News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Life
Culture & Art
Hobbies
News
Entertainment
Science & Technology
Culture & Art
Hobbies
KEF Launches XIO Soundbar with 5.1.2 Spatial Audio | Sound & Vision
KEF has unveiled the XIO Soundbar ($2500), a 5.1.2-channel all-in-one system designed to bring the company’s HiFi pedigree to a living room-friendly surround-sound system. With 12 Class D amps delivering a combined 820W of power and support for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Sony 360 Reality Audio, and AirPlay Spatial Audio, the XIO is engineered to turn flat-panel TV sound into full-scale immersive playback.
Jaws Turns 50 | Sound & Vision
Seems like only five years ago we were celebrating Jaws’ 45th anniversary, and now it’s officially golden. Yes, we’re still talking about Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Peter Benchley’s novel half a century later, simply because it’s that good: It still thrills. It still scares. It still makes us laugh. OG fans re-watch it and generations of first-timers are newly enthralled.
Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 to 1987 6LP Collection, Mobile Fidelity’s Mirage and Tango in the Night 180g 45rpm 2LP Sets | Sound & Vision
Summertime, and the listening’s easy . . . or something like that. Well, what better way to avoid the unrelenting heat and/or the mugginess that’s hanging in the air than to head down to the cool, cool listening room and cue up some of the latest in vinyl reissuance excellence? Today’s purveyors of cool/hot sounds happen to be none other than a fairly universal favorite, Fleetwood Mac. (Yes, I suppose you could kinda do these listening sessions out near a pool or on a shaded beach somewhere as well, but work with me here, ok?)
MBL Stays Open, Seeks Investors After Insolvency Filing | Sound & Vision
Founded in 1979 and based out of Berlin, MBL is best known for its unique Radialstrahler omnidirectional loudspeakers. The company has entered insolvency proceedings in Germany, but the doors are still open. MBL states that "Nothing will change for MBL‘s customers, sales partners and service providers: sales will continue without restriction, orders will be accepted and processed reliably."
LG Malique: “Don’t Come Closer” and “Give It to God” in Dolby Atmos | Sound & Vision
LG Malique is having a moment—and it’s the right moment. The Arkansas-bred rapper is all about sharing positivity and encouraging uplift, vibes that permeate all 22 minutes of his new eight-song mixtape EP, Carved in Gold. A sequel of sorts to the 2024 Living Gold EP that featured his fast-flow (and occasionally strings-drenched) reinterpretation of Danish pop band Lukas Graham’s 2015 international chart-topping hit, “7 Years,” Carved in Gold dropped on all major streaming platforms via Warner Records on April 4, 2025.
Pocket Change, Full Range: LP10 Packs AirPlay 2 and Cast for $99 | Sound & Vision
Arylic has opened preorders for the LP10, a $99 network music streamer slated to ship June 20. The pocket-sized unit supports both AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, allowing multiroom playback with compatible devices. Arylic states that Cast streaming reaches 24-bit/96kHz, while the optical output handles up to 24-bit/192kHz. Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Bluetooth 5.0, and DLNA/UPnP are also on board.
Screen Innovations Releases Black Diamond Fusion ALR Screen | Sound & Vision
Screen Innovations has launched its Black Diamond Fusion ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) projection screen. It's now available for both commercial and residential use. First shown at CEDIA 2024, this screen delivers high-contrast visuals even in uncontrolled lighting.
Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms in Dolby Atmos & 40th Anniversary Edition Box Set | Sound & Vision
Brothers in Bare Arms: Dire Straits in repose, taking a break in Montserrat during the 1985 recording sessions for Brothers in Arms. Top row, l-r: keyboardist Alan Clark, drummer Terry Williams, keyboardist Guy Fletcher. Bottom row, l-r: bassist John Illsley, guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler.
