If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more
Another week down, and, per usual, a bunch of new tech and gadgets have been announced.
This past week, Sony announced its first new turntable in seven years, Bowers & Wilkins unveiled its ultimate bookshelf speaker, and Meze Audio introduced new audiophile headphones. But that’s just scratching the surface.
Below, we’ve rounded up all the most interesting new releases and announcements you might have missed from the past week.
Sony
Sony LinkBuds Clip
Since 2022, Sony has been one of the industry leaders for wireless earbuds with an open-ear design; this is optimized for running, biking and workouts, as it allows you to hear the world around while still listening to music. But with the LinkBuds Clips, it’s the brand’s first open-ear wireless earbuds that clip to the outside of your ears — a design made popular by the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. The earbuds are IPX4-rated and offer an impressive “up to 37-hour” battery life. And they come in four different color options: black, greige, green and lavender.
The Sony PS-LX3BT is an entry-level turntable billed as the direct successor to the brand’s popular PS-LX310BT, released in 2019. It’s a fully automatic turntable with a belt-driven design and built-in Bluetooth, supporting high-end codecs like aptX and aptX Adaptive, so you can stream vinyl records directly to wireless headphones or speakers. Sony claims it’s “perfect for newcomers to vinyl or those seeking a simple, lifestyle-friendly setup.”
The Sony PS-LX5BT is the brand’s other new turntable for 2026 — it’s positioned as a slightly higher-end version of the company’s PS-LX3BT. Both are fully automatic turntables with a nearly identical design and built-in Bluetooth. But the PS-LX5BT comes equipped with few more premium components, including a higher-end cartridge and gold-plated audio jacks, and is $100 more expensive.
Marshall’s Heddon is a wireless streaming hub that adds new capabilities to its third-generation Bluetooth speakers — the Acton III, Stanmore III and Woburn III — making them more versatile than ever. It connects to Wi-Fi and enables you to stream audio to these speakers via Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Cast and AirPlay. It also broadcasts audio to those Bluetooth speakers via Auracast, allowing you to configure them in a Sonos-esque multi-room audio system.
Pro-Ject has added a new turntable to its Artist Series, which pays homage to some of the most iconic musicians and bands of the past. This time, it’s the legendary metal band Scorpions’ turn. The special-edition turntable features artwork from the band’s iconic Blackout album, which was released in 1982. Like others in the collection, the turntable is based on Pro-Ject’s T2, which sells for $649, and comes equipped with a Pick it 25A Moving Magnet Ortofon cartridge.
Meze’s Strada is a new pair of closed-back headphones with dynamic drivers that are designed to look as good as they sound. Each pair is made of high-end materials, combining a magnesium frame (hand-painted deep green) with Macassar ebony hardwood ear cups — ensuring that no two are alike — and the ear cushions and a headband are both made out of genuine leather. They feature the same 50mm dynamic drivers as the brand’s 109 Pro open-back headphones, which cost $799, but they’ve been tuned for closed-back performance. Meze claims that they “set a new benchmark in closed-back dynamic headphones.”
Bowers & Wilkins has introduced a limited-edition version of its 707 S3 bookshelf speakers. The “Prestige Edition” models aren’t too much different than the standard models, boasting the same two-way design with identical drivers, but they’ve been updated with a new luxurious Santos Gloss finish. Additionally, they have a new tweeter grille and upgraded speaker terminals, both features borrowed from the brand’s higher-end stand-mounted loudspeakers, the 705 S3 Signature. B&W is calling them its “ultimate bookshelf loudspeaker.”
Anker has added a tiny power adapter to its Nano series, only this one is quite the outlier. That’s because the Anker Nano 45W has a built-in display for showing charging metrics. It’s also the world’s first adapter to recognize the type of iPhone (or iPad) it’s charging and adjust charging speeds accordingly. Additionally, the adapter’s other standout feature is its adjustable foldable prongs — it can lock in at 90-degree and 180-degree angles, giving you more flexibility to plug it into wall outlets, desk plugs and other tight spaces.
iFi’s iDSD Phantom is a high-end, “just add headphones” hi-fi component that combines a DAC, network streamer, and headphone amplifier into a single box. It’s the successor to the brand’s previous flagship player, the Pro iDSD, but iFi claims it’s been basically built from the ground up with a new “streaming engine, higher-precision conversion, markedly greater output headroom, and more granular user-control.”
About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.
Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.