CES is the world’s biggest annual consumer technology show – and 2024's event has just drawn to a close after a full week of exciting launches. Held in Las Vegas every January, the Consumer Electronics Show is where thousands of technology brands showcase their latest innovations. Last year saw roughly 2400 exhibitors in attendance, including huge names such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Sony, LG, Samsung, Panasonic and JBL.
What Hi-Fi? has been in attendance, as always, bringing you all of the TV, AV and audio news from the desert, plus a host of first looks, hands-on reviews and initial impressions of the latest and greatest kit on display from the show floor.
CES traditionally gives us a first glimpse at the products that will launch in the coming year and beyond, and this week we have already been flooded with information about the latest TV technologies and models coming from LG, Samsung, TCL and Panasonic. We've even managed to go hands-on with some of these new sets - see below for our first impressions.
Audio and hi-fi announcements also make up the headlines, with Sennheiser, JBL and Audio Pro revealing new headphones and speakers, FiiO launching a surprise Walkman-inspired cassette player, and Sonus Faber revealing its most ambitious speakers to date. We've also gathered together our CES highlights, our opinions (and even some disappointments) to give a full overview of this year's show.
You can read about all the news, highlights and hands-on from CES 2024 below...
Best of CES 2024
Stars of CES 2024: the 11 best TV and audio products we saw this week
From transparent TVs and a mega high-end speaker system to a wireless turntable and even a portable cassette player, it's been quite a CES. We pick our favourite products announced at the biggest tech show in the world. See our best CES 2024 products overall
9 most exciting hi-fi announcements from CES 2024
Although the TV and AV announcements coming out of the show may have stolen a fair bit of the limelight, there have still been some great hi-fi and audio launches to get us talking, showing there is plenty of life in the old trade show yet for us audiophiles. See the best CES 2024 hi-fi announcements
Rolling laser TVs, dinky OLEDs and more: the 7 best home cinema reveals at CES 2024
It was a big CES for fans of TV and home cinema. We've seen everything from cutting-edge transparent TVs to affordable Dolby Atmos wireless systems make their debut on the tradeshow floor, along with the world's first 8K wireless projector. See the best CES 2024 home cinema announcements
CES 2024: hands-on reviews & opinions
LG G4 OLED TV hands-on review
Brief demo sessions suggest that the new G4 is more of an upgrade than perhaps expected. Within the familiar chassis and spec sheet hide several subtle upgrades that together seem more meaningful than they may initially seem...
Read our full LG G4 hands-on review
Panasonic Z95A flagship OLED TV hands-on review
Panasonic's flagship Z95A for 2024 seems very similar to the wonderful MZ2000 it replaces but adds some neat upgrades, including a second-gen MLA OLED panel that, together with upgraded processing and a new heat management system, results in brighter picture performance.
Read our full Panasonic Z95A hands-on review
Samsung QN900D flagship 8K TV hands-on review
Just how smart can a TV get? Well, if you believe what several major brands are saying at CES 2024, flatscreen IQs are set to go up a level this year thanks to – yep, you guessed it – AI processing. And nobody has made this message clearer than Samsung. Its top-tier TV for 2024 uses a new processing chip designed to deliver a wide range of AI enhancements to take “ picture and sound quality to a whole new level”.
