAR, Pro-Ject, and MOON? Rich and filling like our favorite cabbage rolls and nobody...
Articles
Looking to build a hi-fi audio system around a WiiM Ultra Music Streamer in a small space? The Cabin Audiophiler shows you how.
Articles
Can a French Canadian integrated amplifier and pair of British speakers prove that making love is better than war? The MOON 250i v2 is...
Articles
Starting at $22,499 per pair, the ATC SCM50ASL Active Speakers take your music listening experience to a whole new level.
New Products
Huawei introduced the MediaPad 7-inch, dual-core, Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet. The MediaPad is powered by the Qualcomm dual-core 1.2GHz processor, supported by Huawei Device's...
New Products
Cricket Communications today introduced the Huawei Ascend II smartphone (model m865), the successor to their first low-cost Android device, the Ascend (m860), that was...
Monitors
Samsung announced the SyncMaster SA650 Series LED-backlit LCD Monitors to its B2B line, available in 21.5-inch, 24-inch and 27-inch screen sizes. The new 650...
Monitors
Samsung announced the SyncMaster SA850 LED Business Monitor, available in 24-inch or 27-inch screen sizes for graphic and video professionals. The 850 Series employs...
External HDD
LaCie introduced the Porsche Design Mobile (P'9221) and Desktop (P'9231) USB 2.0 Hard Drives for Macs available exclusively at Apple Stores and lacie.com. Echoing...
New Products
AT&T will carry the HTC Status, the first smartphone with a dedicated Facebook Share Button targeted to users who love posting on Facebook what...
New Products
NEC announced today the 7,500 lumens, NP-PX750U professional installation projector, offering stacking capabilities, edge blending, option slot and integrated networking functions. This installation model...
E-Readers
The iriver Story HD is the first e-reader integrated with the open Google eBooks platform, through which you can buy and read Google eBooks...
Monitors
ASUS announced the 23-inch ProArt PA238Q LCD Monitor for graphic designers and other professionals. The IPS-paneled, LED-backlit monitor offers native 1920×1080 resolution. It reproduces...
New Products
Developed by Huawei, the AT&T USBConnect Force 4G USB modem adapter connects your laptop to the AT&T mobile broadband network, allowing customers to access...
