Strategy in TECH...
San Diego, CA-based Wrensilva, maker of high-performance, hand-crafted console music systems, has launched a new version of its Studio model console in an attractive White Oak finish. While this finish has been available on both their M1 and The Standard models for some time, this is the first time it is available for its Studio model, which was introduced earlier in 2026.
Just a little more than a year after being acquired by AVPro Global Holdings, leading residential and commercial custom integration brand RTI announced this week a dramatic expansion of its commercial amplifier lineup. This new series of DSP matrix amplifiers with accompanying zone controllers brings bulletproof technologies, expanded features, and helps RTI expand its beachhead in the commercial channel.
At CEDIA Expo 2026, Sonance announced the all-new James Natural Collection, a design-forward line of on-wall speakers that set a new standard in both audio and visual performance. Utilizing high-quality premium natural materials, the Natural Collection delivers a truly superior performance that looks as though it was literally designed for that home.
The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA), in connection with the CEDIA Expo 2026 (now owned by Apollo Global Management and managed by Forge), announced a series of Smart Home Awards for 2026. The tagline or theme for this contest was “Beyond What You See,” which was intended to suggest that these awards “captured the outstanding achievements in innovation, technical excellence, and design.”
A panel of judges assembled by the association considered all candidates’ entries and rendered their decision, with awards presented at a ceremony that took place at CEDIA Expo 2026 in Denver last week. In this post, I will highlight those winners I feel deserve even greater recognition.
Russound announced this week that it has selected and appointed Michael Everett as Vice President of Sales. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Everett brings extensive market intelligence and a vast skill set to help advance Russound’s business to the next level.
In an overall challenging global economy, Sony Group recently released financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026. The company reported a solid 8% or ¥216.2 billion of revenue growth for a total revenue in the quarter of ¥2.83 trillion. Even more impressive, the company reported that net income grew 32%. While operations did improve, the lion’s share of these overall gains was due to a favorable foreign exchange rates and the return of tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s “reciprocal tariffs” program as illegal.
Still, Sony Group had a lot of positives to talk about.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based AVPro Global Holdings, parent company of AVPro Edge, AudioControl, RTI, Bullet Train, Murideo, ProControl, and ThenAudio, is a leading house of brands in custom integration for both the residential and commercial markets. And now we’ve learned that the AVPro Global train just keeps rolling down the track, picking up momentum at every turn, based on the announcement this month that it has once again qualified for, and been recognized by, Inc. (which owns Inc. Magazine) as one of the 5000 fastest-growing privately owned companies in America.
As our industry has transitioned from the retail consumer electronics trade to the more sophisticated, professionally installed home automation and smart home systems based on IP networks with sophisticated and sensitive control systems, the game has changed. Sensitive equipment like the electronics being installed today can be susceptible to power supply quality issues. This can lead to system performance problems, equipment failures, reduced system lifespans, unhappy clients, and profit-robbing additional truck rolls to try to solve often vexing, intermittent conditions.
Now integrators can offer an affordable and effective solution called Wavecrest that prevents these problems from occurring in the first place.
Universal Electronics Inc. (Nasdaq: UEIC) – one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of remote controls – made several consequential announcements at the end of last week, including its second quarter of Fiscal 2026 financial results, a significant management shakeup, the launch of an infringement lawsuit against Amazon, and the issuance of a special dividend for investors.
That’s a lot of change for one company…
On Wednesday, Sonos, Inc (Nasdaq: SONO) released the results for the third quarter of Fiscal 2026 and, on the face of it, things looked pretty good. The company reported revenues in the quarter increased by 9% and net income was $29.9 million versus a loss in the quarter last year of $3.4 million. Investors reacted strongly, driving up the value of the stock by, 8% at one point – and that was on a down day on Wall Street. Shares of SONO closed up 4.3% after flying higher earlier in the day.
Then on Thursday, the value of Sonos stock reversed course and sank by a startling 17.6%!
