Philips reveals extensive new audio range at TP Vision Live

Televisions are usually the headline act at TP Vision Live, but Philips has this year unveiled an impressive selection of audio equipment to complement its new tellies.

Its three-strong range of soundbars consists of the Philips B8500, Philips B8200 and Philips B6100, and each has been created with a very specific use case in mind.

The 5.1-channel Philips B8500 soundbar and subwoofer combo is designed to accompany the Philips OLED810 and Philips MLED850 TVs, both of which use a central stand.

It’s capable of outputting 300W and supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:Virtual X. The Philips B8200, meanwhile, also includes a soundbar and sub but is limited to a 2.1-channel arrangement. At just 37mm tall, it will likely be the go-to option for those with televisions with low screens.

The narrowest of the trio, the Philips B6100, measures just 600mm wide, so is best paired with TVs between 48in and 55in. Both of the less-advanced models support Dolby Atmos and DTS:Virtual X along with HDMI 2.1 eARC connectivity, which is great to see.

In addition to the three soundbars, Philips lifted the lid on an expanded personal audio range including new headphones, alarm clock radios, all-in-one mini hi-fi systems and portable CD sound systems.

Its new mid-range noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, the Philips HE8000E, will be released in September, following the arrival of three pairs of headphones aimed at children.

The Philips K2000 (wired on-ears) and Philips K4200 (wireless on-ears) hit shelves in April, while the Philips K5500 (wireless over-ears) will be available in July. All three pairs are volume-limited to protect young children’s hearing and come in a variety of kid-friendly colours.

On the portable alarm clock radio front, you have the Philips R5100 and Philips R5600, slated for release in June and July, respectively.

Two of the four M2 Mini hi-fi systems revealed – the silver M3205M2 and anthracite M3505M2 – will be available to purchase next month and output 20W apiece, with the other two (the silver M4205M2 and anthracite M4505M2, both of which can deliver 80W output) following in September.

Philips is also launching two portable all-in-one sound machines incorporating CD players in February: the Philips Z5000 and Philips Z6000.

The final announcements at TP Vision Live covered five new “Century” products celebrating the brand’s 100-year heritage in audio. Each is named after an iconic musician:

• The Tina (Philips V9000): a 120W turntable system with DAB+/FM tuner and streaming functionality
• The Stevie: (Philips V3000): a more basic integrated turntable system
• The Janet (Philips V2000): a portable Radio with DAB+/FM tuners
• The Freddie (Philips SHP9500CY): open-back, over-ear wired headphones with a retro aesthetic
• The Ringo (Philips H2000): lightweight on-ear headphones

I’ll be taking a deeper dive into all the exciting reveals at TP Vision Live in the coming weeks and furnishing this page with more information about each product as and when I have it, so be sure to check back for all the latest Philips TV and AV news.