Residential Systems - March 2026

FEATURING

• 2026 CES Picks Awards Winners

• O utdoor Pathway Light and Sound

• N ailing Home Theater

Space Planning Early

NAVIGATING THE LANDSCAPE

Creating an Outdoor Oasis for an Ohio Riverfront Home

A conversation with a recipient of the CEDIA Foundation’s donor-supported

Stop shouting and start attracting more clients.

By Katye McGregor Bennett, Founder & CEO, KMB Communications

Disruption can’t be scheduled — your business has to be ready to take advantage when the time comes. By Matt Bernath

18 Tech Showcase — 2026 ‘Residential Systems’ Picks Awards Winners

As we do each year, the staff at Residential Systems has named their Picks Awards winners for CES 2026. Only products that were submitted to the awards program were eligible to win; entries were judged based on their potential impact on the custom installation industry (…and some by how cool they were).

30 Review

Waterfall Audio Niagara XT3 Glass Speaker

Waterfall’s new Niagara XT3 is a loudspeaker with a cabinet made entirely of 10mm thick platinum safety glass, making for a stunning visual appearance that becomes a statement art piece all on its own.

By John Sciacca

The

By Christiaan Beukes

Harnessing

By Robert Bacci, Sales Manager at Coastal Source

Creek Landscaping integrates light and audio into a scenic riverfront yard in Ohio.

By Anthony Savona

Into the

the right manufacturer to partner with as you enter the category is a key decision.

By Karen Mitchell

A Trip to the Other Side

BY ANTHONY SAVONA

In the iconic 1989 version of Batman, Jack Nicholson’s Joker asks, “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” After near backto-back visits to both CES and ISE, I think I know.

Sure, one is consumer technology and one is trade, but it is hard not to make comparisons when they have a similar structure — throngs of exhibitors showing off the latest and greatest in large, feet-destroying venues. Exhibitor-wise, CES takes the cake with 4100 to ISE’s 1700, but somehow ISE feels bigger. Also, CES and ISE may have similar versions of products, but the ones at ISE are built to be run over by a truck and keep working.

For those who don’t know, ISE is a joint venture between CEDIA and AVIXA that takes place the first week of February in Barcelona. There are eight halls filled with gear (8.1, technically), with residential tech being the main focus of Halls 1 and 2 and the rest taken up with commercial displays, sound reinforcement, collaboration, digital signage, and much more.

The resi halls did not disappoint, with the first in-person look at the new Sonos Amp Multi, more than a dozen new products from JBL Synthesis/ Arcam, a new super-thin in-ceiling speaker from Sonance, and giant booths from TCL and Hisense (which also lent space to their digital signage businesses). The Luxury Immersion Cinema demo, which featured gear from ASCENDO, Barco Residential, and StormAudio, and built by PrimeTheater was a real treat.

And while I loved all that, I really enjoyed getting to explore the creativity of our adjacent industries — and they did not disappoint, either!

The ISE Show Daily office, where I spent a lot of time, was next to Hall 3, which had the giant commercial displays. They were dazzling in both the images they could produce and the unique shapes they could be found in. Samsung was there with its innovative screens, but crowds still formed around the Micro RGB TV that debuted at CEDIA Expo last September. The compelling power of resi in action!

Not surprisingly, the most lively part of the show was the live sound area. Walking into the hall made you think you were hitting the stage at the Eras Tour: Smoke machines were blasting from several booths, while spotlights danced around the ceilings and aisles.

Then there were the audio demo rooms, many of which were set up as if a live performance was about to take place — full rigs of speakers, lights, and, of course, smoke. Though the rooms were closed off, the bass could be felt at different beats as you walked down the hallway.

If you have gone to a concert and stared at the line arrays or been overly critical of your local commercial movie theater (who, us?), then you would be in awe in most of the halls at ISE. I appreciated the chance to take it all in.

I started with a movie quote, and now I will end with one: As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” so, while I enjoyed my escapades in Halls 3 through 8.1, Halls 1 and 2 will always have my heart.

March 2026

Volume 27, Number 3

CONTRIBUTORS

KATYE MCGREGOR BENNETT

Katye McGregor Bennett is chief strategist and CEO of KMB Communications and an avid podcaster. Podcasts include Connecting Tech + Design and AV Trade Talk.

MATT BERNATH

Matt Bernath is a CE veteran with more than two decades in retail, wholesale, CI, and business coaching. In 2021, Matt and a group of partners acquired VITAL, and Matt now serves as the company’s president/CEO.

HENRY CLIFFORD

Henry Clifford is president of Livewire, an integration firm in Richmond, VA. He also serves on the CEDIA Business Working Group and writes a bi-monthly blog for www.residentialsystems.com.

CHRISTIAAN BEUKES

Cinema designer Christiaan Beukes is celebrated for blending rigorous engineering with creative innovation. With more than two decades of experience, he has helped redefined the standard for what is possible in private cinema.

KAREN MITCHELL

Karen Mitchell is a freelance writer based in Boulder, CO. She has written about the AV industry from both sides now — residential and commercial — for several years and still finds it most intriguing and fast paced.

JOHN SCIACCA

John Sciacca is a principal with Custom Theater and Audio, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In his free time, he blogs prolifically about the CE industry. cineluxe.com

Residential Systems (ISSN 1528-7858) is published monthly by Future B2B. 130 W. 42nd St, 7th Floor, NY NY 10036. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to PO Box 1051 Lowell MA 01853. PRINTED IN THE USA.

Meet Winston: 1 of 100 Techs in 100 Days

A conversation with a recipient of the CEDIA Foundation’s donor-supported training initiative.

When Winston Guerrero first spotted the hidden technology behind a friend’s automated home, something clicked. After a decade repairing medical devices in high-pressure, fast-moving environments, he realized his skills could translate into a new frontier: the professional smart home industry. That’s where the CEDIA Foundation’s 100 Techs in 100 Days program — a donor-supported training initiative designed to give aspiring technicians the tools, knowledge, and confidence to launch a career — came in. For Guerrero, completing the program became a springboard to a new role with Boston-area integrator and CEDIA member, SimpleHome.

In this Q&A, Guerrero shares what drew him to the program, what excites him most about his new career, and how the CEDIA Foundation’s training continues to support him on the job. We also spoke with SimpleHome’s COO, who took a chance on this industry newcomer and discovered the value of fresh talent.

RESI: How did you find out about CEDIA’s 100 Techs in 100 Days award and what motivated you to apply?

WINSTON GUERRERO: I first saw the 100 Techs in 100 Days program on CEDIA’s LinkedIn. Earlier that summer, I’d been at a friend’s outdoor gathering and started noticing all the hidden technology around the home, then realized the entire place was automated. Having serviced medical devices for nearly a decade, I was immediately hooked. I figured the AV world must have its own version of AAMI, so I did some research and found CEDIA. After exploring their page, I saw the program, applied, got accepted, and dove in. I completed it, and I honestly loved every part of it.

Have you always been interested in working with technology, or did receiving this award spark a new interest?

I’ve always had a passion for technology. I’ve spent 10 years servicing medical equipment and studying biomedical engineering technology. But receiving this award opened my eyes to the smart home industry and really pushed me toward building a career in home technology.

How did the CEDIA Foundation’s 100 Techs in 100 Days program help you prepare for a career in the professional smart home industry? The program helped me tremendously. It covers the essentials: tools, fasteners, construction materials, job-site professionalism, and more. I still go back to the modules to stay sharp and refresh what I’ve learned.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

I’m excited to grow into a knowledgeable, skilled integrator

who can confidently install and service the complex systems we handle at SimpleHome. I’m lucky I’ll be surrounded by extremely talented integrators and technicians here, and to learn from them every single day.

The

Boss’ Perspective

A Q&A with Guerrero’s boss — Mark Rosa, chief operating officer, SimpleHome.

What stood out about Guerrero that made you confident in hiring him?

MARK ROSA: His enthusiasm and passion for our industry made it clear how genuinely interested he is in this field. He also showed strong adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to be mobile, qualities that are essential at SimpleHome.

How did Guerrero’s background or training prepare him for this role? He comes from a high-pressure technology support environment where he repaired analyzer machines in hospitals. That role required constant travel, quick problem-solving, and the ability to react to last-minute needs — making him extremely nimble and well-prepared for the pace of our industry.

What will his first few weeks on the job look like?

Winston’s first few weeks on the job will be focused on getting familiar with our company’s operations, resources, and team. Initially, he will spend time learning about our sites, reviewing our documentation, and understanding the core processes that drive our work. During this period, he will be shadowing senior technicians, observing their workflows, and gaining hands-on experience in the field.

This immersive approach will allow Winston to learn directly from experienced team members and begin applying the knowledge he’s acquired to real-world situations. Throughout this time, he’ll receive continuous support and guidance to ensure he’s on the right track and can gradually take on more responsibilities as he becomes more confident and skilled.

What does it mean to you that your company is one of the first to be connected with new talent through the CEDIA Foundation?

We’re excited to have access to such a strong pipeline of new talent. We’ve supported CEDIA since the early days and have seen firsthand how they uphold high industry standards. Being able to tap into that network is both valuable and inspiring. For more information, visit cedia.net.

Winston Guerrero

Turn Marketing Into a Magnet, Not a Megaphone

Stop shouting and start attracting more clients.

BY KATYE MCGREGOR BENNETT, FOUNDER & CEO, KMB COMMUNICATIONS

If your marketing feels like yelling into the void, you’re not alone. Homeowners are tuning out promos faster than a bad opening band, and the integrators who are winning aren’t shouting louder, they’re being more useful. That’s the whole point of “attraction over promotion,” and it’s where your 2026 marketing needs to focus.

Most integrator marketing still sounds like this: “We do whole-home audio, lighting control, networks, and security.” Homeowners read that and think, “Cool, so does everyone else.” Then they close the tab and go back to scrolling kitchens on Instagram.

Instead, your job is to translate what you do into the problems you solve and the feelings you create.

Here’s an exercise: Take your top three services and rewrite each as a homeowner outcome and feeling. One sentence only. If a non-technical friend doesn’t get it, keep trimming.

The One-Great-Post-a-Week Model

Let’s be honest: “We’re going to post every day!” lasts about two weeks, right up there with “no more late-night email.” Instead of going wide and shallow, go narrow and deep. Each week, commit to one genuinely useful, problem-solving piece of content. Then squeeze everything you can out of it. For example:

• Core topic: “Three Things to Decide Before You Talk to Any Integrator About a Media Room [or other topic of interest].”

• Format options:

• Short article or email (ideal for targeting design-build and boutique luxury firms).

• Simple checklist PDF for volume-focused firms to hand out in the showroom or attach to quotes.

Pick one question, write a helpful answer in plain language, then move on to the next section before perfectionism shows up and ruins your week.

Repurpose Without Burning Out

That one useful piece? It’s not “a post.” It’s a content piñata — hit it a few times and let ideas fall out. From one weekly topic, you can get:

• One blog or email.

• One authentic, short, talking-head video (no need for Spielberg-level production).

