FutureMusic is proud to present the 2019 Holiday Gift Guide. Shop with confidence! All of the products below have been reviewed by our team of evaluators and only the best-of-the-best have been selected by our editors for this years guide.
Apple released their new AirPods Pro last month. The AirPods Pro are an enhanced version of their ultra-popular AirPods and come with two killer features that set it far apart from the competition in this popular market segment. First, is a rubber ear gasket that forms to your ear hole and stays put, unlike the previous model, which could only be worn by 78% of the market due to their rigid design. This is a real game changer and will appeal to anyone who wants to employ AirPods during more vigorous activities or has an acute paranoia that they will lose one of their AirPods during the course of their day. The second, is the noise cancellation feature. This is basically magic and turns even the busiest environments into serene noise free escapes. We’ve been testing the AirPods Pro in New York City and are just amazed how well they work. The “I have two tooth brushes hanging out of my ears” is more like “I have two Q-Tips hanging out of my ears” with the AirPod Pro’s smaller stem form factor, but you will have to get over that look, which you know will be parodied in about five years.
Apple AirPods Pro — $250
We recently received the AIAIAI TMA-2 Modular Wireless Headphones in for review and came away impressed in our preliminary evaluation. The TMA-2 are the sequel to their popular TMA-1, a popular European DJ and electronic music headphone. The TMA-2 has a few tricks up its sleeve, namely the modular design, which allows you to change from wired to wireless with a couple of added accessories. Even bass response and detailed mid-range, as well as a muted aesthetic make this a great gift choice for the music connoisseur on your list.
AIAIAI TMA-2 — $295.
Hex Bags makes a variety of soft duffle bags and backpacks for the active and connected consumer. We’ve tested their new Galaxy backpack and Duffle and came way impressed with the minimal and clean styling. Better still, the subtle gray pattern is actually reflective material and illuminates when hit with headlights for added safety. The impossibly luxurious, super soft, faux fur-lined computer compartment – that can easily house a 13″-15″ MacBook Pro inside – is the nicest padded computer sleeve we’ve ever encountered in a bag. The duffle could have utilized two independent zippers on the outside compartments, but that’s the only deficit we found.
Hex Galaxy Backpack — $89; Duffle — $159.
The Jammy set out to address a problem that all guitar players eventually encounter: how to practice guitar when on the move. However, by adding MIDI control to the Jammy, they turned the unique portable instrument into a whole lot more. The Jammy can easily be disassembled for transport in a matter of seconds. It has real steel strings and “feels” like your playing guitar, once you get used to the fret strings and strumming strings being independent. You can practice with headphones, or link up to an amp with its onboard sounds. But where it really shines is as a MIDI controller via Bluetooth or USB. It sets up in seconds and can be synced to all major DAWs.
TwelveSouth calls the AirFly Pro: “the missing link between wireless headphones and wired headphone jacks.” And while that’s very catchy, the reality is that the AirFly product line is designed so that you can connect your beloved AirPods to an airplane’s entertainment system wirelessly. While it can work in some cars and at the gym when you’re using cardo AirFly is a wireless headphone adapter that lets you use your favorite wireless headphones or earbuds in places that only have a headphone jack – like airplanes and treadmills. Plug this tiny transmitter into a headphone jack to listen to in-flight movies or the TVs at the gym. AirFly Pro lets two people listen to the same soundtrack, podcast or music with their favorite noise-cancelling headphones or AirPods.
Do you have someone on your list that’s into podcasting? Well, look no further than the RØDE RØDECaster Pro. We subjected the RØDECaster Pro to one of our grueling long-term reviews and came away quite impressed. The RØDECaster Pro will turn any wannabe into a real, well, pro, and you won’t break the bank making their dreams come true! RØDE RØDECaster Pro costs $699. RØDE.
Gamers need holiday love too! And Razer delivers with the Nari Ultimate, a wired/wireless gaming headset with a slew of innovative features. The Nari Ultimates are feather weight and contain some of the plushest headset over-the-ear cushions we’ve ever tested. They even have cutouts for users with glasses! Both of these features allow the user to wear these puppies for hours on end. All of our testers loved the innovative retractable microphone that stows away when you just want to uses the Nari’s for listening to your favorite choons. If that wasn’t enough, they also contain Razer’s HyperSense, an intelligent haptic technology developed by Lofelt that converts sound signals into dynamic touch-sensory feedback as they happen. In English, this translates into the Razer Nari Ultimate detecting the shape and frequencies of game audio and transforming them into lifelike haptic effects. Marry that to the incorporation of THX Spatial Audio, which simulates sound in a 360° sphere around you. Just get ’em! Razer Nari Ultimate gaming headphones cost $199. Razer Nari Ultimate.
