The summits are free to attend for industry professionals, with registration available through CEDIA’s website.

With the Gen 2, Ferrum has focused on refining three distinctive sound-processing features.

Impact+ is Ferrum’s system for shaping low-frequency performance. This iteration introduces seven selectable profiles: Reference, Ref+, Smooth, Kick+, DD-Comp, DD-Comp+ and Sub-Bass, each with a different bass balance.

An updated Tube Mode now models the sonic signatures of several well-known valve types, including EL34, KT88, 300B, 2A3 and 7062 designs. The idea is to replicate the characteristics of valve-based equipment. The effect can be applied at variable intensity, from 10- to 200 per cent, enabling anything from subtle harmonic warmth to a more pronounced valve-inspired presentation.

The third update comes in the form of enhancements to Spatial Enhancement, Previously offering separate modes for headphone and loudspeaker listening, the system now incorporates a new processing element known as Transient Compensation, or T-Comp. This feature refines the algorithm’s treatment of high-frequency transients, helping to maintain clarity and positional accuracy while expanding the perceived soundstage. Users can toggle spatial processing independently, choose headphone or loudspeaker output modes and engage the additional transient optimisation when required.

The Ferrum WANDLA GoldenSound Edition Gen 2 retails for £3,295 ($3,295 / €3,295).

Demand for everyday products, such as Bluetooth speakers and entry-level headphones, is slowing down, while premium home audio and higher-performance Head-Fi is gaining traction. This is good news for custom installers.

Futuresource’s latest global audio report estimates that the overall consumer audio market grew by around 7 per cent last year, maintaining a value comfortably above $120 billion. But that’s not the whole story.

Mainstream categories have cooled following the surge seen during the pandemic years, suggests Futuresource. Demand for everyday wireless speakers and mass-market headphones is softening as replacement cycles lengthen and product innovation becomes more incremental.

But within the broader market, several segments are performing more strongly than others. Hearing health devices - including advanced hearing aids and related technologies - posted the strongest growth, rising 10 per cent year-on-year to reach $41 billion. Much of that expansion is being driven by premiumisation, alongside the integration of AI-driven sound processing and increasingly sophisticated noise filtration technologies.

Gaming audio also continues to expand, growing by 8 per cent, although it remains comparatively small at around $3 billion globally.

More traditional consumer categories are moving at a steadier pace. Headphones remain the largest segment at $55 billion, though growth was limited to 4 per cent, while home audio slipped slightly, declining 1 per cent to $23 billion.

The bottom line? Widely used product categories are no longer generating the same upgrade momentum that once sustained volume growth.

A clearer picture emerges when the market is examined through the lens of price bands. Devices priced above $200 represent a significantly different mix of products and purchasing behaviour.

Within this bracket, the combined home audio and headphone market stands at roughly $40 billion. Home audio’s share increases markedly, approaching 40 per cent of total value, while product demand shifts toward soundbars, Wi-Fi speakers and traditional loudspeakers.

Headphones still represent the largest share when it comes to demand, but the balance within that category also evolves. Over-ear models with advanced active noise cancellation and enhanced comfort become more prominent as consumers look for longer-term listening solutions.

At the more premium end, and we’re talking about devices priced above $500 here, the landscape shifts again. The market contracts to around $8 billion in value, yet home audio accounts for the lion’s share of spending, almost 90 per cent.

Premium soundbars and loudspeakers dominate, with a growing number of models occupying the $500 to $1,000 range and beyond.

For loudspeakers in particular, the bulk of the market already sits above the $500 threshold, suggesting that buyers with a strong interest in home listening remain willing to invest heavily in performance.

By comparison, headphones above $500 largely consist of specialist over-ear designs and a small niche of professional or enthusiast in-ear monitors.

Taken together, the data highlights a clear pattern: while headphones dominate entry-level and mid-market categories, home audio leads the way as spending moves into premium territory.

One of the more notable shifts identified by Futuresource is the changing profile of the premium audio buyer.

