What is Naim? Why are so many hi-fi and home cinema brands being bought right now?
In the world of hi-fi and home cinema, many brands have been around for a long time. So far, some of the heavy-hitters we’ve covered are much older than that What is Hi-Fi?which in case you missed it, turns 50 this year.
That’s why many of us think that some household names are here to stay. At least that’s what we thought until 2026 began and three key events occurred that could spell trouble – or lead the way to a brighter future – for some of the biggest names in the industry.
The article continues below
Hi-fi high jinks
Starting with what’s happening in hi-fi, the latest news is that Belgian company Barco will buy VerVent Audio.
Didn’t you hear it? I didn’t even shoot a gray cell either, which reminds me of VerVent the relatively new parent company of Focal and Naim.
Then bells rang when some quick research reminded me that Barco is best known for its presence in the healthcare and commercial AV markets, and it’s certainly not hi-fi. Think big screens for immersive museum installations, cinemas and stadium-level events, rather than split channels.
Barco’s CEO, An Steegen, was keen to tell the media and investors that the acquisition is intended to help “shape the future of audio”, and that both brands will continue to operate in the consumer space. But still, I couldn’t help but feel a little worried.
First, because the statement clearly stated that the focus was on developing “integrated solutions where image and sound complement each other seamlessly”.
Pessimist that I am, this sounds more like the aforementioned museums and arenas than home hi-fi, which is where Focal and Naim have such a strong pedigree.
We contacted both Naim and Focal for more information on this point, but have not heard back at the time of writing. And frankly, it’s too early for people in those brands to know Barco’s plans – these acquisitions often take a while to roll out.
The news comes after Harman International completes its purchase of Masimo audio brands in September 2025.
That deal has us worried about the future of the affected brands – Bowers & Wilkins, Classé, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio, to name a few.
All that said, there is a lot of uncertainty in the hi-fi world.
Home cinema chaos
And what about the world of home cinema? Here we have two other major shifts.
Last month we talked about the presentation of the Panasonic TV 2026 in Germany and we expected it to follow the script we are used to: journalists arrive, media briefings for company executives, new products are announced, we share all the news with you, the readers.
Except it didn’t go down that way. Instead, Lewis Empson, our TV and AV writer, was greeted by an even emptier show floor than usual. And a lot of people with the Skyworth brand were on stage with Panasonic. And there was good reason.
A Chinese company is buying Panasonic’s TV business. This means that with the exception of one new OLED this year, the Z85C, Skyworth will handle the R&D, production and sales of Panasonic TVs going forward.
Yes, Skyworth has made TVs before, but for people like me who remember Panasonic in its plasma days, this is a big change. And it’s not the only one we’ve had this year.
Back in January we had the hot announcement from Sony that it had reached an agreement to sell a 51 percent stake in its home entertainment business to TCL. Marketed as a “strategic partnership”, concrete details of how the plan will work are unknown.
But an earlier announcement confirmed that TCL will oversee “the full process from product development and design to manufacturing, sales, transportation, and customer services for products including televisions and home audio equipment”.
That, in theory, includes Sony’s OLED business, which has had a number of What Hi-Fi? Award winners, including the Sony Bravia 8 and Sony Bravia 8 II, in recent years.
Given TCL’s previous insistence that Mini LED is better than OLED, the move set off a few alarm bells among the What Hi-Fi? the group.
Be like Brian
Watch it open
So what do all these changes mean for the average consumer, who just wants to buy the best TV or hi-fi products?
It’s too early to tell. Within 50 years What is Hi-Fi?’ presence we have seen acquisitions like this many times before, and some have been good for the brands involved, others less so.
The only thing we know for sure right now is that big changes in the home cinema and hi-fi market are coming.
That’s why, in the meantime, while I’m waiting for more information and the company concerned to provide concrete answers to the questions we sent (which they probably don’t know yet), I decided to take a page out of the playbook of my beloved prophet, Brian.
Specifically, to always look on the bright side of life, and hope that the changes will be positive until I find clear evidence to the contrary. After all, we don’t want to lose some popular AV brands.
MORE:
These are excellent OLED TVs update us
Our options for high quality speakers
We measure the best hi-fi systems
