Catching you up on the past week’s most notable product releases. McIntosh If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more Another week down, and, per usual, a bunch of new tech and gadgets have been announced. This past week,…
Catching you up on the past week’s most notable product releases.
McIntosh
If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more
Another week down, and, per usual, a bunch of new tech and gadgets have been announced.
This past week, McIntosh unveiled its first vacuum tube amplifier in a decade, Klipsch added a bookshelf speaker to its iconic Heritage range, and Cambridge Audio introduced its most powerful streaming amplifier. But that’s just scratching the surface.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the most interesting new releases and announcements you might have missed from the past week.
Klipsch
Klipsch Rebellion
The Rebellion is the first pair of bookshelf speakers to be included in Klipsch’s legendary Heritage series. The speakers are based on Paul W. Klipsch’s original 1958 design for the H8 speakers, of which only 16 were made. They have a two-way design that “elevates” PWK’s original design with a highly efficient K-702 tweeter mounted to a K-703 Tractrix Horn. This is paired with the new K-81-EP woofer. Like the rest of the Heritage series, the Rebellion will be exclusively made in Hope, Arkansas.
The Cambridge Audio Evo 300 is the brand’s most powerful streaming amplifier to date. It features state-of-the-art Hypex NCOREx Class D amplification in a dual-mono layout, delivering a massive 300 watts per channel. This makes it twice as powerful as the Evo 150 SE and, according to the brand, it’s capable of driving “the most demanding speakers.” Aside from power, the Evo 300 supports most major Wi-Fi streaming protocols and has numerous wired connections, including those for connecting a TV or turntable.
Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond D5 Loudspeaker Range
Bowers & Wilkins introduced the fifth generation of its top-of-the-line 800 Series Diamond, which the brand calls “the world’s most revered and iconic range of high-end loudspeakers.” The new D5 range features seven different models, including one bookshelf and four floorstanders, each of which has an updated aesthetic (including four new finishes) and packs numerous acoustic, mechanical, and electrical improvements over their 2021 predecessors.
Ruark’s R710 is the company’s most powerful streaming amplifier in its flagship 100 Series. It can output up to 200 watts per channel and power a wide range of passive bookshelf and floorstanding loudspeakers. It offers numerous wired and wireless connections, but its most interesting feature is a built-in CD player.
The Romanian hi-fi company specializes in high-end planar magnetic headphones. And now with the Arta, it has a new flagship. They have a sculptural design, are made of premium materials (including carbon fiber and leather), and feature a Rinaro High Impedance Isodynamic Hybrid Array MZ5 HΩ driver, which Meze Audio claims is the highest-impedance planar magnetic headphone driver to date. According to the brand, the Arta headphones “deliver a rich, speaker-like presentation with lifelike detail, offering the most immersive sonic experience we have ever created.”
The WiiM Bar is the company’s first-ever soundbar and, naturally, it’s aimed squarely at Sonos. On its own, the Bar is a 3.0.2-channel soundbar with a custom 8-driver array that includes up-firing drivers, so it promises to deliver an immersive Dolby Atmos experience. Naturally, you can configure the Bar with WiiM’s existing wireless speakers and subwoofers to create an immersive 5.1.2-channel surround sound system. That said, maybe the most interesting aspect of the WiiM Bar is that at its center is a round, glass-covered touchscreen that displays album artwork (when streaming music), playback controls, EQ settings and other audio presets.
The MA2375 is a two-channel integrated amplifier that combines a fully analog vacuum tube preamplifier and a vacuum tube power amplifier into one gorgeous box. In fact, it’s McIntosh’s first vacuum tube integrated amplifier in more than a decade. Its power amplifier section features four KT88 output tubes and four 12AT7 driver tubes. And it’s capable of delivering 75 watts per channel. And its vacuum tube preamplifier section is powered by two 12AX7A and two 12AT7 preamp tubes. McIntosh claims that the MA2375 has been engineered to provide consistent performance across a wide range of loudspeakers, specifically those impedance ratings of 4, 8 and 16 ohms.
For its 80th birthday celebrations, the iconic American audio maker has a special-edition version of the loudspeaker that started it all: the original Klipschorn, which was released in 1946. Klipsch claims this version is a “reimagining and revitalizing” of Paul W. Klipsch’s original design, as it features a two-way design instead of a three-way design like its more recent iterations. Additionally, this version has an elevated Tigerwood veneer with rear brass inlays. Only 280 pairs will be made.
To celebrate the company’s 80th anniversary, Onkyo has released a special edition version of its Muse Y-50 streaming amplifier. This model takes design cues from the brand’s revered Integra M-588 amplifier from the ’90s, featuring walnut side panels, a Champagne gold aluminum front panel, and a uniquely patterned San Kuzushi ventilated top plate inspired by Japanese culture. Aside from the visuals, the Muse Y-50 is still a versatile streaming amplifier that’s capable of delivering 250 watts per channel (into 4 ohms). And it supports most streaming protocols and offers a wide range of wired connections, including hookups for a turntable and a TV.
The California-based hi-fi specialist has introduced the MM-520, a pair of open-back, over-ear headphones designed for musicians and audio professionals. They’re an updated version of the company’s MM-500 studio headphones, as they have the same general design and feature the same 90mm planar magnetic drivers. The main upgrade with the MM-520 is the integration of Audeze’s SLAM (Symmetric Linear Acoustic Modulator) technology, which the brand says should improve the headphone’s bass accuracy and spatial detail.
The third generation of Polaroid’s smallest instant film camera, the Go, is aimed at the younger generation. Like its predecessors, this palm-sized camera shoots and prints smaller-format photos (specifically, Polaroid’s Go film), but it’s updated with a built-in selfie mirror and self-timer for group shots. Additionally, it features a more powerful flash and a new double exposure mode for added creativity. The Go Generation 3 comes in five colors: black, light blue, purple, teal and white.
KLH has added a fourth loudspeaker to its “Model” loudspeaker range, all of which draw on visual cues from its classic designs from the ’60s and ’70s. The Model Four is a compact floorstanding loudspeaker that is designed to fill the gap between KLH’s Model Three bookshelf speakers and Model Five floorstanders. According to the brand, it unites “the small footprint of Model Three with the sonic architecture of Model Five in a cabinet built for homes where space is precious, design is paramount and fidelity is demanded.”
The Astell&Kern Clarus is the brand’s latest high-end pair of in-ear monitors. They are designed around a 9-driver tribrid architecture, featuring a dynamic driver for low frequencies, balanced armature drivers for mids and highs, and MEMS drivers for ultra-high frequencies. Each earbud is constructed of 6061-T6 aluminum. According to Astell&Kern, the Clarus is designed to deliver transparent and distortion-free audio exactly as the artist intended. At the time of writing, price and availability info have not yet been released.
The Osprey is the newest and most affordable addition to the Texas-based brand’s wireless earbud offerings. Each Osprey earbud features a hybrid dual-driver configuration that pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with a custom-balanced armature. According to the brand, this combo “provides confident, controlled bass, a natural and expressive midrange, and clean, extended highs with excellent separation.” The earbuds support LDAC and thus can stream high-resolution audio over Bluetooth. And they feature active noise-cancellation and transparency modes.
About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.
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