Sound off
James Fryer’s ears are ringing to the sound of the best speakers and headphones for gadget-loving junkies.
BEST HEADPHONES
Bose Headphones
Oh, the joys of finding yourself sitting near someone who’s clearly oblivious to the rest of the world as their headphones resonate to the infuriating sounds of McFly or James Blunt. Officially titled QuietComfort 2 acoustic noise-canceling headphones, these top-of-the-range head-speakers claim to reduce unwanted noise on the outside, giving an enhanced level of sound on the inside. They even come with a fold flat storage case.
BEST FOR PC
Creative GigaWorks speakers
With a name like GigaWorks ProGamer G500, you know this set of 5.1 speakers are going to do the job, and do it well. A whopping 310 Watts RMS of power and meaty eight-inch subwoofer will enhance all of your favourite PC games, from Battlefield 2 to World of Warcraft and Football Manager 2006. After all, you need it to really sound like you’re actually fighting dwarf warriors in the battle for the fantasy land of Azeroth, right?
BEST FOR iPOD
Logitech wireless iPod headphones
Yes, yes, we all know that thin white wire running from your pocket comes from your nifty new iPod nano, and although it was once a core part of the iPod style package, there’s a limit to how many times you can put up with it getting tangled as you’re reaching for the car keys. These headphones work via Bluetooth across 30 feet , boast eight hours of battery time and there isn’t a wire in sight. Hooray!
BEST FOR TVs
Panasonic Home Theatre System
Haven’t got around to meeting and greeting your new neighbours with a nice freshly baked apple pie yet? They’ll soon be knocking at your door when you unleash your new Panasonic home theatre system. Front tower speakers, surround speakers, a compact centre channel satellite speaker and dual-unit active subwoofer means you’ll be the talking point of your whole street.
BEST FOR PSP
Logic3 PSP Sound System
A whole host of PSP speaker add-ons have been unleashed onto the market, but this one is still our firm favourite – the 2.1 speaker system produces a great quality surround sound and packs a punch that defies its compact size. It will also charge your PSP, run on batteries if you’re on the go, allow you to plug in your MP3 player or computer via the supplied line-in cable, and even comes with a carry case to hold your PSP and speakers.