Audio Tech Explosion: New Headphones, Jaw-Dropping Speakers & Big Industry Moves (Sept 2-3, 2025)

by Marcin Frąckiewicz
in Audio Equipment, Industry News, Technology
on 3 September 2025

Key Facts

Marshall Targets Sonos: Marshall unveiled the Heston 60, a compact Dolby Atmos soundbar (“compact but mighty”) paired with a Heston Sub 200 subwoofer – a direct challenge to Sonos’ Beam – launching Sept. 23 at ~£500/$700 whathifi.com whathifi.com.
Sony’s Gaming Audio Push: Sony launched the INZONE H9 II wireless gaming headset and INZONE E9 in-ear monitors (co-developed with Fnatic). The H9 II borrows the WH-1000XM6’s 30mm drivers for improved sound and lighter 260g design, while the E9 are Sony’s first pro gaming earbuds with 360° spatial audio, shipping now at $149 ecoustics.com ecoustics.com.
JBL’s New “Can” Speaker: JBL introduced the Grip, a seltzer-can-sized portable Bluetooth speaker (16W output) with IP68 waterproof/drop-proof build and built-in ambient light. Priced at $99 and now on pre-sale, it ships Sept. 28 in six colors techradar.com techradar.com.
Hi-Fi on a Budget: China’s QCY launched the MeloBuds N70 true wireless earbuds featuring a novel hybrid driver – a ring-shaped dynamic woofer plus a MEMS micro-tweeter – for ultra-wide frequency response (up to ~40 kHz) with low distortion audioxpress.com audioxpress.com. Priced around $60, the N70 delivers Hi-Res Audio and 56 dB ANC, which CEO Ferruccio Bottoni says proves “MEMS speakers have moved beyond potential — now a mass product standard” audioxpress.com.
Subscription Headphones?! Denon (Sound United) rolled out Denon+, the industry’s first hardware subscription plan for its flagship PerL earbuds. For a monthly fee, users get the latest earbuds with loss/theft insurance and brand discounts – but never own the device ts2.tech. Observers are split: Denon pitches lower barriers to try high-end gear, while skeptics quip it “might be the worst idea in audio history” if consumers balk at renting headphones ts2.tech.
Breakthrough Tech Unveiled: California startup xMEMS debuted a MEMS-based headphone architecture with tiny solid-state speaker chips (“Sycamore” drivers) 98% smaller than traditional 50 mm drivers, paired with a silent “μCooling” air pump-on-chip for active humidity reduction xmems.com xmems.com. The tech – to be demoed mid-Sept – promises dramatically thinner, lighter over-ear headphones that stay cool and dry during extended use xmems.com.

New Headphones & Earbuds

Sony Ups the Game for Gamers: On September 2, Sony expanded its INZONE gaming audio lineup with two pro-tier releases. The INZONE H9 II wireless headset is a sequel tuned with esports team Fnatic, featuring the same 30 mm dynamic drivers used in Sony’s audiophile WH-1000XM6 headphones ecoustics.com. This yields a broader frequency range and punchier bass, tailored for immersive FPS gaming. It adds a new FPS audio mode for competitive play and integrates with Sony’s INZONE Hub and Sound Connect apps for custom EQ and 360 Spatial Sound ecoustics.com. Battery life is beefed up – a 5-minute quick charge gives ~1 hour play ecoustics.com – and the design is notably lighter (260 g sans mic) to improve comfort in marathon sessions ecoustics.com. Sony also overhauled the detachable boom mic, doubling its frequency range to 14 kHz for clearer comms ecoustics.com. Alongside the headset, Sony launched the INZONE E9 in-ear monitors – its first gaming earbuds – which deliver passive noise isolation, 360° spatial audio, and an FPS-optimized EQ in a tiny 20 g package ecoustics.com. Co-engineered with Fnatic as well, the E9 connects via USB-C or 3.5 mm and is aimed at competitive players who prefer earbuds over headsets ecoustics.com. Priced at $149.99, the E9 IEMs became available August 29 ecoustics.com, while the INZONE H9 II headset retails around $349. Both releases show Sony’s push to cater to hardcore gamers with gear that bridges its consumer audio tech and esports-grade performance ecoustics.com ecoustics.com.