Read our full Samsung QN900D hands-on review
I've seen the 115-inch TCL Mini LED TV in action and now I want it
I've been watching this rise of massive TVs with keen interest, and when TCL announced the most massive Mini LED TV yet at CES 2024, I just had to go and check it out for myself. Let's just say I wasn't disappointed – at least not until I was told the price. Read the full TCL Mini LED TV opinion
I saw Fiio’s cassette player at CES 2024 and it had me feeling warm, fuzzy and frustrated
I’ve just spent the past six days navigating my way through all manner of high-tech kit at CES 2024, but it's the CP13 cassette player that put the biggest smile on my face. Walking up to it, I immediately had a couple of flashbacks to my childhood, spending an unhealthy amount of time with my old Sony Walkman. Is this an excuse to dust off your tape collection? Read the full Fiio CP13 cassette player opinion
Samsung's new duo of small OLED TVs could spell trouble for LG – here's why Samsung has announced a new 42-inch TV and a 48-inch TV as part of its new lineup, which is easily one of the most interesting news out of CES 2024 in my eyes, and for one good reason. Put simply, it should teach LG that it can't rest on its laurels with the C-series any more. Read the full Samsung small OLED opinion
Forget transparent TVs – CES 2024 should have been about cheap OLEDs
I applaud LG and Samsung’s ambition, but I’d rather see both focus on making TVs more affordable, especially during a cost-of-living crisis. I can’t help but wish the companies had paid a little more time, attention and effort to helping bring OLED display tech, and top-end TV experiences in general, to more affordable prices. Read the full transparent TV opinion
JBL revealed plenty of Bluetooth speakers at CES 2024 - but there's one glaring omission
JBL announced a trio of Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers – the miniature Clip 5, the even dinkier Go 4 and the much-anticipated, very powerful, Xtreme 4 – but where's the Flip 7? A successor to the current, excellent five-star Flip 6 is what I'm pining for, as it could have the potential to be one of the best new portable speakers. Read the full JBL Flip 7 opinion
TCL and Hisense may have fixed my biggest gripe with 100-inch TVs
There's something notable that differentiates TCL and Hisense from LG and Samsung where large-screen efforts are concerned. The former have created bespoke massive TVs while others have simply scaled up existing sets, and I certainly prefer one approach over the other... Read the full TCL and Hisense opinion
CES 2024 proves Samsung and LG's best OLED TV tech isn’t going down in price anytime soon
While our team reporting from the showroom floor found plenty to get excited about with huge TVs and new OLED sets, one sad fact became increasingly apparent – it doesn’t look like the top-of-the-line MLA or QD-OLED panels seen on last year’s flagships are going down in price any time soon. Read the full OLED TV tech opinion
The world is crying out for Samsung The Frame rivals – where's your imagination, Sony et al?
Projectors are trying hard to adapt to modern-day whims, so why aren't your everyday TVs? Ever since Samsung's appealing, lifestyle-friendly The Frame TV was revealed, it's occupied this segment of the market in a way no other brand has? LG doesn’t seem to really push its lifestyle sets, and Sony, Panasonic et al don’t have any... but why not? Read the full Samsung The Frame opinion
CES 2024 news: all the TV announcements
Hisense unveils Rollable Laser TV and 10,000-nit ULED X
Hisense has unveiled its latest AV innovations at CES 2024, with everything from 110-inch flagship TVs to exciting new ultra-short throw Laser TV models on show. The Chinese brand didn't show much of its standard television lineup for 2024, instead focusing on its more conceptual products...
Read the full Hisense Rollable Laser TV and ULED X story
First a transparent OLED TV comes to CES, and now a transparent Micro LED
LG has been showing off a transparent OLED display at trade shows for a while now, though this week at CES 2024 it is proudly flaunting its most sophisticated and realised version yet, the Signature OLED T (more below). And here we have our first sniff of a transparent Micro LED, courtesy of Samsung, although don't expect it to be ready for the home just yet...
Read the full transparent Samsung Micro LED story
MLA OLED tech reported to hit 3000 nits peak brightness
Much like the tech behind Samsung's S95D QD-OLED TV that's expected to hit 3000 nits of peak brightness, LG has announced its 2024 MLA OLED TV tech can also reach up to 3000 nits of peak brightness. According to LG, 'META Technology 2.0' offers up 42 per cent brighter images than a conventional OLED display.
Read the full MLA OLED TV story
TCL announces a 115-inch Mini LED TV with 20,000 dimming zones, 5000 nits
There has been an influx of super-sized TVs lately, but TCL's new 115-inch QM891G takes the biscuit. Not only is the 115QM89 absolutely huge, dwarfing the 98- and 100-inch models previously launched by the likes of Samsung, Hisense and TCL itself – but it's also got some astonishing numbers on its spec sheet.
