CES for audiophiles

From huge strip speakers to tiny wireless earbuds, CES is the audio-lover’s paradise. Here’s our pick of the best on show this year

1. Audio, video and voice assistant

Made by flexible screen specialists Royole, the Mirage smart speaker could replace several of your home gadgets. It’s powered by Amazon Alexa voice service, though it’s considerably bigger than an Amazon Echo speaker in order to accommodate an eight-inch AMOLED screen, wrapped seamlessly around the unit. You can make and receive video calls using the five megapixel camera, or use the screen to present visuals. Royole’s partnership with audio brand Cleer gives the Mirage an impressive, 360° sound quality.

Royole Mirage smart speaker, £799, royole.com

2. For shower karaoke

There are lots of shower speakers out there, but some compromise on sound. The new Kohler Moxie showerhead has built-in audio from Harman Kardon, so there’s no concessions here. It’s completely waterproof – it has to be, since it sits in the centre of the showerhead using a magnetic docking system, meaning it doubles as a portable speaker too – and has been tuned to cancel out the noise of the water. If you want to request songs on demand, you can connect any Bluetooth device or even upgrade to the Alexa enabled version.

Kohler Moxie showerhead, From £130, kohler.co.uk

3. A personalised listening experience

CES was awash with wireless earbuds, at a range of different prices. When we heard Audio-Technica was launching a new product, we had to check them out. The noisecancelling ATH-ANC300TW earbuds are the brand’s most advanced set. One of our favourite features is the hear-through function, which lets external sound in when you tap the earbud – useful for conversations or airport announcements. The app provides three presets to control the strength of the noise-cancelling effect. Audio-Technica ATH-ANC300TW, £209, eu.audio-technica.com

4. Inspired by DJs

Noise-cancelling headphones are great for cutting out consistent, low frequency sounds like an aeroplane engine during a flight. But the more complicated the noise you’re trying to eliminate, the harder the task gets for the headphones. That’s why JBL’s new headphones, which claim to be ideal for DJs trying to drown out the cacophony of a nightclub, caught our attention. If they can do this effectively then they’ll be some of the most advanced headphones out there. They even feature drivers made out of graphene (remember that material?). JBL Club headphones, from $149 (approx £115), out in spring, uk.jbl.com