CES 2026: The audio gear we want to chase, carry, and crank
When it comes to audio systems at CES, held January 6-9 in Las Vegas, we’re always hoping to find new ways that companies have found to make music sound bigger without making your life more complicated. Sometimes that means taking headphones out of your pocket to extract previously unseen details from tracks. Sometimes that means a wireless headset that views limited bandwidth as a personal insult. Sometimes that means portable speakers that can survive (and survive) the wildest party. And sometimes it’s a quiet sequel for those who still believe that two speakers and a sweet spot can prove that goosebumps should always be on the features list. So here’s the second hit list, a look at the products that make us want to stop, listen, and linger well beyond the sales pitch.
Open-back headphones used to be a safety compromise you made: a workout choice that allowed you to hear a beat and, more importantly, hear oncoming traffic. CES 2026 pushes the idea that this old fitness hack can now do much more than keep a playlist in rhythm. For example, Cleer’s Arc 4 and Arc 4+ arrive as the first THX-certified true wireless open-ear headphones, reducing weight and hook bulk while stacking on DBE 4.0 for real bass, Bluetooth 5.4/Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless for a strong signal chain, and Dolby Audio (and Atmos+ head tracking on 4+… spatial trickery previously only in cans over-ear). The Arc 5, announced for early 2026, adds THX Spatial Audio+ to the growing list of no-compromise products.
Shokz responds with OpenFit Pro and open-ear noise reduction, still providing spatial awareness, but able to alleviate some of the road chatter and cafe chaos. Plus, there’s Dolby Atmos optimization for compatible streaming services, large 11x22mm dual-diaphragm drivers for more bass, DirectPitch 3.0 for less leakage, and battery life that makes “charging anxiety” obsolete.
JBL joins the group with Sense Pro and Sense Lite, using OpenSound air conduction to keep ear canals clear. The Pro performs well, with 16.2mm drivers, Adaptive Bass Boost, a voice capture sensor, Bluetooth 6.0 and a total battery life of 38 hours. While Lite gets lighter, with 32 hours of life and a sweat-conscious IP54 rating. As for Anker, the AeroFit 2 is a convertible open-ear/ANC earphone, which adjusts to reposition the nozzle and switch between awareness and proper seal (the sensors recalibrate the EQ accordingly).
In the full-size earphone space, ASUS announced the ROG Kithara open-back planar magnetic gaming headset (left, above), developed with HIFIMAN (a PopSci Winner of the Audio Awards). With 100mm drivers, a frequency response of 8Hz to 55kHz, and a 3-in-1 cable with swappable unbalanced 4.4mm, 3.5mm, and 6.3mm plugs, this is an audiophile headset for gamers, not a gaming headset for audiophiles. While German luxury brand Loewe introduced its Leo Bluetooth earphones (right, above), featuring a 50mm olefin composite elastomer driver, dual Class A/B and Class D amplification for pure audio/adaptive ANC modes, support for LC3plus 24-bit/96kHz Bluetooth codec, Dolby Atmos and multiple audio profiles, ARM processor for smart features, such as voice control and real-time translation, and a modular design with high repairability/scalability. And Beyerdynamic’s DJ 300 Pro
Following in the footsteps of Marshall, among others, Fender Audio is launching a series of Bluetooth speakers developed by Riffsound. But they look much more like a logo on a lifestyle box. ELIE (Extremely Loud Infinitely Expressive) speakers seek to strike a chord with those who play an instrument and those who simply want to play. The speakers – 60W E6 or beefier 120W E12 (shown at left below) – incorporate subwoofers and an XLR/¼-inch combo jack for a mic or guitar, as well as a strangely professional trick: up to four sources at once – Bluetooth, wired, and two wireless accessory channels – mixed in real time. A Waves system-on-chip and DSP promise to keep the mix dialed in even if the volume knob gets brave. And the MIX earbuds look to take up space in your carry bag (and your heart), with 40mm graphene drivers, ANC, a built-in USB-C transmitter for lossless, low-latency audio, plus up to 100 hours of battery.
If Fender turns Bluetooth into a take-home sound system, LG is still aiming for a traveling club. PopSciCoverage from party speakers has already called LG’s xboom Bounce a mini rage after LG’s CES 2025 introduced the xboom-by-will.i.am era (Stage 301, Bounce, Grab). CES 2026 doubles down with four new durable boxes: Rock, Mini, Blast and Stage 501 (above, right). The Hook uses AI for auto EQ, lighting, and endurance, so the bass and battery life won’t turn to mud when the party moves outside. And anything that has an “AI Karaoke Master” mode gets our attention.
CES is no longer the hi-fi show it once was, which is exactly why Klipsch and Onkyo are showing up strong for their joint 80th anniversary, it’s very special. Klipsch’s Arkansas origin story is about searching for bigger, clearer, livelier…turning horn-laden theory into legendary sound. While Onkyo, born the same year as Klipsch but in Osaka, Japan, is above all a question of sound harmony, of a feeling of fidelity.
The anniversary energy gets real as Klipsch launches the new The Fives II, Sevens II and Nines II. The originals were already a PopSci favorite in the land of powered speakers, and new upgrades include the integration of an Onkyo-designed electronic core with Dolby Atmos and Dirac Live calibration, as well as DTS:X on the Nines II for format gourmands. There are also updated Reference Premiere templates. Beyond the main stage, Klipsch is introducing a series of three models of closed-to-semi-open Atlas headphones, Auracast-ready portable/tabletop Bluetooth speakers, an outdoor-friendly Flexus soundbar concept, and the brand’s “Project Apollo,” a bold new moonshot for high-performance towers. Onkyo’s “renaissance” (which began at CES 2025) fits differently: Muse series streaming integrated amps with that big color display/VU meter (see above), anniversary Creator speakers, and a glimpse of future THX/Dirac-powered theater brains. We love it when CES gives audio so much air.
And it’s not just the living room that makes room for dual channel. In the Cambridge suite, British audio designers preview the new L/R series: three pairs of active stereo speakers built as modern components with old-school intent. All three feature analog and digital inputs (including eARC and a moving magnet phono stage on larger models), making them perfect for this desktop listening station/turntable. The L/RX and L/RM feature StreamMagic Gen 4 for high-resolution Wi-Fi streaming and multi-room tricks, while L/RS keeps it simple with aptX HD Bluetooth for near-field living. The flagship L/RX packs 800 watts, a new Torus tweeter, plus two five-inch woofers coupled with two six-inch force-cancelling radiators, essentially bookshelf speakers with a floorstanding style. DynamEQ helps compensate for environmental conditions. And they all come in six rich finishes (a bright orange on all three models shown above).
This is just a short list of audio gear that caught our attention and is worth it. But the best part of CES is the demo you weren’t planning on diving into, but draws you in… the weird concepts that seem absurd then phenomenal. We will report on what brings us into a new rhythm.
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