STACK #206 Dec 2021

FEATURE LIFE TECH

10. BLUEANT X5 BLUETOOTH PARTY SPEAKER There will be some serious partying over the festive season, and that calls for a party speaker. BlueAnt is here to assist with its powerful X5 speaker that

5. SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS2

Good earbuds for a good price? Apply within. Available in four different colours, they offer ANC, hold five hours in the buds and a further 15 in the case, and are comfortable to wear. On the sound front, the multipurpose Galaxy Buds2 provide a well-balanced soundscape with broad appeal. 6. MARSHALL MODE II Sometimes brands leverage heritage to sell products. That is most definitely not the case with Marshall. From Bluetooth speakers through to headphones and earbuds, the quality is omnipresent. It’s the same story here with the mid-priced Mode II true wireless earbuds. 25 hours of play is matched with the kind of sound quality you’d expect from a Marshall product.

even comes with two microphones. Rated IP54, a single charge will provide 20 hours’ worth of party bangers. Your neighbours are going to

8. ULTIMATE EARS MEGABOOM 3 Encased in a super tough, made-for- purpose fabric and boasting an IP67 water and dustproof rating, the MEGABOOM 3 is equally at home around the pool, the beach, or on a campsite. Its design allows for 360 degrees of thumping sound, and that’s exactly what you get here – the audio is awesome. These speakers will survive just about anything you throw at them – even children! 9. MARSHALL EMBERTON Small in stature but big in sound, the Emberton is covered in durable rubber with a metal speaker grille emblazoned with a distinctive logo. A smart brass button on the top controls the volume and skips tracks, and an LED light indicates battery life. The only way to connect to the speaker is via Bluetooth. The Emberton throws out a big and well-balanced soundstage for its size, tuned with a rock slant in mind.

hate you.

11 . SONY SRS- XP700 PARTY SPEAKER Another fine option to soundtrack your summer is the SRS-XP700 Bluetooth speaker that works just as well on the road as it does in the home. You can expect a big sound here, a battery life of 25 hours (ten minutes of quick charge will

get you three hours of music), and inputs for karaoke mics and guitars. 12. PIONEER DDJ-200 DJ CONTROLLER If you’re taking the Christmas parties to the next level, Pioneer has you covered. Perfect for DJ beginners, all you need is an internet

7. SONOS ROAM Portability and versatility at a great price are what you get with the Roam. The speaker packs plenty of grunt with two Class-H digital amps, a tweeter, and a mid-woofer producing a sound you’d expect from a larger speaker. The new Sound Swap feature makes multi-room listening a cinch – switch music throughout the home by simply pressing a button. The Roam also boasts voice control, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and ten hours of battery life from a single charge.

CHRISTMAS CRACK-UPS

Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing? They always drop their needles!

connection, a smartphone or tablet, and a streaming service. The portable controller comes with a handy tutorial to take newcomers through the basic controls, leaving you ready to rock the night. 13. AUDIO-TECHNICA LP60XUSB For a reliable entry-level turntable, look no further than the LP60XUSB. You’re getting a name you can trust for a price that won’t break the bank. Belt-driven and fully automatic, put

STOCKING STUFFERS

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

No matter which colour you plump for – even the wild “unicorn” – this super-portable waterproof speaker with 13 hours of battery life is ready to rock the house, outdoors or anywhere.

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