One of the most beloved holiday songs of all time is “The 12 Days of Christmas,” which is sung by people of all faiths, all over the world as a way to ring in the season of friendship, camaraderie, and good will. On each of the 12 days, the singer tells about gift from their “true love,” and the choices are pretty bizarre.
The 12 gifts listed in the song are all rather unusual (with the exception of the “five golden rings”). Gold always makes an excellent gift, but the other 11 are either odd, impossible, or only good for people who own farms and have space for partridges, geese, swans, hens, calling birds, and turtle doves.
We decided that it’s high time to revise the list and rewrite it for our audiophile readers. We dropped the five golden rings because the price is way too high. Our current focus is on affordable items for audiophiles who want to know about the hottest, coolest, most state-of-the-art tech ideas for themselves and others. Remember, it’s perfectly acceptable to buy yourself a gift, right? So, here’s our list. See what strikes your audio fancy:
You need to know… : This amazing little turntable offers the best of old-school and modern high-tech features, like a classic wood base, wireless connectivity, and the ability to play either 33 or 45 RPM records. The diamond-tipped stylus delivers super-nice sound for even the most demanding audio enthusiast. But the most awesome capability this device offers is transfer from vinyl to PC-based recording. You can easily put all your favorite vinyl classics onto MP3 or other digitized formats for safekeeping and computer-based playback.
Ideal as a gift because… : With a reasonable price tag and stunning look, the turntable is an ideal gift because it’s not something people would generally think to purchase for themselves. Plus, it makes an attractive showpiece in any room of a home or apartment.
Give it to… : Oldsters, boomers, and others over 40 will fall in love with this item the second they lay their eyes upon it. But for younger folks who appreciate excellent sound, the turntable makes a nice addition to their tech collection.
You need to know… : This is much, much more than a headphone stand. It comes with USB fast-charging ports for all your devices, three AC outlets, a top-notch gaming headset, earphone displays that are totally wireless, and DJ capability. In short, for one low price you’re actually getting about three or four different devices.
Ideal as a gift because… : People love gifts that help them organize their lives and this headphone stand gets the job done. Few people own such a compact, efficient little connection station like this cleverly designed stand.
Give it to… : Anyone who owns a computer will be excited to see this item under their tree. It’s perfect for all ages too because nearly everyone uses a PC for one reason or another, listens to music, watches videos, and more.
You need to know… : What’s not to like? It’s wireless. It’s black. It offers up to 12 full hours of playtime. It’s waterproof, which is always a nice touch. This little beauty runs on batteries, delivers top-drawer sound quality, can be used with several speakers for a “party sound boost” effect, and looks cool anywhere you put it.
Ideal as a gift because… : It comes in a wide array of tasteful colors, puts out some awesome sound, is durable for a long life, and is a wonderful value for the price. The newness of high-quality Bluetooth accessories makes it a desirable gift for holiday time, birthdays, or anniversaries.
Give it to… : Anyone who uses Bluetooth technology, which these days includes about 99 percent of the population. But older teens, coworkers, friends, and music lovers of all ages will appreciate this attractive, powerful speaker.
You need to know… : These comfortable, classy-looking wireless Bluetooth phones are a high-performance wonder of nature. They feature the W1 chip from Apple and wireless connectivity of class-1. Users get an incredible 40-hours of playback time and full compatibility with all Android and iOS devices. They even fold up so you can take them anywhere. And yes, you can take phone calls through them via a clever little panel of on-ear controls. You get the headphones, a USB charger cable, a carrying case, and quick-start card.
Ideal as a gift because… : Everyone seems to need an upgrade for their headphones. For some reason, people never seem to think about buying a really nice set for themselves, and these from Beats are as nice as you could want. The price is right and they’re help anyone fill out their audio tech collection.
Give it to… : It’s almost a cliche to say that a product is appropriate for all ages, but in this case it’s true. Who doesn’t love great sound and simplicity. Wireless listening is a gift in itself, but anyone who enjoys music or other forms of audio media is an ideal candidate for these Beats headphones.
You need to know… : This neat little portable Bluetooth speaker comes with a handy battery indicator right where you need it, on top of the unit. It’s durable and offers a full 20-hours of playback time, comes with a quick-charge option, and delivers gorgeous wireless sound at a distance of up to 10 yards.
Ideal as a gift because… : This is a high-quality item that beats out just about any Bluetooth speaker your gift recipient already owns. So they’ll be getting a very nice upgrade and will welcome the classic design of the speaker as well as its durability.
Give it to… : Bluetooth speakers make brilliant gifts, but this model goes above and beyond the call of duty with its profound quality and stylish design.
