Sound Off
Apr 30, 2015
The Vamp Portable Bluetooth Speaker Transformer
Slick new speakers are cool and all (see: Sonos Blue Note as proof), but for everyone who can’t bear to part with the old-school box model, there’s The Vamp. It’s the brainchild of London design studio Paul Cocksedge and offers a cool way to give vintage speakers a second life – no Wi-Fi or tangled wires necessary. Buy it here.
Molami Headphones
Claiming to be the first company to make headphones with women in mind, this Swedish brand crafts headphones that double as amazing accessories. Whether it’s the Pleat (which molds to best complement your bone structure), the Plica (a slim twist on the on-ear headphones), or the Twine, which also functions as a headband, they not only complement your outfit — they sound awesome, too. Find out more here.
Sonos Blue Note Play 1 Speaker
It’s already a no-brainer that Sonos delivers the swankiest, high-quality speakers o the market. But if you really want to crank up Tove Lo/Taylor Swift/Haim/fill-in-the-blank here, the latest Blue Note Play 1 is the way to do it. This collaboration with Blue Note records (just in time for the 75th anniversary) is a limited-edition model of the original Play 1. And with a deep blue finish, you can bet it’ll look good your nightstand, your coffee table, or anywhere else in your house. Buy it here.
HTC One M9
Yes, we know this is a phone. But the latest model from HTC produces the kind of sound that’s so good, it’s almost worth the upgrade in itself. Not only does the sound come through crystal clear, the front-facing speakers – complete with an amplifier and surround make the volume loud enough to rival any old speaker. But if you do want to stream it to your own home stereo, that’s easy, too. Just a quick swipe allows you to stream anything to multiple devices. Get more info and buy the phone here.
The Bragi Dash Headphones
Kiss your old iPhone headphones goodbye. Sure, The Dash is one of the first wireless in-ear heads (meaning, no tangled cords), but it’s so much more than that. These tiny Bluetooth earbuds double as a fitness tracker, offers personalized workouts, and is even water-resistant. Pre-order it here.
No offense to those free earbuds that came with your iPhone and iPod, but let’s be honest — they’re just not cutting it anymore. After all, what’s the point in settling for tangled wires, scratchy sound, or fall-out-of-your-ears tendencies, especially when a whole new crop of amazing music gadgets is just waiting for you to press play?!
Whether you want to tune out to FKA Twigs while walking through the city, power through your daily run with Rihanna, or, just dance around your room in pajamas to old-school Britney Spears (hey, no judgement!), there’s a speaker to fit your music needs. We’ve cut through the noise — yes, literally — to bring you the best music gadgets so you can crank up the volume anywhere. Click through the slideshow to see our picks.