by Bob Archer | Mar 6, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
Global events may be at the top of the headlines but that doesn’t mean the electronics industry is slowing down.
Most of the news in the electronics industry this past week does come more from a national or even global perspective, but specific to the audiophile and custom electronics side of the market, there are some noteworthy items worth checking in on.
Cybersecurity a Growing Concern in the Residential Market
Starting the KMB Comm Week in Review is a post on LinkedIn from Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) that analyzes at the topic of cybersecurity in the home. The item examines the ever-increasing level of Web-enabled components and the possible opportunities these products offer hackers interested in obtaining sensitive data.
The author, Jeff Sonnleitner, notes that cybersecurity is a field that is constantly changing and ultimately, integrators will have to lead by example.
Visiting the Listening Chair website to check out the latest vintage gear column the website recently posted, the product for the staff at Just Audio chose to write up the Beam Box from BIC. The Maryland-based store points out the role of this product in the consumer audio market back in the early 1970s and how important FM radio was to users.
Just Audio states the Beam Box was designed for audiophiles, and the dealer admits the product was never intended to be a mass-market product. To learn more about this product, which is available according to Just Audio for less than $100 click here.
KMB Comm Roundup of National Technology News
With the dust beginning to settle from the Paramount deal with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Wall Street is now examining the details from the acquisition.
A recent story from Yahoo Finance says that shares of Paramount Skydance Corp. have dropped 8% after Fitch ratings downgraded the media company’s debt rating to junk status.
The story points out Fitch downgraded Paramount to BB-Plus, and it says that Paramount Skydance is on a negative watch pending the release of more information related to the WBD acquisition.
Conversely in a post on LinkedIn, the social media website says that Netflix stocks increased in value after showing discipline on not extending itself to acquire WBD.
Moving away from financial news, the next KMB Comm technology item comes from the audiophile website eCoustics. The website has published a story that seems more appropriate for April Fools Day, but it’s just an announcement on a partnership between Spotify and Liquid Death.
The eCoustics story explains the popular streaming service has formed an alliance with the beverage company to offer the Liquid Death x Spotify Eternal Playlist Urn. According to the story, the cremation urn mates to a tool that will produce a personalized Spotify playlist that is meant to “live on after you’re gone.”
The idea is the companies are providing memorial products driven by music algorithms to help create forever soundtracks.
Wrapping up the KMB Comm look at technology news for the week of March 2-6, is another item from Yahoo Finance.
In a move that Apple fans should approve, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company announced its new $599 MacBook Neo. The Yahoo website story asserts the new, reasonably priced MacBook computer is designed to appeal everyone from general users to students, and businesses interested in the Apple platform.
Available in a choice of four colors, the story adds the Neo incorporates a 13-inch screen and it utilizes the company’s A18 Pro processor, which Yahoo Finance says is like the chip the powers the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
To learn more about KMB Communications and its clients, check out KMB Comm news items here.
by Bob Archer | Mar 6, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
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HYPERSUB™ Launches Frontier F-15 Series
Slim, Space-Savvy HYPERSUB™ Frontier F-15 Delivers Deep, Controlled Bass to 25 Hz—with Reference-Grade Headroom.
SAN RAFAEL, CA (January 26, 2026) — HYPERSUB™, has announced the F-15, a slim sealed-box subwoofer system in the company’s new Frontier Series, engineered for real-room performance in small- to medium-sized home theaters. Handcrafted in Canada and paired with HYPERSUB’s dedicated 422D DSP amplifier, the four-cabinet F-15 system brings low-distortion, high-impact bass to rooms where depth and placement flexibility are essential.
“Integrators tell us they need predictable, reference bass without bulky boxes,” says Nyal Mellor system designer for HYPERSUB and founder of Acoustic Frontiers. “The F-15 answers with shallow-depth cabinets, precision-matched amplification, and lab-verified output so the experience is as credible on paper as it is in the seats.”
Engineered for Rooms, Not Just Racks
Each F-15 cabinet houses a custom 15-inch driver with more than 3 inches of point-to-point excursion and a neodymium motor in a sealed, 12-inch-deep enclosure, ideal for behind-screen and tight-space installs. The cabinet is constructed from void-free birch with hardwood corners, refined beveled edges, and a black-oak veneer finish for premium durability and fit-and-finish.
Key system specifications include: 25–200 Hz (-6 dB rel. 100 Hz) frequency response, 118 dB Max Linear SPL (AES75-2022, 1 m, free-space), and 124 dB Broadband Peak SPL (ANSI/CTA-2020B R-2020, 1 m, half-space).
