When Audio-Technica announced the ATH-ADX7000, its new $3,500 flagship open back headphone, curiosity spread quickly across the audiophile world. The company brought the model to CanJam NYC 2026, giving enthusiasts and industry insiders a chance to hear what the Japanese manufacturer believes is its most advanced dynamic headphone to date.

My first exposure actually came months earlier. Back in November 2025, our UK Headphone Columnist James Fiorucci asked if he could review Audio-Technica’s new flagship. I’ll admit it. I was a little jealous. After editing his superb review and digging into the design details, the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 became one of the headphones I most wanted to hear in person.

My relationship with Audio-Technica headphones goes back much further than that review. Years ago, when I worked in news radio, their headphones were everywhere in the studio. The slightly top end tilted tonal balance was never exactly my can of Vernors, but I understood why stations relied on them. They were reliable, mostly neutral, durable, lightweight, and reasonably priced in an environment where 40 different people might use the same pair in a single day.

And yes… the Jack Nicholson side of me from As Good as It Gets always wiped them down before and after. If you’ve ever worked in radio, you know why. If you haven’t… trust me. You never really know where the last person’s been.

So after reading Fiorucci’s take and seeing the buzz build around Audio-Technica’s new flagship, CanJam NYC 2026 was my first real opportunity to sit down with the ATH-ADX7000. I didn’t waste it.

Featherweight Design, Heavyweight Sound?

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 is remarkably light for a flagship open-back headphone. Slip them on and the first thing you notice is how little they seem to weigh on your head. Audio-Technica has long prioritized comfort and low mass in its reference designs, and the ADX7000 continues that tradition with a frame and suspension system that practically disappears during long listening sessions.

At just 275 grams, these things practically disappear the moment they land on your head. I’ve worn heavier baseball caps.

Putting them on the first time at CanJam NYC 2026, I actually paused for a second because it felt like something was missing. The clamping force is moderate, maybe a touch lighter than some listeners might prefer, but when you spend 60+ hours a week sitting in front of a computer listening, writing, and editing, comfort stops being a luxury and becomes survival strategy. In that context, Audio-Technica’s approach makes a lot of sense. They stay put without squeezing your skull like they’re trying to extract a confession. I deny everything. We’ve never met. Not even behind the 7-Eleven on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch at 2:17 a.m.

I had two listening sessions with them at the show, each around twenty minutes, and never experienced the dreaded headband hotspot that some listeners have mentioned. That said, twenty minutes at a show and three hours at home are two very different universes. Anyone who claims to know how a headphone feels long term after a quick demo is either lying or selling something. A few hours of real listening would be needed to make that call with confidence.

Because they’re so light, it would be easy to assume the ADX7000 is built from plastic. That assumption would be wrong. The frame uses magnesium, which is a far less common material in headphone construction but a clever one. It keeps the structure rigid while shaving off weight — a trick more manufacturers should probably steal.

And yes, each pair is made and hand assembled in Japan, which is exactly what you expect when a headphone costs $3,500. At that price, you want craftsmanship, not something that feels like it rolled off the same assembly line as a pair of airline earbuds.

Put it this way: the ATH-ADX7000 is lighter than a Cleveland pierogi before it hits the fryer — and a hell of a lot easier to live with after a long night.

The headline feature of the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 is its new HXDT driver technology. Each earcup houses a 58 mm diaphragm formed through a precision moulding process designed to maintain a highly uniform circular shape. That level of consistency helps the diaphragm move more accurately, improving detail retrieval and overall clarity. Audio-Technica also aligns the circular components of the driver assembly with micrometre level precision, minimizing unwanted resonances and helping the driver behave exactly as intended.

Impedance is rated at 490 ohms with 100 dB/mW sensitivity, which is very much an Audio-Technica engineering choice. You can run the ATH-ADX7000 from a dongle DAC, but it probably shouldn’t be a bargain-bin one. These headphones clearly reward power and control. If it were my system, I’d lean toward a neutral to slightly warm source with strong bass control to keep the presentation balanced. A good desktop headphone amplifier or a high-powered DAP will get the most out of them.

The Audio-Technica AT-BHA100, now discontinued, was Audio Technica’s reference desktop headphone amplifier designed to drive headphones from 16 to 600 ohms. Its fully balanced design delivered up to 1.5 watts per channel into 16 ohms and 120 milliwatts per channel into 600 ohms, providing the headroom and control needed for high impedance flagship models. Unless my eyes were getting worse under the show lighting, this appears to be the amplifier Audio-Technica brought to power the ATH ADX7000 during its demonstrations.

