While the CES of today is no longer an exhibition for the biggest hi-fi brands the way it has been in the past, we had no problem finding plenty of interesting and innovative audio products at CES 2025. From established companies entering new categories (or launching exciting new products in traditional categories) to up-and-coming brands creating new and intriguing devices, the annual Las Vegas show gave us a sneak peek into the months and years ahead. Here’s what we found.
Dolby Atmos/Cadillac Optiq in-car demo
The inside of a car is quickly becoming one of our favorite places to experience Dolby Atmos music. When properly implemented, listening to the format in a car cabin is an emotional experience — and the engineers at Cadillac have definitely implemented Dolby Atmos incredibly well in the Optiq. The process started almost two years before we sat in the car at CES 2025, and it was important for the team to get it right.
The system is comprised of 19 custom-tuned AKG speakers and an amplifier. We spent about 20 minutes listening to various tracks, including BOOM by Tiësto & Sevenn and Rocket Man by Elton John. The former is an absolutely bonkers bassfest that highlighted how incredible the low-end response is in the Optiq system, while the latter is a study in how to build the mix of a song (the first introduction of the chorus feels like a warm hug). We dare say the Cadillac team’s Atmos work even exceeded what we heard in the Rivian R1S last fall. For any audiophile, having Dolby Atmos music support should be factored into any future car purchase.
Dali IO-8
The Dali IO-8 headphones sit between the company’s IO-12 and IO-6 headphones. While the IO-12 are a fantastic pair of cans — and Digital Trends Editors’ Choice — the IO-6 leave a bit to be desired, so we were wondering which pair they’d be more like. Thankfully, the IO-8 lean more toward the IO-12. The IO-8’s earcups are round instead of square, they’re a bit lighter, and the frequency range response goes up to 43kHz instead of 48kHz (which is still impressive in a pair of headphones and far above the range of human hearing). The $900 price tag of the IO-8, while admittedly high for wireless headphones, isn’t as far out of reach as the IO-12 for an audiophile looking for a transportable high-quality audio solution.
In our limited time with them, they felt extremely comfortable and the sound was gorgeous and full. The noise-canceling capabilities seemed excellent, but it’s hard to tell for sure in a quiet hotel suite, away from any hustle and bustle. We’ll have a better idea when we get a pair in for review.
Focal Diva Utopia
Sometimes you get to hear something that reminds you why you love audio. That’s what the Focal Diva Utopia did for us in a Venetian suite during CES 2025. The Diva Utopia are the first fully integrated collaboration between Focal and Naim, allowing for built-in streamed content from Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify. The speakers can be set up wirelessly with a 24-bit/96kHz signal (that can be upped to 24-bit/192kHz with an included cable).
There are three separate A/B class built-in amplifiers that power the 6.5-inch bass woofers (250 watts), a 6.5-inch midrange woofer (75W), and a 1.63-inch tweeter (75W). A proprietary guided calibration goes through a series of prompts and tones so you can customize the response for your room and compensate for less than ideal setups. The result we heard delivered highly accurate reproduction and was an absolute joy to listen to. Currently, they’re available with trendy gray felt paneling, with plans to add additional options — and potentially custom finishes.
will.i.am and LG partner on audio line
Over a lunch at the Four Seasons, will.i.am couldn’t contain his excitement about working with LG on the new xboom by will.i.am collaboration. When LG approached him, he initially thought it was only to use the Black Eyed Peas song Boom Boom Pow in the marketing of the xboom line, but he was surprised to find out it was for a collaboration on tuning and visually (and auditorily) designing the speakers. He had been wanting a partnership like this in technology for a while, and was already a fan of LG (he mentioned during the lunch his interest in an OLED T). So will.i.am gathered a team and started ideating — which included creating all the incidental sounds, like button presses and power on sounds, as well as marketing ideas. The creative energy during the lunch was electric. If even half of that energy comes across in the xboom line, they could be a nice improvement for LG over previous models.
Onkyo is trying something new
For decades, Onkyo has enjoyed a reputation for excellent hi-fi amplification. And while it continues to make advancements in that area — as illustrated by its new Icon line of audiophile hi-fi separates — parent company Premium Audio Company seems keen on growing Onkyo into other categories, like with its new Creator Series powered desktop speakers. The $199 GX-10DB are aimed squarely at those who use their computers for various forms of audio creation and editing, while the bigger, more expensive $299 GX-30ARC are suited for a wider variety of scenarios thanks to features like bi-amped drivers, a dedicated phono input, and an HDMI-ARC input.
Onkyo auditioned the GX-30ARC for us at its suite in Las Vegas and we were impressed with the power and precision of these new speakers — so much so, we gave them a Digital Trends Best of CES award.