• One carousel or multi-image post breaking the main idea into bitesized chunks.

• One story or short video showing a real-world example. Don’t try to be everywhere. Instead, try to be consistently helpful in a few places your ideal clients and trade partners pay attention.

Make It Ridiculously Easy to Start

Here’s a four-week “Attraction Over Promotion” challenge you can complete between site visits and service calls:

Week 1 – Problems and Feelings

• List your top three services.

• Rewrite each as: “We help you [do/avoid] ___ so you can feel ___.”

• Share one of these as a short post and one as a quick video.

Week 2 – One Great Guide

• Pick one recurring question you often get.

• Write a 400–600-word answer or a one-page checklist.

• Email it to your list with a short note: “We made this to make your next project easier.”

Week 3 – Show, Don’t Tell

• Share photos or short clips from a recent project (get and document permission first).

• Tell the story in three beats: the problem, what you did, how life feels now.

• Aim this content at your main audience:

• Luxury: Lifestyle and emotion.

• Volume: Reliability and simplicity.

• Design-build: Coordination and avoided pain.

Week 4 – Review and Repeat

• Ask: What got the most replies, clicks, or real conversations?

• Do more of that. Do less of what got crickets.

• Plan your next month’s topics using the same “one great post a week” structure.

Attraction Over Promotion Is a Discipline

This isn’t about being louder; it’s about being the most useful guide in your market. The integrators who win in 2026 will be the ones homeowners and trade partners trust before they ever pick up the phone.

If you commit to solving problems in public once a week and tailoring how you talk to match who you serve, your marketing shifts from “necessary evil” to magnet. And that’s a lot more fun than shouting about whole-home audio into the void.

Why Good Managers Fail at Innovation

Disruption

can’t be scheduled — your business has to be ready to take advantage when the

time comes.

BY MATT BERNATH

As my business partner Brent and I prepared for our annual book club, I asked ChatGPT for a list of classic business books. We had agreed to choose two non-fiction business books each: one had to be a classic, and the other one needed to be written in the last ten years. When The Innovator’s Dilemma appeared, something told me to pick it, despite it being such a dry, academic read.

Twenty-five years ago, Brent read this book in business school and felt he got a lot from it. Rereading it now, with decades of actual business experience, completely transformed his perspective. The same thing happened to me. What seemed academic became immediately practical.

The question isn’t whether disruption will happen. It’s whether you’ll recognize an opportunity when it shows up unexpectedly.

The Market Nobody Saw Coming

In the early 1960s, Honda tried competing with Harley-Davidson in America. They failed spectacularly. Two frustrated Honda executives took their little 50cc Super Cub delivery bikes and rode them around Los Angeles just for fun, basically ready to admit defeat and go home. But someone saw them riding and asked where to buy one.

That’s it. That random encounter revealed the off-road motorcycle market in America. A market that didn’t exist. A market no amount of research would have uncovered. A market that grew to 5 million units annually within five years.

I keep coming back to this pattern: The people who seek disruptive technologies seem to fail more than those who just experiment and listen. You’re not hunting for the next big disruption. You’re creating space to stumble onto opportunities, then recognizing what you’ve found.

The Separation That Actually Works

Every conversation about service hits the same wall. “We tried it. Didn’t work. Too expensive to send project guys on service calls.” You’re using the wrong team with the wrong economics measured by the wrong standards. If you want to experiment with service, create a separate team. Don’t burden your project crew with service calls using project economics. Give service its own people, pricing models, and success metrics.

I’ve watched integrators succeed and fail at this for years. The ones making service work hired different people, created different pricing, and established different measures of success. They gave service permission to be its own thing. The ones that failed tried bolting service onto existing operations. Same crew. Same cost structure. Same expectations. Different results were impossible.

This applies beyond service. Any genuinely new initiative needs its own

space. Not just a budget line, not just a side project, but actual separation with its own rules.

What Data Can’t Tell You

I’m a data person. My entire business revolves around metrics and benchmarking. But I’ve learned something uncomfortable about data’s limits: You can’t research your way to disruption.

Customer feedback tells you how to improve what you already do, but it tells you nothing about markets that don’t exist yet. Honda’s off-road buyers weren’t shopping for Harleys. Your future service customers might not be your current project clients.

This doesn’t mean you should abandon data. It means recognize what data can and can’t do. For sustaining innovation, making your current business better, data is gold. For disruptive innovation, discovering entirely new opportunities, data is useless until after you’ve already found something.

The goal is having a culture of experimentation so that when you stumble upon something interesting, you recognize what you’ve found.

Making This Practical

The conversation about disruption gets theoretical fast. Here’s what actually matters for integration business owners: First, separate teams for separate initiatives. Your project crew can’t simultaneously optimize for project work and build a service operation. Give service its own people, pricing, and metrics. Second, recognize that customer feedback guides sustaining innovation brilliantly but predicts disruptive innovation poorly. Listen when improving existing offerings. Don’t expect customers to tell you what completely different thing to try next. Third, build financial headroom before you need it. Experiments require resources. The businesses that adapt when markets shift are the ones with capacity to try things. Fourth, accept that expert forecasts about new markets are always wrong. Always. You can’t plan your way to disruption; you have to xperiment your way there.

The best discoveries rarely come from research. They come from staying in the game, trying things, and paying attention when something interesting happens. The businesses that thrive won’t be the ones that predicted the future correctly. They’ll be the ones that built enough headroom to experiment, enough humility to learn, and enough discipline to recognize opportunity when they stumble onto it.

For more insights on building integration businesses with the operational foundation and strategic flexibility to adapt to whatever comes next, check out The Flywheel Effect podcast.

Trust Is the New SEO

How integrators can gain visibility in an AI-first world.

BY HENRY CLIFFORD

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock since December 2022, you’re probably well aware of the rise of AI and the effect it’s having on every aspect of our lives. Your business is no different. Think about the last time you had a purchase decision to make online. Where did you head? Was it Google or ChatGPT? The new economy, the search economy, traffics in answers as opposed to results. Your online presence now needs to be compatible with a whole host of new visitors, including search engines hungry for AI summary data, autonomous AI agents, and impatient prospects. Let’s peel apart the complexity and break it down into simple steps.

Be Clearly Defined

AI must instantly understand who you serve, what you do, and where. This may sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised by how many websites don’t make these three key elements simple and easy to understand. If a human can’t summarize you in one sentence, AI can’t either.

Build Verifiable Trust Signals

You need consistent, current business info across the web, reviews, and directories. This one is boring but necessary. It’s also not a oneand-done. Your business is no different than a ship. Once you finish painting it, it’s time to start again. Assign someone in the organization to champion this work and put it on a semi-annual or monthly cadence depending on the activity. The big players to keep up with are platforms where your name, address, phone, services, and reviews must be consistent and current:

• Must-Optimize (Non-Negotiable): Google (Search + Google Business Profile); Bing (feeds Microsoft Copilot); Apple Maps

• Homeowner Trust Platforms: Houzz; Yelp; Nextdoor

• CI Industry Authority: CEDIA; HTA; manufacturer dealer locators (Control4, Savant, Crestron, etc.)

Audit your reviews and testimonials to ensure you’re keeping customers happy while replying to each one quickly. Recent social proof is hands down the least expensive, highest return rocket fuel for your company. While there’s a lot of tech available to collect reviews, the actual ask itself should be face to face at the end of a project while the customer is gushing about how happy they are.

Add Pricing Context

Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. Most integrators are uncomfortable talking about price online because they fear being shopped, misunderstood, or commoditized. Google is now filtering search results based on pricing transparency. Unless you start talking about price, you risk getting skipped all together by major search engines and AI tools.

Use ranges, budgets, or “starting at” guidance. Eliminate call-for-pricing and start using online estimate or instant pricing calls to action with tools like Priceguide (full disclosure: I’m a co-founder) or the HTA budget calculator.

Create a one-pager or section explaining how pricing works and what affects cost.

Optimize for Questions, Not Keywords

This shift is about creating content that directly answers real homeowner questions in plain language rather than chasing search terms and setting cash on fire with a Google Ads spend.

Publish FAQs based on how clients actually ask questions. Marcus Sheridan wrote an amazing book called They Ask You Answer about this nobrainer practice. Think of all the questions a customer might ask (“How much does X cost?,” etc.) and write short- and long-form content while shooting social media video content featuring beginner’s offerings like time-lapsed installations and product reviews.

Ask Your Marketing Firm the Right Questions

If you’re already the center of the universe in your business for sales, installation, and operations, adding all these new marketing activities will feel overwhelming. I strongly recommend hiring a third party to take the ball while practicing the art of demanding and expecting. If you’re thinking, “I can’t afford to pay someone to do this,” I want to challenge that perspective by asking how many new projects would make it worth it? Better yet, even if you decide to not “play to win” but would rather “play not to lose,” you’re now facing loss of business in either scenario without an active strategy to preserve and enhance the marketshare you already have. Inaction is no longer an option.

Schedule a meeting with your marketing partner (or begin interviewing new vendors) and ask them all the following questions. The right partner will anticipate these:

1. “Can AI accurately recommend us today?”

2. “What trust signals are we actively strengthening?”

3. “What five things should we do with our online presence right now to gain better visibility with AI?”

Once you’ve finished your initial AI reboot, use tools like AI Trust Signals or ChatGPT to get a sense of how you’re seen by large language models (LLMs). I’ve included a prompt below for any LLM to get a quick sense of how you’re doing.

AI Visibility Self-Check (Works With any LLM)

Prompt: Visit my company’s website and evaluate how well it would be recommended by AI to a homeowner. Grade us (A–F) on clarity of what we do, trust signals, pricing transparency, question-based content, and overall AI recommendation readiness. Briefly explain each grade and list the top three improvements.

Good luck with your AI reboot and rest easy knowing you’re still ahead of much of your competition. The rules will continue to change, so get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That persistent question of “What else can I be doing to keep pace with AI?” will serve you well in the coming weeks and months.

Nailing the Space Planning Early

The first, most important rule in private cinema design is simple: Get the space right from the start.

BY CHRISTIAAN BEUKES

When it comes to private cinemas and high-performance entertainment spaces, one truth stands above the rest: The room itself is the single biggest determinant of success. You can spend a fortune on the finest equipment or choose the most exquisite finishes, but if the space isn’t planned properly from the outset, everything else is compromised.

For architects and designers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that cinema rooms come with very particular requirements that don’t always align neatly with conventional layouts. The opportunity is that, if considered early enough, these requirements can be integrated seamlessly into the wider architecture, avoiding awkward compromises later.

This is why the first and most important rule in private cinema design is simple:

Get the space right from the start.

Seating: The Anchor of the Room

The starting point for cinema planning is not the projector or the speakers — it’s the seats. The audience is, after all, the reason the space exists. Every other design decision cascades from where people sit.

Key considerations include:

• Distance from walls: Placing seats flush against boundaries is a recipe for poor sound, as low frequencies bunch up near surfaces. A meter or so of clearance makes a big difference.