Electrostatic Lite Without the Electrostatic Hassle?

On the train into Manhattan on Saturday morning, thanks to NJ Transit and its ongoing Portal Bridge construction circus, the ride stretched closer to two hours with the usual power hiccups and delays. Plenty of time to kill, so I reread James Fiorucci’s review and asked myself the obvious question. Was he right?

Turns out…yeah. He was.

The more I listened to the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000, the more it became clear that these drift very close to electrostatic lite territory without requiring an energizer or dedicated electrostatic amplifier. Running through tracks from Massive Attack, The Orb, deadmau5, along with a few jazz selections, several things jumped out immediately. Transparency. Excellent detail retrieval that never feels forced. Speed. Dynamic snap. And a very satisfying punch from the mid bass into the lower mids.

And then there is the space. These things are undeniably spacious sounding. Not just wide. New York wide. Like standing on the East River looking across Manhattan, past the Hudson, and all the way into Hiram’s Roadstand parking lot in Bergen County before the soundstage finally taps out. If a headphone can pull that off in a noisy show environment, something serious is happening under those magnesium grills.

The Bottom Line

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 is not a casual purchase. At $3,500, it firmly sits in the flagship tier. The good news is that it’s still less expensive than the top offerings from Audeze, Abyss, and ZMF Headphones, while delivering a presentation that edges close to electrostatic territory without requiring an energizer.

The extremely high 490 ohm impedance means these headphones reward serious amplification. A good desktop amplifier or powerful DAP will unlock their speed, transparency, and expansive soundstage. But the real question lingering in my mind after CanJam NYC 2026 is this: what would they sound like paired with a dedicated OTL tube amplifier? My suspicion is that the answer could be very, very interesting.

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The first leak surrounding the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has surfaced, offering an early look at Google’s next foldable phone. According to CAD renders shared by Android Headlines in partnership with OnLeaks, the device will look very similar to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, though with a slightly slimmer profile and a redesigned camera bump.

Visually, the phone sticks to Google’s now-familiar book-style foldable design with an inner folding display and a cover screen on the outside. The materials also appear unchanged, with an aluminum frame paired with a glass back, while the physical button placement remains the same as before, with the power button sitting above the volume keys.

The most noticeable change appears to be the thinner chassis. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is expected to measure 10.1mm when folded and 4.8mm when unfolded, making it slightly slimmer than its predecessor. The overall height and width, however, are expected to remain largely the same.

Another notable tweak is the redesigned camera island, which reportedly looks cleaner and more modern, with the LED flash and microphone placed within the upper pill-shaped cutout alongside the sensors. While the exact camera hardware hasn’t been confirmed yet, the report suggests Google could introduce upgrades, possibly borrowing components from the Pixel 10 Pro lineup.

Under the hood, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is expected to run on the new Google Tensor G6 chip, reportedly built by TSMC on a potential 3nm process, with rumors pointing to a 7-core CPU configuration. Beyond that, much of the feature set is expected to remain familiar, including IP68 water resistance, Qi wireless charging, and support for PixelSnap accessories, while the display sizes and battery capacity are likely to stay largely unchanged from the current generation.

A slimmer Pixel Fold, but not a radical overhaul

It seems Google is following in the footsteps of Samsung, which trimmed the waistline of the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Across the ocean, Chinese labels are already engaged in an even more furious race to make the thinnest foldable phone out there, with the Honor Magic V6 and the Oppo Find N6 being the top contenders. It would be interesting to see whether Google has managed to slim down its next foldable, while also bolstering its ingress protection against dust and water exposure.

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While the design leak is a big pre-launch expose, there are murmurs of a few other changes under the hood for the broader Pixel 11 portfolio. Google is reportedly eying a modem supplied by MediaTek, switching away from Samsung. Pixel phones have often struggled with connectivity woes, so let’s hope the MediaTek partnership brings some respite.

As for launch timing, the report suggests Google will likely unveil the Pixel 11 series in August, following the company’s recent launch schedule. Pricing remains unclear for now, though earlier roadmap leaks hinted the foldable could target around $1,500, though that figure may change due to market conditions and tariffs.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns that criminals are impersonating U.S. officials in phishing attacks targeting businesses and individuals who request city and county planning and zoning permits.

In a public service announcement published on Monday, the bureau said that the criminals behind this campaign are identifying potential victims using publicly available information, which also makes their malicious messages seem legitimate and helps them trick suspicious targets.

