NEWS EISA Awards
NEWS EISA Awards Celebrate the Best of the Best New president Paul Miller highlights consumer electronics innovation Paul Miller President, EISA On September 2, the 34 th annual EISA Awards ceremony took place at Berlin’s esteemed Kempinski Hotel Bristol. EISA, the European Imaging & Sound Association, has been presenting its prestigious industry accolades since 1982, the awards chosen by expert groups representing 45 leading photo, home theatre video, home theatre audio, hi-fi and mobile electronics magazines from 23 European countries. Fiftynine products won awards in categories from home theatre display and video to hi-fi and mobile devices. EISA is Europe's largest organisation of experts in multimedia technologies and offers a unique, global viewpoint of the European consumer electronics market. For 34 years, the EISA Awards have provided the ultimate independent buying recommendations for consumer technology by celebrating new products likely to be appreciated by consumers seeking high quality and creativity, and that combine the most advanced technology; the most desirable features; the ultimate design expression; the most functional ergonomics; and the best value for money. The EISA Awards “celebrate the best of the best”, said new EISA president Paul Miller – the group editor of Hi-Fi News and Home Cinema Choice magazines who took responsibility for driving EISA forward in June 2016 (after former president Jorge Gonçalves stepped down). He took to the stage to welcome the assembled industry leaders and media to the awards ceremony. “The collaboration of some 45 specialist magazines from across Europe brings with it a unique pool of experience that informs each and every EISA Award,” said Miller. “So whether consumers are looking to purchase a feature-rich smartphone, a versatile camera solution, or a pair of high-end floorstanding loudspeakers, the EISA Awards are their unequivocal guide to the cream of today’s entertainment technologies.” EISA vice-president, Ljubisa Miodragovic, also addressed the audience, noting that “more than ever, iconic brands figure side-by-side with innovative start-ups”. He added that “to win an EISA Award, a product must not only be technologically better than others, but must also integrate into the user environment.” The ceremony also featured entertainment by Berlin magician duo Axel and André, who stunned the crowd with their outrageous tricks. Presented annually during IFA, the official ceremony of the EISA Awards is attended by all representatives of EISA’s 45 member magazines. Each member magazine will publish the winning products from its own Expert Group’s Awards (Photography, Hi-Fi, Home Theatre Audio, Home Theatre Display & Video, In-Car Electronics, Mobile Devices) in their September issues. Presidents of all winning companies are also officially invited to the ceremony. To win an EISA award, products undergo a robust, rigorous and exhaustive judging process involving two challenging stages. First, products are intensively tested at the test facilities of EISA member magazines. Products that pass this stage are already among the best in Europe. The second stage takes place at EISA’s annual general meeting, where a democratic voting process establishes a pan- European consensus of excellence and determines the winning products 12
Winners: EISA Awards 2016-2017 A selection of eight products chosen from among 59 EISA Award winners … NEWS EUROPEAN TV 2016-2017 Samsung UE55KS9000 This 55-inch TV combines breathtaking design with a superior performance. Certified by the Ultra HD Alliance as meeting the technological demands of premium HDR (High Dynamic Range) images, Samsung’s UE55KS9000 employs a Quantum Dot 10-bit panel and edge LED illumination to craft rich, subtly-blended colours, dazzling peak whites and a robust black level. It’s a perfect partner for HDR, 4K and HD sources. Equally striking are the ultra-thin bezel and curved body, while excellent usability comes via Samsung’s Tizen-based interface and the external One Connect Mini box. CityCube Hall B / Stand 101 EUROPEAN ULTRA HD PLAYER 2016-2017 Panasonic DMP-UB900 The world’s first Ultra HD Blu-ray player brings an instant upgrade to your AV experience. Its 4K HDR images are a clear improvement over Full HD BD, overflowing with detail, smooth colour gradations and quite extraordinary dynamics. But that’s not all the Panasonic DMP-UB900 has up its sleeve – peerless upscaling of 1080p discs, super-fast loading and a well-equipped DLNA client