Dynaudio’s $20K soundbar
Though it may not be available until 2026, Dynaudio’s first soundbar — the Symphony Opus One — is already one of the most innovative single-speaker home theater solutions we’ve ever seen (or heard). Its massive width (73 inches) and huge 24-driver array (including four dedicated subwoofers) produce an enveloping and immersive experience for both music and movies.
But when you want to charge an estimated $20,000 for a speaker, you need more than great sound. The Opus One justifies (or tries to justify) that investment with an all-aluminum chassis and an array of 72 wooden fins that can rotate individually to expose or hide the drivers that lurk behind them.
Then there’s Dynaudio’s unusual “deep-dive” mode, with its uncanny ability to project a virtual speaker array around your listening position. During our demo, it sequentially targeted five different listening positions. The effect was astonishing. Dynaudio is still finalizing the Opus One’s specs, like physical inputs and outputs and Wi-Fi streaming support, so we won’t get to see a final product for a while, but if our demo was any indication, this could be a major advance in the state of the art for soundbars.
Canvas HiFi
If the Dynaudio Symphony Opus One is intended to make as much of a visual statement as an audio one, the Canvas HiFi does the opposite. Like the Opus One, it’s a single speaker array designed to accompany a TV or to be used on its own, but unlike Dynaudio’s creation, the Canvas is meant to blend seamlessly with your TV — regardless of your TV’s size.
While the actual Canvas speaker has the same width as a 55-inch TV, you can choose from a variety of grilles in different materials that match larger TVs, from 55 inches all the way to 85 inches. Included with the Canvas is a vertical mounting beam that not only connects your TV to the speaker, but also provides hidden storage slots for your streaming devices and other set-top boxes to keep things looking clean and tidy.
Still, the most impressive aspect is the Canvas’ sound. We heard this speaker demonstrated on a busy show floor, and when company CEO Laust Nielsen cranked up the volume, it brought every conversation to a stop. The bass was so powerful, it felt like I was standing next to a subwoofer. The Canvas HiFi starts at 2,990 euros (about $2,979) for the standalone model, with the ready-for-TV integration version starting at 3,350 euros ($3,446) for a 55-inch model.
Fraunhofer UpHear Flexible Rendering
Though it’s not a product in the conventional sense of the word, I got a chance to experience Fraunhofer IIS’ new UpHear Flexible Rendering technology. It’s a platform that can intelligently modify the multichannel sound being sent to a variety of speakers based on where you place them in your room. If the speakers in question are wired, UpHear Flexible Rendering can estimate their position using a microphone, and if they’re wireless, some speakers will be able to automatically update their sound as you move them around.
The benefit of the system is that surround sound channels no longer have to be fixed to specific speakers or specific locations. With as few as two speakers, you can place them anywhere that’s convenient and/or aesthetically pleasing, and the system will ensure they deliver the best possible sound.
The demo certainly proved that Fraunhofer’s tech works, but ultimately, it will be up to the organization’s licensees to create versions we can buy. When these products arrive, they’ll likely have their own branding for the UpHear Flexible Rendering feature.
Moondrop MIAD01 Smartphone
By now, you’re probably very aware of the lack of headphone jacks on modern smartphones. For most folks who want to use wired headphones or in-ear monitors (IEMs), the answer is a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter or a dedicated DAC/amp dongle, which can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of mobile listening.
That’s why I was so intrigued by the $399 Moondrop MIAD01 Smartphone, which is destined for the U.S. market in 2025. Moondrop — which is best known for its collection of affordable wireless earbuds and audiophile-grade IEMs — has combined a powerful Android smartphone with the features of a top-notch mobile DAC/amp in a single product. With both 3.5mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced jacks nestled in the phone’s top edge, you can listen to lossless, hi-res audio through almost any wired headphones. A pair of Cirrus Logic DACs take care of decoding, and you can use MicroSD cards to expand storage up to 2TB — handy if you want to bring your FLAC collection along with you.
Android Central reviewed the MIAD01 in 2024, and while they felt the phone could do with several improvements to put it in contention with other Anrdoid handsets, they were unequivocal about the sound quality.
Technics EAH-AZ100
Panasonic-owned hi-fi brand Technics chose CES 2025 to debut its latest wireless earbuds, the $299 EAH-AZ100, and they’re easily the best we saw at the show — not to mention some of the best you can buy right now. Another Digital Trends CES 2025 award winner, I gave these buds a 9/10 in my review. Technics has improved nearly every aspect of its already excellent EAH-AZ80, giving the AZ100 killer sound, ANC, call quality, battery life — the list goes on. Check out our full EAH-AZ100 review for all the details.
