Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Best Buy bets big on hi-res audio with over 250 listening stations nationwide

By

High-resolution audio may be the hot thing among audiophiles, audio professionals, and Neil Young, but it has yet to catch on with the average consumer. That could be about to change, though, as Sony and Best Buy are working together to roll out more than 250 hi-res listening stations in stores across the country.

This partnership began last year, when Sony and Best Buy brought the experimental listening stations to 82 Magnolia Design Centers at Best Buy stores. The new players will see a similar deployment, coming to Magnolia Home Theater locations.

Recommended Videos

The displays feature music samples from a wide variety of genres and artists supplied by Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group. Both old and new releases are featured, all with the intent of showing the improved clarity and dynamic range that high-resolution audio brings.

sony-hi-res-audio-photo-652x368
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The stations aren’t only meant to show off how good hi-res can sound. Both Best Buy and Sony are banking on the idea that once the average Jane or Joe hears how good their music can sound, they’ll go all-in on the idea. In addition to the listening stations, the displays will feature Sony products like its latest hi-res Walkman and MDR-1A headphones, as well as products from other companies like the Sennheiser Momentum M2, Polk Hinge, and the V-MODA Crossfade.

Related: 
Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more

Whether or not these listening stations will have the intended effect remains to be seen, but Sony and Best Buy aren’t the only companies leaning hard into high-resolution audio. Most of the mid and high-end receivers released this year feature support for hi-res audio, and even lower-end models are starting to support it.

With the likely removal of the headphone jack from the next iPhone and a major focus on audio quality from LG’s upcoming V20, even phones — not so long ago notorious for low-quality audio — will be able to deliver better sound. And with these new listening stations, Best Buy is making it possible for music fans to hear what the future will sound like.

The rollout is beginning this week, so if you have a Best Buy with a Magnolia Design Center near you, you might want to keep an ear out.

Kris Wouk
Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

LG’s 2022 soundbars start at $400, pump out hi-res audio and 3D sound
LG S95QR soundbar seen in front of a TV.

After giving us a sneak peek at its new 2022 soundbar lineup at CES, LG has finally released these home theater speakers. The prices start at $400 for the entry level LG S65Q 3.1-channel model, and then head sharply upward, topping out at $1,800 for its LG S95QR flagship soundbar -- a 9.1.5-channel, Dolby Atmos-capable multi-speaker beast. All six new models, (S95QR, S90QY, S80QR, S80QY, S75Q, and S65Q) are available now on LG.com, as well as from select retailers like Amazon.com.

All of the new models offer a different set of features, but regardless of how much you spend, LG has included some common characteristics. Hi-res audio, with tuning by Meridian, is the key feature that unites these speakers. Soundbars tend to place an emphasis on delivering good TV sound, but LG has decided to put an equal emphasis on how these speakers work with music.

Read more
Sony updates its Signature Series hi-res Walkman with new features, higher prices
Sony WM1AM2 Signature Series Walkman being held in a hand.

Apple's iPod may be officially dead and gone now that the company has discontinued the last device to bear that name, but Sony's Walkman brand is apparently alive and well. The company has released two new Walkman models: The $1,400 NW-WM1AM2 and its gold-colored sibling, the $3,700 NW-WMZM2, both of which are updates to its original Signature Series Walkman models, geared toward the hi-res audiophile market.

The first versions of these Walkman models debuted in 2016 for $1,200 and $3,200, respectively. So how is Sony justifying the extra cash you'll need for the new models? There are a number of updates for those with a taste for fine portable audio.

Read more
KEF LS60 bring wireless hi-res audio to floor-standing speakers
KEF LS60 Wireless Speakers seen in Titanium Grey.

KEF's LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II speakers set a very high bar for what you can expect from a set of powered, wireless speakers, and now the British audio brand has its sights set on doing the same thing for larger-format floor-standing speakers with the . Priced at $7,000 per pair, they come in three distinct colors: Royal Blue, Mineral White, and Titanium Grey. They're available for pre-order starting May 12, with shipping beginning in June 2022.

Many of the same integrated capabilities that made the LS50/LS50 II so popular are also found in the LS60 Wireless, like KEF's signature Uni-Q drivers, as well as support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI eARC, and optical, coaxial, and RCA connections. There's also app- and remote-based control that includes easy access to subscription streaming services like Amazon Music, Qobuz, and Deezer.

Read more