It’s Day 4 of Tech Guide’s 2023 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas we want to help you find the right gift for your family and friends in this busy shopping period.
Today we’re talking about one of the most popular tech category – headphones, earphones and speakers which will be on everyone’s shopping list.
Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas:
Day 4: Headphones/speakers
DAY 5: Gaming
DAY 6: Tablets/e-readers
DAY 7: Drones/Gadgets
DAY 8: Smart/IoT devices
DAY 9: In-car gadgets
DAY 10: TVs/Blu-Ray/4K
DAY 11: Appliances
DAY 12: Computers
DAY 4: HEADPHONES/EARPHONES/SPEAKERS
JBL LIVE FREE 2 – $199
The new JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones offer some of the best value for customers who want to enjoy excellent audio quality and adaptive active noise cancellation and all for less than $200.
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS have a neat, compact design that fit comfortably in your ears for hours.
They have an oval pill shape which makes them easily fit in ears of all sizes and remain comfortably in place for hours at a time.
Under the hood, JBL has done it again with its Signature Sound which is an impressive mixture of clarity and bass.
APPLE AIRPODS PRO (2ND GEN) – $399
Apple’s AirPods Pro (second generation) just got even better with the introduction of a range of new features that have been enabled by iOS 17.
These new features include Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and Personalised Volume.
Since the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro announcement about the inclusion of USB-C, Apple has also released an updated AirPods Pro (second generation) earphones with a MagSafe Charging Case with USB-C.
The earphones included with the USB-C charging case themselves are identical to the earphones included with the previous lightning case.
Adaptive Audio is a combination between active noise cancellation and transparency mode which can adjust the level of noise cancellation based on the noise around you.
This feature is powered by the H2 Apple silicon aboard the AirPods Pro (second generation) which can adjust the listening experiences as your environment changes.
The good thing about it is that is intelligent enough to be able to tell what sound to suppress and which to enhance.
PANTHEONE OBSIDIAN – $1,999
When is a speaker also a work of art? Answer: When it’s the new Pantheone Obsidian that is a much a feast for the eyes as it impressive to the ears.
How many speakers have you heard of that are individually hand-crafted and named after a stone that’s formed when lava cools.
The minimalistic style and sculptured shape are striking – and this is even before we’ve even turned it on.
It is unlike any other speaker on the market – in looks, style and quality.
And the best thing is Pantheone is a 100 per cent award-winning Australian company flying the flag in the prestige audio market.
SKULLCANDY CRUSHER ANC 2 – $449.95
The perfect gift for any music lover this Christmas – so they can blast their Christmas carols on repeat. The next generation of the fan-favourite headphone, Crusher ANC 2 is Skullcandy’s newest premium headphone.
With features such as Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology, hands-free voice control and a flat-folding lightweight and durable design, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 will be on everyone’s wishlist. Available via JB Hi-Fi or Skullcandy’s website.
DENON PERL PRO – $549
The Denon PerL Pro true wireless earphones are unique in a couple of ways – first they look a little different than regular earphones and second, they can create a personalised audio profile so it sounds better for you.
Denon is a brand we’ve known in the audio space but it has now turned its attention to personal audio with the PerL Pro earphones.
The most obvious thing you’ll notice is the slightly unusual design.
The buds have a flat circular panel that are quite noticeable. It’s about the size of a 10 cent coin.
ECHO POP – $79
Echo Pop is the latest member of the Echo family and has a semi spherical design with an enhanced speaker to offer an improved audio experience.
The device is available in Lavender Bloom at Midnight Teal as well as the traditional Charcoal and Glacier White colours.
The front-facing directional speaker offers a full bodied sound that’s ideal for any room in your home or any small space.
And of course, you can simply ask Alexa to play your favourite music, radio station, remind you of your daily calendar, read your audiobooks and control compatible smart devices like lights and plugs.
JBL AUTHENTICS – From $499
JBL has unveiled Authentics – a new series of multi-room smart speakers which offer a retro look, wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity and access to both Alexa and Google Assistant in the same unit.
Unveiled at the IFA tech trade show in Berlin, there are three speakers in the range – the JBL Authentics 200, the JBL Authentics 300 and the JBL Authentics 500.
The speakers have a leather retro look and are fitted with Quadrex speaker grille which draws inspiration from the iconic JBL L100 speaker which was released in the 1970s.
BELKIN SOUNDFORM NANO FOR KIDS – $69.95
The SoundForm Nano earbuds are the perfect way for kids to enjoy their music and audio. With a volume limiter that protects young, sensitive hearing, and five sizes of ear tip options, these earbuds are comfortable and safe for kids of all ages.
The SoundForm Nano earbuds also offer up to 5 hours of non-stop playtime, with an additional 19 hours of battery life in the charging case. This means that kids can enjoy their music all day long without having to worry about running out of charge. The quick 2-hour charging time for both the case and earbuds ensures minimal waiting. Available from Amazon.com.au and leading Australian retailers.