• Sightlines: Each viewer should have a clear, unobstructed view of the screen, with appropriate vertical and horizontal angles. If the screen is too low, the front row cranes upward; too high, and the back rows lose comfort.

• Row count: Be wary of over-seating. More rows often dilute quality. One well-designed row of four seats can outperform three compromised rows of six. Start with the question: How many seats will genuinely be used most of the time?

A common client request is to maximize seating. “We’d like three rows of eight.” On paper, it sounds impressive. In reality, cramming too many people into a modest footprint ruins performance for everyone. The front row ends up too close to the screen, the back row too near the rear wall, and the middle squeezed in between. Sound becomes uneven, sightlines awkward, and comfort sacrificed.

A smarter approach is to tailor seating to actual use. If the family will typically watch as a group of four, design the room around an exceptional experience for those four. A second row can be added for occasional guests, but not at the expense of the primary seats.

Technical Space: The Hidden Hero

Cinemas are technology-heavy rooms, but the best ones don’t look it. Projectors, amplifiers, servers, and cabling all need somewhere to live. If these are crammed into joinery at the back of the main room, you inherit heat, noise, and maintenance headaches.

The ideal solution is a small tech room behind or adjacent to the cinema. This allows the projector to fire cleanly through a port window (as in commercial cinemas), while the racks hum away silently out of sight. For architects, this is a gift: a chance to conceal complexity and preserve the purity of the main space.

Acoustic Isolation: Don’t Disturb, Don’t Be Disturbed

Private cinemas are often located in basements or within family homes. Without isolation, sound leaks out — disturbing the rest of the household — and external noise leaks in, destroying the immersion.

High-performance isolation typically requires independent layers of structure, with air gaps and specialist materials. This can add up to 400mm of build-up on each surface. That’s a lot to “steal” from a plan if it wasn’t allowed for at the start. With early design, clever detailing can reduce this footprint, but it must be considered in the space budget.

Speakers, Subs,

and the Importance of Exactness

Unlike lounge speakers that can be shuffled around post-completion, cinema loudspeakers and subwoofers are precision instruments. Their locations are governed by strict geometry: angles, distances, and phase relationships. Move them a few centimeters off, and performance suffers.

This is why even door placement can matter — an opening in the wrong spot can collide with a critical speaker location. Early coordination between architect, interior designer, and cinema consultant avoids these conflicts.

Conclusion

Getting the space right from the start is the single most important factor in private cinema design. It’s not about being “big enough,” it’s about being thoughtfully planned.

With the right dimensions, seat placement, technical zones, and isolation strategies built into the architecture from day one, you create the foundation for a room that can deliver true magic.

Leave it for later, and you’re forever fighting compromises. Plan early, and the cinema becomes not just a technical marvel, but a seamless extension of the architecture, a space that feels as intentional and considered as any library, office, bedroom or kitchen in the home.

NAVIGATING LANDSCAPE THE

Hidden

Creek Landscaping

integrates light and sound into a scenic riverfront yard in Ohio.

By Anthony Savona

Normally, Residential Systems does not feature landscapers, but Hillard, Ohio’s Hidden Creek Landscaping is not your typical landscape company. Sure, lawn care and tree trimming are all part of the package, but, as evidenced by a recent whole-home remodel in Dublin, Ohio, there is a lot more to this business.

For this 1.5-acre property, Hidden Creek not only designed and installed the pool, patio, outdoor kitchen, and spa, but it also handled all the landscape design, including outdoor lighting and audio.

“We’ve been doing lighting for the last 15 years,” says Jason Cromley, CEO of Hidden Creek. “I really enjoy the lighting; to me it’s the gamechanger. You don’t want your clients leaving your patio to go inside just because it got dark. That’s the best time to be outside. The lights change the ambiance of space. The security aspect of lighting is the no-brainer — it does that automatically.

“We’ve been installing Coastal Source for about six years, starting just with lights and then adding the speakers in the last three years,” he continues.

“Coastal Source has made it super-easy to approach audio, but, right now, when something goes wrong, there are only a couple of people on staff who know how to go out and fix it. We are going to upgrade our education throughout all the staff to teach them what’s going on with outdoor audio.”

The firm does have experience with automation, Control4 in particular, but it will work with an integrator to make sure the inside and the outside work together as the client needs. “Four out of five times the client already has an integrator they are working with,” says Cromley, “but every once in a while we’re able to bring somebody in that we know, and that’s always great.”

Two views of the pool area — one from the house and one from the river (inset) — show the variety of lights on the property. The “focal tree” is on the right of this photo.

Lighting the Way

For this project, the new homeowners wanted to do a complete remodel, and so they brought in a general contractor who in turn brought in Hidden Creek. The outdoor scope of the project was big, including the building the pool, kitchen, and other amenities. But for the family to get the full effect of those spaces, Cromley knew that the lighting and sound would play a large role.

For pathway lighting, Hidden Creek used a series of Coastal Source fixtures, including Classic Hat Path lights on the walkways, Niche curved and square path lights to highlight transitions and edges, and Niche wash lights embedded in the stonework. Well lights were used to add uplighting to plantings and hardscape.

“The Niche lights in the limestone treads are probably some of the hardest to do,” Cromley notes. “You’re drilling through a piece of stone that weighs 400 pounds and you’ve got to go through it without causing a fracture point. So, putting those in at the right location is never easy to do, but it does go to show the skills and the quality and the patience of the team we have that makes sure we get that right.”

Although there were plenty of lights being used, Cromley thought a key type was missing. “One of my favorite lights is the Tiki light, but there were zero Tikis in this project,” he says. “We were doing an onsite training session with our team where we place the lights and explain why we put them there, and I had asked how many Tikis were going in. When they told me they didn’t put any in, I took out two Tikis just to show my team how they work. The homeowner saw them and asked about them and…we sold nine of them.

“Clients don’t know what they don’t know, and he didn’t know Tikis were an option. I told my designers that they missed out on a huge opportunity, but what better way to do it than where the client asked for them rather than you trying to upsell them.”

While Tiki lights are a favorite of Cromley, they can’t be used to light his favorite illuminated object: “Boulders are my favorite thing to light,” he confesses. “They never grow, you don’t have to prune them, and they never die. Once you put a light on a plant, in two years you’ve got to move the light because things have adjusted. But when you get to light a boulder — boom. Let’s just hit that boulder and never change it.”

Finding the Focal Tree

The opposite of the simplicity of lighting a boulder would be lighting the giant trees that surround the property and frame the view of the river. Coastal

Source Uni Ball tree lights were used to create the overhead canopy effects.

“We did quite a few lights set up at the bottom of the tree, working our way up, which is typical,” explains Cromley. “We’re usually using a Bullet on a riser when we can. We like to keep those in the landscape so that we’re not trying to mow around them.

“We sent our guys down to Coastal Source training in Kentucky a couple of years ago where they learned some downlighting techniques,” he adds. “We started to see what downlighting can bring, so we put that into our portfolio this year. We made sure that it’s three lights up and three lights down on some of the larger trees.

“And you must find your focal tree. There’s a hundred trees on this property, and they can’t afford to light them all. So, what’s the one tree that, when they’re inside, is the one they want to look out and see? In this case, it was the one that’s across the pool. As you go up that tree, you’ll see lights coming down from that tree.

“A lot of landscapers are not going to go up in a tree. They don’t want to take the wire up there and they don’t want to secure it to the tree the properly. We’ll do it. And we’ve learned, after a lightning strike at this property, that there’s a kit Coastal Source puts on the downlights in case the tree is hit. A special fuse kept the whole system from blowing because it blew the fuse right at the fixture itself. So, Coastal Source knew this, saw it, prevented it, and made it happen the right way.”

Coastal Source lighitng helps highlight pathways and the different levels.

Jason Cromley enjots lighting boulders because they never change.

Outdoor Sounds

The outdoor audio system features four Coastal Source Razor 220 white speakers that were retrofitted onto the deck and four 10.0 three-way Bollard speakers were placed around the fire pit and outdoor kitchen zones. The speakers are powered by Coastal Source’s SAS600/4 and CRS700/4 amplifiers.

“This is this is a big yard, and if I had carte blanche to design it, I would have had 14 speakers going from the upper deck to the fire pit to the spa to the outdoor kitchen to the sitting patio. Nothing extreme — just plenty of little speakers by those spaces and then bigger ones all the way down to the shoreline so they could have their music just thumping if they wanted to hear while they are out on the water.

“Those speakers are on my radar for this year,” he adds. “That’s the nice thing about the Coastal Source system: If the client wants to upgrade the amp, we just have to take out the current amp and put a new one in. The wire’s there, so we’ve got everything we need. We always give ourselves an out to be able to add extra gear down the line. There’s definitely that opportunity.”

Future Visions

Cromley has plenty of ideas on how to keep enhancing this customer’s home, and, as their regular landscaper, he has constant contact with them in addition to a regular maintenance contract. That is a great help in overcoming what he calls “financial fatigue” after a big job.

“The beauty of doing the maintenance for two or three years is that we never leave their mind,” says Cromley. “So, when they’re ready to add additional lights and speakers, I’ll have my people do it. We try to give our clients their space after a big project — do just the basics, maintain it, and then be ready to say, ‘Now it’s time, right?’ They see the value of what they’ve already gotten, which makes it easy for us to make a short-term client a longterm relationship.

“We try to give the client all the opportunities to be very happy with their investment and have even more opportunities to keep enhancing as time comes. Note that I said ‘enhancing’ and not ‘maintaining.’ No one wants to pay for an oil change or to switch the tires on their car. No one ever wants to do that, but you have to.”

Cromley is fairly certain he will be adding additional lights to this home at some point because he has experienced their addictive qualities for himself. “I blew the budget at my own house,” he concludes. “Every single year I’ve added lights to the project — and it’s not one or two, it’s around 15. I think I’m up to 90 lights in my backyard, and my yard is a third of the size of this project here!

“Lights are addicting because you see the instant value. Lights will enhance your patio, your steps, your boulders, and your plants. The beauty of what lighting brings to the table is that it highlights all the different layers that you already have in place.”

For more information, visit https://www.hiddencreeklandscaping.com.

The are pathway lights for stairs and stones.

Coastal Source Razor 220 speakers are used near the deck.

TECH SHOWCASE

2026 RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS PICKS AWARDS WINNERS

Learn more about the products that took home this year’s prizes.

As we do each year, the staff at Residential Systems has named their Picks Awards winners for CES 2026. Only products that were submitted to the awards program were eligible to win; entries were judged based on their potential impact on the custom installation industry (…and some by how cool they were).

Here are the Residential Systems Picks Awards winners for CES 2026:

1 Arqaios ALLIE Smart Home

Arqaios is redefining what a smart home can be by embedding intelligence directly into the infrastructure people already touch every day: light switches, power outlets, and air vents. This approach, recognized with a CES Innovation Honoree Award in the Smart Home category, transforms ordinary fixtures into a distributed sensing and response system that can automate rooms, reduce wasted energy (targeting up to 40% savings), and extend the runtime of home backup power by prioritizing essential circuits during outages (targeting up to 60% longer runtime).

