Ryan Waniata
Home Theater & Entertainment Editor
Author/Co-Author of 1325 articles
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a recovering audio engineer and musician. Hailing originally from Montana, Ryan studied music composition at the University of Montana, audio engineering at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona, and did a stint in Nashville before transitioning to A/V and Entertainment coverage. When he’s not on the road for the latest speaker, TV, or headphone event, he makes his home in Portland, OR.
Beats Powerbeats Pro review: Great design, with a flaw
Beats’ first true wireless earbuds leverage tech from Apple, including the H1 chip inside the AirPods 2, in a larger design that nearly doubles the battery life
Blumoo review
Flyover Innovations’ Blumoo proposes a succinct way to control all your home theater components from any iOS or Android-powered smartphone or tablet. But our evaluation revealed that this little unit may have hit the market before it was ready.
NBC’s new Peacock streaming service is just one big ad-injection machine
NBCUniversal finally unveiled its streaming service, Peacock, a live call with investors on Thursday. The service will be offered in three tiers, most notably one that will completely free. But the biggest takeaway? This service is all about the ads.
HBO’s Westworld-themed Incite dinner made me question everything
At CES 2020, HBO held an intimate dinner with a select group of journalists and show attendees as a promotion for Westworld season 3. But at this dinner, nothing was as it seemed. Come along down the rabbit hole to one of the strangest, coolest, and most off-putting events I've ever attended.
Klipsch’s new speakers are the no-soundbar soundbar we need
Klipsch's new powered bookshelves have a slick trick up their sleeves: HDMI ARC connection. That means, as long as your TV has HDMI ARC, you can now use a single remote for your powered speakers, letting music lovers rock out in full force while enjoying all the convenience of soundbar control.
JBL went big at CES with a Dolby Atmos soundbar and affordable earbuds
JBL is showing off some impressive new audio gear for CES 2020, including two new pairs of true wireless earbuds at affordable price points, a feature-packed new pair of over-ears with graphene drivers and noise cancellation, and JBL's first Dolby Atmos soundbar with detachable speakers.
The best soundbars of CES 2020: Vizio, TCL, LG, and more
CES 2020 is loaded with cool audio gear, including some of the best and most feature-packed soundbars you'll see this year. We've collected the best the show has to offer all in one place so you can get a jumpstart on the new decade. These are the best soundbars of CES 2020.
The best headphones of CES 2020: Shure, Panasonic, Jabra, and more
CES is a headphone lover's dream venue, offering all the coolest new models coming to market this year, with all the latest features. We've picked out our absolute favorites from the showroom floor to help you sift through the noise. Here are the best headphones from CES 2020.
How 2019 became the year of true wireless earbuds
Fully wireless earbuds have evolved from novelty wearables to must-have devices in record time. From the first AirPods to the latest noise-canceling masterpieces, it's been a long road. But thanks to new models with multiple advancements, 2019 is when it all came together. Here's why it's time to buy.
Disney+ review update: Streamer finds its footing
Disney+ arrived on time and loaded with all (or at least most) of Disney's best work. We dig deep into the Disney+ weeds to suss out the good and the bad.
Klipsch Bar 40 soundbar review
Klipsch’s Bar 40 does its namesake proud when it comes to both style and sound, with a great look and impressively clear performance. But those seeking loads of features may want to look elsewhere. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know so you can make the best decision for your budget.
Aftershokz Aeropex wireless bone conducting headphones review
Aftershokz has made its name in audio with open-ear, bone-conduction headphones that are tailor-made for your workout. The Aeropex are its smallest, sleekest, and best-sounding pair yet. If you’re looking for a way to keep your ears open and your tunes rolling, they’re a great choice.
Powerbeats Pro vs. Sony’s noise-canceling WF-1000XM3
Sony's new totally wireless earbuds pack a secret weapon we've yet to see in the category: Killer noise canceling. Add in great sound and a slick design and they put up a huge fight when compared to Beats' popular Powerbeats Pro. But there can only be one winner in this cage match, so which is best?
AirPods vs. Beats Powerbeats Pro: An Apple earbuds showdown
Which true wireless earbuds are right for you? We compare Apple's AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case and the Powerbeats Pro so you can decide for yourself.
Bang & Olufsen’s 77-inch Beovision Harmony TV dominates a room, tucks itself away
Bang & Olufsen unveiled its latest combination of art and technology with the new Beovision Harmony OLED TV. Equipped with a 77-inch LG C9 OLED display, the automated system transforms from a piece of home decor into a powerful cinematic experience, complete with built-in sound system. But it'll cost you.
Apple AirPods vs. AirPods 2
Trying to decide between AirPods 1 and AirPods 2? We've put together a detailed comparison of these two top earbuds so you can decide which is more worthwhile.
