IFA has always traditionally been an A/V show, and IFA 2017 is no different, with more speakers and headphones than you can shake a subwoofer at. What has changed however is the tech powering the tunes, with the speakers on show now almost entirely wireless streaming systems.
Case in point: the tidy-looking JBL Control Xstream speakers. Set to be sold as a pair, they come with Google Chromecast built-in, and also work with the Spotify Connect feature for physical-media-free streaming playback.
Set up through the simple, handy Google Home app, the speakers can also be grouped for Sonos-rivalling multi-room listening.
Hi-def hi-fi
The discerning listener will also be pleased to hear that the Control Xstream speakers also support playback of 24-bit/96kHz HD audio, meaning your high quality audio files won't be lost when played through the pair.
Priced at €499 (around £460 / $590 / AU$750), its positioned itself in league with the pricing of Sonos gear, if you were to consider buying a pair of Play:1 or Play:3 speakers.
Expect to see the Control Xstream in shops by November.
- IFA 2017 is Europe's biggest tech show. The TechRadar team is in Berlin to bring you all the breaking news and hands-on first impressions of new phones, watches and other tech as they're announced.
