Happy Monday and welcome to the latest entry into our weekly Rewind news digest, where we detail the top headlines you need to know about in the world of hi-fi and home cinema.
All eyes may be on store fronts thanks to specialist retailers, including Peter Tyson and Sevenoaks Sound and Vision pulling the trigger on this year’s Black Friday sales event early, but between the sea of deals were some big announcements.
Here’s what you need to know.
Panasonic’s latest flagship OLED is awesome
Last week our team of testers offered their final verdict on the Panasonic Z95A. This is a big deal for three reasons. First, because it’s Panasonic’s latest flagship OLED, which means it packs award winning MLA screen tech. Second, because it’s the first OLED from the Japanese giant to make it to the US in years. Third, because based on our testing, it’s pretty darned awesome.
Read our full Panasonic Z95A review
As are KEF’s entry-level Meta speakers
The Z95A was one of many products to impress last week. On the hi-fi side we also finished our review of the KEF Q Concerto Meta. These are a particularly interesting set of bookshelf speakers as they’re the cheapest we’ve reviewed that feature the company’s Meta technology. Despite costing half the price of the KEF R3 Meta, which also earned a five star recommendation when we reviewed them, we found the Concerto are fantastic performers that retain a lot of the same core DNA that made their more expensive sibling great.
Read our full KEF Q Concerto Meta review
Lyngdorf Audio may have fixed a key problem for people short on space
Outside of our review work, Lyngdorf Audio caught our attention with its new FR-2 floorstanders, which are specifically designed to sit against walls. As well as looking cool, the thin speakers’ focus on working, even when placed incredibly close to walls is an interesting, and fantastic idea in our mind as positioning is one of the most common problems many of us have.
Read the full story: Short on space? Lyngdorf Audio’s quirky FR-2 floorstanders are specifically designed to sit against rear walls
Ruark unveiled a CD player
Last week Ruark jumped on the widely reported “CD revival” unveiling its new R-CD100. Featuring the same iconic looks as the Ruark Audio R410 system and Ruark Audio R1S radio, the nifty looking unit is designed to add CD playing functionality to Ruark's 100 Series of products.
Read the full story: Ruark's super-chic CD player wants to bring out the best from your disc collection
We picked a fight with big tech
Ever willing to share her opinion, last week our Managing Editor, Becky Roberts picked a fight with big tech arguing it’s Apple, Google and co’ not hi-fi brands that are holding streaming quality back. And if you read her oped’ it’s hard not to agree…
Read the full story: Hi-fi and music streaming live harmoniously, but two Big Tech brands hold the relationship back
MORE:
The best floorstanding speakers we’ve tested
We rate the best CD players
Our picks of the best OLED TVs