QCY Pioneers MEMS-Powered Earbuds: In China, budget audio brand QCY made waves with its new MeloBuds N70 true wireless earbuds, revealed just ahead of IFA. These TWS buds introduce QCY’s “DualCore Acoustic” design: a hybrid dual-driver system combining a traditional ring-shaped dynamic driver for bass with an ultra-compact MEMS microspeaker acting as a tweeter audioxpress.com audioxpress.com. Austrian MEMS specialist USound provided the tiny solid-state tweeters, marking one of the first mass-market uses of MEMS speaker tech in earbuds. The payoff is an extended frequency range – up to ~40 kHz for Hi-Res Audio certification – with extremely low distortion and consistent unit-to-unit performance (thanks to semiconductor fabrication precision) audioxpress.com. USound’s CEO Ferruccio Bottoni hailed the launch as proof that MEMS audio is “now established as a mass product standard, delivering superior audio experiences” in everyday devices audioxpress.com. QCY’s chief engineer Wei Shiweng adds that the N70 “perfectly integrates high-fidelity sound, noise-cancellation tech, and a lightweight design” through this collaboration audioxpress.com. Beyond sound quality, the MeloBuds N70 pack high-end features: Adaptive Hybrid ANC (up to 56 dB noise reduction), smart wear detection, multipoint connectivity, and a 50-hour total battery life with the wireless charging case audioxpress.com audioxpress.com. Yet QCY is pricing these flagships at an astonishing $59.99 MSRP globally audioxpress.com – underscoring the brand’s reputation for democratizing advanced audio tech. The MeloBuds N70 are available now via major online retailers in three colors (Purple, Titanium, Black) audioxpress.com, potentially setting a new value benchmark in the TWS market.

xMEMS Reinvents the Headphone (for 2026): On Sept 2, Silicon Valley startup xMEMS Labs teased a radical rethink of headphone internals. At its upcoming xMEMS Live 2025 events (mid-September), the company will demo a new over-ear headphone architecture built around tiny piezo-MEMS speaker chips instead of traditional drivers xmems.com. Codenamed “Sycamore,” the MEMS micro-speaker is just 85 mm³ in volume (98% smaller than a typical 50 mm coil driver) and weighs only 0.15 g xmems.com xmems.com. Despite its minute size, one Sycamore solid-state driver can purportedly deliver full-range hi-fi output with only a 1 cc air chamber, freeing huge internal space for batteries and electronics xmems.com xmems.com. A single driver plate weighs ~18 g (vs ~42 g for a standard driver assembly), which could cut headphone weight by ~57% xmems.com. But xMEMS didn’t stop at audio: they’ve integrated a “μCooling” air pump on-chip – the world’s first active humidity control in a headphone xmems.com xmems.com. This silent, vibration-free micro-pump can actively expel moisture from the earcup, solving the sweaty-ear problem in long listening sessions. In tests, the µCooling system dropped internal humidity from 85% to ambient levels (~65%) in under 5 minutes xmems.com. “Our MEMS-based architecture redefines what’s possible in headphone design,” says xMEMS VP Yanchen Lu, enabling thinner, lighter, yet more comfortable headphones with uncompromised sound xmems.com. The MEMS “Sycamore” drivers and µCooling tech are sampling now to development partners, with mass production aimed for late 2026 xmems.com. While not a consumer product (yet), this announcement showcases a major technology trend: the migration of MEMS solid-state tech into high-end audio, potentially revolutionizing how future headphones are built and perform xmems.com xmems.com.