Precision Power, Predictable Results
The system is purpose-paired to the HYPERSUB 422D rack amplifier (4 channels × 2,200 watts RMS at 4 ohms), providing installer-configurable DSP with 10 bands of parametric EQ per channel (bell, low/high shelf, notch, all-pass), plus low-/high-pass, level, delay, polarity, and limiting. I/O includes 4 × balanced XLR inputs and 4 × speakON outputs. One F-15 cabinet is driven per channel for headroom and control.
Integration-First by Design
F-15 systems are modeled and specified to meet CEDIA/CTA RP-22 frequency-response goals and are designed for seamless deployment with Dirac ART and Trinnov Waveforming workflows—reducing seat-to-seat variability while maintaining extension and impact.
At-a-Glance: HYPERSUB F-15 System Highlights
- System format: Four sealed F-15 cabinets and one HYPERSUB 422D rack amplifier.
- Driver: 1 × 15-inch carbon-fiber cone, neodymium magnet, with more than 3 inches of excursion.
- Frequency response: 25–200 Hz (-6 dB rel. 100 Hz). Max Linear SPL: 118 dB (AES75-2022, 1 m, free-space). Broadband Peak SPL: 124 dB (ANSI/CTA-2020B R-2020, 1 m, half-space).
- Enclosure: 12-inch depth; void-free plywood with hardwood corners; black-oak veneer.
- Dimensions (H × W × D): 25-13/16 inches × 18-3/4 inches × 12-15/16 inches (per cabinet).
- Amplifier: 4 × 2,200 W RMS at 4 ohms; 10-band PEQ/channel; low/high-pass, delay, polarity, limiting; 4 × XLR in / 4 × speakON out.
- Use case: Small–medium rooms (expandable with F-24 DUO for very large rooms).
- Warranty: 5 years.
Availability, Training & Dealer Support
The F-15 system is available now through hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB supports its partners far beyond what typical spec sheets, CAD drawings, and owner’s manuals offer by providing the information and tools integrators rely on to achieve predictable results. HYPERSUB delivers detailed and accurate measured specifications, including independently measured frequency response and maximum SPL output at NWAA Labs, validated to both AES75 and CEA-2010 standards. HYPERSUB also strengthens a dealer’s ability to achieve defined RP22 performance levels through engineering services that model the in-room performance of the specified system—predicting SPL capability, frequency response, low-frequency extension, and seat-to-seat consistency before a single cabinet is installed.
Frontier systems include a 4-year warranty, extended to 6 years when calibration is performed by a certified HYPERSUB representative.
For specifications, media assets, and dealer inquiries, visit www.hypersubwoofers.com.
About HYPERSUB™
HYPERSUB builds reference-grade subwoofer systems that unite room-centric system design with Harbottle Audio transducer and amplifier engineering. Engineered and handcrafted in Canada, every system carries a 1% Performance tolerance, ensuring each unit measures within 1% of its reference specification—backed by NWAA Labs verification and alignment with CEDIA/CTA RP-22. HYPERSUB systems are designed to become the foundation of today’s most demanding home theaters. Learn more at hypersubwoofers.com.
HYPERSUB Press Contacts:
KMB Communications
Katye McGregor Bennett: katye@kmbcomm.com
Bob Archer: bob@kmbcomm.com
www.kmbcomm.com
by Bob Archer | Mar 2, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications, Magnetar Audio
Streaming is the king of all media—sorry Howard Stern—but that doesn’t mean that everyone is happy with streaming music and video. Physical media is making a comeback and it’s more than just the revival of vinyl.
The Los Angeles Times recently published a story called, “DVDs are the new vinyl records: Why Gen Z is embracing physical media.” The story highlights the shifting attitudes of young Gen Z (generally, the demographic is defined as the generation born between 1997 to 2012) consumers that are tired with the growing mountain of streaming media subscription fees, and the happiness they are finding in reconnecting with their childhood physical media experiences.
In the story the author Cerys Davies visits a handful of video rental stores in the Los Angeles area such as Vidiots and CineFile Video Movie Rental and she asked patrons why they were renting videos.
Her findings come down to a few key points: Gen Z is tired of subscribing to multiple services; physical media allows for complete ownership of content, and in many cases DVDs and Blu-ray disc bring back childhood memories.