Historically, higher-end audio has been primarily the domain of enthusiasts focused on separate components, wired systems and specialist retail channels. Today, the market is increasingly shaped by digitally native consumers who expect both performance and convenience.

Futuresource’s Audio Tech Lifestyles research shows that sound quality remains the leading purchase driver. However, ease of use and seamless connectivity are becoming almost as important.

In practical terms, this means that premium products that combine high-fidelity performance with wireless flexibility, intuitive controls and design-led aesthetics, are in demand. Soundbars, Wi-Fi speakers and premium headphones are expected to integrate easily into modern living spaces while delivering the performance associated with traditional Hi-Fi.

Technology also plays a growing role, particularly where it improves usability. Features such as adaptive equalisation, automatic room calibration and AI-driven noise optimisation are becoming more common, provided they operate largely behind the scenes and simplify the listening experience.

Many of the expectations shaping consumer audio products (design integration, ease of operation and discreet technology) mirror the priorities already present in residential AV design.

The broader message from Futuresource is that the consumer audio industry is entering a period where value creation is likely to matter more than raw volume growth.

With the mass market stabilising, brands are focusing on higher-margin segments that combine strong audio performance with lifestyle-friendly design and functionality. Premium soundbars, networked speakers and high-quality headphones are emerging as key battlegrounds.

For those working in the custom installation sector, this shift reinforces the ongoing relevance of home audio within integrated systems. As consumers show greater willingness to invest in high-quality sound at home, opportunities persist for professionally designed and installed solutions that extend well beyond the capabilities of standalone consumer products.

Long story short: The home audio market is aligning more closely with the strengths of the CI channel, and systems that deliver superior performance, while remaining easy to use and visually sympathetic to contemporary interiors, are hitting the right note.

That’s going to be music to the ears of many.

The Magico S7 2026 is set at £159,000 per pair for Softec finishes and £178,000 per pair for High Gloss finishes.

TheUK stop on the SIM2 Roadshow and will be hosted at the Ideaworks Experience Centre, offering custom installers, AV retailers and system integrators an early opportunity to see the new UltraNero4S DUO platform in action.

SIM2, which has built its reputation on DLP-based projection and long-term proprietary HDR development, says the UltraNero4S DUO represents a shift in approach rather than an incremental upgrade.

Rather than relying on specification-driven improvements, the platform has been designed around what SIM2 describes as a fundamentally rethought HDR strategy, aimed at delivering greater image stability, depth and dimensional realism in high-end residential cinema environments.

Installers attending the London event will be able to view the system in a controlled reference setting and engage directly with SIM2 engineers and the UK distribution team at CUK Group.

Maurizio Cini, President of SIM2, said the UK market remained strategically important to the company’s residential cinema ambitions: “The UK remains one of the most technically sophisticated markets in residential cinema. With UltraNero4S DUO, we are presenting a platform that reflects years of focused HDR development and a clear commitment to advancing image performance beyond established conventions.”

SIM2 is positioning the UltraNero4S DUO as a new HDR projection platform rather than a single product iteration. The company says this approach is intended to deliver more consistent HDR performance, enhanced depth perception and greater dimensional realism, in dedicated cinema rooms where projection remains the preferred display format.

The trade-only UK showcase will take place on March 10 - 11, 2026, at the Ideaworks Experience Centre, 206 Great Portland Street, London.

Demonstration slots are scheduled as follows:
March 10: 10:30am | 12:30pm | 4:00pm
March 11: 10:30am | 12:30pm

Attendance is by registration only, with places available via this form or by emailing sales@sim2.it

Panasonic is the latest Japanese brand to align with large-scale Chinese manufacturing and development, to secure long-term competitiveness, scale and supply-chain resilience.

The partnership was formally announced at Panasonic’s European showcase, by Panasonic CEO Entertainment & communications, Akira Toyoshima. Inside CI had a front row seat for the dramatic news.