At the core of Arqaios is privacy-first sensing. Using mmWave radar and environmental sensors, the fixtures understand occupancy and movement through non-identifying point cloud data, not cameras. This enables realtime room awareness that goes beyond simple automation.

More Info: https://arqaios.com

2 AWOL Vision Aetherion Max Projector

At the core of Aetherion Max is AWOL Vision’s proprietary PixelLock technology, a precision alignment system designed specifically to overcome the inherent optical challenges of ultra short throw projection. UST systems are uniquely prone to pixel drift, color fringing, and image softness due to their extreme projection angles and complex light paths. PixelLock solves these issues by fusing and synchronizing every pixel across the entire image, ensuring perfect alignment and edge-to-edge sharpness even at massive scale. As a result, Aetherion Max is the first UST projector capable of preserving full 4K fidelity on a 200-inch screen without compromise.

The PixelLock system is paired with a class-leading optical engine featuring a DLC-coated lens system that boosts light transmittance to 99.97% while reducing parasitic reflections by 30 percent. A sapphire-series

optical lens with a high refractive index along with the motorized dust-seal lens cover enhance durability, while an ultra-thin terminal imaging lens ensures uniform light distribution and minimal dispersion. Aetherion Max produces stunning images straight out of the box, while also offering deep customization for enthusiasts seeking precise control. With 3300 ISO lumens, 6000:1 native contrast, and up to 60,000:1 enhanced black level contrast, the projector delivers bright, punchy images with deep blacks and refined shadow detail.

More Info: https://awolvision.com/

3 DESLOC V150 Plus Smart Lock

The V150 Plus Smart Lock introduces a new approach to powering connected home devices through the industry’s first integration of perovskite solar technology in a residential smart lock. Traditional solar panels require strong direct sunlight, but this fully integrated perovskite surface can produce energy in everyday lighting conditions, including shaded porches, cloudy weather, and low indoor light. By generating usable power in these real-world environments, the lock helps homeowners avoid the common cycle of battery replacements seen in standard smart locks.

This integrated solar surface works together with DESLOC’s industryfirst light-sensing energy management system. While the solar panel gathers energy, the management system measures how much light is available and how much power the lock needs at any given moment. It then adjusts energy use in real time, drawing more power when light is limited and conserving energy when brightness increases.

More Info: https://Desloc.com

4 Govee Ceiling Light Ultra

The Govee Ceiling Light Ultra is designed as a creative canvas, transforming traditional ceiling illumination into a platform for expressive, dynamic visuals. It features an ultra-high-density RGB LED matrix with 616 fully individually controlled LEDs, enabling vivid patterns with enhanced visual detail. With its 616-pixel LED matrix, the Ceiling Light Ultra features a display-grade matrix to deliver enhanced visual detail for vivid patterns. The upgraded AI Lighting Bot 2.0 turns simple descriptions into ready-

to-use visuals, making creative lighting accessible to anyone. Besides 20+ preset lighting effects, the DIY canvas allows users to create richer, more expressive visuals with up to eight layers of motion, color, and shapes.

Delivering a 5000-lm high brightness, this solution effectively illuminates large family spaces between 200–300 square feet. With CRI 95 natural color rendering, objects and skin tones appear true-to-life and comfortable to the eye, creating an authentic visual experience. The 2700K–6500K tunable white range transitions from warm and cozy ambiance to bright and focused illumination.

More Info: https://us.govee.com/pages/ces2026

5 Hisense 116UXS RGB MiniLED evo

With the 116UXS RGB MiniLED evo, Hisense evolves RGB color technology into its most advanced and expressive form yet. At the core of the 116UXS is Hisense’s RGB MiniLED evo architecture, an evolution of traditional RGB display systems. Standard RGB structures rely on red, green, and blue primaries to reproduce the visible spectrum, but they struggle to fully render subtle tones and gradients in regions where human

vision is most sensitive. RGB MiniLED evo advances this foundation by introducing Cyan as an additional dedicated color channel, expanding the color palette beyond what three-primary systems alone can achieve. This enhancement allows the display to reach up to 110% of BT.2020 color scale, delivering more nuanced mid-tones, smoother color transitions, and greater depth across scenes, resulting in purer, more lifelike color with fewer compromises than conventional RGB-based displays.

More Info: https://www.hisense-usa.com/

Hisense UR9 RGB MiniLED TV

6

As the second generation of Hisense’s RGB architecture, first introduced in 2025, the UR9 offers richer primary colors, cleaner tonal separation, and more consistent color accuracy. UR9 combines expanded RGB color reproduction, reaching up to 100% of the BT.2020 color scale, with peak brightness levels exceeding 5500 nits. This balance allows bright scenes to remain vibrant and detailed without washing out color, and ensures darker scenes retain depth and realism. Color doesn’t fade as brightness increases; it holds its integrity. UR9 maintains stable, accurate

color in bright living rooms and during fast-paced sports, films, and gaming. Highlights stay colorful rather than blown out, gradients remain smooth, and motion preserves tonal consistency, creating a viewing experience that feels cinematic yet comfortable for everyday use. It is available in screen sizes ranging from 55 up to 100 inches. A refined industrial design and Devialet-tuned audio system complete the experience.

More Info: https://www.hisense-usa.com/

7 Hisense XR10 4K TriChroma Laser Projector

Built on Hisense’s proprietary TriChroma laser architecture, the XR10 fuses ultra-high brightness, wide color coverage, and studio-grade detail with a flexible design that adapts to virtually any room. At the heart of the XR10 is Hisense’s LPU 3.0 Digital Laser Engine, enabling 6000 ANSI lumens of brightness. That means vivid, lifelike images even in rooms with ambient light, and even at massive sizes. A precision 16-element all-glass lens system ensures higher light transmittance and maintains clarity and color fidelity across the full image. The XR10 is designed to reveal deeper blacks, crisper detail, and true-to-life contrast even at high brightness levels. The dynamic IRIS system automatically adjusts the light output in different levels based on personal preference, optimizing black levels and image depth in real time. The result is a high 6000:1 contrast ratio that enhances everything from dramatic shadows to colorful landscapes.

More Info: https://www.hisense-usa.com/

8 Jackery Solar Gazebo

The Jackery Solar Gazebo represents a new generation of outdoor infrastructure that merges renewable energy generation with architectural

design and everyday lifestyle needs. More than a traditional gazebo or a standalone solar installation, it reimagines how solar power can be integrated into residential environments by transforming outdoor living spaces into functional, energy-producing assets.

By integrating photovoltaic technology directly into a freestanding outdoor structure, it expands usable living space while generating renewable electricity, without altering or placing additional burden on the main building structure. At the core of the Solar Gazebo is a 2000-watt photovoltaic system built with industrial-grade solar modules, delivering up to 10 kWh of power per day under optimal conditions. With a high cell efficiency of 24%, the system provides reliable energy for lighting, outdoor appliances, garden equipment, e-bikes, and electric tools, while also supporting the charging of Jackery power stations.

The Solar Gazebo elevates outdoor living through thoughtfully integrated functionality. Built-in AC outlets, including two 120V 15A outputs, are recessed and protected to IP54 standards to ensure safe and convenient power access. Integrated lighting enhances usability after sunset, while optional shade accessories allow users to adapt the space for all-day comfort.

More Info: https://www.jackery.com/

9 Kidde x Ring Smart Smoke Alarm and Combo Alarm

The latest KiddeSmart alarm offers cutting-edge sensing technology and seamless Ring App integration. Experience whole home smart connectivity for every compatible Kidde alarm in the home through wirefree interconnectivity and get real-time notifications at home or away, including smoke and low-battery warnings. This Ring App-enabled smoke

alarm features enhanced sensing technology to reduce false alarms often caused by cooking. Crystal-clear voice alerts announce “Fire!” to warn you of danger. Optional Ring subscription with 24/7 smoke monitoring allows trained agents to request emergency help in case of alarm. Powered by two AA batteries (included) for easy installation, it is comprehensively tested to meet UL standards.

More Info: https://www.kidde.com/

10

Linkplay Technology WiiM Amp Ultra

WiiM Amp Ultra serves as the central hub for passive speakers in modern homes. Whether driving bookshelf speakers in a living room, powering floorstanding speakers in a home theater, or streaming highresolution music in a multi-room setup, it provides clean power, precise DSP, and broad device compatibility. Through the WiiM Home App and universal casting support — including Chromecast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Alexa Cast, DLNA, and Bluetooth 5.3 LE Audio — users can stream from any major platform without ecosystem restrictions. HDMI ARC with Dolby Digital decoding enables integration with TVs for compact yet powerful home theater use.

Amp Ultra is designed for users seeking an elegant, intelligent alternative to bulky AV receivers or complex components while still providing true audiophile performance. The amplifier features a unibody aluminum chassis, a 3.5-inch glass touchscreen, and precisely machined controls to create a clean, modern aesthetic that fits any environment. The dense aluminum housing adds durability while acting as a natural heat sink for silent thermal management. Internally, the device uses dual TI TPA3255 Class-D amplifier chips delivering up to 100 watts per channel at 8 ohms (200 watts at 4 ohms), an ESS ES9039Q2M SABRE DAC supporting 32bit/384 kHz playback, and six TI OPA1612 op-amps for extremely clean analog output.

More Info: https://www.wiimhome.com/wiim-amp-ultra/

11

Lockly TapCom

Lockly TapCom is a patent-pending, app-free video intercom and access solution designed for short-term rentals and multifamily complexes. It acts as a directory for multifamily buildings and complexes, with a simple phone tap via NFC or QR code — no downloads, account setup, or Wi-Fi needed. Guests can unlock doors, talk to hosts via the web-based video intercom, receive real-time updates from hosts, view suggested activities in the area, and more. The result is faster, frustration-free check-ins and easier communication from the moment of arrival.

The embedded video intercom has an optional cloud recording subscription to provide a secure archive of guest interactions. Advanced subscription tiers expand capabilities to include sharing access across multiple phones, code revocation, and compatibility with most major

smart locks, offering a scalable, future-proof access management system.

More Info: https://lockly.com

12 MALTANI Corp. SOLADUO

SOLADUO is an innovative solution that provides mental stability and comfort beyond simple lighting. The California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) of UC Davis conducted an interdisciplinary research with The Center for Mind and Brain (CMB) of UC Davis to study how people recover from stress under specific lighting conditions. Using five different colors, Davis Amber color, found in the SOLADUO, induced stress recovery 70% more effectively than a white LED color. It can also produce SunLike White, which is human-centric light created to emulate natural sunlight. Seoul Semiconductor developed a LED module that is designed to aid concentration and promote health and well-being. Mimicking natural sunlight, SunLike White helps balance circadian rhythm to enable comfortable rest and improves eye health by reducing eye fatigue level. SunLike White uses a high color rendering index (CRI-97) and low light reflection to vividly illuminate natural colors without distortion.

