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COVER YOUR EARS While earbuds are getting the most attention when it comes to wireless music, more traditional-looking over-ear headphones have been going wire-free too – and they offer some big advantages over earbuds for those who want the very best in sound quality. Because of their size, designed to completely cover both your ears, they can come with seriously big drivers – and those bigger speakers mean more audio power, more accurate sound and bigger bass. Over-ear headphones also have an advantage when it comes to blocking outside noise that can disrupt your listening, and many come with additional noise cancelling tech to keep even more of the outside world away from your ears. That’s not ideal for all situations – if you’re listening while cycling or running, you’ll probably want more awareness of sound around you. But over-ears aren’t really made for wearing while active – they’re perfect for the plane or train, or relaxing in the summer sun.

GEAR FOR THE EARS

What to Buy:

There’s nothing sweeter than the sound of music – and no, we don’t mean the film (though it’s one to have around for family movie nights!) Portable music has been a thing ever since Sony changed the world with the Walkman all the way back in 1979. With big sound quality advances made with Bluetooth lately, music’s never sounded so good, no matter where you are.

JB’s Top Tips Noise cancelling on over-ear headphones is best at removing constant sounds like airplane engine noise or traffic sounds, with the over-ear design already blocking a lot of unwanted sound.

Sennheiser PXC550-II Noise Cancelling Headphones Touchpad control and smart pause. $299

Yamaha YH-E700A Wireless Over-Ear Headphones With Yamaha’s Advanced Active Noise Cancellation, adapting to your listening environment in real time. $399

Sennheiser HD458BT 30-hour battery and high-quality AptX low-latency audio. $149

PARTY ON! Summer means getting outdoors,

What The IP Rating Means You’ve probably seen many earbuds quote an “IP” rating with a number, similar to most mobile phones.The two digits after the “IP” are ratings for dust and liquid protection, the higher the better - so for earbuds, you’ll see something like “IPX4” – meaning they’re not tested for resistance to dust and dirt, but can easily handle you getting sweaty during a workout, run or bike ride!

What to Buy:

JB’s Top Tips

getting amongst friends and getting the soundtrack going to the best time of the year. And for those who love their music, technology’s ready to help keep the party going with some brilliant devices made for bringing the music to any gathering. Bluetooth, again, is the life of the party with some amped-up speakers designed for big bass and big crowds, making it quick and easy to get music live and loud, indoors or out. And you can actually DJ that music direct from your phone now, too, with pro-level Bluetooth portable DJ gear that can go wherever you are.

A party speaker needs a Bluetooth audio source like a smartphone nearby to keep the music going – if you’re in charge of the playlist, keep your phone in range!

Sony SRSXP700 Bluetooth Party Speaker 25 hours of party-powered music, with a quick 10-minute charge delivering three hours of music. $699

Stadium Disco Lite Bring the party to your gathering with this disco light with multiple colours, light effects, and different speeds. $41

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