AfterMaster box promises to upgrade all your audio

There have been many attempts at improving the quality of audio sources, but they tend to be limited by where you're listening. Your headphones might automatically tune their sound, but that's not very useful in front of your TV; your television may have a voice booster mode, but you can't take that effect with you. AfterMaster doesn't think you should have to choose. It's trotting out the AfterMaster Pro, a portable box it describes as the first "personal audio remastering device." Hyperbole notwithstanding, it's promising -- it should boost the clarity, "fullness" and volume of most any audio, whether you're listening to music on your phone (through the 3.5mm jack) or sitting down to a movie (via HDMI). It can specifically focus on voice, and it's battery-powered for those times when you're on the road.

The Pro is selling for $169, and you won't have to wait long to get it -- it'll even be available on the CES show floor if you happen to be in Las Vegas. We'll have to listen to it before declaring it a success, though, and it's understandable if you're skeptical. After all, many audio upgrade apps and boxes frequently amount to little more than equalizer adjustments. Does it sound better, or just exaggerated? And it's safe to say that the ultimate quality will be dictated by your choice of headphones or speakers. If AfterMaster comes anywhere close to matching the hype, though, this could be your go-to device for sprucing up sound.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.