More Info: https://maltani.co.kr/eng/

13 Micro-Star International EZgo Portable EV Charger

EZgo is a high-power 40A/9.6 kW portable EV charger engineered to remove the limitations of fixed charging infrastructure and deliver fast, flexible, and reliable charging anywhere life takes drivers — at home, at work, or on the road. EZgo features a detachable dual power-cord system, supporting NEMA 5-15 (120V) for everyday home charging and NEMA 14-50 (240V) for high-power travel charging. Drivers can swap cords based on location, eliminating the need for multiple chargers and simplifying charging across different environments. A 25-foot charging cable, combined with support for Type 1 (J1772) or NACS connectors, ensures broad compatibility with today’s EV ecosystem. Designed to seamlessly transition between home and travel use, EZgo can be wall-mounted as a primary home charger or stored compactly in a vehicle trunk for on-the-go charging—delivering true portability without compromise. A 1.8-inch on-unit display provides realtime charging status, delayed scheduling, and manual current adjustment, while the MSI aConnect app enables fast Bluetooth pairing and multiuser sharing without exclusive device binding, making EZgo ideal for households, shared vehicles, and fleet scenarios.

More Info: https://evse.msi.com/products/EZgo

14 RayNeo Air 4 Pro entry

High-quality movies, games and streaming content have become part of everyday life, but the time people can truly sit down to enjoy them is often fragmented. RayNeo Air 4 Pro is created as a direct response to

this reality. Designed as a head-mounted TV and the world’s first HDR10enabled smart glasses, it folds a cinema-class large-screen experience into a lightweight pair of glasses. When users finally have a moment to sit down, it lets them immerse themselves in cinema-level visuals, more engaging gaming experiences, and an overall elevated sense of viewing.

Air 4 Pro brings HDR capability into a near-eye form factor through a customized Vision 4000 display chip driving a 0.6-inch SeeYa Micro-OLED panel. It enables HDR10 playback on an effective 135-inch virtual screen, with up to around 1200 nits of to-eye brightness and refresh rates up to 120 Hz. As screen usage rises, eye comfort has become essential to the overall viewing experience. A 3840 Hz PWM mixed-dimming solution, combined with low-flicker control, helps reduce visible flicker at lower brightness, which is especially valuable for long sessions in dim environments such as aircraft cabins or bedrooms. Users can switch between Standard, Movie and Eye-Protection modes, and fine-tune brightness across eight levels to match different environments and sensitivities.

More Info: https://www.rayneo.com/

15 Reolink OMVI X16 PoE Panoramic-PTZ Security Camera

As an all-in-one 24MP triple-lens security camera, Reolink’s new flagship OMVI X16 PoE redefines what next-generation security looks like, earning recognition as a CES 2026 Innovation Awards Honoree. At the core of the OMVI X16 PoE is a 24MP triple-lens optical system that combines a 16MP dual-lens panoramic module with a 4K 8MP PTZ lens to capture both the full picture and the finest detail simultaneously. The panoramic module delivers an uninterrupted 180-degree ultra-wide field of view, while the PTZ camera provides 16× optical zoom for sharp, pixel-preserved close-ups, even at long distances. Together, they enable users to monitor expansive

environments without sacrificing the ability to investigate critical moments with precision. This powerful optical system is supported by a sophisticated triple-motor architecture, enabling dynamic and fluid multiaxis movement. The panoramic lenses feature a 0–22-degree motorized tilt, while the PTZ lens offers 360-degree endless high-speed horizontal panning and 140-degree vertical rotation.

More Info: https://reolink.com/

16 Samsung The Frame Series

From its bezels, to the size, to the art options, The Frame is all about customization. In 2026, Samsung is taking that idea even further. The Frame 2026 will be offered across a range of sizes, including the first-ever 98-inch Art TV. And across every size, The Frame will have its connections built-in, with new back stoppers for easy access to all your ports. It also maintains its signature slim design, shipping with an updated Slim Fit Wall Mount in-box to further reduce the gap from the wall. Meanwhile, The Frame Pro will offer a new 55-inch size, keeping its Neo QLED 4K display for even brighter colors, sharper contrast, and deeper blacks. Plus, it’ll continue to ship with the Wireless One Connect Box for a clean, clutter-free setup. The full series will also be refreshed for 2026 to offer enhanced Glare Free technology and an improved Game Mode with DLG support up to 240 Hz.

More Info: https://www.samsung.com/us/

17 Segway Navimow i2 LiDAR Robotic Mower

The Navimow i2 LiDAR robotic mower brings advanced solid-state LiDAR technology to everyday residential lawn care. Designed as a true “drop-and-mow” solution, the i2 eliminates the need for perimeter wires, antennas, or complex setup, allowing users to place the mower on the lawn and begin mowing immediately. At the heart of the i2 LiDAR is Navimow’s

high-resolution, built-in solid-state LiDAR system. Unlike exposed, spinning mechanical LiDAR used in many competing products, Navimow’s LiDAR is fully embedded and non-rotating, making it significantly more durable and resistant to scratches, impacts, and wear over time. With more than four times the resolution of first-generation LiDAR systems, 96 beams, nearly 200,000 points per second, and a 20 Hz frame rate, the i2 creates an ultra-dense, highly accurate environmental map that enables fast, responsive navigation — even in confined or crowded spaces. The system detects and avoids more than 200 types of obstacles, including still objects, suspended objects, and moving animals. The i2 LiDAR further enhances usability through Geo-Sketch intuitive 3D mapping, which generates a precise, interactive digital map of the yard.

More Info: https://navimow.com/

18 Superheat H1

Superheat introduces a new category of household appliances by redesigning the electric water heater through a powerful shift: replacing the resistive heating element with a processor. In both cases, electricity is ultimately converted into heat; the key difference is that a processor performs computation while generating the same amount of heat and using the same amount of energy as a heating element. Superheat captures the processor’s thermal output to heat water for residential and commercial use. Hot water remains the primary function, but the same energy that would normally produce only heat, now also produces computation. This establishes a new class of appliances capable of generating economic value without increasing the household’s power consumption.

The H1 is a fully functional and fully certified water heater that integrates a high-efficiency Bitcoin mining module with a custom-designed heat exchanger. Bitcoin mining offers a uniquely precise mechanism for demonstrating the system’s economic value: electrical energy becomes directly measurable financial output, while all heat is fully reused for water heating. In-house testing and strategic partners are already reporting reductions of up to 79.12% in hot-water energy cost, effectively transforming the water heater into an appliance that offsets its own operating cost..

More Info: https://www.superheat.xyz/

19 TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro

With screen time rising, people increasingly find themselves battling eye dryness and fatigue long before the day is over. Driven by its mission to make technology more human, TCL has developed the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro, redefining users’ relationship with electronic device, shifting it from something you feel you should use less, to a dependable digital companion that brings certified all-day, full-scenario eye comfort to all, enabling users

live fully and screen freely anytime, anywhere.

While many devices promise comfort, TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro offers measurable, built-in differences. It brings TCL’s latest NXTPAPER 4.0 technology into a 6.9-inch 120 Hz FHD+ display, elevating eye comfort to a new horizon through its integrated seven eye-care technologies, creating a viewing experience that feels calm, clear, and surprisingly natural in various lighting conditions and across diverse usage scenarios. The device offers reflection-free and anti-glare technology enhanced by nano-matrix lithography, ensuring crystal-clear and true-to-life visual even in harsh light outdoors with the industry’s lowest specular reflection rate.

More Info: https://www.tcl.com/global/en

20 Ultrahuman Healthcare Home

Ultrahuman Home is a next-generation ambient sleep monitoring system designed to help people understand — and improve — the quality of their sleep by analyzing the environment in which it happens. Built on cutting-edge sensing and AI technology, Ultrahuman Home delivers deep insights into sleep disruption, respiratory health, and recovery without requiring anything to be worn. By combining environmental intelligence with advanced sound analysis, Ultrahuman Home transforms the bedroom into a smart, responsive health space — working quietly in the background while you sleep.

The system tracks and interprets key environmental factors using established sleep science, including light exposure, noise patterns, air quality and CO₂, and temperature and humidity. By correlating these factors with overnight disturbances, Ultrahuman Home shows not just that sleep was disrupted, but why.

More Info: https://www.ultrahuman.com/home/

21

XGIMI TITAN Noir Max

At the heart of TITAN Noir Max is XGIMI’s most advanced dynamic IRIS system to date, boosting native contrast to 10,000:1. This system reshapes how light and shadow interact on screen, revealing depth, texture, and nuance that elevate every scene. Blacks deepen without crushing detail, highlights retain structure and intent, and subtle visual elements — fabric textures, reflections, low-light motion — remain visible and precise.

Supporting this visual performance is a re-engineered SST DMD architecture designed to handle higher light power densities while maintaining stability and longevity. An upgraded thermal pathway dissipates heat more efficiently at the chip level, enabling sustained brightness, reduced thermal stress, and reliable performance across extended viewing sessions and demanding environments.

More Info: https://xgimi.com

STEPPING INTO THE LIGHT

Finding the right manufacturer to partner with as you enter the category is a key decision.

By Karen Mitchell

As more integrators move into the lighting category, it’s important to know what to look for in a fixture manufacturer and which products to recommend to homeowners.

“In our experience, the lighting category is the fastestgrowing category for most integrators,” says Blake Matthew, national sales director, residential, PureEdge. “It’s a profitable category and one that makes a lot of sense, given that the integrators are already providing the lighting controls and other low-voltage devices/products within a home. Most of the integrators we speak with already offer lighting as one of their core services. Those that don’t are looking at it as a way to grow business and value to customers.

“The PureEdge focus was shifted to the AV channel about a year and a half ago as it became obvious that custom integrators would be the most effective way to grow its residential business,” he adds. “Most integrators are new to PureEdge, but we do have some existing customers in that space that we’re helping to educate and provide an increasing amount of value to.”

Luminii is seeing what James Pepper, director of sales, national accounts, calls a balanced mix: “About the same number of new dealers entering LED lighting for the first time as existing dealers who are actively seeking out Luminii. That pattern makes sense as integrators become

more educated in the category and start making more intentional product decisions. While price always matters, we’re consistently seeing dealers prioritize longevity and long-term performance, especially when they’re lighting high-end spaces where quality needs to match the environment they’re working in.”

“Most integrators step into lighting because they realize something important: Lighting affects everything else they already do,” says Mike Libman, sales vice president, custom integrators, DMF Lighting. “They own the controls, the programming, and the long-term relationship with the homeowner. When lighting decisions are made late or left to someone else, it often creates problems; they’re still expected to fix poor dimming, glare, color mismatch, or fixtures that don’t play nicely with the control system.”

What DMF hears again and again is that this wasn’t about selling more “stuff.” It was about protecting the experience. Integrators saw that if they didn’t take ownership of lighting, it could undermine the entire system they were delivering. “We help make that step easier,” Libman notes. “Our fixtures are designed specifically for the CI channel, and our support is built around education and real-world execution. Integrators don’t feel like they’re jumping into something unfamiliar; they feel like they’re expanding into a category they’re already well positioned to lead.”