Davies points out in the story that before the explosion of streaming media, consumers could access physical media rentals from stores such as Blockbuster (the last store remains open in Oregon) and RedBox vending machines.
Coinciding with the rise of streaming media the story continues, sales of physical media began to fall. The story says that DVD sales fell more than 20% in 2023 and 2024. In 2025 however, Davies emphasizes the sales decline of DVDs, Blu-ray discs and 4K UHD discs slowed to just 9% based on data from the Digital Entertainment Group.
Validating the increase in sales Davies asked the Blu-ray disc company the Criterion Collection, and Criterion confirmed that year-over-year sales are increasing. More anecdotally, the story notes that this past January (2026) Vidiots had a record-breaking month renting an average of 170 movies per day with a high of 500 videos in a single day. Each disc carries a rental fee of $3.00 each, and since 2023 the amount of disc the store has rented has more than doubled jumping from 22,000 discs to about 50,000 discs.
Gen Z Lays Out the Benefits of Physical Media
A closer look at the reasons why Gen Z is turning to DVDs and Blu-ray discs beyond the outright ownership of the content, the story lays out other factors that are sparking a renewed interest in physical media. Those elements include the ability to access special features that may include director’s commentary and video shorts.
Davies also cites the ever-changing content libraries of the various streaming services and the constant churn of titles appearing and disappearing making some movies unavailable.
Maybe the most undervalued attraction of DVDs and Blu-ray discs is the emotional connection that is like the relationship music fans have with vinyl. Davies in the story does underscore the emotional attachment to physical media by underscoring, collecting and owning DVDs is more than a trip down memory lane.
This trend if it unfolds in the same way as vinyl grew in popularity throughout the 2000s, it means that integrators will see more demand for disc players and likely disc players as a complement to Kaleidescape systems and streaming media. Those near-future equipment racks could resemble audiophile systems with turntables, media players and DACs, and CD players all living peacefully together.
Currently, Sony, Panasonic and Magnetar are still among the companies manufacturing disc players with companies like Oppo Digital and Samsung notably ceasing player production. Soon there may even be opportunities for integrators to partner with stores such as Vidiots and CineFile Video Movie Rental in their local areas to promote video rentals and sales, and home theater demonstrations that highlight the power of today’s home AV equipment in tandem with physical media.
People say that fashion runs in cycles and now maybe with the resurgence of vinyl and the possible reemergence of DVDs and Blu-ray discs, those same people will say the same thing about physical media.
Here’s a recent post on KMB Comm that looks at the emotional attachment music fans have with vinyl.
by Bob Archer | Feb 27, 2026 | Blog
The past few weeks with have been nirvana if you are a sports fan with the college football playoffs, the NFL playoffs, and the Winter Olympics.
Now, with football season over, and the incredible performances of the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams, as well as individual athletes like Alysa Liu in the Olympic record books, we can look back and truly see how important sports are to the modern AV experience.
This week’s KMB Comm Technology Week in Review will look at the impact of sports to home AV and home theater ownership through a few stories from across the interwebs.
Cold, Snowy Weather Fosters Perfect Conditions for Watching Sports
With the glut of trade shows that start the new year winding down, the amount of technology news items has increased. The first KMB Comm residential technology story comes from LinkedIn.
Following the completion of the Winter Olympics from Italy, the social media website reports that NBC had a ratings hit with the games. According to the story, the media company averaged 23.5 million viewers across Comcast and its various streaming services.
LinkedIn points out these numbers represent its highest numbers in 12 years, and these games almost doubled the numbers from the 2022 games in Beijing.
Continuing the sports theme in the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review for the week of Feb.23-27, is a story from Residential Systems.
In a story co-authored by Chase Walton and Anthony Grimani, the writers admit that it can be difficult to get consumers excited about high-performance home theaters. However, Walton and Grimani note that live sports programming is providing the custom installation industry opportunities through 4K with HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
The Residential Systems story breaks down some of the basics of what goes into these live sports broadcasts, including resolution, bit-rate comparisons of broadcast and streaming, and the story briefly talks about the benefits of certain TV set-top boxes (STBs).
The story wraps up with a summary of some of the sports that are available in 4K. Some of those sports include NCAA football and men’s basketball, the NFL playoffs, and Premier League Soccer. Sports with Dolby Atmos audio is not as widely available with just HBO Max contributing games in 1080p with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
Continuing with the KMB Comm theme of the week—or mostly to the TV theme—LinkedIn posted an item on efforts of Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
In the story, the post says Paramount Skydance’s takeover bid has caused Netflix to back out of its plans to acquire WBD. LinkedIn states that with Netflix walking away from the bargaining table Paramount can now close the deal, which is estimated to be worth about $111 billion or $31-per-share.