“Individuals and businesses with active applications for land-use permits are being targeted by criminals impersonating city and county planning and zoning board officials, fraudulently requesting fees associated with these permits,” the FBI warned.

“Victims receive unsolicited emails citing their permit information, zoning application numbers, and/or property addresses. Victims are instructed to pay invoices for fees related to their permits and directed to make payments via wire transfer, peer-to-peer payment, or cryptocurrency.”

The FBI says there are several common indicators that can help detect such schemes, including messages sent from non-governmental domains (such as @usa.com), attachments that ask recipients to request more details via email, and various tactics to push for quicker payments to avoid permit delays.

Scammers may also time their phishing messages to match the timing of official communications with details about zoning permits.

The law enforcement agency advised businesses and individuals to carefully check whether messages they receive from U.S. officials are legitimate by verifying the domain and email address and calling the city or county government to confirm outstanding fees.

Those who were targeted or fell victim to this scam should file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and share the email address, date of email, and/or phone number used by the scammers, the date of the project’s scheduled hearing, the amount listed in the fraudulent invoice, as well as any other financial information provided by the criminals.

Four years ago, the FBI also warned of widespread attacks in which scammers impersonated government or law enforcement officials by spoofing authentic phone numbers to extort money from potential victims or steal their personally identifiable information.

In April 2025, the bureau said that criminals were also impersonating FBI IC3 employees, while offering to “help” fraud victims recover money lost to other scammers.

One month later, the FBI also warned of cybercriminals using AI-generated audio deepfakes to target U.S. officials in voice phishing attacks.

Malware is getting smarter. The Red Report 2026 reveals how new threats use math to detect sandboxes and hide in plain sight.

Download our analysis of 1.1 million malicious samples to uncover the top 10 techniques and see if your security stack is blinded.

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A homemade pulse jet engine now powers a winter machine that redefines what is possible on frozen lakes. Zach of Build N Pulsejets had a simple idea, and that was to attach his new 180-pound-thrust propane pulse jet to a child’s kick scooter for high-speed fun on dirt roads. Winter arrived in Michigan far earlier than expected, and before you knew it, he was knee-deep in snow and ice. Zach decided to adjust his plans, and now he has a pulse-jet bike that he enjoys riding across snowy surfaces, turning cabin fever into high-speed thrills.

First, he had to disassemble the scooter, starting with the wheels and then moving on to the fenders, which he removed with his trusty angle grinder. Three snowmobile skis were swapped out for carbide runners with plenty of ice grip, one in front and two in back, forming a stable trike layout. Then he began welding brackets to hold all of this gear in place while keeping the skis and motor steady. The pulse jet, a valveless design with an augmenter, is situated on the side to protect the rider from the flames. A forklift propane tank provides him with enough fuel to keep the machine going for an extended period of time, which is a significant advantage, but it also adds some weight.

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Controlling this beast was a key part of this build, so he took extra time to do it right. The twist-grip throttle connects to a ball valve for extremely accurate fuel flow. He constructed some handmade foot pegs out of bar stock and added additional grip for good measure. To keep from bouncing off the seat, he just bolted in a salvaged one. He also gave some serious thought to the brakes, as a simple stomp brake would be insufficient on ice surfaces. Well, it’s a start, and he’s already thinking about ways to sharpen the serrations to make it more useful.

The first test run took place on a tiny pond, and before you knew it, the engine was roaring to life, its loud, rhythmic buzz booming out. The flames from the pulse jet flared crimson as it kicked in and began propelling the tricycle ahead. It moved okay, but the handling felt a little loose, owing to the fact that the runners had not yet been properly sharpened.

Speeds reached up to 30 mph in short bursts, yet the frame continued to bounce around the uneven ice. To be honest, the heat was getting to the augmenter, which was beginning to sag under its own weight and showing signs of thermal stress. The next step was a longer test run on a Michigan lake’s snowmobile drag strip. What about the acceleration? Let’s just say it was a bit of a battle, since the combined weight of the rider, the big tank, and the engine made it difficult to move forward from a stop, even on super-low friction ice. But once it started moving… well, the momentum simply kept growing.

The trike reached speeds of more than 44 mph (77 km/h), and the sound of the engine resonated across the ice plain as onlookers watched. The good news was that it remained steady even over ruts, despite the lack of suspension. Zach claims that the entire construction was a result of the lengthy winter that the northerners were forced to endure, a means to expend energy when the snow would otherwise lock everything down. The initiative has already provided exactly what he required. Some changes are already in the works, such as sharper carbide edges on the skis, a polished brake surface, and possibly a new coat of paint.
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Sony could be experimenting with dynamic pricing on the PlayStation Store, according to data spotted by price-tracking site PSPrices.