“Europe remains a key strategic region for Panasonic, with consumers consistently recognising the exceptional quality and value of our products,” said Toyoshima, before confirming that Skyworth will lead sales, marketing and logistics across participating regions, while Panasonic retains responsibility for AV processing expertise, quality assurance and audiovisual standards.

“The new business model change will leverage the power of Panasonic’s core technical excellence in AV processing, quality and service standards with the global scale economy of Shenzhen Skyworth Display Technology Company‘s manufacturing volume and speed to provide a winning formula for the customer value proposition’’

Paul Darch, CEO of Chungwei RGB, insisted that the transfer would not compromise Panasonic’s brand equity, insisting that joint development would continue on top-end OLED models, preserving the brand’s high-perfromance DNA.

Both companies describe the partnership as a strategic alignment focused on quality, manufacturing scale and global development capability, with Europe identified as a particularly important market. From April 1 2026, Panasonic’s Entertainment Division will reintegrate into Panasonic Corporation.

Panasonic will continue to provide after-sales service and customer support for all Panasonic TVs sold up to March 2026, as well as for models sold thereafter, ensuring continuity for consumers, retailers and professional partners.

The announcement follows the recent joint venture between Sony and China’s TCL, which signalled a similar realignment in the global TV sector. However, Panasonic and Skyworth have not described their arrangement as a comparable joint venture, and neither company has provided detailed structural specifics beyond the operational framework outlined. On current information, it seems partnership is collaborative rather than equity-based, although formal details have not been disclosed.

Regardless, the partnership represents a pragmatic response to the realities of modern display manufacturing: high capital costs, rapid panel innovation cycles, and the growing dominance of large-scale Chinese production ecosystems. By aligning Panasonic’s brand, AV processing expertise and quality control with Skyworth’s manufacturing scale, R&D investment and global logistics infrastructure, the two companies are seeking to create a sustainable model for Panasonic-branded TVs going forward.

The continuation of joint development on high-end OLED models suggests that Panasonic intends to maintain technical differentiation at the premium end, rather than fully commoditising the product portfolio.

Following the partnership announcement, Panasonic confirmed that its European TV line-up for 2026 will combine existing models with new introductions across multiple display types: OLED, QD Mini-LED, QLED, 4K LED and 2K LED.

The brand's current flagship, the Z95B, will continue to hold prime position in the range. Also carried over for 2026, is the Z90B. They will be joined by the Z85C / Z86C (available in 55- and 65-inch screen sizes), featuring a new OLED panel. The numbering difference reflects the use of different smart OS - Google TV for Europe, Fire TV for the UK.

New for 2026 are Glare Free screen technologies, including Glare Free Ultra, Glare Free Max and Glare Free on selected models.

The latest evolution of ATC’s long-established 50 series design blueprint, drawing on technologies and design principles developed across multiple generations of the company’s flagship loudspeakers. It combines the discrete active tri-amplification architecture first introduced in ATC systems such as the SCM70 in the 1990s, later refined through the SCM50 Anniversary (2004) and SE Series (2014), with the elliptical enclosure concept introduced on the EL150 in 2006.

Designed as a long-term reference product, the EL50 Anniversary is an active, fully integrated system rather than a passive loudspeaker with external amplification. The industrial design features an elliptical cabinet form, leather detailing on the front baffle, and hand-selected veneers, positioning the product for both high-end residential installations and statement listening environments.

An initial limited run of 50 pairs will be produced, each supplied with a hardbound owner’s handbook documenting ATC’s development from its origins as a drive-unit specialist in 1974 to its current position as a globally respected loudspeaker manufacturer. Following this limited edition, the EL50 Anniversary will move into continued production.

At the core of the EL50 Anniversary is a new proprietary 3-channel discrete active Amp-Pack. This integrates balanced input stages, fourth-order active crossovers and three dedicated power amplifier channels delivering 200W (bass), 100W (mid) and 50W (high-frequency) continuous power.

Key engineering developments include new discrete gain blocks in the balanced instrumentation input stage and crossover network, designed to lower the noise floor and reduce distortion. The power supply has been comprehensively redesigned, using individual toroidal transformers for each amplifier channel, plus a separate transformer for the low-voltage supply. This topology improves headroom under demanding loads and reduces intermodulation distortion between channels, contributing to greater clarity and system stability.

