I watch so many movies and shows when testing TVs, soundbars, and various other home theater toys that I begin to get jealous of the perfectly sculpted universes in them. Sci-fi doors slide open with puffy whisps; stereos are perfectly recessed into custom-made walls; and showers are each the size of a single car garage, […]
Bass loves to hide in corners, so try to set up your speakers far from them—ideally in the middle of a wall. If you’re wondering where to place them relative to your usual listening position, keep this in mind: The ideal stereo image (big, wide, live-sounding audio) comes when your head forms an equilateral triangle […]
Before the pandemic began, I had one record. It sat atop my red Ikea bookshelf, collecting dust. The Great Ray Charles. I picked it up at an event I attended a little more than a year ago, in the Before Times. I figured I’d find a way to play it at some point. But then, […]
So your abode now has a Nest Audio or Nest Mini speaker. Or maybe someone gifted you a Google Home or Google Home Max from a couple years ago. (The names may be a bit confusing, since Google decided to rebrand its smart home speakers and displays last year, but don’t worry, they all work […]
I was ridiculously excited to review the HomePod mini, Apple’s latest small smart speaker. I pestered my colleagues about it for weeks, in a completely nonchalant and not-at-all annoying way. Just like how it’s hard to review a kid product honestly without having a kid or two to test it on, it’s also hard to […]
If you want to network a few speakers together for a larger room, or connected rooms, this is the cheapest way to do it. Sonos collaborated with Ikea on this bookshelf speaker, which is why it’s more affordable and slightly less pristine than the others in this guide. It’s been awhile since a Sonos speaker […]
If you’re a music fan, or just love the classic Marshall guitar amplifier design, this Bluetooth speaker is ready to rock. Like all Marshall products, you pay a price for the style, but it lives up to expectations. For a speaker that’s about as big as four old DVD cases stacked, standing upright, it sounds […]
Bose has dropped its prices on some of our favorite headphones and Bluetooth speakers, aiming to sell a few more pairs to those of us who need more musical relaxation during quarantine. Given how little time we’re spending outside, and how many Zoom calls we’re on, there’s likely something here for everyone. From speakers for […]
Apart from powered speakers or unpowered speakers and stereo receivers (in either case, all you need to look for is a red/white RCA connection), the main accessory you might need for your turntable is a phono preamp, if it’s not built in. Phono preamps take the quiet signal from the turntable and bring it up […]
Assistant-powered speakers are limited to sound, which is why smart displays are becoming more common. You get similar audio quality plus a screen to see things like the weather forecast, rather than just hear it. Google’s 10-inch Nest Hub Max (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is big enough to use as a screen to watch shows or […]