HARMAN + Sound United Is Official. What Comes Next?

HARMAN + Sound United Is Official. What Comes Next?

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….

Convention center floor with high vaulted ceilings and windowed walls on all sides. People mill about.

Trade show confessions: There is nothing exclusive about press demos

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…

Pop-up sign on a convention center floor with aqua panels, white lettering reading "CEDIA EXPO" and almost no people visible.

Why I’m not going to CEDIA for the first time in 10 years

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…

Closeup on the top of a speaker showing a tower of three circles surrounded by a blue wave, with a painting in the background.

Andrew Jones at Audio Advice Live 2025: Every room is an acoustic fingerprint

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…

Closeup of a tweeter and woofer on a speaker with gray and black trim.

Focal’s Diva Mezza Utopia speakers at Audio Advice Live 2025

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…

Man wearing glasses pointing to his ear, which has a device in it.

Testing my eyes (and ears): Today’s tech can erase age-related deficit

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…