Learn more from the entire post here.
One more residential technology item from the audiophile side of the industry. The Listening Chair website has an interesting column written by long-time industry veteran Mark Cerasuolo.
Cerasuolo’s column takes the concept of vintage beyond the idea of listening to analog audio and sources such as turntables to look at vintage gear.
What’s interesting about the vintage column on The Listening Chair website is that contrary to the pro audio world brands like Gibson, Fender, and Martin that must constantly balance the need to innovate with the MI (musical instrument) industry’s steadfast commitment to 1959 Les Pauls, 1963 Stratocasters, 1968 Marshall Superlead “plexis” and other vintage instruments, while the consumer electronics industry for the most part is always moving forward, but the revival of vinyl does highlight there is some interest in yesteryear.
In this post from the beginning of 2026, Cerasuolo examines the CR-620 Natural Sound Receiver. The story offers a lot of detail on this vintage home audio component. For those that have an interest in the golden era of home audio, The Listening Chair column is a fun read.
Crossing over into the world of commercial AV, a new post from Sound & Video Contractor (SVC) helps to continue the sports theme in the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review.
The publication is reporting that IMAX has struck a deal with Apple TV to show the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship season at select IMAX locations across the U.S. The races the agreement will cover include the Miami Grand Prix, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the Italian Grand Prix, which takes place in Monza.
KMB Comm Technology Week in Review National News
Looking at some of the national technology news items from this past week, LinkedIn says that “visual intelligence” may be the “defining feature” of Apple’s upcoming AI products.
Citing Bloomberg, the story states that Apple CEO Tim Cook has singled out visual intelligence numerous times in statements, and Visual intelligence in the story is described as technology that, “sees and acts on its environment.”
LinkedIn’s post suggests that upcoming products that could incorporate the visual intelligence technology include future AirPods, smart glasses, and pendants that employ cameras.
Finally, Business of Home, a publication for the design community, examines how the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling will affect home professionals.
Without getting into the history of the tariffs, President Trump imposed a 1977 law that was used called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose the tariffs.
The Supreme Court’s ruling the article says invalidates the tariffs the President implemented and ruled the tariffs illegal. The story emphasizes not all the tariffs were deemed as illegal and the taxes on items such as furniture, cabinets, vanities, and raw materials such as steel and aluminum are still in place.
Additionally, Business of Home also states within its story that President Trump is committed to his plan to balance trade through the implementation of tariffs.
Moreover, the story points out the Supreme Court did not rule on a process in which the $133 Billion that was collected from the tariffs will be returned. This means, the story concludes is that people and companies will have to sue the government to get their tariff refunds.
KMB Communications hosts a podcast called AV Trade Talk. Listeners can check out the podcast to learn about the latest happenings in the custom installation electronics industry. To listen to the KMB AV Trade Talk Podcast, click here.
by Bob Archer | Feb 25, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
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Keder Screens solves outdoor challenges the custom install channel is tired of taking hits for
Wind-rated, zipperless outdoor screens are engineered to reduce callbacks, protect margin, and help integrators specify outdoor living with confidence—not apologies
DALLAS, TX Feb. 23, 2026 — Keder Screens today announced its official launch into the residential custom installation (CI) channel, introducing a purpose-built, motorized outdoor screen platform engineered to perform under real-world conditions: high wind, large openings, daily use, and long-term exposure.
Keder Screens is not new or new to the category. The company is entering the CI channel with a clear point of view shaped by the category’s most common pain points: outdoor screens that fail in predictable ways—wind-related blowouts, noisy tracks, fabric pull-out, and repeat service calls that erode margin and strain client relationships. Keder Screens’ answer is a wind-tested, integration-ready outdoor screen platform designed to eliminate known failure points in traditional zipper- and magnet-based systems.
A reliability-first platform built for the realities of outdoor installs
What determines whether outdoor projects stay profitable is mechanical survivability—how the system behaves in wind, how it tracks, how quietly it runs, and how consistently it holds tension over time.
Keder’s wind-rated, zipperless outdoor screens are engineered to eliminate callbacks. The company’s patented V-Track retention platform is designed specifically for exterior openings and the stresses that come with them, delivering smooth, quiet operation without the failure points integrators know too well.
