Staff Picks: 5 Best Gifts for Audiophiles This Season
Give the Gift of High-Quality Audio
Is there someone in your life who lives and breathes music? Do they collect records or eagerly follow music news, check out new albums, and explore deep cuts?
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for an audio enthusiast but aren’t sure where to start, HiFi Buys in Atlanta, GA, is here to help. Here are our five best gifts for audiophiles this holiday season.
SEE ALSO: Q&A: A Deep-Dive into High-End Subwoofers
1. For the Vinyl Lover
Turntables
For a great starter HiFi turntable, the Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB Turntable ($499) includes a built-in phono preamp and offers flexibility to add to any speaker system.
If you’re shopping for a seasoned vinyl veteran, treat them to a major upgrade with the Rega Planar 3 Turntable ($1,395). The Rega design team spent two years developing the latest version of their iconic Planar turntable, which gathers more information from vinyl records than ever before.
Vinyl Care Products
Help your vinyl-lover take care of their system with Mobile Fidelity Anti-Static Record Sleeves ($20/pack of 50), the Mobile Fidelity Stylus Cleaner ($25), or the Pro-Ject VC-E2 Vacuum Record Cleaning Machine ($499) for the hardcore collector.
2. High-End Headphones
If new headphones are on your loved one’s wishlist, Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 S2 ($399) offer immersive audio with over 30 hours of wireless listening. On the more high-end side, Focal’s Bathys ($699) wireless noise-canceling headphones feature a higher-quality microphone and superior bass accuracy and frequency response.
And to bring high-fidelity sound to any pair of headphones, treat your audiophile to the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC & Headphone Amp (on sale for $199). This tiny DAC will do wonders to clean up digital audio performance so they can enjoy music as it was meant to be heard.
3. Home Speakers for the Holidays
‘Smart’ Speakers – Plugged into Wall
For an easy-to-assemble wireless speaker, we recommend the Sonos Era 100 ($249) bookshelf speaker or the previous generation Sonos One (on sale for $159).
For something portable, treat them to the weatherproof, drop-resistant Sonos Move 2 ($449) or the previous generation (on sale for $349).
If you want higher audio performance in a wireless speaker, the KEF LSX II (on sale for $999) is all-in-one with impressively balanced sound. For the ultimate wireless speaker, you can’t do better than the KEF LS50 Wireless II (on sale for $1,999), named Product of the Year for the What Hi-Fi? Awards in 2021.
Passive Speakers – Plugged into Amplifier
For anyone building a stereo system for the first time or putting a secondary system in a bedroom or office, the KEF Q-Series speakers are all on sale for the season. These floor-standing and bookshelf speakers are so personal that we’d typically not recommend them for a gift unless you know which model someone would like. Luckily, HiFi Buys has gift cards and a return period extended until January 31st for anything purchased in December for stress-free giving!
4. The Any-System Music Streamer
Give the gift of high-quality streaming with the Bluesound NODE Hi-Res Music Streamer (on sale for $449) that can connect any amplifier, receiver, or powered audio system to streaming services.
5. For the One That’s Hard to Shop For
Are you still stumped for that special someone? Don’t want to get them the wrong thing? Treat your audio lover to a HiFi Buys gift card so they can pick out something they love!
Visit HiFi Buys in Atlanta to find gift cards and the best gifts for audiophiles. And contact us here for any questions you may have!