The platform has noticed that some users are being offered different prices for the same games, suggesting that Sony may be quietly testing a new pricing strategy.

The discovery comes from PlayStation Store data tied to Sony’s public API. In this data, experiment identifiers such as IPT_PILOT and IPT_OPR_TESTING appear alongside certain game listings. Additionally, according to PSPrices, these markers suggest that Sony is running A/B tests on pricing across more than 150 games in 68 regions.

To keep , Live Nation is going to have to make some major changes. As first reported by , Live Nation reached a settlement with the Department of Justice in its antitrust case that accused the live entertainment giant of monopolistic practices. Live Nation will reportedly pay at least $200 million in damages to states that were part of the in May 2024, but avoid selling off Ticketmaster.

Live Nation will also be required to make a few changes to its business practices. According to NBC News, Ticketmaster, a subsidiary of Live Nation, will be required to create a “standalone ticketing system” that allows third-party competitors like SeatGeek and Eventbrite to sell tickets on.

The settlement aims to loosen some of Live Nation’s control over venues as well. According to NBC News, the company will have to divest up to 13 amphitheaters and be prohibited from retaliating against venues that choose another ticket seller over Ticketmaster.

The settlement comes less than a week after the case went to trial. While the matter may be concluded with the Justice Department, many of the states’ attorneys general who were part of the lawsuit will be continuing their legal action separately.

“The settlement recently announced with the U.S. Department of Justice fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers,” New York State Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a press release. “We will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry.” 26 other attorneys general signed onto continuing the lawsuit with James.

The 2026 TV market is already shaping up to be one of the most turbulent in years, with major brands reshuffling strategies, manufacturing partners, and display technologies. Into that environment steps Hisense, which has begun rolling out its 2026 U6 and U7 ULED MiniLED 4K TV series, available in screen sizes ranging from 55 to 116 inches.

The new U6 and U7 Series ULED MiniLED TVs represent Hisense’s latest push in the highly competitive midrange LCD category. As the world’s third largest TV shipper behind Samsung and TCL, the company is aggressively expanding its ULED MiniLED platform while also investing in emerging RGB MiniLED display technology.

Samsung is making a similar move in the premium LCD space with its own RGB MicroLED/MiniLED hybrid approaches, signaling that the next phase of the TV technology war will revolve around brighter LCD panels with more precise color control rather than traditional white LED backlighting.

Against that backdrop, the U7 Series leads Hisense’s 2026 ULED LCD MiniLED rollout and is available now, while the U6 Series is expected to reach retailers in the coming weeks. Together, the two lineups form the backbone of Hisense’s midrange TV strategy for 2026, targeting buyers who want MiniLED performance, high brightness, and large screen sizes without stepping into flagship price territory.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to take place in the United States, Hisense says its U7 and U6 ULED MiniLED TV lineup is designed to give fans and families a larger, brighter way to experience the tournament together, with screen sizes and pricing aimed at a wide range of households.

The U6 and U7 Series represent Hisense’s performance to value sweet spot within the company’s TV portfolio. Above them, Hisense plans to introduce its RGB MiniLED Series, which will serve as the brand’s ultra premium tier and incorporate new display technologies designed to improve brightness, color precision, and backlight control beyond the current ULED category.

For 2026, Hisense is expanding the U6 and U7 MiniLED portfolios with more screen sizes and configurations, giving buyers additional options for building large screen setups across a variety of living spaces and budgets.

“The data’s clear, people are gravitating toward larger screens and they’re using them to bring people together,” said James Fishler, Chief Commercial Officer at Hisense. “We’re focused on making sure the features that define the viewing experience, the size, the performance, the technology, are accessible across the board, not just at the high end. That’s what this lineup delivers.”

U7 Series

An important part of Hisense’s 2026 FIFA World Cup portfolio, the U7 (U7SG) is designed to elevate match day viewing by capturing fast paced action, vivid color, and crowd level atmosphere with the clarity and scale needed to make every goal, rivalry, and defining moment feel larger than life.

Available in screen sizes from 55 to 116 inches, the U7SG is built to fit a wide range of households, with a focus on turning major sporting events and big screen entertainment into a more cinematic experience at home.