Read the full TCL 115QM89 TV story
Panasonic’s flagship TV is the Z95A OLED with brighter MLA panel and Fire OS
Panasonic claims that the Z95A will be brighter than the outgoing top-tier MZ2000. The company says it has achieved this through 'improvements to the driving technology' and a 'multi-layer heat management configuration'. In an unexpected move, the company has finally jettisoned its own My Home Screen operating system in favour of Amazon’s Fire OS, too...
Read the full Panasonic Z95A OLED TV story
LG announces its entire 2024 TV lineup
LG has revealed its full 2024 TV range, consisting of new updates to some of our favourite OLED TVs from last year, and interesting new takes on its QNED TVs. With that being said, it's not an especially revolutionary-looking TV lineup from LG this year, as many of the biggest updates came as part of the 2023 lineup.
Read our LG 2024 OLED TV range explainer
Or everything you need to know about the mid-tier C4 and premium G4
LG's new Signature OLED TV is a see-through spectacle
It wouldn't be CES without some crazy concept TVs, and LG has immediately stolen the show with its latest revelation. Last year, it introduced a wireless OLED TV in the form of the M3 OLED – so how has it upstaged that? Well, this transparent statement Signature OLED T is about as futuristic as it gets.
Read the full LG Signature OLED T TV story
Samsung's 8K Neo QLED TVs use AI to supercharge picture and sound quality
It is claimed that a new processor boasts a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) twice as fast as that found on last year’s 8K model, with eight times as many neural networks on hand to help maximise picture quality. The TV offers a range of features designed to improve picture quality, not least ‘8K AI Upscaling Pro’ which is used to bring lower-resolution content up to 8K.
Read the full Samsung 7K Neo QLED TV story
The Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV will almost certainly have a 3000-nit panel
Samsung Display has developed a third-generation QD-OLED panel that is capable of producing 3000 nits of brightness. That's a huge 1000-nit increase in brightness over the second-gen QD-OLED panel featured in models such as the Samsung S95C and Sony A95L. And we can expect it to be part and parcel of the company's successor to last year's S95C...
Read the full Samsung S95D story
CES 2024 news: all the audio & AV announcements
Sharp jumps on the wireless Dolby Atmos bandwagon at CES 2024
Joining the Dolby Atmos soundbar and wireless subwoofer are wireless rear surround speakers, which are Sharp’s first product fitted with its new AQUOS Wireless Surround Technology. This transmits multi-channel sound, including Atmos, wirelessly from compatible Sharp TVs.
Read the full Sharp wireless soundbar system story
Sonus Faber marks 40 years with stunning Suprema speaker system
Kicking off its 40th birthday celebrations with suitable Kate Moss extravagance (she partied Glasto-style for four days with 150 guests!), the Italian brand has launched a Suprema system consisting of two main speakers, two subwoofers and an electronic crossover, priced at a cool £695,000 / $750,000.
Read the full Sonus Faber Suprema story
FiiO's Walkman-inspired cassette player is a blast from the past
FiiO has used CES to reveal a surprise new personal cassette player, the CP13 – not too dissimilar from the iconic Sony Walkman. In fact, FiiO itself has said this CP13 cassette player is a direct homage to Sony's first Walkman player from 1979, even down to that "silver-blue" two-tone finish and simple rectangular design.
Read the full FiiO CP13 story
Roon's Nucleus Titan is the ambitious server of audiophiles' dreams
Like Roon's previous flagship, the new Nucleus Titan is a dedicated server/streamer solution that has been optimised to work with Roon's OS to deliver "bit-perfect playback" of your hi-res digital music collection to a Roon-compatible hi-fi system. But what's new?
Read the full Roon Nucleus Titan story
McIntosh's 75th-anniversary monoblock amp aims to set a new industry standard for power
McIntosh is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion it has revealed what it claims is one of its most powerful amplifiers to date. The new MC2.1KW monoblock model has a tri-chassis construction, a whopping great £59,995 / €64.990 / $50,000 price tag and boasts 2000 watts of power...
