TEN STARS OF THE CONSUMER ELECTRONIC SHOW
We were at the world’s biggest tech show, CES, in Las Vegas last month. Here are just a handful of our particular highlights
With 2023 being the first year post-covid that exhibitors and media have been back at CES in full flow, expectations were inevitably high. And sure enough, it didn’t disappoint when it came to showcasing the best, most impressive next-gen products.
From fully wireless OLED 4K/120HZ TVS to crazy soundbars with a ridiculous number of channels to some very exciting new kit from hi-fi brands, there was plenty to see and get excited about at this year’s show. Whether you are a hi-fi obsessive looking for a new turntable or just someone looking for a new home cinema set-up, there was something for everyone at this year’s show. Here we present the top ten most exciting tech products we saw at the Consumer Electronic Show 2023.
JBL TT350 Classic turntable
JBL announced its Classic Series of hi-fi components that includes a music streamer, amplifier and CD player, but most exciting of all, the brand’s first-ever turntable, the JBL TT350 Classic.
The TT350 sports a direct-drive design with a heavy die-cast aluminium platter set in a natural walnut-wood veneered chassis. Its S-shaped, curved aluminium tonearm is fitted with a “high quality” moving-magnet cartridge in a removable headshell, courtesy of Audio Technica.
Seeing a popular brand bring out such core hi-fi kit in 2023 is exciting (we also love the modern-retro design), and we will get our hands on a review model soon.
LG M3 wireless OLED TV
LG’S impressive wireless M3 OLED TV had its world-first showing at CES 2023.
Okay, so the M3 does require a cable to receive its power, but the wireless angle of this set comes down to it getting all its video and audio content totally wirelessly via a separate transmitter box. Meaning no tangle of HDMI cables dangling from the back of the telly.
The TV itself has a 4K/120HZ OLED panel, HDMI 2.1 inputs that support gaming features such as VRR, G-sync and Freesync, and even robust HDR support and Dolby Atmos support, too. LG hasn’t revealed every detail about the M3 just yet, but stay tuned for a review as soon as we get our eager mitts on it…
Naim NAP 250 power amplifier
Iconic British brand Naim is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a slew of new components. One of the most exciting is the Naim NAP 250 power amplifier. It’s the sixth generation of a product that has been around since 1975; for us it’s one of the best products the brand has made. Tech has been trickled down from Naim’s flagship Statement amp, such as an eddy-current circuit breaker between speaker outputs and balanced XLR connections, alongside Naim’s promise of “more power, even better performance”.
Focal Vestia
Focal’s new range of loudspeakers, the Vestia range, comprises a pair of standmount speakers (the Vestia Nº1), three floorstanders (the Vestia Nº2, Nº3 and Nº4), and one centre speaker (the Vestia Center Channel) – all to create a stereo system or a full home cinema set-up. The Vestia features a new ‘M’ shaped dome tweeter that was originally developed by Focal’s in-car audio experts. All speakers also feature Focal’s ‘Slatefiber’ cone driver technology, made from recycled carbon fibre.
If you are ready for a new speaker system, the Focal Vestia range should be on sale by the time you read this.
Nakamichi Dragon soundbar
How many channels do you want out of your soundbar? Two? Four? How how about a monstrous 21 channels of audio crammed in? The Dragon soundbar does just that, and also happens to be the first to support DTS:X Pro, too. Previously the domain of high-end AVRS, DTS:X Pro can support up to 32 speakers in contrast to DTS:X’S 11-speaker max. The Dragon itself, meanwhile is a whopping 11.4.6-channel soundbar measuring 150cm across.
Inside are 31 drivers (six up-firing, four in the main soundbar, and two in the pair of surround speakers) alongside four subwoofers. Each surround speaker is kitted with two three-inch drivers and an Air Motion Transfer tweeter, too. Plus, it supports Dolby Atmos and aptx HD. Read our impressions on page 114 this month.
Panasonic MZ2000 OLED TV
Panasonic is promising to deliver its “best and brightest picture” ever in 2023, courtesy of its new flagship MZ2000 OLED TV. According to Panasonic, the MZ2000 is coming with a new custom OLED panel powered by Panasonic’s HCX Pro AI processor, a new multi-layer heat management system, and Micro Lens Array tech. All of which has reportedly improved max brightness by 150 per cent over last year’s model, bringing a total peak brightness of around 1500 nits.
There is also a Technics-tuned Dolby Atmos audio system with multiple built-in upward-firing and side-firing drivers, and an array of front-firing speakers that runs the entire length of the TV. The MZ2000 looks to be a mighty upgrade over last year’s Panasonic range. We are excited.
Samsung S95C QD-OLED TV
Samsung has already done great things with QD-OLED tech, but the brand is not resting on its laurels just yet. It announced two new QD-OLED sets: the premium S95C and the slightly more affordable S90C coming later this year. Both lines will come in 55in, 65in and 77in sizes, with the S95C getting Samsung’s second-gen QD-OLED panel which the brand claims to be brighter than the first. The S95C has a slimmer One Connect box, the ability to be mounted flush against a wall, and relies on pairs of both up-firing and down-firing drivers for its speaker configuration. Both sets will come with a native 144Hz panel, smart functionality, and Freesync Pro.
JBL 4329P Studio Monitor speaker system
The 4329P is a pair of active loudspeakers, with “extensive wired and wireless connectivity options” alongside built-in Digital Signal Processing and JBL’S now-iconic horn-loaded compression drivers. Each speaker is powered by a 300W amp, with 250W being delivered to the 20cm paper cone woofer and 50W going to the 2.5cm compression driver.
There is wi-fi and ethernet, built-in Chromecast, Airplay 2, Bluetooth 5.3, and aptx Adaptive support; a built-in DAC to enable hi-res music playback at up to 24-bit/192khz; plus MQA support for the Tidal fans out there.
Razer Leviathan V2 Pro soundbar
PC peripheral brand Razer’s soundbar is aimed at maximizing immersion in games via personalised sound, with the help of THX Spatial Audio and 3D beamforming with dynamic head-tracking. The tech tracks the position of listeners so it can dynamically send out narrow beams of sound to the left and right ears, to deliver 3D audio directly to your ears without the need for headphones.
The Leviathan V2 Pro is compatible only with PCS at present, although Razer’s longer term goal is to branch out with the brand’s soundbar tech to offer up a full-fat home cinema solution. Of course, that remains to be seen, as does the performance of this bar. Watch this space.
Victrola Stream Onyx
Victrola’s latest streaming turntable, the Victrola Stream Onyx, is set to be a more affordable version of last year’s Stream Carbon turntable that could transmit audio directly to a Sonos system.
In much the same way, the Stream Onyx can stream the audio from your records directly to your Sonos multi-room set-up. What’s more, while the Stream Carbon launched at $799, the new Stream Onyx is cheaper at $599 (around £490).
We are still waiting on UK pricing and all the details on this turntable, but this deck should slot right into your existing Sonos system without any extra equipment. And you will be able to control it from the excellent Sonos app. The Stream Onyx is out in the US in late February, and will be coming to Europe later in 2023.