make this the Swiss knife of Blu-ray players, handling every job that’s thrown at it in a masterly no-fuss manner. Premium sound quality is assured by its high grade audio parts and THX certification for 4K picture and sound sources. Hall 5.2 / Stand 101 EUROPEAN BEST BUY LARGESCREEN TV 2016-2017 Philips 65PUS7601 There’s a wealth of technology at work in the Philips 65PUS7601 that ensure its performance matches the ambitions of its 65-inch screen size. The sophisticated direct LED backlight system uses 128-segment local dimming, delivering stable, deep blacks and detailed shadows to the sharp Ultra HD image. Adjustable Perfect Natural Motion settings let the user tune the picture to their tastes, and the 10-bit panel supports HDR sources. Add in Philips’ three-sided Ambilight, Android smart TV system, advanced remote control and punchy sound quality for a superior yet affordable large screen TV. Hall 22 / Stand 101 EUROPEAN HIGH-END TV 2016-2017 LG SIGNATURE OLED65G6 For reference-grade picture performance look no further than this 65-inch OLED TV. Employing LG’s selfemissive panel technology, and supporting premium Dolby Vision HDR content as well as Ultra HD Bluray and 4K streaming, the Signature OLED65G6 TV is truly state-of-the-art. Image quality is exemplary, with an enormous contrast range made possible by the screen’s unrivalled black level, plus natural, bright colours and silky-smooth motion. A further benefit of OLED is that it allows for a display panel thickness of just 2.57mm, ensuring this TV looks remarkable even when switched off. It’s partnered with a slim stand that integrates a powerful sound system, and can be detached to cater for wall-mounting. Summer Garden / A-10 & Hall 18 / Stand 101 EUROPEAN MULTIROOM SYSTEM 2016-2017 Yamaha YSP-5600 By providing Dolby Atmos support (and DTS:X via a future firmware update), 4K-capable HDMI connectivity and automated room EQ, the gorgeously styled YSP-5600 is a fully-featured soundbar. No fewer than 46 drivers behind its robust black metal mesh are used for directing soundbeams to create full 7.1.2 audio, delivering a layered, threedimensional soundfield that is unbelievably huge. It makes every movie an engrossing experience, and as part of Yamaha’s MusicCast multiroom system, it can be used to stream music and TV audio throughout the house. Hall 1.2 / Stand 101 EUROPEAN PHOTO & VIDEO CAMERA 2016-2017 Sony α7S II With the α7S II, Sony offers top quality video and excellent still images in every shooting situation. Its 12.2-million-pixel full-frame Exmor CMOS sensor masters high sensitivity shooting, with a maximum sensitivity of ISO 409600. In addition its high dynamic range, 5-axis image stabilisation, and internal recording of 4K movies in full-frame format with full pixel readout ensure that the professional videographer won’t have make any compromise regarding image quality. The camera’s Fast Intelligent AF excels in speed and accuracy and guarantees stunning images with excellent sharpness even in the dark. Hall 20 / Stand 101 EUROPEAN MOBILE SPEAKER 2016-2017 JBL Charge 3 With its dual passive radiators, this fresh-looking device produces deep and powerful bass enhancing the overall sound quality. For an even better and louder music experience you can connect multiple speakers at once so that you can play the same music in sync. You don’t have to worry about rain or spills, since JBL Charge 3 is IPX7 certified and can even be submerged in water. One of its best features is the 6000mAh battery, which guarantees up to 20 hours of playtime, and can also be used as a power bank for charging other mobile devices, making it the perfect device for music on the move. Summer Garden / F-51 Funkturn Indoor Ground / Stand 100 EUROPEAN MOBILE INNOVATION 2016-2017 LG G5 A fascinating high-end smartphone in its own right, the inclusion of LG’s Friends feature elevates the G5 to the realms of true excellence. The innovative modular design makes the phone look, act and feel different according to your specific needs at any particular moment. It also shoots amazing pictures thanks to its dual camera system with wide-angle lens option. Users can add the CAM Plus module as a lightweight grip to provide dedicated manual controls at the tip of the finger. The G5 also features a stunning 5.3-inch Quad HD display with 850 nits maximum brightness and high pixel density for a perfect viewing experience, even when outdoors. Hall 18 / Stand 101 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 5 th September 2016 13
