It’s November, the air up north is chilly, the days are shorter. And like clockwork, the same fall miracle occurs as the leaves drop from the trees: retailers mark down last year’s gear, put a sale sign on it, and half the internet pretends this predictable ritual is breaking news. “Stop the presses, a Bluetooth…
The deal is done: HARMAN has closed on Sound United, bringing Denon, Marantz, Bowers & Wilkins, and the rest of the stable under HARMAN’s Lifestyle Division as a standalone business unit. Translation: bigger umbrella, same brands (for now). Short‑term wallet impact: none. Operations stay largely separate for at least the next six to twelve months….
The upgrade with AirPods Pro 3 isn’t a spec; it’s the noise floor. These earbuds cut the background so low that microdetail, depth, and dynamics step forward in a way I usually associate with full-size ANC headphones. These earbuds create a level of quiet that fundamentally improves how you hear music and movies. Beyond the…
I wont say who or what, but a budding AV influencer tried to stir up some drama at CEDIA 2025. And someone else picked up on it and posted an article about it on their site. For a moment it looked like this year’s show had it signature “booth incident.” However the story has fizzled….
I already posted about not going to CEDIA this year, but I have a supplemental note for some of the marketing folks in the AV industry: There is nothing exclusive about packing a room with press for a demo. Sitting with a dozen-plus other people who are going to post about the exact same thing…
For the past dozen years, I’ve made CEDIA — the premier custom-install and home-theater trade show — a staple of my annual coverage. From smart lighting and security systems to motorized shades and high-end audio, CEDIA has always offered plenty to explore. It’s a blast. This year I’m skipping. The show draws a cadre of…
Just got back from Audio Advice Live 2025. There were elements to it that were tons of fun, especially all the home theater systems (a dozen of them) available to demo. It’s more focused on home theater than other audio shows, which makes for a nice mix between two-channel and multi-channel systems. This year, I…
One of the biggest debuts at Audio Advice Live 2025 was Focal’s Diva Mezza Utopia speakers. It’s the Diva Utopia’s bigger sibling. It plays louder and deeper. Of course it weighs more, and costs more. There’s not a ton of competition in the active, full-sized, audiophile-quality tower speaker category. Focal is establishing a beachhead, and…
Yesterday I ordered new glasses from Modern Eye in West Philly. I decided to go all out, cost no object, and get the exact glasses I need (which will arrive in 2-3 weeks). This is after my first year of wearing prescription glasses for presbyopia (age related far-sightedness) in the form of the dedicated readers…
Explore the limits of specs, the role of subjective experience, and why real-world performance often matters more.