Read the full McIntosh MC2.1KW story
Focal's Aria Evo X speaker range could be the stylish home cinema solution you've been searching for
French audio manufacturer Focal has announced a new range of speakers, the Aria Evo X, consisting of one standmounter model, three floorstanding models and a centre speaker. All use proprietary Focal driver technology and are designed to be used in both hi-fi and home cinema surround setups, and are available in three finishes.
Read the full Focal Aria Evo X story
Audio-Technica's new noise-cancelling earbuds could be the Sony alternative we've been waiting for
The ATH-TWX7 earbuds are set to retail at £190 – which places them smack in the valley between the Award-winning Sony WF-C700N and WF-1000XM5 buds Hybrid ANC, LDAC codec support for higher quality streams, multipoint Bluetooth and two different materials for eartips make the new ATH-TWX7 a compelling proposition. Read the full Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 story
Sennheiser's triple drop includes a much-anticipated sequel to the Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds
Sennheiser has made quite the splash at CES 2024, treating us to a trio of new wireless headphones: the new flagship Momentum True Wireless 4 wireless earbuds, the Accentum Plus over-ear headphones and the Momentum Sport running in-ears.
Read the full Sennheiser headphones story
Shokz's bone-conducting swimming headphones can store up to 8000 MP3 files
Shokz's new OpenSwim Pro 'multisport' headphones are designed for swimming, running and other fitness activities, and feature bone conduction tech, a lightweight nickel and titanium alloy frame, IP68 rating and has 32GB of onboard memory for storing up to 8000 songs in MP3 quality.
Read the full Shokz OpenSwim Pro story
FiiO’s tech-laden R9 streamer could be the solution to your desktop needs
FiiO has launched three brand-new products at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, including its flagship R9 desktop streamer and headphone amp/DAC, which comes with 64GB of onboard storage and features a range of physical and wireless connections, from HDMI ARC and optical to 2.4Ghz / 5Ghz wi-fi and AirPlay.
Read the full FiiO R9 story
Samsung's Music Frame speaker wants to make art out of audio
Samsung’s lifestyle Frame TV has been a massive success for anyone less than keen on having a big chunk of their living room taken over by tech, and now the brand has applied that same thinking to speakers.
Read the full Samsung Music Frame story
The Victrola Stream Sapphire turntable can stream vinyl all round your house As well as Sonos integration, the Stream Sapphire offers UPnP and Roon support for playing sound wirelessly through other compatible devices – all without the need for any further equipment. Read the full Victrola Stream Sapphire story
Audio Pro announces an all-in-one flagship wireless speaker, the C20
Following in the fine footsteps of the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning C3 and C10 MKII speakers, the C20 has been created with both music and TV listening in mind – all wrapped up in the brand’s signature Scandinavian design. Read the full Audio Pro C20 story
JBL’s Xtreme 4 wireless speaker uses AI to boost sound quality
The Xtreme speaker has always been a rugged and reliable bit of kit, and the features of this new iteration look to continue the trend. AI Sound Boost won’t take over the world, but it does use the speaker’s built-in AI algorithm to analyse your music in real time and “optimise the acoustic output level”. Read the full JBL Xtreme 4 story and about JBL's new PartyBox Bluetooth speakers
Xgimi unveils the world's first IMAX Enhanced long throw projector
We certainly can't knock Xgimi's ambitions. Just six months ago we were taking a look at the Horizon Ultra, which was the world's first Dolby Vision-compatible long throw projector; and we assumed that's about as far as the company would take its Horizon series. Well, the brand's latest reveal at CES has proven us wrong, as the Ultra has been surpassed by a new model. Introducing the Horizon Max...
Read the full Xgimi Horizon Max story
JBL launches its Live TWS 3 series earbuds
JBL’s Live TWS 3 series features the latest charging case tech and a 1.45-inch LED touchscreen. We saw the first-ever 'smart' charging case debut with JBL's flagship Tour Pro 2 wireless earbuds, so it's good to see this tech trickle down to more affordable models.
