Reconnecting at Home: 6 Home Tech Upgrades to Keep Your Family Connected This Holiday Season

Most of us have been spending significantly more time at home this year, and that trend will most likely continue for awhile . With the holidays upon us, now is the perfect time to update elements of your audio/video system to meet the needs of the whole family. Whether you add better speakers or a bigger TV to your home theater, a new turntable for your old holiday records or wireless speakers for more rooms, you can make quick upgrades that make a big impact on any budget.

1. Switch to Premium Speakers

The easiest way to improve the audio quality of your music or surround system is by adding better speakers, as they are the components that actually produce the sound. The difference can be profound, often resulting in many details in the source material becoming audible for the first time. The difference is clearest when you place next to mobile or restaurant experiences vs. sounding like you have the artist present with you in the room. Check out the 600 Anniversary series from Bowers & Wilkins.

The official speakers of Abbey Road Studios in London, Bowers & Wilkins models are revered for their stunning accuracy and fidelity to the original source material. Their entry-level 600 series includes many of the technologies of the companys higher end offerings, such as Continuum cone bass/midrange drivers, which deliver precise vocals and instruments and smooth transitions. Choose from one floorstander, two bookshelf models and a center channel to create the music or home theater setup thats right for you.

2. Increase Your Screen Size

Movie releases are now moving to streaming first as you #reconnectathome. A modern home theater can bring the latest streamed movies into your home, giving you that cinematic feel, perfect for holiday movie nights. With the higher resolution of todays 4K TVs, you can now sit much closer to the set without the pixel structure becoming discernable. The practical result of this is that you can go with a larger screen size than you could before and the bigger the screen, the more enveloping and engaging all your favorite programming becomes.

With a massive 85-inch (diagonal) screen size, the Sony XBR85X950H 85-inch 4K Smart TV brings out all the fine details for a stunningly realistic picture. With zones of LED backlights lit independently, Full-Array LED provides more realistic contrast by making light areas lighter and dark areas darker. Contrast is further enhanced by X-tended Dynamic Range PRO, which adjusts brightness for higher peaks in glare and deeper blacks in shadow. And the same powerful processor used in Sonys 8K TVs analyzes data for better color, contrast and clarity. You might also want to check out Samsungs 65" The Frame QLED Smart 4K UHD TV or if youre looking to move to 8K, consider Samsungs 65" QLED Smart 8K UHD TV.

3. Kick Back with Vinyl on a New Turntable

Lots of people are discovering or rediscovering the joy of playing records. Mariah and Dean never sounded so warm. The latest turntables fit your home design with amazing sound and new features like Bluetooth capability or enhanced features for the purist. solution that sounds amazing: The Denon DP300F. Automatic startup lets you begin play with the touch of a button, and theres a manual lifter mechanism so you can place the needle on the record wherever you want. A built-in phono equalizer allows for connection to an integrated amp or receiver that does not have its own phono input. Comes with an MM cartridge pre-installed, so just connect the DP-300F to your hi-fi system and let the fun begin. You might also want to try out the sound on Cambridge Audios Alva TT or Technics SL-1500C - Direct Drive Turntable.

4. Get High Definition Sound for Your TV

You probably already have a surround sound system for your main TV viewing area, but what about for some of the other TVs in the house, such as the master bedroom, office, kids rooms, etc.? If youre looking to improve the audio in those areas, heres a smart, compact soundbar for TV, music, and more. The Sonos Arc was specifically tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers to emphasize the sound of the human voice so you can always follow the story. Plus, It features software-driven audio that immerses listeners in dramatic detail, crystal clear dialogue and impressive bass, with support for Dolby Atmos. Also enjoy control with your remote, the app, your voice, and Apple AirPlay 2. Also check out the fives from Klipsch.

5. Add Wireless Options to Celebrate Room to Room

Heres the cost-effective way to bring music into more rooms in your house. With a dynamic 1-inch tweeter and robust 3-inch mid-bass driver, the new Denon Home 150 wireless speaker delivers the amazing sound you expect from Denon. Group other products with HEOS Built-in, such as A/V receivers, soundbars and speakers to fill your whole home with music. HEOS gives you access to a world of entertainment from streaming music services such as Tidal, Spotify and Amazon Music, music files stored on your computer or phone, and much more. And HEOS is compatible with hi-res audio, so youll enjoy the best sound quality.

6. Spend Time in Your Own Sonic World with Noise-Cancelling Headphones

With more people sharing your household, not everyone wants to watch or listen to the same thing at the same time, and theres also just more noise in general. Wouldnt it be nice to get away from it all? Well now you can without leaving the house! These advanced headphones from Sony incorporate Dual Noise Sensor technology, featuring two microphones on each earcup to capture ambient noise and pass the data to the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, which then applies noise-cancelling processing in real time to a range of environments. This keeps the outside noise out, and your music and other programming in.

Whether it be wireless options that give you flexibility to celebrate room to room, a modern home theater for movie nights or a premium sound system to dance and sing along with, investing in some home tech updates can ultimately help your family reconnect at home this holiday season and beyond. For more tips and advice on options that best fit your home and lifestyle, chat with or talk with our team of experts.