For integration into custom installations, the system includes user-selectable input sensitivity for source matching, power on/off trigger input and link control, comprehensive thermal management via a large heatsink, and live fault monitoring for DC offset and temperature. Output stages use discrete MOSFET class A-B amplification.

The cabinet structure uses formed and laminated multi-layer construction to maximise stiffness and internal damping, reducing cabinet-borne colouration in the upper-bass and mid-range. A curved cabinet face and edges reduce edge diffraction, supporting a smoother on- and off-axis frequency response and more consistent in-room performance.

The bass driver is mounted in a precision-turned aluminium ring, bolted into the cabinet face to further increase structural integrity. Finishing details include hand-selected European crown-cut walnut veneers, ebony inlays on the rear panel, high-gloss polyester lacquer, and fine-grained black napa leather panels around the mid and high-frequency drivers and lower front section.

All drive units are designed and manufactured in-house by ATC, and comprise:

SH25-76S ‘S-Spec’ tweeter: A neodymium motor system delivering 2.0 tesla, dual-suspension coil support and a coated fabric dome, providing extended response beyond 25kHz with low harmonic and intermodulation distortion.

SM75-150S ‘Superdome’ mid-range: Covering 380Hz to 3.5kHz, this 75mm dome driver combines a high-power magnet system with a large voice coil and under-hung motor design, enabling high dynamic capability with low compression and consistent performance at all levels.

SB75-234SL bass driver: ATC’s 9-inch Super Linear bass unit uses a Super Linear motor system to reduce 3rd harmonic distortion in the upper-bass/lower-midrange by 10–15dB, with optimised spider and surround geometry allowing large linear excursion for controlled low-frequency output.

The ATC EL50 Anniversary is available from March 2026, priced at £49,500 per pair.

Topping the range is the Bowfell Halo Atmos, a 5.1 channel package, bundled with wireless satellite speakers and matching subwoofer. Power output is quoted at and boasts a power output of 300W. Connectivity, which is uniform across the range, covers HDMI ARC and digital optical audio, USB and AUX, alongside Bluetooth 5.3.

It’s supported by the Bowfell Halo Dolby, a 5.1 system with an output of 180W. This model lacks Dolby Atmos support, and both the subwoofer and rear speakers are wired.

The Bowfell Halo Dolby sells for £119.95, with the Bowfell Halo Atmos retailing at £169.95.

If a 2.1 configuration is more your style, there’s the ultra compact Bowfell Axis. This is also available in Dolby Atmos and Dolby Audio variations. The Atmos iteration features an external wireless subwoofer, with amplification rated at 200W.The step-down Dolby audio model has a 120W power plant, and utilises a wired subwoofer.

The Bowfell Axis Dolby is priced at £89.95, while the Bowfell Axis Atmos is priced at £129.95. ​

The new partnership will see Armour, best known for its award-winning loudspeaker brand Q Acoustics, significantly expand XGIMI’s presence across the UK market, promoting its premium range of portable and home projection solutions to a broader audience of retailers, installers and consumers.

The XGIMI product portfolio includes the recently announced flagship home projector, the Horizon 20 Max, alongside the company’s first professional offering, the Titan, as well as the brand’s portable projector range, including the highly popular MoGo series.

Drawing on its extensive UK dealer network and strong relationships with both mainstream and specialist retailers, Armour Home says the aims is to maintain and grow XGIMI’s footprint in major retail channels, while significantly increasing the brand’s visibility within specialist AV retailers, custom installers and direct-to-consumer audiences.

Commenting on the appointment, Jamie McKay, Sales and Marketing Director at Armour Home Electronics Ltd, says : “We are thrilled to welcome XGIMI to the Armour Home family. XGIMI is one of the most exciting brands in the projection market today, with a reputation for innovation, quality and design that aligns perfectly with our own values. We see enormous potential to grow the brand in the UK, particularly within the specialist channel.”