The PurEedge Trapeze 360 is a customizable chandelier that achieves a visually interesting mixture of loops and straight lines.

SPONSORED BY DMF LIGHTING

is the one 1

The one with minimal glare

The one with maximum output

The one with effortless serviceability

The one for an entire home A one-inch aperture like no other

The lighting fixture category continues to gain strong momentum as integrators look to deliver more complete, experience-driven lighting solutions. “Fixtures are increasingly viewed not as standalone products, but as an essential part of a unified home lighting ecosystem,” says Melissa Andresko, chief corporate brand ambassador at Lutron Electronics. “This shift is driving broader market engagement, and we’re seeing more integrators deepen their involvement in the category as they look to meet growing homeowner expectations.”

Lighting has the power to transform a space, shaping how it feels, how it functions, and how it evolves throughout the day. “For integrators entering the lighting fixture category, it’s essential to understand that a great lighting experience is not defined by the fixtures alone, but by how the fixtures, drivers, and controls work together as a unified system,” Andresko adds.

“Key considerations,” she continues, “include quality of light, color temperature, beam control, dimming performance, and wiring, all of which vary by application and environment. Because lighting integration is a collaborative process, integrators often work closely with lighting designers, interior designers, and architects to ensure the final solution supports the homeowner’s lifestyle and the intent of the space. To support integrators, Lutron provides lighting certification and training, specification resources (photometrics, IES files, wiring diagrams, and application guidance), plus pre-sales design assistance and field service support. These tools help integrators confidently and successfully add fixtures while ensuring a consistent, reliable lighting experience for their clients.”

Finding the Right Manufacturer Partner

The lighting market in 2026 is extremely competitive and heavily saturated. “Over the past five years, we’ve also seen a major increase in what I’d call ‘box-in, box-out’ manufacturers’ brands that source products directly from overseas vendors, often in Asia, and bring them to market with minimal engineering input,” Pepper explains. “In many cases, innovation is driven by the overseas supplier, which typically results in products centered around higher lumens at lower cost.

“Luminii helps integrators understand that lumens alone aren’t a true measure of quality. In many instances, high lumens result in premature

failure and poor color control. Lighting should be designed for a specific purpose, and performance has to support the space, not just a spec sheet.”

Matthew says he would first ask about what is different or unique about the manufacturer. “My second question would revolve around education and support,” he adds. “Even if a product is amazing, its value is limited if the integrator can’t get information or answers to their questions when they need it. When an integrator uses our products on a job, they’re including us in a valuable and oftentimes long-lasting relationship with their customer. It’s our responsibility to be cognizant of that and make sure that we make the integrator look good with their customer. We do that by getting them information efficiently, helping them troubleshoot issues when they do arise, and being willing to do what’s necessary to make sure our partner integrators are supported and their jobs go smoothly.”

Education is crucial, being that lighting is a newer category for many integrators. “As such, we offer online and in-person training for our integrator partners that covers a range of topics, from lighting design to the PureEdge product line and its applications, and finally, hands-on installer training,” Matthew says. “Almost as important as having amazing products is our ability to educate our integrator partners and be a resource for them as they learn more and more about lighting and spend more and more of their time selling and installing lighting to their customer base.”

“The most successful projects,” Libman says, “introduce lighting right alongside controls, shading, and automation. When lighting is part of the initial conversation, it stops being a late-stage decision and becomes part of the home’s overall story. Our job as a manufacturer is to support that moment. When integrators can show how light changes throughout the day, how it supports lifestyle, and how it integrates seamlessly with the rest of the system, clients immediately understand the value. Lighting makes the experience tangible.”

Latest Offerings

“We’re seeing integrators move away from one-off fixtures and toward complete lighting systems, and that’s where DMF really shines,” Libman says. “Conversations today center around three key areas: digital lighting with Artafex PhaseX, architectural linear lighting with Artafex Linear, and our newest release, Artafex 1, which redefines what a 1-inch downlight can do. Artafex PhaseX has been a big driver because it brings tunable white, ultrasmooth 0.1% dimming, soft zoning, and centralized digital control to both recessed and linear lighting, using infrastructure integrators already understand. It allows them to deliver human-centric lighting and consistent performance across the home without complicating the install.”

Artafex Linear matches DMF’s recessed products and has also become a go-to. Integrators are using it in coves, shelving, toe-kicks, and indirect applications to add depth and softness, layering light in a way that elevates the entire space.

“Traditionally, 1-inch fixtures were limited to accent lighting due to compromises in output and glare control,”

DMF Lighting’s Artafex 1 delivers up to 1000 lumens with glare control using DMF’s 3-Stage Optic. It also supports tunable white with PhaseX.

Libman says. “Artafex 1 changes that. It delivers up to 1000 lumens with exceptional glare control using our patent-pending 3-Stage Optic, supports tunable white with PhaseX, and offers remote drivers and belowceiling serviceability. The result is a unified lighting ecosystem, recessed, linear, and digital, that meets architectural, aesthetic, and performance expectations all at once. The introduction of Artafex 1 represents the next evolution of this system-based approach. Historically, 1-inch downlights were limited to accent use due to high cost and compromises in output, glare control, and serviceability. It is the first true 1-inch architectural downlight designed for whole-home applications, delivering up to 1000 lumens with exceptional glare control through DMF’s patent-pending 3-Stage Optic.”

“At PureEdge, the latest additions to product offerings are the MicroTrack and Trapeze,” Matthew says. “The MicroTrack system sets a new precedent for minimal and efficient track lighting systems. It is a fully modular system, in that there are both track heads and linear elements that can be integrated into it, as well as connectors and components that allow for customization to suit the specific space. The track is ¼-inch wide, and the luminaires are incredibly high-output for their size. This system is offered in recessed, surface mount, and suspended versions. The Trapeze 360 product is a customizable chandelier that makes use of our 360 illuminated channel to achieve a visually interesting mixture of loops and straight lines. This gives the integrator the opportunity to also be the fixture designer and tailor the fixture to the specific customer preferences and applications.”

“Luminii just launched its Generation 2 LED Tape after 20 months of development, and it’s a major leap forward,” Pepper says. “LED tape is not ‘just tape.’ This new platform delivers unmatched color consistency, best-in-market efficacy, and maintains competitive pricing at the same time. Generation 2 also strengthens and completes our Myka micro-linear portfolio with Warm Dim and Tunable White options, while standardizing 10mm tape across the portfolio. That matters enormously for high-end residential work, where the goal is to illuminate premium finishes, architecture, and high-value details while keeping the installation quiet, discreet, and visually clean.”

Lutron’s latest residential fixture offerings represent a significant expansion of its intelligent lighting portfolio, highlighting the evolution of its three differentiated lighting families: Ketra, Rania, and Lumaris. “Together, these families give integrators and designers flexible tools

to create layered, experience-driven lighting throughout the home,” Andresko notes. “Recent additions include the Rania Natural White Tape Light, which complements Rania downlights and delivers a broad color temperature range (1800K–5500K) with seamless coordination for high-end residential interiors. Lutron has also expanded its downlight offerings with the Ketra and Rania D2 Remodeler downlights, bringing high-performance, system-based lighting to remodel applications, making it easier to deliver exceptional light quality and control in both new and existing homes.”

Within the Lumaris family, Lumaris Downlights, Lutron’s first downlights in this category, offer tunable white lighting (1800K–4000K) in multiple sizes and finishes, ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and other high-use spaces. The Lumaris Tunable White Tape Light pairs seamlessly with Lumaris downlights, providing consistent, linear illumination throughout the home.

“The bottom line,” Libman says, “is that from the client’s perspective, lighting can be overwhelming. Fixture shopping often happens late, under pressure, and without a real understanding of performance or compatibility. The decisions are often left to the electrician or builder to decide. When integrators offer a turnkey lighting solution, clients get consistency, better performance, seamless control integration, and one trusted point of accountability. What we hear most often is relief. Clients are happy not to manage another complex decision, and they appreciate knowing it’s handled by someone who understands both design and technology.”

Flexible, non-metallic, The LOOP® holds a 2" to 5" diameter bundle of CAT 5 or fiber optic cable without sagging, bending or damaging the cable!

The 2.5" TL25 holds the same amount of cable as a J-hook at 1/2 the COST!

Lutron’s Rania Natural White Tape Light complements Rania downlights and delivers a broad color temperature range (1800K–5500K).

SLAYERED LIGHTING ELEVATES A DESERT ESTATE

USA Integration and DMF Lighting deliver warmth, precision, and control across a luxury new build in Scottsdale, Arizona.

et within the dramatic desert landscape of Silverleaf in Scottsdale, Arizona, this modern architectural residence was designed to feel expansive yet inviting, defined by clean lines, natural materials, and sweeping valley views. While the homeowners had a clear vision for the home’s architecture and finishes, they had limited experience with professionally designed architectural lighting and how much it could influence the way the home would feel once the sun went down.

Recognizing the importance of lighting in realizing the home’s full potential, the homeowner selected USA Integration to design and implement a lighting solution that balanced performance, aesthetics, and ease of use. From the earliest stages, USA Integration focused on education and visualization, walking the client through how layered lighting, warm dimming, and thoughtful control could elevate the architecture beyond what was shown in the original construction plans.

“Once we showed the homeowner what properly designed lighting could do, they were all in,” says Ryan Guss, president of USA Integration. “They went from not really thinking about lighting to realizing how much it could elevate the entire home.”

To bring that vision to life, USA Integration specified DMF Lighting as the primary architectural lighting platform. DMF’s clean aesthetic, modular system design, and consistent warm dim performance allowed the team to layer lighting throughout the home in a way that enhances stone walls, wood finishes, and large architectural volumes, delivering visual comfort and elegance from day to night.

The Challenge

The home’s scale and architecture introduced a unique set of lighting challenges. Tall ceilings and expansive open volumes required precise fixture placement to achieve consistent illumination without over-lighting the space. At the same time, natural finishes such as stone and light wood needed to be highlighted in a way that added depth and visual interest without creating glare or distracting hot spots.

Because the homeowner had limited artwork, architectural surfaces became the focal points throughout the home. This placed greater emphasis on wall washing, beam control, and uniformity across rooms. Ultra-smooth dimming and seamless integration with the home’s automation platform were also essential to delivering a refined, comfortable lighting experience.

“With a home this size, lighting can easily feel harsh if it’s not designed correctly,” Guss explains. “The challenge was making sure every space felt intentional, comfortable, and cohesive — especially at night.”

Lighting Strategy

USA Integration implemented a fully layered lighting strategy designed to balance aesthetics, performance, and flexibility. Downlighting established consistent ambient illumination, while adjustable fixtures were strategically placed to highlight architectural features and focal surfaces. Wall washing played a key role in accentuating stone walls, adding texture and depth throughout the home.

Select linear lighting elements were incorporated as part of the overall lighting design to add softness and visual continuity, complementing the

Photo courtesy of USA

architectural downlighting and accent layers without competing visually. Lighting zones were carefully planned to support different moods and activities, allowing the home to transition effortlessly from bright and functional during the day to soft and intimate in the evening.