Read the full JBL Live TWS 3 series story
Samsung announces the Premiere 8K Projector, the first wireless projector
Samsung claims The Premiere 8K Projector is the world's first wireless model and features a wireless One Connect Box for connecting sources like a Blu-ray player or games console. Like LG's new M4 wireless TV, this box then sends the info from your source to the projector which displays the picture.
Read the full Samsung Premiere 8K Projector story
EarFun’s budget over-ears boast 80-hour battery life – but will they compete sonically with the best in class?
Budget brand EarFun's first-ever over-ear wireless headphones, the Wave Pro, boasts ANC, 80-hour battery, LDAC codec support and will cost just $80. It's also launched the UBoom X portable Bluetooth speaker, which sports 30 hours, IP67 rating and can charge your phone too.
Read the full EarFun story
CES 2024 preview: what to expect
Sony at CES 2024
Sony probably won’t announce anything, at least not in our worlds of hi-fi and AV. In 2023, it announced its new TVs at a separate event in March and instead, opted to focus on PlayStation VR 2 and its automotive partnership with Honda at CES.
The holding image on Sony's website suggests the company will focus on movie production, sound and VR at CES 2024 while we are expecting its TV launches to follow a similar pattern to last year.
When Sony does announce its new TVs, we expect to see a new QD-OLED model to replace the A95L, and presumably a new standard OLED model to replace the A80L. We predict these new models could be titled A95M and A80M respectively. On top of this, we also expect to see more backlit LCD models.
Press conference: 8th January, 01:00 am GMT
Livestream: Sony CES Press Conference
Panasonic at CES 2024
Traditionally, Panasonic tends to only announce its flagship TV at CES and we have no reason to expect a deviation from that approach this year.
In all likelihood, Panasonic's 2024 flagship, which will replace the MZ2000, will be called the NZ2000, and it will almost certainly be an MLA OLED model with a substantial Dolby Atmos sound system.
Considering our experience testing the MZ2000 this year, we'll be curious to see if the newer set takes further advantage of MLA's brightness-boosting powers and potential improvements to the TV's sound system.
Stay tuned for more information!
Press conference: 8th January, 6:00 pm GMT
Livestream: Panasonic CES Homepage
Samsung at CES 2024
Samsung will be in attendance and will be sure to announce new products but we’re not yet sure exactly what those will be.
Smaller QD-OLED panels are now available so we could see new, smaller QD-OLED TVs (the current smallest are 55 inches) and there could be more ‘standard’ OLEDs that use panels from LG.
In 2023, Samsung released its first TV that uses a standard LG OLED panel. It has long been predicted that the company will use those panels to release more and cheaper OLEDs, so we could see these at CES 2024.
The company will also almost certainly announce a new range of Neo QLED TVs that use Quantum Dots with Mini LED backlighting. And don't forget 8K QLED models – unlike most other major TV brands, Samsung is still very focused on 8K.
Finally, we can also expect to see a new range of absolutely huge and ridiculously expensive Micro LED displays, as Samsung appears to be betting big on this as the TV technology of the future. Will this be the year that it announces a model small enough to fit into the average home and affordable enough to be purchased by the average person? We highly doubt it.
Press conference: 8th January, 10:00 pm GMT
Livestream: Samsung Newsroom
LG at CES 2024
LG goes bigger than most brands at CES, and we don't expect 2024 to be any different.
In fact, we now know that new B4, C4, G4 and M4 models are definitely on the way. Firstly thanks to a leak confirming the resolutions and refresh rates (4K/120Hz for the B4, 4K/144Hz for the C4 and G4), and then through an official announcement. We also know that all of the upcoming LG TVs will include free updates for at least five years.
The M4 and G4 TVs will launch with an entirely new Alpha 11 AI processor, whereas the C4 will instead include an upgraded version of the previous Alpha 9 chip. The B4 will receive a new processor in the form of the Alpha 8 AI Processor.