Beats Powerbeats Pro: Everything you need to know about the earphones
Beats will release the true wireless Powerbeats Pro earphones in May, following their unveiling in April. Will Apple's other brand eclipse the wildly popular white hockey sticks? With water-resistance, long battery life, and other new features, they're impressive new contenders. Here's everything we know.
How Laika blends 3D printing and CGI to make mesmerizing stop-motion movies
With each film, Laika Studios pushes the bar higher for stop-motion animation. In our new video, we explore Laika's latest techniques for its new adventure, Missing Link, which the studio calls a kaleidoscopic travelogue that pushes the line once again to rank as the studio's most ambitious film yet.
These loaded cans bundle a wireless stand that even charges your phone
We thought we'd seen just about every kind of wireless headphone feature under the sun, but HiVi's new AW-85 active noise-canceling headphones come with a cool new trick: A charging stand that wirelessly charges the headphones and your phone. What's more, they sound pretty good, too.
Klipsch’s new Reference home theater system does hi-fi surround without wires
At CES 2019, Klipsch showed off its fantastic new Reference Wireless speaker system, a wireless surround sound setup that uses a re-emerging wireless technology called WiSA to produce hi-fi surround sound without the need for speaker wires. We got a chance to listen to the speakers and we're already smitten.
Vizio’s latest soundbars double down on Dolby Atmos — again
Vizio brought a myriad of new soundbars to CES 2019, including two new Dolby Atmos bars that offer big sound in a smaller profile, bringing the brand's Atmos offerings to five. Smaller bars fill out the line for a versatile collection. We've got all the details of the lineup here.
Vizio shakes up its TV lineup, including blazingly bright P-Series Quantum X
Vizio's new TV lineup offers a major shakeup in its standard collection, from the ultra-premium P-Series Quantum X to the entry-level new V-Series TVs. With quantum dots across three lines, Dolby Vision HDR, 4K, and local dimming, there's a lot to like in Vizio's 2019 TVs.
JBL’s CES lineup scoffs at wires with four new pairs of true wireless buds
JBL is going big at CES by going small with four new pairs of true wireless earbuds that can fit in your pocket and rock out for hours on end. The company has also introduced a new line of workout cans in multiple sizes and styles to get your new year started off right.
We pit the two best-sounding wireless earbuds against each other
There are only two pairs of true wireless earbuds currently on the market that we've put on a pedestal for sound quality: Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless, and Master and Dynamic's MW07. Both pairs cost a pretty penny, but which is the best? We pitted them against each other to find out.
‘What We Do In The Shadows’ turns Jemaine Clement into a creature of the night
With a career as unique as the man himself, Jemaine Clement’s star is still rising. From his HBO show (and band) Flight of the Conchords to his TV spinoff of What We Do in the Shadows, we dig deep into the funnyman’s many roles. From writing and directing, to acting and singing, he’s a true renaissance man.
Vizio P-Series (P65-F1) review
Vizio’s P-Series TV line has always been the best among the brand’s long run of budget-friendly TVs, but this year’s model has really stepped up. With impressive HDR, killer contrast, and brilliant colors, it’s an LED TV wonder to behold.
Amazon’s horde of new Alexa-powered audio gear includes subwoofer, new amplifier
Amazon's quest to take over the world with its Alexa voice assistant just got a bit closer to realization, as the company unleashed an army of new devices at its live event today, including multiple new audio devices. We've got the low-down on all of the new products here.
Samsung’s 34-foot Onyx LED TV looks to change movie theaters forever
Samsung’s biggest LED creation yet, the Onyx Cinema LED screen, is a massive display designed to power the movie theater of the future. With 10 times the brightness of standard projectors, perfect black levels, and 4K resolution, could this 34-foot big-screen TV make projectors obsolete?
How do you re-create the air-ripping launch of 11,000-hp dragsters? Dolby Atmos
Dolby and the NHRA have been working together on something special. The two entities have been producing live drag races in spine-chilling Dolby Atmos. Digital Trends recently went behind the scenes at a race in Las Vegas to check out this newly forged partnership in action.
Can this app make EarPods sound like studio-grade cans? We tested to find out
Sonarworks' True-Fi headphone app promises a revolutionary way to modify the sound signature of your favorite headphones for a more accurate, linear response. But is it right for you?
Vizio P-Series (P65-E1) review
Vizio’s P-Series offers impressive features, a sexy design, and picture quality that far outshines the brand’s lower-priced models. But is this the 4K HDR TV for you?
Between the Streams podcast
Today, on our very last Between the Streams podcast, we'll talk about our new show on Digital Trends Live (every Friday at 10:20 a.m. PT), as well as everything from our first look at Cowboy Rambo and the new Dark Crystal series, to Pattinson Batman and our absolute adoration for What We Do in the Shadows.