Key Features of the U7 Series

Precision Backlight: Hisense uses thousands of MiniLED lighting elements to deliver precise backlight control and more lifelike images. Powered by Hi QLED MiniLED Pro with Full Array Local Dimming and the Hi View AI Engine Pro, the U7 is designed to maintain strong contrast and clarity across live sports, movies, and everyday content. The U7 Series supports up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness.

No Blur: The U7 incorporates advanced motion technology for high speed gaming, sports, and action films. A native 165Hz refresh rate combined with intelligent motion processing helps reduce blur, lag, and smeared frames, delivering smoother performance during fast paced gameplay and major sporting events.

Gaming Support: The U7 series provides a dedicated Game Mode with VRR and ALLM, along with Dolby Vision Gaming and HDR10+ Gaming compatibility.

Smart TV: The U7 Series offers Google TV (U7SG) and Fire TV (U7SF) operating systems at varying retailers, giving consumers the flexibility to choose the smart platform that best aligns with their connected home ecosystem. 

Sound: The U7 series provides an immersive 50W multi-channel audio (2.1.2) with Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual: X filling the room with layered sound. Speaker system tuned by Devialet.

Hisense 2026 ULED MiniLED TVs – U7SG Series

U6 Series

Led by the U6SF Pro, the U6 Series continues Hisense’s push to bring advanced display technology to more households. Designed around the features consumers value most, the U6SF Pro offers an easier entry point into MiniLED performance without stepping into higher priced tiers. Within the lineup, the U6 Series sits just below the U7, offering many of the same core technologies at a more accessible price.

Hisense is also introducing an additional MiniLED model, the U6SF, giving buyers another affordable path into MiniLED technology across a wider range of screen sizes and budgets.

The U6 Series will be available in screen sizes from 55 to 100 inches.

Hisense U6 Series Features

Hi QLED MiniLED: With Full Array Local Dimming and Quantum Dot color, the U6 is designed to deliver brighter highlights, deeper contrast, and more lifelike color across streaming, sports, and everyday content.

AI Picture: Built in AI processing helps reduce the need for manual picture adjustments. The U6 Series can automatically fine tune picture performance based on the type of content being viewed.

Smart TV: The U6 Series runs on the Amazon Fire TV platform, providing access to major streaming services, apps, and voice control features.

Sound: Built in TV speakers rarely deliver a satisfying listening experience, so the U6 Series includes an integrated subwoofer designed to add more depth and impact without requiring external speakers or additional wiring. The set also supports Dolby Atmos audio processing.

Detailed specifications and pricing for the U6 and U6 Pro Series have not yet been released. According to Hisense, the lineup is expected to arrive at retailers later in Spring 2026.

Pro Tip: Once full details for the U6 and U6 Pro models are announced, we will expand the feature overview and update our specifications table accordingly.

The Bottom Line 

With the U7 and U6 Series, Hisense continues to target one of the most competitive areas of the TV market: buyers who want big screens, high brightness, and modern display technology without paying flagship prices. By combining MiniLED backlighting, Quantum Dot color, peak brightness up to 3,000 nits, a 165Hz refresh rate, and screen sizes from 55 to 116 inches, the U7 lineup delivers a feature set that is clearly aimed at sports fans, gamers, and anyone building a large screen home entertainment setup.

The U6 Series sits just below it as a more affordable entry point into MiniLED performance, making it appealing to households that want better contrast and brightness than traditional LED TVs but are not ready to move into higher priced premium models.

What makes the lineup stand out is the combination of very large screen sizes, high brightness, and aggressive pricing, a formula that has helped Hisense close the technology and market share gap with Samsung and compete directly with TCL in the midrange performance category. If the final pricing lands where previous Hisense models have, the U7 and U6 Series could once again be among the most compelling big screen TV options heading into 2026.

Availability & Pricing 

The 2026 Hisense ULED MiniLED lineup will be available at major retail partners, with select models, sizes, and smart TV platforms varying by retailer.

The U7 series is available now, starting at $1,299 MSRP via Best Buy, with an iteration coming to Amazon soon. 

From Hisense: The U6 series will begin rolling out later in Spring 2026.

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Microsoft may finally be bringing back a small but highly requested customisation feature in Windows 11.

New preview builds suggest that users will soon be able to remove unwanted toggles from the Quick Settings menu, giving more control over what appears in the system tray panel.

Early versions of Windows 11 moved away from the customisable quick action tiles seen in Windows 10. Instead of choosing which shortcuts appeared in the control centre, users were given a scrollable list of every available toggle.