Commenting on the partnership, Stephen Luo, EU General Manager at XGIMI, notes: “Armour Home Electronics is an ideal partner for XGIMI in the UK. Their deep market knowledge, strong dealer relationships and proven success with premium home entertainment brands give us great confidence in the future of XGIMI in this region. We look forward to working closely together to bring our latest projection technologies to more UK consumers than ever before.”

Built around patented 3D Plate technology, Spatial Signage creates a perception of depth behind the LCD panel without the need for 3D glasses or wearable devices.

The approach is said to preserve the sharpness and clarity of 2D content, while introducing natural-looking spatial depth, making it ideal for retail, museums, and experiential installations, where attention capture and visual differentiation are key.

Unveiled at ISE 2026, the first model in the range is an 85-inch display, offering 4K UHD resolution in a 9:16 portrait format. The configuration supports rotating 360-degree visuals, allowing products and environments to be presented from multiple angles within a single digital canvas.

Samsung’s Quantum Processor handles 4K upscaling, 16-bit colour mapping and dynamic HDR refinement. The inclusion of an anti-glare treatment maintains image clarity in high-ambient-light environments.

From an installation perspective, the Spatial Signage display uses an UltraThin 52mm chassis and a 49kg lightweight construction, allowing it to be wall-mounted using a Slim Fit Wall Mount. This reduces the need for bespoke enclosures or showcase-style structures, helping deploy the display in space-constrained or design-sensitive locations.

The 85-inch model is available globally, with 32-inch and 55-inch versions planned.

Content creation and optimisation are supported through a new AI Studio application within Samsung VXT. The tool converts static images into signage-ready video content, without external software, automatically optimising shadows, margins and background treatments. For Spatial Signage in particular, this ensures content is tailored to the display’s depth characteristics, helping maintain visual balance and realism.

“For commercial environments, bringing displays and content solutions together is becoming increasingly important,” said SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Glasses-free 3D Spatial Signage, combined with new AI-powered capabilities in Samsung VXT, allows us to deliver a more integrated approach to immersive commercial displays, helping businesses create engaging experiences across a wide range of commercial environments.”

Beyond Spatial Signage, Samsung is extending its supersized commercial display portfolio. New introductions include a 130-inch Micro RGB signage display based on Micro LED technology, and a new 108-inch The Wall All-in-One LED model. The latter is designed to simplify large-format LED deployment through a split-panel structure, enabling faster installation and reduced on-site labour compared with traditional modular LED walls. These additions sit alongside existing ultra-large formats. Typical applications include lobbies, showrooms, boardrooms and commercial spaces.

Samsung is looking to optimise enterprise integration through certified collaboration solutions. Selected supersized displays, including The Wall All-in-One and 115-inch Smart Signage models, are now certified for Cisco collaboration environments, enabling visibility and management within Cisco Control Hub. In parallel, a new partnership with Logitech brings Samsung 4K Smart Signage into Microsoft Teams Rooms Express Install, enabling faster, standardised meeting room installations for corporate and enterprise customers. 

Making its debut at ISE, the new screen forms part of AWOL Vision’s wider strategy to push UST projection beyond traditional size and performance limits, addressing long-standing challenges around contrast, brightness and image uniformity at extreme screen sizes.

The 150-inch Fresnel PET Daylight ALR Screen measures 334.9 x 190cm and is based on AWOL Vision’s established Fresnel optical architecture, scaled to support significantly larger installations.

The screen material itself uses an optical-grade PET substrate, selected for dimensional stability, clarity and durability. Suitable for permanent installations, the screen promises consistent image performance under ambient light, enabling large-format projection without the requirement for fully darkened rooms. The screen reflects light from the UST projector while rejecting overhead and side ambient light, preserving contrast and perceived brightness.

The 150-inch Fresnel ALR screen has been developed alongside AWOL Vision’s UST projector range, including the company’s flagship Aetherion Max model. It will ship globally in March, priced €4,999.