James Loudspeaker launches the Omni48AT landscape satellite speaker and the Omni49AT satellite/subwoofer package, both featuring marine-grade powder coated aluminium enclosures and proprietary drivers.

The Omni48AT delivers 360-degree sound from a single location via four coaxially mounted 0.75-inch aluminium dome tweeters over high-excursion 4-inch woofers mated to a crossover network. The 4-inch woofers feature an aluminium cone and Santoprene surround to withstand harsh outdoor environments, and the company says the speakers deliver a balanced musical presentation at any output levels.

Meanwhile the Omni49AT is an Omni48AT combined with a matching down-firing 8-inch subwoofer. It delivers full range omnidirectional sound from an unobtrusive above ground solution, making it ideal for rocky landscape areas or large open seating areas. The single enclosure does the same job as four 42AT All-Terrain satellite speakers with a subwoofer, delivering with James Loudspeaker claims is high performance in a more compact single-chassis above ground unit.

The Sonos and Spotify mobile device apps get a pair of updates-- a combination allowing customers to control Sonos speakers directly through the Spotify app via Spotify Connect.

Such functionality requires a Spotify Premium subscription, and includes all curation, discovery and sharing features associated with the music streaming service, as well as multiroom speaker support. The reverse is also possible, since one can control Spotify playlists and tracks through the Sonos app, and visitors can control the Sonos system using the Spotify app on their own mobile devices.

Klipsch is the next company to jump into wireless multiroom audio with the Stream, a product collection consisting of 6 products featuring DTS Play-Fi technology for high-resolution streaming over wifi networks.

Stream products include a pair of Reference soundbars (RSB-8 and RSB-14), the RW-1 wireless speaker, the Three tabletop stereo system and two legacy source converters (Gate and PowerGate). All can handle audio from a variety of sources, including online streaming, local storage and traditional sources. Control comes through mobile devices equipped with the companion Klipsch Stream app.

The two soundbars feature HDMI inputs and output, with the ability to pass 4K UHD video signals as well as HDMI-ARC and CEC. Additional inputs include Bluetooth, optical and RCA. The RSB-8 package includes a 40-inch wide soundbar and a 6.5-inch subwoofer, while the top-of-the-line RSB-14 includes a 44-inch soundbar and 8-inch subwoofer as well as three HDMI inputs. Sound comes through four 2.5-inch midrange drivers and two 0.78-inch tweeters in Klipsch tractrix horns.

Speakers equipped with voice-controlled personal assistants appear to be the next big thing, and Chinese vendors want a slice of the pie. One of these companese is LingLong, whose speaker bears the amusing monicker DingDong.

As the first product of Beijing LingLong, a joint venture between Chinese online retail giant JD.com and voice recognition specialist iFlytek, DingDong performs many of the functions provided by the likes of the Amazon Echo. It tells users news, weather and stock updates, answers questions, manages schedules, provides directions, and plays music and audiobooks. It also acts as a voice-based smart device controller, and includes a number of simple English lessons. The only difference, of course, is that it does so in either Mandarin or Cantonese.

Bang & Olufsen offers customers a spot of Nordic minimalism with the Cool Modern Collection-- a selection of B&O Products clad in brass-toned aluminium and "beautiful textile colours."

Part of the company's 91st anniversary celebrations, the Cool Modern Collection includes products such as the new BeoVision 14 television, the BeoSound 35 wireless audio system, the BeoLab 18 speakers, the BeoRemote One remote, and the upcoming BeoSound 1 and 2 speaker systems. All feature a subtle redesign inspired by both contemporary interior trends and the Art Deco fashionable during the time of B&O's founding, the 1920s.

JBL announces a pair of pro-style loudspeaker monitors promising studio-grade performance in the home-- the JBL 4367 and 4429, combining pro-audio design with a number of acoustic refinements.

The JBL 4367 has a distinctive blue front baffle and exposed mid/high-frequency horn, and can be used with 2-channel hi-fi stereo systems and JBL Synthesis applications in a 2.2 configuration with S2S-EX subwoofers, or in a L/C/R configuration as part of a complete JBL Synthesis theatre. It features drivers and technologies from the JBL M.2 Master Reference monitor, including patented D2 compression driver technology.

The D2 driver operates into the newly developed High-Definition Imaging waveguide, and features the D2430K dual-diaphragm/dual-voice coil driver using two ring-shaped diaphragms and dual voice coils for greater output and power handling. JBL says the combination extends high frequency response to 40kHz.