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The Audiophiliac's best-ever holiday gift guide

The Audiophiliac's gift ideas, with something for every taste.

Steve Guttenberg
Ex-movie theater projectionist Steve Guttenberg has also worked as a high-end audio salesman, and as a record producer. Steve currently reviews audio products for CNET and works as a freelance writer for Stereophile.
Steve Guttenberg
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1 of 13 FiiO

FiiO X1 2nd Gen Music Player

This year's holiday gift guide runs the gamut -- from speakers and headphones to music, digital converters, and turntables -- all priced in the affordable range.

FiiO's tasty new X1 2nd Gen portable music player boasts Bluetooth 4.0 wireless tech and a more responsive touch-wheel user-interface. Build quality feels more robust -- it's a sweet little machine and the perfect stocking stuffer!

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2 of 13 Sarah Tew/CNET

Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Speakers

The SP-BS22-LR speaker has consistently earned raves for its sound, and it's a screaming bargain for anyone craving the best-bang-for-the-buck speakers.

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3 of 13 1More

1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones

The Triple Driver's beautifully finished aluminum ear pieces and Kevlar reinforced cable inspired confidence this headphone might withstand some abuse. Each earpiece hosts a single dynamic driver, plus two balanced armature drivers. Soundwise, the Triple Driver headphone is full and warm, but nicely detailed.

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4 of 13 Apple

The Beatles, 'Live at the Hollywood Bowl'

For some strange reason, these live Beatles tracks from the Hollywood Bowl have never been released in any digital format. Until now they'd only been available on the 1977 Capitol LP. So there's a fair chance most younger fans have never heard a live Beatles album. These shows dating from 1964 and 1965 capture a sizable helping of the excitement of their concerts. It's just too bad the Beatles stopped touring in '66, so this one album will have to do.

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5 of 13 AudioQuest

AudioQuest DragonFly Black USB Digital Converter

The DragonFly Black digital converter/headphone amplifier bypasses your computer or smartphone's internal digital converters and headphone amplifiers for better sound. If your audiophile already has a decent set of headphones, this little guy will make them sound even better.

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6 of 13 Sarah Tew

Sennheiser HD 202 II Headphones

The HD 202 II sounds awfully nice for very little money and has earned more than 4,370 Amazon reviews -- 80 percent of them were four- and five-star reviews!

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7 of 13 Fluance

Fluance RT81 Turntable

This one's ideal for anyone itching to get into vinyl. The Fluance RT81 turntable is a solid, beautifully crafted performer.

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8 of 13 Lee Shelly

Schiit Modi 2 Desktop Digital Converter

Schiit's adorable little Modi 2 USB digital converter will work its magic on your computer's sound. Schiit consistently makes exceptional products in the US for real-world prices.

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9 of 13 1More

1More Mk801 Headphones

For the new year, toss your ear buds and treat yourself to something better. The Mk801 sounds refined and clear, and its build quality is well above average for its price class.

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10 of 13 Yamaha

Yamaha YAS-106 Sound Bar Speaker

Yamaha's YAS-106 demonstrates how far budget sound bars have come. It looks, feels and performs like a much more expensive sound bar with both movies and music! It can sit on a shelf in front of your display or mount on the wall under your TV.

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11 of 13 Mobile Fidelity

Santana, 'Abraxas'

This one's really special: Mobile Fidelity's remastered 45 RPM, 180-gram, two-LP set of "Abraxas" sounds better than ever. The power of the music, the band's massive rhythmic drive, and Santana's brilliant guitar still feel fresh. The packaging and cover art never looked better than it does here.

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12 of 13 KZ-ATE In-Ear Headphones

KZ-ATE In-Ear Headphones

Audiophile-worthy in-ear headphones have never been this downright cheap before. We don't know how or why, but the KZ-ATE in-ears are seriously clear sounding.

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13 of 13 Wax Rax

Wax Rax 45 RPM Record Adapter

This beautifully machined hunk of aluminum lets you play 45 singles on any turntable. The Wax Rax adapter comes in seven anodized colors: Lime, Cherry, Grape, Blueberry, 24K, black and Metallic.

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