We’re just over half way through 2026 and it’s shaping up to be one of the best years yet for home cinema enthusiasts. We’ve seen new, cutting-edge TV technology in the form of RGB TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Hisense; fantastic active speakers from Klipsch and Edifier; and new luxurious high-end open-back headphones that have blown us away.
To help you sort through this year’s cavalcade of great gear, we’ve put together a list of 25 award-winning products that deserve a spot in your home theater or listening room. This list of products is sorted in alphabetical order to avoid any bias or claims of favoritism, so be sure to scroll all the way down to see the complete list of winners.
TVs
Samsung S95H OLED
The Samsung S95H OLED TV earned my 5/5 star recommendation because it sets a completely new benchmark for OLED performance. It delivers fantastic brightness that confidently challenges traditional LED sets without compromising the sophistication of black levels. Thanks to a Glare Free display, the TV looks spectacular in both dark home theaters and bright living rooms. It even features fantastic gaming capabilities with low input lag right out of the box. — Kate Kozuch, Managing Editor
Sony BRAVIA 9 II TRUE RGB TV
The Sony Bravia 9 II True RGB TV is an absolute masterclass in modern LED technology and is, undisputedly, the champion of the current RGB display revolution. I recommend it for its astounding luminance and virtually invisible blooming, getting as close to OLED I’ve ever seen in terms of black levels. Delivering nearly 4,000 nits peak HDR brightness on a glare-reducing screen, this TV is the ultimate premium choice for bright room viewing. — Kate Kozuch, Managing Editor
TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED TV
While the rest of the industry is zigging toward RGB technology, TCL is sticking to white light-driven Mini-LED and ratcheting everything up to 11. SQD…