SONY WF-1000XM5 – $499.95
Sony has revealed its new WF-1000XM5 earphones which the company says delivers a new-level of sound quality and its best noise cancellation over an even wider bandwidth for the best performance in any environment.
There are two proprietary processors in the earbuds that can cancel even more ambient sound than ever before plus dual feedback microphones and noise isolation eartips.
All of that adds up to a noise cancelling quality for Sony like never before.
On the audio side the Dynamic Driver X driver unit provides wide-frequency reproduction for deeper bass, crisp vocals and all the finer details.
BLUEANT X3i – $249
Australian company BlueAnt has pumped up the bass in its new X3i range of portable speakers so you can enjoy your music whenever and wherever you want.
The BlueAnt’s audio profile has been tuned by audio engineers to offer crisper output and the thumping bass the company is well-known for.
This new model is being released three years after the original X3 was unveiled and offers a new design, a sturdier speaker base and BlueAnt’s patented Shimmerweave fabric.
SONOS MOVE 2 – $799
Sonos has launched the Move 2 portable speaker which incorporates brand new acoustic architecture with dual tweeters to offer wider and crisper audio from a relatively small speaker.
Under the hood are three class-D digital amplifiers and a precision-tuned woofer that can produce impressive bass from a speaker that’s small enough to carry anywhere.
The device has both Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity so you can pair the Move 2 to a mobile device and take it anywhere or place it in your home with the rest of your Sonos system via wi-fi to enjoy multi room audio.
LG TONE FREE T90 – $319
LG not only make great TVs and home appliances they also offer excellent earphones as well including the Tone Free T90 which now includes Dolby Atmos and Dolby Head Tracking – a world first.
So they are useful for enjoying your music, movies, TV shows and games which are now using Dolby Atmos audio to create a soundscape that comes from all directions.
And with Dolby Head Tracking the sound is pinned in front of you putting you at the centre of the scene.
As you move your head the sound stay in the same position relative to your head.
ULTIMATE EARS EPICBOOM – $499.95
Indulge in the latest addition to the Ultimate Ears family with Ultimate Ears EPICBOOM. Crafted from recycled materials, its innovative design delivers a loud, portable 360° bassy sound. Waterproof and dustproof, it’s the perfect companion for indoor and outdoor festivities.
JBL TOUR PRO 2 – $329.95
When it comes to wireless earphones there’s not much that distinguishes one from the another, but the JBL Tour Pro 2 are absolutely one of a kind because it includes a display on the charging case.
JBL, one of Australia’s leading audio brands, is offering a unique user experience with the Tour Pro 2 earphones.
With the display on the charging case, users can control their music and all the settings without the need to open an app or touch their device.
And the impressive thing is the JBL display case is about the same size as a regular charging case.
BOWERS & WILKINS 600 SERIES S3 – From $499 a pair
Bowers & Wilkins has released its new 600 Series S3 – the eight generation high performance loudspeakers which include some of the biggest upgrades they’ve ever received.
The 600 Series is the second longest series in the Bowers & Wilkins portfolio after the popular 800 Series.
The release of the new 600 Series S3 comes at a time when more people are demanding higher quality sound while listening to vinyl or high-resolution streaming services.
BLUEANT X6 – $579
It’s go big or go home for Australian audio company BlueAnt with the release of the monster X6 Bluetooth Speaker that can be the life of the party.
This large portable speaker can go anywhere with you and offer a huge sound that can easily fill a room or take over poolside or in the garage.
Onboard are 15 light modes so it looks as good as it sounds.
Under the hood is 160W of power with punchy bass response and two equalisers tuned by audio engineers.
TECHNICS EAH-AZ80 – $499
The Technics earphones allow users to express their own personal style, while enjoying impeccable sound quality in every part of their lives. Technics has drawn upon 55 years of experience to ensure the audio quality is pure, focusing on every aspect of sound – from the driver and acoustic structure to the mechanical structure and digital signal processing – so listeners can hear every detail.
What’s more, the flagship EAH-AZ80 features a new 10mm, free-edge aluminium
diaphragm, delivering the highest sound quality ever achieved from Technics’ true wireless
earbuds.
ASTELL & KERN – $499
Astell & Kern’s UW100 MK II is an update to the brand’s popular audiophile-grade True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earphone first released in 2022.
In the UW1000 MK II, Astell & Kern combines the unique amplifier and audio circuit technology developed for A&K’s digital audio players with an Asahi Kasei AKM 32-bit Hi-Fi DAC, to reproduce sound on a whole new level compared to other true wireless earbuds that just use the BT-chipset-integrated DAC.
The UW100 MK II enables clearer and more accurate sound reproduction in all music genres by adopting Knowles Balanced Armature Drivers, which are typically used in expensive IEM (in ear monitor) systems, instead of the Dynamic Drivers that are common in generic TWS systems.
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