We were looking forward to finding out whether the brightness-boosting MLA technology that debuted in the G3 in 2023 would trickle down to the mainstream C4 model this year. Unfortunately with the latest information announcement, that does not seem to be the case.
Much like the M3 OLED TV announced in 2023, the upcoming M4 features a wireless Zero Connect Box to house internal components and port selection. We'd personally like to see the return of the brand's 'Wallpaper' range of insanely thin TVs that could be hung on the wall using magnets, but alas, no signs are pointing that way at present.
LG has already taken the wraps off its cute little CineBeam Qube 4K projector and wireless Dolby Atmos soundbars, so expect more details on both.
Press conference: 8th January, 4:00 pm GMT
Livestream: LG Global YouTube
Hisense at CES 2024
Hisense recently unveiled its upcoming 110-inch Mini LED TV, set to be shown off in full at CES 2024.
The company has shared some impressive specifications for the TV, including 10,000 nits peak brightness and 40,000 backlight zones. Due to the screen's size, Hisense is well aware that viewers may not be watching it straight-on. To combat this issue, Hisense has fitted the 110-inch TV with STW2.0 wide-angle film technology which should reduce glare, backlight leakage and general picture anomalies that come with viewing a screen of this size from an angle.
We're hoping to see some slightly more reasonable TVs from the brand at CES as well.
Press conference: 8th January, 4:00 pm GMT
Livestream: Hisense at CES 2024
FiiO at CES 2024
FiiO is expected to show off its upcoming R9 all-in-one desktop system at CES.
The R9 is desktop a hi-fi system/DAC/headphone amplifier that represents a step up from the R7 which was released in early 2023. FiiO's new R9 player can deliver hi-res audio to active speakers, and headphones.
It also features a large colour display, a range of input choices, including HDMI, and support for streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Roon to name a few.
We're looking forward to a hands-on experience with the R9 and the rest of FiiO's range in January.
Sennheiser at CES 2024
Sennheiser usually reveals new products at CES and 2024 looks to be no different. In 2023, for example, we saw the debut of its IE 200 earbuds.
Not much is known about its 2024 plans although a 'Headphone Launch Event' holding video on the Sennheiser YouTube page has been spotted, meaning the brand has at least one new pair up its sleeve at the very least. But are they in-ear or over-ear? Wired or wireless? We'll have to wait and find out.
Press conference: 8th January, 8:30 pm GMT
Livestream: Sennheiser Launch Event at CES 2024
Audio Pro at CES 2024
Swedish brand Audio Pro has revealed that it will be showing off a new flagship wireless speaker model at CES.
Audio Pro has been tight-lipped regarding the major details. However, we do know the new speaker will follow suit of previous models and feature support for streaming via Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, as well as offer support for AirPlay2 and Google Cast.
We have rated previous Audio Pro speakers – such as the Addon C3 – highly for their refined sound and impressive timing. The brand has also hinted at a few extra surprises in its new model that will make it stand out from the crowd even more... Our interest is collectively piqued.
Others at CES 2024
JBL (and other Harman brands) usually launch new products at CES, and some of JBL's forthcoming products have won awards. The JBL Authentics 500 picked up a Best of Innovation award for its combination of retro styling and Dolby Atmos sound tech, while the lower-specced Authentics 200 and 300, and JBL's in-car Club Series speakers were all honourees.
In terms of trends we can expect to see, our money is on more streaming turntables, more wireless earbuds (and potentially an innovation), and a focus on spatial audio across the board.
CES 2024 dates: when is CES?
CES takes place this week, between Tuesday 9th and Friday 12th January 2024 in Las Vegas, though the 'Media Days', when most product news is announced, are held two days prior, over the Sunday 7th and Monday 8th of January. These are the two days you'll want to keep your eye on whathifi.com if you want to hear all the latest announcements as they happen.
The CES 2024 schedule can be viewed here
CES 2023 highlights: what impressed last time?