“In this home, the architecture and materials really became the art,” says Guss. “The lighting had to enhance those surfaces without ever drawing attention to itself.”

The DMF Lighting Solution

DMF Lighting was selected as the primary architectural lighting platform based on its modular system architecture, performance consistency, and long-term serviceability, key considerations for a large-scale luxury residence with tall ceilings and complex volumes. More than 325 DMF fixtures were deployed throughout the home, allowing USA Integration to standardize on a single platform while maintaining flexibility across ambient, accent, and task applications.

DMF Warm Dim downlights provided the foundation for ambient lighting, delivering uniform coverage with clean ceiling aesthetics and excellent glare control. Adjustable fixtures and wall wash solutions were used to precisely illuminate architectural features and textured surfaces, ensuring even light distribution without hot spots.

Additional layers, including toe-kick, under-cabinet, and task lighting, were integrated where functional illumination was required. Warm Dim performance across the DMF fixtures was essential to maintaining color consistency and visual comfort at low output levels. Prior to installation, the lighting layout was validated through a photometric study, confirming fixture spacing, coverage, and overall uniformity across the home’s spaces.

Controls, Scenes, and User Experience

The lighting system is fully integrated with Crestron Home and enhanced by Josh.ai voice control, giving the homeowner multiple intuitive ways to change the lighting. USA Integration programmed an initial set of scenes during commissioning and fine-tuned them over time to align with the homeowner’s daily routines and lifestyle.

Ultra-smooth dimming was especially important to ensure consistent performance across lighting layers, even at very low output levels. The result is

lighting that feels natural, balanced, and comfortable throughout the home.

One standout scene — humorously named “Sexy Time” by the homeowner — dims the living areas to a warm, low-level glow, creating a dramatic evening atmosphere that highlights architectural features while preserving the home’s expansive nighttime views.

“Until you experience warm dim in a space like this, it’s hard to explain,” Guss says. “It completely mellows out the evening and changes how the home feels.”

Installation Experience and Flexibility

DMF’s modular fixture design proved valuable both during installation and after the homeowner moved in. As the space evolved, certain areas required refinement, including converting wall wash fixtures to adjustable lighting to highlight newly added artwork. These changes were completed quickly, without rewiring or ceiling modifications.

“We were able to pop out a fixture and convert it to an adjustable in minutes,” Guss says. “That flexibility is huge, especially in luxury homes where things change over time.”

The modular system also simplified service and maintenance. In the rare instance a module needed replacement, it could be swapped easily by a technician, minimizing disruption for the homeowner.

Results and Impact

The completed lighting system plays a defining role in how the home is experienced. Layered lighting enhances architectural details, brings warmth to natural materials, and delivers visual comfort throughout the residence.

The homeowner is “over the moon” with the final result, noting how lighting transforms the home after dark. Scenes and automation support both everyday living and entertaining, creating an environment that feels refined, comfortable, and effortlessly adaptable.

“The contractor and architect did an incredible job designing the home, but properly layering the lighting is what truly made it pop and sparkle the way it should,” concludes Guss. “DMF Lighting gave us the flexibility and performance we needed to deliver that level of experience.”

For more information, visit dmfluxury.com.

Niagara XT3 Glass Speaker Waterfall Audio

Chanel. Givenchy. Cartier. Hermes. These French houses are instantly recognizable as global icons of style and luxury fashion.

Louis Roederer’s Cristal. Château Haut‑Brion. Château Pétrus. Château Lafite Rothschild. These French winemakers are prized among oenophiles and widely considered the pinnacle of winemaking craft. Trinnov Audio. Storm Audio. L Acoustics. Focal. Devialet. These companies will be more familiar to Residential Systems readers, and are all French companies pushing the boundaries of high end home audio and theater sound.

Point is, for years France has been a manufacturing hub for some of the finest luxury products in the world, and they have not so quietly become a force in making some of the most premium products in our industry.

To that list of prestigious manufacturers, add Waterfall Audio, whose products are designed and fully assembled in the company’s workshops in the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur region, in the village of Carcès in southeastern

France. Or, as the company likes to say, “Manufactured in France in pure French luxury tradition, famous the world over.”

“Unique” is a word that is often bandied about, but by definition it means “being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else,” and that is the only word that accurately defines Waterfall Audio’s designs, which are truly unlike any other speakers you’ve ever seen. They also might be the perfect solution for the demanding client seeking both high performance and exquisite style and design.

While the company has a full lineup of speakers, including floorstanding towers, in wall, on wall, and even subwoofers, this review focuses on Waterfall’s new Niagara XT3, the pinnacle of the company’s truly unique, all glass loudspeaker lineup. Yes. A loudspeaker with a cabinet made entirely of 10mm thick platinum safety glass, making for a stunning look that becomes a statement art piece all on its own.

Waterfall Audio’s History

Waterfall Audio might be a name new to you

— I actually discovered them about 10 years ago, wandering a hallway at the Venetian during CES, when this all glass speaker literally stopped me in my tracks. The company may have a low profile in the U.S., but it has been around since 1996, with its first speaker debuting in 2000.

Company founder and CEO Cedric Aubriot is a lifelong audiophile who built his first driver at age 10 and never stopped chasing better performance. He knew traditional, braced wood cabinets could sound great, but he wanted to create something “sexy and different and niche” with a higher spousal approval factor.

That search eventually led him to glass. With loudspeakers, it’s the driver movement not the cabinet vibration that produces sound. In fact, cabinet vibration introduces distortion, coloring the audio in ways you don’t want. Glass, besides being visually striking, is extremely dense, so cabinet vibration doesn’t influence the sound. Remove that box coloration and you’re left with the foundation for a very neutral, natural sounding speaker.

Of course, designing a speaker out of glass

By John Sciacca

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KUDOS

Gorgeous, truly unique design and appearance; exquisite craftsmanship; warm, open, and detailed sound

CONCERNS

PRODUCT SPECS

Luxury 2.5-way floorstanding, all-glass tower speaker

Entire cabinet crafted from 10mm platinum safety glass

Speaker base manufactured from solid aluminum wrapped in premium stitched Nappa leather

Features one 20mm Atohm SD20X + glass horn tweeter, two 180mm Atohm LD180 long excursion mid/ bass drivers, and 210mm Atohm UFR210 low-frequency driver

Rated 35 Hz–28 kHz (±3 dB) frequency response

Nominal impedance: 8 ohms; 90 dB sensitivity; 40–250-watt recommended power (500 watts peak)

Dual gold-plated 5-way speaker binding posts

Dimensions: 11.81 x 46.03 x 13.63 inches (WxHxD); Weight: 97 pounds

brings its own challenges. Because glass is dense, hard, and reflective, Waterfall needed a new way to dampen driver energy and control internal reflections. Traditional foam stuffing, the usual solution, wasn’t an option as it would be visible inside the transparent cabinet and ruin the aesthetic. (Aubriot noted that some companies solve this by filling panels with sand, because of its density and inertia. And glass is sand.)

Waterfall’s solution was ADT (Acoustic Damping Tube), a technology the company patented 25 years ago. By placing the damping chamber directly behind the driver, they could muffle energy at the source and control reflections without compromising the visual

impact of the all glass design.

That design has now evolved into the company’s latest iteration, Jetstream Technology, named for its turbine blade appearance that adds another visual flourish. Jetstream further limits the return of the back wave, improves mid and high frequency damping, optimizes air flow pressure for better bass, enhances heat dissipation, and mechanically uncouples the mid bass drivers from the glass structure. All speakers with an “XT” designation include this upgrade.

Since the beginning, Waterfall Audio has partnered with driver manufacturer Thierry Comte of Atohm. This is a 30 year long relationship, and all Waterfall speakers feature Atohm drivers, which are also manufactured in France. Atohm also designs and supplies Waterfall’s RS700 amplifier, used in this review.

One of the company’s oldest models, the Victoria, is now in its fourth generation and has been around for nearly 30 years. Aubriot compares it to the Porsche 911; a design that evolves over decades yet retains its iconic, recognizable shape. He notes that until the recent XT redesign incorporating Jetstream, “the previous Victoria lasted 17 years without changing a screw.”

First Impressions

The first time I realized speakers could be a design element in a room was back when I was a golf professional. A member invited me over for dinner, and he had an Andy Warhol original centered on a wall, flanked by a pair of large Martin Logan towers. The speakers weren’t hiding in the room; they were defining it.

That memory returned when I removed the Niagara XT3s from their packaging. (Technically, my first impression happened pre unboxing when I noticed the serial numbers of my review samples: 0003 and 0004. Rarefied company indeed.)

The XT3s resemble speakers in the sense that they’re tall and rectangular with two black 7 inch mid bass drivers high up front. You see them and know what they are, yet at the same time, they more resemble a sculpture or modernist art installation reinterpreting the idea of a loudspeaker.

The XT3’s meticulous construction elevates fit and finish to the next level. Aubriot claims 0.1 mm precision on the glass assembly, with machining tolerances of ±100 microns, using tools costing millions of Euros and relying on some of the most sophisticated glass

making processes available. The result is visually stunning and a testament to Waterfall’s craftsmanship.

The 10mm safety glass is thick, heavy, and solid, yet beautifully transparent, with a subtle greenish tint where the edges meet. Platinum glass, a modern finish combining glass and platinum, adds clarity and elegance, letting you see into and through the speaker and giving the illusion that the drivers are floating in space, with requisite speaker wiring tracing symmetrically up the front and rear panels.

Equally unique to Waterfall’s Niagara series is the glass horn tweeter, which Aubriot describes as a “masterpiece on its own, defying cutting and assembly techniques.” It arrives packed separately, nestled inside the main carton, and sits atop the tower on rubber bumpers, physically decoupled. It becomes its own small piece of glass art that also happens to be the high frequency driver.

Aubriot has long admired JBL’s professional series, and the horn tweeter draws inspiration from the iconic JBL 2397. It took two years to develop and served as the catalyst for pushing performance into a higher tier while offering a more luxurious product. The structure consists of 11 mechanical glass parts requiring more than four hours of machining and another four hours of hand assembly, “following the same techniques used in luxury jewelry factories.” From the top down, the final cut echoes the “W”

Pricey; a tad bass shy; light reflections

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for Waterfall. The only part that feels slightly “less than” are the thin (18 gauge?) wires connecting the horn tweeter to the speaker. There’s a large rectangular glass section on the lower front of the speaker, and I asked whether it served any acoustic purpose. Waterfall’s co founder and export manager, Nadine Aubriot, explained: “The over piece of glass is mainly for cosmetic reasons, and if you notice, the beveled edges add beauty when sunlight is caught and looks like a rainbow in the room. At CES, I always chose a room with western exposure, where the sunset would give a magic look, a real ‘Wow!’ effect with the speakers coming alive. From a technical point of view, it adds rigidity and shows off our craftsmanship because that front panel is filled with our special glue in a perfect, totally clear way.”

