The best gifts for audiophiles and music lovers for all budgets
Choosing the perfect Christmas gift for the music lover in your life can be a tricky business, whether you’re buying for a loved one, a work colleague, or a friend this December.
And, the bigger the audiophile, the more difficult it becomes – get the specs or the brand wrong, and you could find yourself digging out that gift receipt come Boxing Day (or December 26 if you're in the US).
So, if you’re struggling to find the perfect present, check out our roundup of the best speakers, headphones, turntables, and other audio accessories for every budget.
Best audio gifts under £50/$50/AU$75
While wireless headphone are all the rage right now, there are still plenty of reasons to go wired, with two of the biggest reasons being superior sound quality and price. While you can buy wireless headphones for a low cost, they usually sound much worse than wired headphones for the same price.
In the budget in-ear headphone category, you usually sacrifice sound and build quality for price. However, there are rare gems that are affordable, sound great, and are built well. The RHA MA390s are one of those headphones.
While the RHA MA390 is the cheapest headphone the company makes, it doesn’t sacrifice on build quality, design, or sound: These headphones are beautifully crafted out of aluminum, feature a braided cable for durability, and a universal remote that works with Android and iOS.
While not perfect, the RHA M390s are great value, and just special enough to make a perfect gift for the music lover in your life this Christmas.
While the original Plattan headphones were just fine for a pair of on-ear headphones, Urbanears wasn’t satisfied with being mediocre.
The company took customer feedback to heart and addressed many complaints about comfort, sound quality and isolation – and for the most part, Urbanears succeeded, making the Plattan II a worthy sequel to the company’s most popular headphone.
In short, these are basic headphones without a ton of features. But, because they're feature-light, you get a good-sounding pair of wired headphones for significantly less than you would otherwise, and they look incredibly stylish with that minimalist design.
Read the full review: Urbanears Plattan II
The Home Mini is the cheapest way of buying into the Assistant for those looking to buy into Google’s smart home ecosystem.
While it's a good value for the price, its weak bass frequencies makes it a better desk buddy than a standalone speaker - so, don't buy it for the hardcore audiophile in your life, but it could make a fantastic gift for a student who needs their speaker to be as compact as possible and is looking for something to make those long nights of studying go by a little easier.
It's also a top gift for people who already have smart devices like smart lights, locks, and thermostats in the home, as it can be used as a hub to connect and control all of these devices, as long as they are compatible.
Read the full Google Home Mini review
There are lots of music streaming services to choose from these days, with new offerings entering the market every month or so, but the one that always comes to mind first for us, and which consistently delivers, is Spotify.
Not only did Spotify get there early and claim the crown of the coolest, easiest-to-use, and arguably best music service around, it’s also still the most popular, despite stiff competition from the likes of Apple Music, Google Play Music and other music-specific services like Pandora Music and Deezer.
Although you can use Spotify for free, a Premium account means you don't have to listen to annoying adds, can select songs at random, and download your playlists for offline listening.
So, if you know someone who's struggling along with Spotify Free at the moment, why not buy them a gift card that's exchangeable for Spotify Premium this Christmas?
Know what you're after?
If you already have an idea of what you want to buy this Christmas, why not check out our audio tech round ups?
Best audio gifts under £100/$100/AU$150
After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective price ranges.
For $100 (£100, about AU$168), it’s hard to think of a better-sounding and -built headphone than the 1MORE Triple Driver. (That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are still a bargain at twice the price.)
There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for. Its rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks.
But, for its price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones, and they could make a great gift for any discerning music lover this Christmas.
Read the full review: 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone
For your money, you can't do any better than Grado's SR60e. The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet.
The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way more than it does. Its open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver. In a few words, it's our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears.
The Grado SR60es could make a great gift for anyone who loves the sound of over-ear headphones but hates how constricting they can feel after long periods of listening.
Read the full review: Grado SR60e (Our review is for the SR60i, but the newer SR60e headphones are largely similar in design and performance.)
This sequel to the UE Boom nails everything a Bluetooth speaker should be. It's loud, yet detailed. Portable, but still incredibly durable. Plus, even better, the addition of waterproofing turns what used to be the best Bluetooth speaker around for most occasions into the best one for every occasion.
If you're deep in the search for your next – or first – Bluetooth speaker, you can stop looking now. (But if you're looking for a little more power, the Megaboom – also from UE – is a great choice, too.)
So, if your loved one is guilty of singing in the shower, this powerful waterproof speaker could make shower time more fun for them (and easier for you to listen to).
Read the full review: UE Boom 2
This pick isn’t new, but here’s a reminder in case you’ve forgotten it exists. Chromecast Audio can be used to turn your old hi-fi or active speakers into an up-to-date wireless, smart system.
As well as being able to stream from any app that allows “casting”, which includes just about every major Android audio app out there, using Google Home you can ask for tracks using a phone or Home smart speaker.
Chromecast Audio may not be the most exciting gadget around, but when it could save a loved one spend hundreds on new speakers, it’s worth thinking about.
Read the full Google Chromecast Audio review
Best audio gifts over £100/$100/AU$150
All things considered, the Jabra Elite 65t are one of the best truly wireless headphones you can buy today. They cost slightly more than the Apple AirPods but they also offer better sound quality, noise isolation and adjustable ambient noise when you want it. And if you don’t like the design of the odd, alien-looking AirPods, the mature, understated look of the 65t may be to your liking.