New Speakers & Soundbars

Marshall Debuts a Mini Atmos Soundbar: Famed British amp brand Marshall is extending its rock-and-roll audio ethos into home theater. On Sept 2 it introduced the Marshall Heston 60, a compact Dolby Atmos soundbar designed for smaller rooms but with “huge sound” ambitions whathifi.com. Marshall calls the Heston 60 “compact but mighty,” positioning it squarely against the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) – long the go-to small Atmos bar whathifi.com. Despite its diminutive 60 cm profile, the Heston 60 packs 7 drivers (2 woofers + 5 full-range) with a total 56 W output whathifi.com whathifi.com. Clever engineering allows it to be used horizontally or vertically: the logo and controls attach magnetically, and custom waveguides plus angled drivers ensure consistent Atmos effects whether wall-mounted or on a TV stand whathifi.com. It supports modern connectivity and streaming – HDMI eARC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, plus built-in AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify/Tidal Connect for easy music streaming whathifi.com. Four sound modes (Movie, Music, Night, Voice) let users tailor the output; e.g. Night mode compresses dynamics for late-night viewing whathifi.com. Alongside the soundbar, Marshall also unveiled the Heston Sub 200, a wireless subwoofer with dual 5.25″ woofers and 236 W peak power to fill in the low end whathifi.com. Marshall touts the sub’s Bluetooth LE Audio link, which makes placement flexible around the room whathifi.com. Both the bar and sub come in Marshall’s classic cream or black finish, echoing the vintage look of its guitar amps whathifi.com. The Heston 60 will retail for £500/$700 (notably pricier than Sonos Beam) and the Sub 200 for £430/$600 whathifi.com. They hit stores on September 23 whathifi.com. Early previews note Marshall’s first Atmos bar (the larger Heston 120) had great style but only middling 3★ reviews whathifi.com, so the brand clearly aims to improve performance and take a bigger bite of the home soundbar market dominated by Sonos and JBL.

JBL “Gets a Grip” on Portable Audio: JBL, a staple of portable Bluetooth speakers, quietly filled a gap in its lineup with the new JBL Grip announced Sept 2. Sized and shaped like a soda can, the Grip slots between JBL’s tiny Clip/Go and mid-sized Flip series techradar.com techradar.com. It’s priced at $99.95, literally splitting the cost difference between the $50 ultra-mini and $150 Flip models techradar.com. Despite its petite frame, the Grip still pumps out 16 W of “Pro Sound” audio with what JBL calls a “punchy” output techradar.com. The device targets on-the-go durability: it carries a full IP68 rating, meaning it’s dustproof and can survive submersion in 1.5 m of water for 30 minutes techradar.com. Uniquely, JBL also touts it as drop-proof – handy for biking or backpack use, aided by an integrated strap hook techradar.com. Battery life is a solid 12 hours, plus an optional “Playtime Boost” mode squeezes extra 2 hours at the expense of volume techradar.com. Notably, the Grip supports Bluetooth Auracast broadcasting, allowing one phone to stream to multiple Grip speakers for party mode techradar.com. And unlike many budget speakers, it includes a sizable ambient LED light bar on its back, customizable via the JBL Portable app to add mood lighting to your music techradar.com. Pre-orders for the Grip went live this week, with wide release set for Sept 28, 2025 techradar.com. It comes in six fun colorways (classic black/white plus bold purple, red, blue, and camo) to suit every style techradar.com. With the Grip, JBL is reinforcing its dominance in the portable speaker arena by offering a rugged, feature-packed option at the popular $100 price point techradar.com techradar.com – directly taking on rivals like the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom series.

Competitive Landscape – More Launches: The first week of September has been packed with speaker news beyond Marshall and JBL. Bluesound, for instance, introduced two high-end Dolby Atmos soundbars – the Pulse Cinema and Pulse Cinema Mini – aimed squarely at Sonos’ Arc and Beam. Both will hit pre-order on Sept 24 (shipping in October), with immersive specs like 7.1.4 channels and hi-res audio support techradar.com flatpanelshd.com. On the hi-fi front, Danish speaker maker DALI is reaching out to new audiences with its upcoming Kupid mini bookshelf speakers. Announced in late August, the Kupid will ship Oct 1 at just £299/€338 per pair (≈$400) whathifi.com whathifi.com – the most affordable passive speaker in DALI’s lineup. Despite their playful array of color finishes (from Golden Yellow to Chilly Blue), DALI claims these 4″-woofer compacts deliver “true hi-fi sound” with trickle-down technology from their pricier models whathifi.com whathifi.com. Early previews highlight a custom 4.5″ paper-fiber woofer and 26 mm soft-dome tweeter engineered for a cohesive soundstage and low distortion whathifi.com whathifi.com. It’s part of a broader industry trend this fall: established audio brands offering more accessible, décor-friendly hi-fi gear to entice the next generation of music lovers whathifi.com whathifi.com.