Sequelitis: Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X Limited Editions on 4K | Sound & Vision
Two horror franchise entries featuring the iconic Jason Voorhees have received impressive 4K treatment from Arrow. These ninth and tenth installments in the Friday the 13th series showcase the killer's supernatural evolution and eventual space adventure. Jason Goes to Hell Limited Edition 4K (Arrow)
Kaleidescape Introduces Strato E Entry-Level 4K Movie Player | Sound & Vision
Kaleidescape has launched the Strato E. This new entry-level movie player is made for home, marine, and commercial theaters. The Strato E provides reference-quality 4K video output, supporting SDR, HDR10, and Dolby Vision formats. The Strato E joins Kaleidescape’s existing lineup of players, complementing the Strato M, a 2K reference player, and the flagship Strato V 4K player.
Kaleidescape Unveils Martin Scorsese Filmmaker Spotlight | Sound & Vision
Kaleidescape has launched a Filmmaker Spotlight on Martin Scorsese. Rather than a standard “greatest hits” compilation, it pairs Scorsese’s storied filmography with the works, directors, and cinematographers who shaped his craft.
Harman’s $350 Million Play: The Sound United Deal | Sound & Vision
Harman International, the Samsung-owned powerhouse behind JBL, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson, Revel, and Arcam, has agreed to buy Masimo’s Sound United division for $350 million in cash. If regulators sign off, the sale should close by the end of 2025—just three years after Masimo stunned the market by paying roughly $1.0 billion for the very same collection of brands.
Life and Death On The Nile | Sound & Vision
There haven't been tons of movies made about ancient Egypt, which is odd, given the fact that ancient Egyptian history spans eras that began at the dawn of written western civilization as we know it (around 3000 BC) and ended when Egypt (as an independent entity) became a Roman province (around 30 BC). The Egypt-centered films we do have tend to be centered in the middle of that epoch, or around 1300–1500 BC.
Tennessee Two-Step | Sound & Vision
How a cosmetic upgrade transformed a plain-and-simple entertainment space into a stunning private cinema. The move from Murfreesboro to Tullahoma was a momentous occasion for Tennesseans Scott and Shelley Ward. From the patio of their new home, they enjoy a picturesque view of Lake Tullahoma and can stroll down to their private dock and jump into a paddleboat. But it gets better: A topnotch golf course is literally around the corner and the family-run custom-packaging business is just a few miles down the road.
Digital Trends vs. Caleb Denison: How a Friendly Send-Off Turned Into a Copyright Showdown | Sound & Vision
For nearly a decade and a half Caleb Denison was the face—and, frankly, the voice—of Digital Trends’ A/V coverage. If you’ve watched a TV review on the site’s 1.3-million-subscriber YouTube channel, you’ve heard the guy: plain-spoken, velvet-baritone narration backed by B-roll of the latest OLEDs, soundbars, and turntables. Then, in mid-April, Denison announced he was leaving to “own the work I create,” thanking Digital Trends (DT) but making it clear he wanted to steer his own ship. Enter CalebRated
Alex Lifeson on the Mixing of Envy of None’s New Album in Dolby Atmos (and Some Rush Talk Too) | Sound & Vision
See the Music, Be the Music: Envy of None set their sights on Atmos immortality. Irony, your official band name has duly been dubbed Envy of None. That’s the tres-cool moniker for a four-piece Canadian/American band that includes vocalist/keyboardist Maiah Wynne, multi-instrumentalists Andy Curran (Coney Hatch) and Alf Annibalini, and guitarist Alex Lifeson, the latter of whom you may know from his innovative halcyon decades in that little ol’ prog-rock trio from Ontario known as Rush.
Steel This Book | Sound & Vision
The popularity of 4K and HD Blu-rays discs in premium metal packaging is showing no signs of slowing down, and so we proffer this sampling of some of the most interesting drops. Some here are making their stateside 4K debut, some represent alternative packaging or availability (i.e. previously sold in other editions or within larger collections), while a couple bring exclusive upgrades in video quality.
AV Excellence: Our Curated Top Picks for 2025 | Sound & Vision
Looking ahead, we've refreshed our Sound & Vision Top Picks list to better reflect how AV enthusiasts shop today. There are numerous excellent product evaluation sites online, all diligently testing the equipment we consider for inclusion in our lists. Year after year, these sources typically arrive at a consensus—though the concept of labeling a single product as "best" remains inherently subjective. After all, what might be "best" for one person's budget and preferences may not align perfectly with another's needs.