While the Jabra Elite 65t are easily one of the highest scoring true wireless headphones we've reviewed, there are a few others on the market worth considering: If you want a pair of exercise earbuds, there’s the Jabra Elite Sport which has a higher water resistance and handy sports-oriented features.
For audiophiles who don’t mind stretching the budget, the active noise cancelling Sony WF-1000X are an excellent choice. Bassheads will want to try the SOL Republic Amps Air.
If you only have the budget for one of these, though, go for the Elite 65t and your loved one will have a great Christmas.
Read the full review: Jabra Elite 65t
If there’s anything surprising about the new Sony WH-1000XM3 it’s that they’re so consistent with what Sony has released in the last two years in the form of the Sony WH-1000XM2 and Sony MDR-1000X. To wit, they’re a dominant noise-cancelling pair of headphones that can beat out anything Bose has with both arms behind its back.
That’s because, while Bose has done a tremendous job working out its noise-cancellation algorithm over the years, Sony has spent that time perfecting audio playback while simultaneously creating an adaptability algorithm that doesn’t just create a single sterile sound barrier, but multiple kinds that can adapt to whatever situation you’re in.
Beyond being exceptional at keeping external noises at bay, Sony's headphones are Hi-Res Audio-ready, sporting aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs, plus offer will offer Google Assistant support right on-board. If you want to gift a pair of headphones that can live up to any challenge and excel in any environment, these are them.
Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3
Sonos’ debut Alexa speaker is a cleanly-designed, feature-rich and great-sounding device that brings together the best of both ecosystems. You’ve got the ever-improving Alexa on the one hand, and on the other you’ve got Sonos with its own multi-room smarts.
There's also a new feature in the mix that promises to change the game: AirPlay 2. With it, the Sonos One can talk to Siri and form a multi-room pairing with the Apple HomePod, making it the most versatile speaker on the list.
If there's anything holding the Sonos One back from greatness it's the fact that Google Assistant is still MIA - something Sonos has been particularly quiet about.
Still, it's one of our favorite smart speakers of 2018, and it could make the perfect gift for the music lover in your life this Christmas.
The Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB is the best introductory turntable for aspiring vinyl enthusiasts. Out of the box, it features the ability to play 33 ⅓, 45 and 78 RPM, this means there will never be an album you can’t play. There’s also a built-in phono preamp so you never have to worry about finding one on your own.
New record collectors will love the easy setup and features while more vetted users will love the option to dial in the vertical tracking angle, tracking force and easily replaceable headshell. Sure, it looks like a Technics SL-1200 ripoff but at a fraction of the price, it’s entirely worth it.
The AT-LP120-USB also comes with a USB output that allows you to record your record collection if you want. To put it simply, this deck strikes the perfect balance of ease of use for beginners while still including some more advanced features for users to grow into – and it's a fantastic gift for anyone who has vinyls collecting dust in the attic.
Best premium audio gifts
The Beoplay E8 is a tiny yet impressive piece of audio tech. While the four-hour battery life can be a bit frustrating for all-day users, it’s certainly not something we’d hold against the E8. The touch controls are responsive, and we just can’t get over how gorgeous these things look.
Yes, you’re going to be paying a higher price, but for this kind of premium finish and audio quality, it almost seems worth it to put a smile on your loved ones face this Christmas.
The Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail.
That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity.
But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point.
Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature
In life, money isn’t everything. In sound, however, it’s pretty important.
Case in point: the Definitive Technology BP9080x speakers. Right off the bat we want to make it clear that this stereo pair is a luxury item that is made only for the most avid audiophile on the market.
If that’s you, then let us tell you just how amazing these speakers are.
From beginning to end of the covered frequency range, the BP9080x speakers are crystal clear, articulate, and genuinely moving. The passive design is aided by an active subwoofer, giving the user independent control of the subwoofer volume on each tower, meaning it can be adjusted to fit any room with any standing waves.
The midrange is as full and clear as any speakers we’ve ever heard, never getting overworked or muddy no matter what songs and sounds we threw at it. The pitch-perfect mid range blends perfectly into the gorgeous treble frequencies that never got harsh, even when the windows were shaking from the volume. The clarity from the top of the frequency range to the bottom can’t be overstated.
On top of it all (literally) there are two “height channel” speakers that make this a perfect centerpiece in your Dolby Atmos or DTS:X home theater.
All of this audio goodness is wrapped in a tall and slender package made from premium materials that is impossibly discreet, especially considering the amount of volume it can pump out. All we can say is that if you’re looking to spend the money (and it is a lot of money), we can’t recommend Definitive Technology’s BP9080x speakers enough.
If the Clearaudio Concept and Marantz TT-15S1 seem familiar, that’s because the Marantz was built by Clearaudio to Marantz’s specifications. This means everything about the excellent build quality of the Marantz carries over to the Clearaudio Concept (i.e. this is a turntable that is as gorgeous as it sounds).
One small but notable difference between the Marantz and the Clearaudio is the ability to play 78 rpm records. While most people will never come across 78s, it’s nice to know that the Clearaudio Concept is capable of playing them. The Concept also has a handy speed dial on the plinth, meaning you don’t have to swap the belt position manually.
As for negatives, the Clearaudio Concept has no notable flaws. Yes, it’s expensive but you’re still getting a bargain in this price range, as the included Clearaudio Concept moving-coil cartridge costs around £700 by itself.
Read the review: Clearaudio Concept
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