The audiophile in your life probably already has some of the best headphones but there are plenty of other gifts you can buy them this Christmas. So many that it can feel pretty intimidating to know where to start.
That’s where we’re here to help. We’ve used our expert knowledge and experience to come up with some great gift ideas for the audiophile in your life. A lot of audio equipment isn’t cheap but we’ve done our best to include items for a wide range of budgets so there’s something for every situation.
To help you out, we’ve looked at a little bit of everything from MP3 players to turntables – all with a focus on them providing the best audio experience for the music addict in your life. Check out what we consider to be the perfect gifts for audiophiles, below.
If you still need some other inspiration, take a look at our guides to the best Christmas sales in the US and Boxing Day sales in the UK. We’ve also gathered together plenty of other holiday and Christmas gift ideas to help you figure out what to buy.
Best turntable and Bluetooth speaker gifts
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
The best turntable
The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO isn’t a cheap turntable but it easily tops our look at the best turntables thanks to its great quality. It’s the most refined one around offering a detailed listen and an automatic speed control so there’s no need for you to do much. It sounds fantastic so even the pickiest of audiophiles will be delighted.
Best budget turntable
For the best budget turntable, consider the Audio-Technica Full Automatic Turntable. It’s still fully automatic which is useful with the only difference being that it could sound a little crisper and more balanced than a pricier alternative. An old-school look, it suits those wanting a more traditional aesthetic right down to its lack of modern features. It’s ideal for newbies to the vinyl world who want to try something new.
Powerful Bluetooth speaker
For a more modern listening experience, try the Sonos Roam. Sonos has a great reputation for audio quality for good reason. This speaker is portable so you can take it around with you for up to 10 hours. It pairs up with other Sonos speakers so you can set up a multiroom arrangement, while there’s support for everything you can think of including Alexa and Google Assistant.
Best wired and over-ear headphone gifts
1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones
Hi-res sound on a budget
Audiophiles know that wired sound is simply better. The 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Earphones demonstrate you don’t even have to spend much to enjoy hi-res audio and earphones tuned by a Grammy Award winning sound engineer. Two balanced armatures and a separate dynamic driver ensure an incredibly accurate experience with fantastic clarity and deep bass as needed.
Sennheiser IE 300 Pro in-ear
High-end wired listening
Lightweight, comfy to wear, and offering balanced and stunningly detailed hi-res sound, the Sennheiser IE 300 Pro in-ear headphones are perfect for audiophiles. They provide amazing isolation from your environment which is perfect for music production or simply gaining the benefit from every note in your favorite song.With a specialized back volume and absorbing resonator chamber, clarity is far improved making these quite exceptional for the right ear.
Sennheiser HD 660S2 Wired Headphones
Ideal Over-Ear cans
For those who prefer over-ear headphones, the Sennheiser HD 660S2 are a delight. They provide high-fidelity sound with extra sub bass while still feeling natural and relaxed. Improved ventilation compared to others means minimal distortion so you can hear the lowest note as well as the kick of a bass drum. An open-back design makes them perfect for extended recording sessions too.
Best MP3 player and radio gifts
FIIO M11S Hi-Res MP3 player
Superior to any phone
The FIIO M11S Hi-Res MP3 player reminds audiophiles of why your phone just doesn’t cut it for hi-res audio, no matter what features it offers. Here, you get a dedicated listening experience with lossless DSD/MQA. There’s support for Tidal too with Android 10 ably capable of handling everything you want to do here. Sound is bold, detailed, and fantastic.
Classic MP3 experience
The Sony NW-A306 Walkman is a reminder of how great Sony was at making Walkmans cool and excellent. There’s support for hi-res audio here along with DSD format up to 11.2MHz and 360 Reality Audio – Sony’s specialist feature which enhances the soundstage of your music. Up to 36 hours of 44.1KHz FLAC playback between charges ensures this is going to be permanently attached to audiophiles.
Roberts Rambler DAB Radio
Gorgeous DAB radio
DAB radios remain pretty useful while providing better sound than the dated FM format. The Roberts Rambler DAB Radio looks as good as it sounds. Its 1970s stylings work well while there are tactile knobs for interacting with it. Most importantly for audiophiles, it offers some good sound with Bluetooth streaming its particular penchant alongside radio stations. It’s a little quiet but a lovely addition to your kitchen.
More Holiday sales in the US
- Amazon: 70% off Kindle, TVs, tablets & clothing
- Apple: AirPods, Apple Watch & iPads from $79
- Adidas: 40% off running shoes & clothing
- Beauty: 51% off makeup, skincare & hair tools
- Best Buy: $800 off TVs, laptops & headphones
- Cheap TVs: big-screen 4K TVs from $269.99
- Christmas: 40% off decor, pajamas & trees
- Dell: Inspiron and XPS laptops from $260
- DreamCloud: 40% off all mattresses
- Family pajamas: Christmas PJs from $12.99
- Gaming: console bundles from $289.99
- Lenovo: 76% off laptops, desktops & printers
- Lowe’s: up to $800 off major appliances
- Nectar: mattress deals starting at $359
- Nordstrom: 40% off Nike, Levi’s & UGGs
- Patagonia: pullovers starting at $64.99
- Samsung: $2,000 of TVs, phones and appliances
- Shopbop: 25% off sitewide with code Holiday
- Target: 40% off Christmas decor, TVs & toys
- Toys: Disney, Barbie & Lego from $14.99
- Walmart: cheap TVs, air fryers, PS5 & toys
More Christmas sales in the UK
- Amazon: up to 65% off tech and gifts
- Adidas: up to 60% off outlet clothing, shoes, apparel
- AO: up to 40% off vacuums, appliances, and tech
- Argos: up to 70% off toys, Christmas decor, and tech
- Boots: half-price gift sets, gift cards, and fragrances
- B&Q: cheap Christmas trees, lights, decor, wreaths
- Carphone Warehouse: 120GB data for £12 per month
- Currys: up to 40% off TVs, air fryers, laptops and more
- Cotswolds Outdoor: up to 50% off Patagonia, Rab, North Face
- Debenhams: up to 70% off home, fashion, gift sets
- Disney: up to 60% off Christmas jumpers, toys, decor
- Ebuyer: up to 40% off laptops, desktops, and components
- John Lewis: £300 off TVs, Apple, plus Christmas decor
- Jessops: up to £1,000 off Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm
- O2: up to £600 off iPhone, Samsung and Google
- Samsung: up to £600 off TVs, phones and appliances
- Shark: up to £100 off best-selling vacuums
- Very: discounts on tech, appliances, furniture and beauty
- Vodafone: six months half-price SIMs from £11.50
