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Could the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) Show 2024 have been the best yet?
Fresh off the plane back from sunny Barcelona and it’s safe to say, as always, our imagination has been captured – it’s impossible for our team not to be inspired by so many AV industry leaders, and the best of the best technology and equipment, all in one place.
It was a pleasure to mark ISE’s 20th anniversary and immerse ourselves once again in the world’s largest AV integration systems show. Certainly, as ever, a busy few days exploring exhibitors filled with new and familiar brands and their latest innovative tech and kit – as well as taking some time to network and catch up with our friends and contacts – but there were a handful of products that really stood out this year.
Read on for just some of our highlights from ISE 2024 and get in touch with our team for the best product recommendations for your home (and more!):
Wisdom Audio ICI6 Speakers
For us, the best new product at ISE by far was the Wisdom Audio Insight series ICI6 in-ceiling speakers.
Extremely discreet, they are only a 9” visible flush grill on the ceiling, however they get down to below 50Hz and sound amazing just as a stereo pair. At the show, they were demonstrated with the SCS-2 free-standing subwoofer, which is the brand’s go-to for complementing the ICI6s, taking the bass down below 20Hz!
Behind the high-performance sound of the ICI6s is a new Wisdom-Audio-developed spiral planar magnetic driver (PMD). This engineering breakthrough plays from 20kHz down to 1200Hz, with an unrivalled wide dispersion of 150 degrees… which provides superior coverage and clarity.
The end result? Tight, dynamic and possibly the best discrete in-ceiling speaker solution we’ve ever heard!
K-array Speakers
One of the product ranges that surprised us at ISE 2024 was from Italian brand K-array.
Having discounted or overlooked their speakers in the past – having not fully experienced their products – and dismissed them as perhaps a bit of a gimmick, at the show the demonstration within an enclosed space really revealed their full capabilities and safe to say the whole room was really impressed.
They don’t only ‘sound good for their size’ – they sound great, full stop. We will definitely be adding these to our offering for the future.
Sony Crystal LED CH Series
Delivering an incredible visual impact at ISE 2024 was Sony’s CH series, making its debut at the event and showcasing another brilliant example of the brand’s versatility when it comes to display solutions.
The 220-inch video display, with 1.2mm pixel pitch, gives an exceptionally immersive visual experience, with bright, vibrant colours and deep contrast with black levels and amazing colour, texture and depth enabled by its highly efficient super fine LED technology. Seamless, precise, sharp imagery that will really pull you in as a viewer from any angle – and even in bright environments.
Delivering the highest quality of performance that other, conventional, LED displays struggle to achieve, it really must be seen to be believed. While this will set customers back roughly (a not insignificant) £250,000, the CH series simply blew us away at the show.
Krix Speakers
Australian brand Krix, alongside partners Trinnov Audio and Officina Acustica, wowed the ISE 2024 attendees with a stunning array in their demonstration room, including an immersive 13.1.6 speaker layout which featured three Cinamatix screen speakers with fourteen subwoofers (which each hour two 18” drivers).
As home cinema experts we were especially impressed standing next to their towering high-performance surround sound cinema system, from the KX range, which can give you 105dB at 2 metres away with 1 watt of power – that’s impressive.
We can only imagine how incredibly the sound can be experienced, equipment in-situ, within an immersive cinema space… very inspiring.
Steinway Lyngdorf S15s
The Steinway Lyngdorf S15 speaker is a testament to the brand’s unwavering commitment to audio excellence. Designed with precision and sophistication, the S15 delivers a sound experience that captivates even the most discerning audiophiles. Boasting cutting-edge technologies and meticulous engineering, this compact yet powerful speaker produces a remarkably detailed and dynamic soundstage. The use of high-quality materials and the integration of advanced acoustic solutions ensure that the S15 reproduces music and film soundtracks with exceptional clarity, depth and precision. Whether used as part of a stereo setup or within a larger home theatre system, the S15 stands out for its ability to deliver a harmonious blend of elegance and sonic brilliance, making it a coveted choice for those who demand nothing but the finest in audio reproduction.
However, with the current interior trends, soundbars are a go to for most elegant media rooms. For this reason, Steinway Lyngdorf showcased a working concept of a 3.2 sound bar system, encompassing the DNA of the S15 speaker offering. The soundbar also featured 2 built in 10-inch passive woofers that delivered powerful low frequencies from a sleek all in one unit, that can easily be placed below a large format screen. What we loved about this concept approach was that we were able to scan a QR code and leave our feedback to Steinway Lyngdorf directly. This really brought us closer to the overall design process and manufacturing on this soundbar.
Suffice to say, we’re already looking forward to ISE 2025 next February!