Products are purpose-built for long-term integrity under stress to ensures installations remain profitable after installation.
“Keder Screens delivers motorized outdoor screens engineered for the real world—high wind, large openings, and daily use—so integrators can specify with confidence, reduce service calls, and protect margin,” said Kim Parker Head of Business Development and Partner/Owner of Keder Screens. “Built on our patented V-Track retention platform with wind-tested performance and industry-leading warranty support, we’re here to help the channel win outdoor projects without taking on unnecessary risk.”
Engineered for fewer failures, built for CI workflows
Keder Screens centers its offering on three proof pillars that perfectly align with what integrators need most when specifying outdoor living:
1) Reliability under real conditions
Keder Screens products are engineered to withstand high wind and frequent use without relying on zipper teeth or magnets that can jam, tear, rattle, or wear prematurely. The system’s retention approach is designed to prevent common pull-out and blowout issues that lead to service calls.
2) Integration-ready outdoor living
Keder Screens supports smart home control expectations with common control experiences—including voice, app, and wall switch operation, and motor technology from Somfy, Alpha and Keder’s own motors. This ensures integrators can deliver reliable outdoor comfort that feels like a natural extension of the home’s overall control ecosystem.
3) Spec and design flexibility that helps projects close
The line supports both performance and aesthetics with material and fabric options tailored for outdoor environments, including Omega Pro from Yuma, OmegaTex and bug screen options from Twitchell. Products incorporate Greenguard Gold materials, are backed by a 10-year performance warranty, and are supported with CAD/BIM resources to streamline design collaboration and specification.
Built to win back integrators who’ve been burned
Keder’s products are designed to address the reasons outdoor screens become a “high-risk” scope item:
- Wind-rated stability: Rated 100+ mph (up to 18′ × 14′ in published specs) with retention designed to prevent common pull-out/blowout issues—helping integrators re-enter outdoor projects with confidence.
- Zipperless + magnetless retention:
- No zipper teeth to jam or tear
- No magnets clicking/clacking in operation
- Locked-in bottom bar and controlled movement
- Built from lessons learned in the field after years of installs
- Dealer enablement that makes Keder easy to sell and safe to specify: Tools and programs designed to reduce friction from quote to close, including a Patio Visualizer, a streamlined cut-sheet workflow, training (in-house and onsite), and warranty confidence aligned with real-world performance.
“If outdoor jobs have burned you, you don’t need more features—you need fewer failures,” said Kim Parker, Head of Business Development and Partner/Owner of Keder Screens. “We’re not trying to be your whole ecosystem, but we are the outdoor reliability specialist you can trust. Connectivity is table stakes—outdoor survivability is the variable that kills profit.”
Differentiation: built for outdoors, not adapted for it
Keder Screens is intentionally separating its value from three common competitive approaches in the market:
- AV screen brands extending outdoors: strong AV heritage, but outdoor reliability is the fight integrators are actually losing—and paying for.
- Shade brands selling protocols + price: fast quoting is helpful, but mechanical survivability is what protects project outcomes and category perception.
- Traditional zipper/magnet systems: known failure points that can lead to pop-outs, jammed corners, track noise, and wind-related warnings that frustrate clients.
These details and everything Keder Screens puts into its products aren’t just important, they are mission critical.
“I didn’t start Keder Screens to make small tweaks—I started it because I’ve been the one on the ladder fixing the same predictable failures,” said Justin Collins. “Our goal is straightforward: give dealers an outdoor screen platform engineered to perform in real conditions, reduce callbacks, and make every install cleaner and more dependable.”
For dealer inquiries, product information, and CI channel resources, visit kederscreens.com.
About Keder Screens
High Performance Outdoor Shades Designed to Stay Down, Stay Quiet, Stay Tight.
Keder Screens is a Dallas-based manufacturer of custom outdoor screen systems featuring its patented V-Track™ retention technology. Operating as a DBA of International Shade Products Inc., the company partners with dealers nationwide to deliver high-performance outdoor shading solutions—and to raise the engineering standard across the category. Founded by Justin Collins, the company designs solutions engineered for real-world conditions—high wind, large openings, and daily use—to help residential custom installation professionals deliver luxury outdoor living with fewer failures, fewer service calls, and greater confidence from specification through long-term ownership.
Learn more about Keder Screens by visiting kederscreens.com.
Media Contact
Katye McGregor Bennett
KMB Communications
katye@kmbcomm.com
406-446-1283
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