Best Products of 2015: Home Theater

LG's 4K OLED casts inky shadows so black, they simply swallow the competition

By Caleb Denison Published December 30, 2015

best products of year home theater 2015 dt bestof lg ef9500 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Winner
LG EF9500 4K Ultra HD OLED TV

Each year, we get to review the best TVs from all of the top manufacturers. Usually, picking the “best” is an arduous task – the competition is fierce and plentiful – but making a call this year was a piece of cake. Frankly, LG’s first flat 4K Ultra HD OLED TV is everything we were hoping to get in 2015 … and then some.

Contrast is perhaps the most important aspect of a TV’s picture quality, and when it comes to contrast, OLED technology reigns supreme. Since OLED pixels are self-emitting (they make their own light) they are able to go completely black when turned off. True black is the basis for the best possible contrast, and, ultimately, picture quality.

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The brightest LCD TVs in the world may dazzle with their brilliance on the short term, but OLED’s deep blacks and a complete absence of halo effect and other backlight anomalies wins out on the long term.

There is no television that can do what the LG EF9500 can do

Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic all deserve recognition for redefining what LED televisions can, do. But OLED remains vastly superior, and now a 55-inch or 65-inch OLED isn’t much more expensive than a competing flagship LED TV.

With LG’s best OLED yet, expect those perfect blacks, brilliant and luscious colors, and one of the thinnest TVs you’ve ever seen. It makes everything you watch look its absolute best. You’ll also get a slick motion-controlled remote control and our favorite smart TV interface, WebOS.

Bottom line: There is no television that can do what the LG EF9500 can do. Own this TV, and you’ll be the envy of everyone on the block … at least until LG comes out with its next OLED TV.

Runners up

Sennheiser Orpheus

Sennheiser-Orpheus — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Don’t get hung up on the $55,000 price – yes, we know it’s more than your car – Sennheiser’s Orpheus headphone system gave us the most moving, life-altering sonic experience we’ve ever had. Imagine being placed on an emotional roller coaster where the soundtrack is the ride. More importantly, though, all the next-gen tech at work here will change headphones in the future, and that gets us really excited.

Sprout by PS Audio

Sprout-by-PS-Audio — Image used with permission by copyright holder

No audio device introduced in 2015 makes as much sense as the PS Audio Sprout. This handsome all-in-wonder is a phono preamp, headphone amp, DAC, Bluetooth receiver, and speaker amplifier, all housed in a super-handsome, compact chassis. After using it daily for six months, we’re convinced we can’t live without it.

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Editor at Large

Digital Trends Editor at Large Caleb Denison is a sought-after writer, speaker, and television correspondent with unmatched…

Audio / Video

GoldenEar Speakers joins Paradigm, MartinLogan, and Anthem

GoldenEar T66

After the news last month that Bose had acquired the McIntosh Group, we have another interesting shift in the premium audio world. PML Sound International -- the parent company of storied audio brands Paradigm, MartinLogan, and Anthem -- has welcomed GoldenEar Speakers into the fold. It was just under five years ago when it was announced that GoldenEar had been bought by The Quest Group, the owner of AudioQuest and DragonFly, upon the retirement of GoldenEar co-founder Sandy Gross.

Starting January 1, GoldenEar will be known as GoldenEar Studio Inc. PML has announced the operations will pause for the month of January to ensure a smooth transition. During that time, GoldenEar orders will not be processed or fulfilled, with operations resuming on February 3. PML has also assured that "existing warranties and service support will be honored, and they will continue to receive the same level of product quality and customer service when business resumes."

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Here’s how Apple’s AirPods Pro hearing assistance stacks up to professional results

Apple's hearing test in iOS 18.1.

Apple made waves when it announced that its AirPods Pro 2, when combined with iOS 18.1, could fulfill the role of OTC hearing aids. Given that OTC hearing aids can often run as much as $1,500, it seemed too good to be true that the same hearing benefits could be had for just $249 or less. Better yet, given the popularity of Apple's wireless earbuds, there's an excellent chance that those who could benefit already own them (if you live in a country where Apple's hearing aid feature has been approved).

So how good are the AirPods Pro 2 as OTC hearing aids?

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The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K is the perfect stocking stuffer, and it’s on sale

A promo image of the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD.

If you’re struggling to come up with last-minute gift ideas, an Amazon Fire TV Stick makes for a great stocking stuffer, and it won’t break the bank. And while these streaming devices are pretty cheap, to begin with, the following offer makes buying one all the more appealing:

For a limited time, when you purchase the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K through Amazon or Best Buy, you’ll only pay $28. At full price, this model sells for $50. We tested this tried and true streamer all the way back in 2020, and reviewer Ryan Waniata said, “Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K offers killer features at a great price.”