Hello everyone, and welcome once more to the week in Playback, CE Pro’s weekly news segment where we recap some of the biggest updates in the professional AV and smart home installation markets. And it’s a special week this week if you happen to be a fan of big screen TVs (which let’s be real, who isn’t in this industry?).
After announcements from Sony and Samsung earlier this year that seemed to be pushing the direction of home entertainment towards the fabled RGB LED tech, LG has an all new MAGNIT it’s looking to show off to luxury installers. At the same time, Daisy is tapping a familiar face to lead its latest branch office and D-Tools has some big news of its own.
So settle in while I give you the week in Playback.
D-Tools Heads to Atlanta
Image: D-Tools
D-Tools sure has grown over the years, especially if the company has enough users to kick off its own conference. Announced on Monday, the company said it will be heading to the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown February 23–25, 2026 for its inaugural D-Tools User Conference 2026 (DTUC).
It’s not just for users, though. According to D-Tools the event aims to unite integrators, partners, and industry experts for hands-on training, peer collaboration and insights. Of course, in an era where travel costs just keep going up and tradeshows and events vie for the attentions (and budgets) of integrators, it’ll be interesting to see how this adds to the landscape.
KEF Revisits an Old Classic
Photo courtesy of KEF
Fifty years after its initial launch, the Coda series is getting a fresh entry for KEF’s sixtieth anniversary in the form of the Coda W. Though, Coda V would have been a good pick for a name as well considering Versatility seems to be the name of the game for this release.
With a built-in phono preamp, a variety of connectivity and streaming options, as well as multiple configuration options, the active speaker duo looks surprisingly adept at working on their own or as part of larger systems at first glance. Rather than aiming for mass market appeal, however, these speakers seem to be embracing a new reality when it comes to spatial setups.
Kappler Taps Old Colleague for Daisy’s Palm Coast Branch
Hagan Kappler (left) stands with Kim Lyznicki (right). Photo provided by Daisy
A familiar face has joined Daisy from CEO Hagan Kappler’s days working at ServiceMaster. With the launch of the company’s twenty-second national location, Kappler has tapped Kim Lyznicki, a seasoned executive in her own right, to lead operations at the new location.
The Palm Coast branch is set to open before the end of 2025, joining six other Daisy locations in Florida, including Sarasota, Ocala, Coral Springs, and Pompano Beach as the company continues its aggressive growth strategy across the U.S.
LG’s Next Big MicroLED
Photo courtesy of LG
Consumer appetite for massive screens simply won’t quit, and in the luxury segment—where consumer appetite hasn’t taken nearly the hit the mass market has—companies like LG keep looking to satiate that appetite.
At 136-inches and boasting a 4K resolution, LG’s latest entry into the MAGNIT line bucks the usual passive matrix technology for active control over the screen’s pixels, promising more precise color reproduction alongside deeper blacks. Don’t get too excited about it, though, as there is currently no known date for when it will enter North American markets (though a North American release at some point in the future is confirmed).
The Week in Playback
If you’re interested in learning more about any of the stories mentioned in this week’s Playback, a link our full coverage will be provided below. Thanks again for stopping by folks. We hope to see you next time.