LG’s MLA technology
The LG G3 TV and the arrival of MLA technology were definitely big highlights of CES 2023. LG Display’s use of Micro Lens Array (MLA) has meant that its OLED TVs have reached dazzlingly bright heights this year.
In a nutshell, MLA is made of a layer of microscopic lenses that are layered on top of the OLED pixels. To contextualise how microscopic these lenses are, LG Display claims that it can fit 5000 microlenses on a single pixel.
- I've tested the latest MLA-OLED TV and the upgrades aren't as game-changing as I'd hoped
LG M3 wireless OLED TV
LG's impressive wireless M3 4K OLED TV got its world-first showing at CES 2023. A wireless 4K OLED TV? You had better believe it!
While the M3 does require a power cable, it receives video and audio content totally wirelessly via a separate transmitter box. No tangles of HDMI cables dangling from the back of the TV. LG calls its proprietary tech 'Zero Connect' and, following the tech demo at CES, the M3 hit store shelves in the second half of 2023.
JBL TT350
At CES 2023, JBL announced its Classic Series of hi-fi components that includes a music streamer, amplifier, CD player, and the brand's first-ever turntable, the JBL TT350 Classic.
The TT350 sports a direct drive design with a heavy die-cast aluminium platter set in a natural walnut wood veneered chassis. It also comes with adjustable dampened feet to help cut down on vibrations and enable you to play the TT350 on uneven surfaces. Its S-shaped, curved aluminium tonearm is fitted with a "high quality" Audio Technica moving magnet cartridge in a removable headshell.
Naim NAP250 Power amplifier
Naim celebrated its 50th anniversary at CES 2023, revealing a range of new components including the NAP 250 power amplifier.
It is the sixth generation of this product, which has been going since 1975, and it’s one of the best products the brand has made over those five decades. It features some tech that has trickled down from Naim's flagship Statement amplifier, such as an eddy-current circuit breaker between speaker outputs and balanced XLR connections, alongside Naim's promise of "more power, even better performance, and greater system-matching flexibility".
Nakamichi Dragon soundbar
Featuring an impressive 21 channels of audio, the Nakamichi Dragon soundbar definitely turned heads at CES. It’s also the first bar to support DTS:X Pro as well.
The Dragon is a huge 11.4.6-channel soundbar that measures 58 inches and features 31 drivers – six upfiring, four main soundbar drivers, two 2D Omni-Motion Reference Surround speakers and four subwoofers. Each surround speaker is fitted with two three-inch drivers and an Air Motion Transfer tweeter, too. Plus, the Dragon supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and aptX HD.
Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV
At CES 2023, Panasonic showed off what it described as its "best and brightest picture" ever courtesy of its MZ2000 OLED TV.
It features a custom OLED panel powered by Panasonic's HCX Pro AI processor, a multi-layer heat management system, and MLA technology. These new features reportedly have improved max brightness by a massive 150% over the previous year’s model, bringing the total peak brightness to around 1500 nits.
It also comes packed with a Technics-tuned Dolby Atmos audio system with multiple built-in upward-firing, side-firing, and front-firing speakers. The front speaker array runs the entire length of the TV and has been revised to come with a wider soundstage alongside a variety of different listening modes.
JBL 4329P Studio Monitor speakers system
JBL was in the spotlight once again, this time with its 4329P all-in-one speaker system with streaming powers: the JBL 4329P Studio Monitor speakers.
It's a pair of active loudspeakers featuring what JBL described as “extensive wired and wireless connectivity options" alongside built-in Digital Signal Processing and the brand's now-iconic horn-loaded compression drivers. Each speaker is powered by a 300W amp, with 250W being delivered to the 8-inch paper cone woofer and 50W going to the 1-inch compression driver.
The good news doesn’t stop there though, as the 4329P come with wi-fi and ethernet, built-in Chromecast, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth 5.3, and aptX Adaptive support. There's also a built-in DAC to enable hi-res music playback support up to 24-bit/192KHz, as well as MQA support and Roon Ready certification.
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