Adding to the XT3’s dramatic appearance — while also providing structural support for the glass tower and housing the crossover components and 8.25 inch passive bass driver — is the base. It’s machined from a single block of aluminum, gently tapered and beveled, then wrapped in hand stitched premium Nappa leather. The white stitching on deep gray leather evokes the interior of a luxury sports car, showing attention to detail down to the last millimeter and looking elegant from any angle.

The bottom rear of the tower and the rear of the tweeter both feature large, premium 5 way binding posts for connection

to the amplifier.

For those looking for a different aesthetic — or who want to shave $14,000 off the XT3’s $52,500 price — Waterfall offers the XT2. It’s identical in performance, size, and driver configuration, but uses a machined solid wood block instead of glass for the horn tweeter enclosure. Wood is significantly less expensive to manufacture and was requested by customers wanting a warmer material. And thanks to natural variations in wood grain, species, and finish, each XT2 pair is truly one of a kind.

In my humble living room, the XT3s were undeniably beautiful. As Nadine Aubriot mentioned, there were times of day when they created magical rainbow prisms as sunlight hit them just right. And thanks to the solid, heavy base, they felt sturdy; definitely not delicate flowers you need to tiptoe around or fret whenever someone approaches them.

But they also clearly outclassed the rest of my décor, a Baccarat crystal flute of Dom Perignon at a hamburger diner. (I mean, a nice diner, but still…)

These speakers belong in a Manhattan penthouse overlooking the skyline, or in a minimalist artistic space in Laguna or Miami with floor to ceiling glass walls and an ocean view. They should be surrounded by other objets d’art, not sitting next to a Roomba. But did my wife think they were beautiful? Abso frickin’ lutely.

Fortunately, for those who love the Niagara aesthetic but not the Niagara price, Waterfall offers the Victoria XT at $8400 — about 16% of the XT3’s cost. It retains much of the design language, but uses slightly thinner, 6mm glass, smaller drivers, and a more traditional (and far less expensive) soft dome tweeter, making it more attainable.

Setup

I placed the XT3s in my living room in the spots typically occupied by my SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle towers. For power, Waterfall Audio sent its RS700 Special Edition amplifier that delivers 700 watts peak per channel in a dual mono configuration, which I wired to my Trinnov Altitude 16 via XLR cables.

To complete a surround experience, Waterfall also sent three of its Elora Evo Center speakers with optional aluminum tabletop stands. I used one as the center with the XT3 and installed the other two Vol. 27 No. 3 March 2026

in a separate room horizontally as a left/right pair. (Waterfall does offer an Evo LR, which is designed for vertical orientation.)

Waterfall realized it needed a compact stand or even wall mount option in the lineup, which led to the Elora Evo. Visually, the Evo definitely echoes the family design. It is a three driver design with dual 4 inch mid bass and a 1.75 inch silk dome tweeter in a D’Appolito array, machined out of a solid block of aluminum and then flanked by thick sheets of the platinum safety glass. However, the glass here is for aesthetic reasons rather than performance.

Compared to the visual scale of the towers, the Elora center looks a bit dinky, though in practice it reproduced dialog clearly and didn’t have any trouble reproducing the weight of male vocals, even though it is rated down to just 120 Hz. To be fair, the Trinnov routed bass info to my subwoofers. However, the Evo’s bass performance limitations were definitely clear when listening to the pair in 2 channel, where their inability to deliver those bottom octaves was apparent. Waterfall suggests using them with a subwoofer in that application, and I’d wholeheartedly agree. I also wasn’t distracted by any serious tonal shifts as sound panned across the front LCR channels.

When listening to the XT3s in stereo, I disabled the Trinnov’s Optimizer processing and any bass management, running them full range.

Performance

Regardless of how good they look, a speaker’s raison d’être is to reproduce audio, and at some point, people are going to stop looking and start listening

Throughout my listening, the adjectives that

kept coming back to mind to describe the XT3s were “smooth” and “detailed.” Like warm melted butter oozing into the room, audio was neutral and laid back, never forward or exaggerated. The horn tweeter is open and airy, producing detailed and textured highs, but always with that layer of smooth warmth beneath. I also enjoyed that speakers produced plenty of detail, especially in the higher frequencies, even at lower volumes. These are not speakers you have to crank to enjoy.

While the low end is present, these are not bass heavy speakers. Rated to 35 Hz, bass is there, but if you listen to a lot of bassy material — or plan to incorporate them into a theater environment — you’ll definitely want to add in a fast and capable subwoofer, especially if you are looking for a more tactile experience. Also, bass performance was something that did require a bit more volume to appreciate.

Hans Zimmer’s “Beginnings are Such Delicate Times” from the opening of Dune: Part Two was the perfect vessel to show off the XT3’s strengths, with the swirling sands dancing effortlessly and sparkling back and forth across the front soundstage, giving the song a near hypnotic, dreamy feel. The opening bass notes also revealed the edge of what the woofers could deliver.

The speakers deliver both width and spaciousness to the soundstage, plus a solid phantom center channel. Singers were always locked into a space centered between the towers, while enabling you to locate and identify the positioning of instruments across the soundstage, but sounds expanded beyond the width of the speakers themselves.

Where the XT3 really shined for me was with jazz content that features female vocals,

delicate cymbal and brush strokes, and piano, which the speakers deliver with terrific detail and emotionality. If that description sounds like a recipe for Diana Krall, well, you’re mostly right, but I’m speaking of jazz chanteuse Laura Anglade. I discovered her during an episode of IT: Welcome to Derry, where she sings at the Black Spot and then looked her up on Tidal. It also seemed apropos that Anglade was originally from the village of Brousse le Château in the south of France, and her latest album, Get Out of Town, plays right into the XT3’s wheelhouse, keeping Anglade’s voice clear and delicate in the center as she reinterprets a variety of standards with the mostly simple arrangements happening around her. Great stuff!

Speaking of Krall, the XT3s keep her voice big, husky, and lush in the center of the room, along with a wonderful sense of space and ambience around it, with the drum kit set slightly left and behind her, and the crowd applause wide across the front wall throughout Live In Paris. Her “No Moon at All” from a high res Tidal stream off Turn Up The Quiet begins with Krall on piano, then joined by John Clayton on the double bass with bass plucks that have such rich texture, you can feel his fingers on the strings.

I went up and touched the speakers while music was playing, and, even at high volumes, only the slightest vibration could be felt on the glass exterior, which was certainly a testament to the Jetstream technology. One thing that might be an issue is that in certain lighting conditions or angles, the platinum glass finish is so reflective, the speakers become almost mirror like. Not really an issue with music listening, but certainly could be distracting with movie watching.

Waterfall Audio’s Niagara XT3 represents a truly unique proposition in the luxury speaker market, and in many ways feels like the culmination of everything France is known for: artistry, craftsmanship, and devotion to beauty. From the glass cabinet, to drivers floating in space, to the jewel like glass horn tweeter, the XT3 is equal parts artisanal glasswork and acoustic engineering. As such, it isn’t the speaker for every client, but rather something reserved for the most discerning and design conscious; for those who appreciate design as much as performance.

The Niagara XT3 will be a statement piece in your showroom that will start conversations centered around design, beauty, style, and what is possible at the intersection of art and audio.

Turning Every Path Into an Experience Harnessing the power of blended light and sound outdoors.

BY ROBERT BACCI, SALES MANAGER AT COASTAL SOURCE

Ask most homeowners what makes their outdoor space feel “finished,” and they’ll talk about furniture, pools, patios, and landscaping. What they remember, though, is how the space feels; the way music seems to float evenly throughout the property and how subtle lighting makes every step feel intentional — whether it’s by the fire pit, along walkways, or across expansive gardens.

The consumer shift in expectations is changing the way integrators and designers plan outdoor environments from their very first sketch. The emerging concept of “pathway audio” goes far beyond placing a few speakers near the patio. It’s about designing a continuous blend of sound and light that flows throughout the entire property so people stay connected to the music, the landscape, and the overall ambiance wherever they move.

Today’s homeowners look for audio systems that deliver the same fullrange, high-fidelity sound outside that they enjoy indoors — sparkling highs, natural midrange, and deep, musical bass. Just as importantly, they expect that experience to feel even and uninterrupted as they move through the space, whether they’re cooking on the deck or relaxing by the pool.

Delivering that kind of experience takes more than a couple of weatherproof speakers mounted on the wall. Today’s leading outdoor systems are engineered from the ground up to deliver high-performance sound in the open air, not just survive rain and sun. Many use wide or omnidirectional dispersion patterns that bathe patios, lawns, and garden paths in even coverage, so there’s no single “sweet spot” to chase, creating the feeling that the soundtrack is coming from the environment itself rather than from any one speaker.

One Connected Space

When you think of the property as a single connected space rather than a collection of separate “zones,” the design process changes. Instead of designing audio for individual pockets, the focus shifts to creating even, consistent coverage that feels uniform as you move throughout the property. The goal is a smoother experience — no abrupt volume jumps, no areas that feel disconnected, just a single, cohesive outdoor environment.

The most effective design solutions create a gentle, continuous “trail” of sound that feels natural as you move. Music shouldn’t drop off when you leave one area or jump in volume when you enter another. There should only be smooth, uninterrupted coverage that keeps the entire space feeling connected.

Part of what makes that kind of consistency possible is the evolution of outdoor speaker engineering. Higher-impedance models — including 32-ohm options — give designers the flexibility to run more speakers on a single amplifier without sacrificing clarity or output. That extra headroom makes it easier to place speakers where they’re needed across larger or more intricate outdoor layouts, keeping coverage even from end to end.

Lighting That Extends the Experience

Sound goes a long way toward setting the atmosphere, but after dark, lighting has just as much influence on how an outdoor space feels and functions. Well-planned path and landscape lighting does more than make areas visible; it helps people move safely, draws attention to key features, and shapes the overall ambiance. When coordinated with the audio design, the result is a space that feels more organized and intentional, with smoother transitions between areas that lead to more comfortable gatherings.

Some premium outdoor speaker families are now designed to work hand in hand with lighting. Even when the fixtures and speakers are separate components, they often share a common design language, mounting methods, and wiring infrastructure, allowing them to be installed together as a single, cohesive system. That makes it easier to carry the same look and performance along a walkway, around a patio, or across larger landscapes. A great example is the Coastal Source Pathfinder 32-ohm omnidirectional speaker line, designed to accept optional Coastal Source Path Light fixtures and work with its subwoofers to deliver deep outdoor bass.

However it’s installed — surface-mounted, recessed into a hardscape, placed discreetly into planting beds, or running along pathways — wellplanned lighting combined with a cohesive audio system can make an outdoor space feel like a true extension of the home, comfortable and inviting well into the evening.

With the right mix of products and system design, outdoor spaces no longer feel secondary to those indoors. Thoughtfully planned audio and lighting can support everything from large gatherings to quiet evenings at home, so patios, pools, and gardens feel as luxurious and comfortable as any interior.

Coastal Source Pathfinder omni-directional loudspeaker