Industry & Market News

Big Tech Opens Up Audio Walled Gardens: In a notable industry shift, Apple is loosening its grip (just slightly) on its audio ecosystem. As of Sept 2, Apple’s six live Apple Music radio stations – including Apple Music 1, Hits, Country, etc. – became available on TuneIn, a third-party radio streaming platform reuters.com reuters.com. This partnership marks the first time Apple’s curated radio can be accessed outside the Apple Music app, instantly reaching TuneIn’s 75 million monthly users worldwide reuters.com reuters.com. Analysts call it a “small but significant” concession by Apple to expand reach beyond its own devices ts2.tech, as competition in music streaming heats up and rivals like Spotify diversify into podcasts and video reuters.com. TuneIn’s CEO confirmed Apple initiated talks last year amid its subscriber growth slowing reuters.com. The move suggests even Apple sees value in a more open distribution to keep its audio content front-and-center in cars, smart speakers, and other platforms reuters.com reuters.com.

Pro Audio Showcase & Innovations: September isn’t just about consumer gadgets – it’s also trade show season for pro audio. Microphone giant Shure, celebrating its 100th year, announced it will unveil a “groundbreaking solution for capturing audio” at the IBC 2025 broadcast expo in mid-September shure.com. Alongside, Shure will showcase a raft of new gear: its first digital wireless in-ear monitor system (Axient Digital PSM) for live performers, a high-channel ANX4 wireless receiver for studio use, and creator-focused gadgets like the MV7i “smart” dual-input podcast mic and MoveMic 88+ stereo phone microphone shure.com shure.com. The flurry of pro product launches underscores how broadcast and content creation audio are evolving with more flexible, networked tools – and Shure is doubling down by sponsoring IBC’s innovation accelerator program to support next-gen media tech shure.com.

Market Trends – Resilient Demand: Despite global economic jitters, the audio industry’s outlook remains robust. A new forecast from trade group AVIXA projects professional AV sector revenues will climb from about $332 billion in 2025 to $402 billion by 2030 ts2.tech. That ~21% growth is driven by persistent demand for immersive sound experiences in venues and events, the continued hybrid work boom fueling conferencing tech, and surging investment in AV in fast-growing markets (with India now the fastest-growing in Asia-Pacific) ts2.tech. On the consumer side, competitive pressures are evident in pricing: the Labor Day shopping period saw steep discounts on popular audio gear. For example, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 flagship headphones plunged 32% off (down to $274) and Sonos offered 25% off many speakers and soundbars to entice buyers ts2.tech ts2.tech. These promotions hint at a fiercely competitive Q4 ahead, as brands jockey for market share with new releases and aggressive deals.

Overall, the first days of September 2025 have delivered a cornucopia of audio news – from cutting-edge headphone tech and surprise product launches to unconventional business models and strategic tie-ups. Expect the momentum to continue as the industry gears up for the holiday season and major events like IFA Berlin (Sept 5–9), where even more headphones, speakers, and hi-fi gear are set to be revealed ts2.tech. For audio enthusiasts, it’s an exciting (and noisy) time to tune in.

Sources: Marshall/What Hi-Fi whathifi.com whathifi.com; Sony/ecoustics ecoustics.com ecoustics.com; TechRadar on JBL techradar.com techradar.com; audioXpress (QCY/USound) audioxpress.com audioxpress.com; TS2 ts2.tech; xMEMS (press release) xmems.com xmems.com; Reuters reuters.com reuters.com; Shure (press) shure.com shure.com; AVIXA via TS2/audioXpress ts2.tech; TS2 (market/deals) ts2.tech ts2.tech.