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Tech News
A New York Times blind listening test compared traditional multi-speaker surround sound systems against soundbars, including Dolby Atmos-enabled models. Participants reported clearer dialogue and a stronger sense of immersion with discrete surround speakers, though most said they would still choose a soundbar due to space constraints and installation friction.
Sennheiser's new Momentum 5 headphones, priced at $399.99, were tested over several weeks for sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort and battery life. The company doubled the microphone count to eight for active noise cancellation and rates the battery at up to 57 hours, a figure the reviewer says held up in testing. The headphones also support Dolby Atmos and are positioned below rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Max 2 in price.
Meta's Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 glasses offer up to 9 hours of battery life (versus 8 for Gen 2) and up to 50 hours with the charging case (versus 48). The Gen 3 also gains a sixth microphone with a redesigned array for better noise reduction, and inherits an action button from Meta's other glasses lines that can trigger Meta AI, capture photos, or be customized for other shortcuts, unlike the Gen 2's capture-only button.
Meta announced it is developing support for its Muse AI agent on its smart glasses, letting users activate it by voice to guide workouts, log meals, or get shopping help. The company also detailed other upcoming updates including an FDA-cleared Hearing Enhancement feature, Dolby Atmos spatial audio recording, a Dynamic Photo feature, left-right audio balance controls, and a 'Hologram' video-call feature for Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses.
Apple's tvOS 27.2 beta 2 now lets users pair four HomePods—two sets of two—wirelessly through the Home app to serve as surround speakers for Apple TV 4K, according to FlatpanelsHD. The feature currently works with Atmos and surround audio from video content, but lacks the ability to assign specific speaker roles like front and rear, and menu or game audio still only plays through the front pair.
The guide explains connecting an Xbox to a TV's eARC/ARC HDMI port to enable surround sound, recommending HDMI 2.1 support for 4K/120fps gaming alongside audio. Users then adjust settings under Settings > General > Volume and audio output, selecting 5.1 or 7.1 uncompressed audio, or Bitstream if bandwidth is limited, and can install the Dolby Access app for Dolby Atmos support.
Sonos has released the Beam Ultra, a wider version of its compact soundbar that now supports genuine Dolby Atmos rather than simulated surround sound. The device packs five tweeters, four woofers and nine amplifiers, compared to the simpler single-tweeter setup in the previous Beam generation, and is best suited for TVs 55 inches or larger.
Apple has launched a dedicated live-music venue called Apple Music Hall at its London headquarters in Battersea Power Station, built to host and broadcast Apple Music Live concerts. The space seats up to 600 people, features 48 speakers with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, 16 camera positions, two recording studios and a broadcast control room supporting iPhone video capture. Its stage can switch between a traditional front-facing layout and an in-the-round setup.
Amazon has discounted Samsung's 2025 flagship HW-Q990F soundbar system by 33%, cutting $600 off the package price. The bundle includes an 11.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar along with a subwoofer and rear surround speakers.
Yamaha announced the B200A, a compact soundbar replacing the C20A, adding Dolby Atmos support and a built-in subwoofer with Bass Extension mode. It keeps the same small dimensions as its predecessor but costs $50 more at $250, and will ship in November with inputs including HDMI eARC/ARC, optical, 3.5mm and Bluetooth.
Yamaha has unveiled the B200A, a compact soundbar measuring just 23.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches tall, designed to fit under monitors or mount on walls. Despite having only two drivers and a built-in subwoofer, Yamaha claims it delivers 3D immersive Dolby Atmos sound, complete with a Bass Extender mode and Clear Voice dialogue enhancement. It ships in November with a single HDMI port, a 3.5mm jack, and Bluetooth streaming, priced at $250.
WIRED's latest soundbar roundup highlights the Focal Mu-So Hekla as a standout premium option, praising its 15-speaker array, powerful bass, upfiring Dolby Atmos drivers and intuitive companion app. The guide also names honorable mentions including the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Sony Bravia Theatre Trio, noting each device's tradeoffs in sound quality, price and expandability.