You need to know… : For sports enthusiasts, these waterproof, perspiration-proof, lightweight, wireless, comfortable little gems can operate for 20 hours on a single charge. Users can work out, run, and even enjoy water sports while listening to their favorite audio.
Ideal as a gift because… : Sports lovers are always looking for ways to make workouts more fun, and these high-quality buds meet the challenge. They’re priced right and beat out most rivals in their class for stability, sound quality, and style.
Give it to… : People who enjoy moving, dancing, and generally being active while listening to music or whatever they want are the perfect candidates for these Plantronics Backbeat ear buds.
You need to know… : Bluetooth sunglasses can change your life. Not only do they look great, but these models from Bose are unmatched. They let you listen to the outside world while enjoying your music at the same time. People around you hear nothing. And the polarized lenses are stylish and protect your eyes from damaging rays of the sun.
Ideal as a gift because… : This is one of those items that people seldom think to purchase for themselves. As a gift, they’re always a superbly pleasant surprise.
Give it to… : Music lovers who enjoy being outdoors will take to these clever glasses like ducks to water. For older teens all the way up to the elderly, these Bluetooth sunglasses make a wonderful holiday or anytime gift.
You need to know… : This amazing recording mic from Yeti are a hassle-free way to stream and record on Mac or PC. It comes with four different pickup patterns, a trio of condenser capsules, sensitive volume control, output control, and even gain control for the mic. The stand is adjustable and the device has full plug-and-play capability.
Ideal as a gift because… : You can actually give someone a broadcast-quality mic that they can use for any kind of recording. Seldom have their been mics this nice on the market priced under $1,000, so the value proposition is beyond belief here.
Give it to… : Whoever records anything with a mic will love this Yeti device. Age doesn’t matter because children, teens, adults, and oldsters will rave about this cool-looking, super-high-quality mic.
You need to know… : It’s a brand-new design with even better sound quality for the ever-popular Echo. This one is the fourth-gen version released this year. It comes with a smart-home hub and is all white. The sound is crisp and full for a wide range of playback uses, and it’s fully capable of working with all smart-home systems.
Ideal as a gift because… : This versatile unit can be a replacement or a first-ever Echo for someone new to the technology. It’s easy to operate and looks good in any room. As a gift, it’s a unique idea for the audiophile in your life.
Give it to… : New homeowners love to receive useful, classy gifts like a new Echo with all the latest bells and whistles. Anyone who could use a tech upgrade to their living space will simply love this pretty little device.
You need to know… : This is not your ordinary soundbar. With powerful Dolby audio, it offers perfect Bluetooth TV connectivity, top-notch bass, automatic sound optimization, handy remote control, and fully functional game mode.
Ideal as a gift because… : Soundbars are often the last audio component people buy, which means there are a lot of folks who don’t yet have them. The value of this unit is impressive and its durability means it’s a gift that will last for years.
Give it to… : People who have entertainment centers but no soundbars will fall in love with the Samsung HW-T450. Perfect for newly married couples who are looking to build up their video-audio systems and generally anyone who appreciates sound.
You need to know… : You get it all with this portable unit that also serves as a home-based Bluetooth speaker. It delivers crisp, pristine, booming sound, weighs in at 13 pounds, has a 24-hour battery, comes with its own equalizer, makes music sharing simple, and is totally spill/splash proof.
Ideal as a gift because… : This is a top-line item and would be a welcome gift for the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, house-warming, or weddings. It’s the exact thing people need to put on fun parties because it has the power to put out massive sound of the very best quality.
Give it to… : Homeowners and apartment dwellers would appreciate this Ultimate Ears speaker because it is completely versatile, is the best in its class, and looks great in any room.
You need to know… : This eye-catching DJ controller from Hercules is versatile, comes with dual decks, has full USB capability, plays vinyl, features 16 RGB pads that are backlit, has feet that are extendable, and has its own built-in mixer for hardware input.
Ideal as a gift because… : As DJ controllers go, this Hercules offering is a top-of-the-line beauty that not only looks cool but comes with enough functionality for professional performance gigs. It also makes a good leaning platform, but is truly pro quality. Controllers make wonderful gifts, but high-tech controllers make even better gifts.
Give it to… : Sound and music enthusiasts who want to make a business out of DJ work, want to bring their skills up to par, or want to learn the basics will smile from ear to ear if they tear off the gift-wrapping paper and see this amazing device inside the box.
We wish all our readers the very best holiday season possible. Stay safe, be happy, have fun, and connect with friends and relatives in any way you can, even if it’s only via video. Sing, listen to music, watch your favorite films, and enjoy this special time of year when people pause to reflect on being kind to one another. From all of us to all of you, happy holidays and happy New Year. We hope 2020 was a good year for you and wish you all the best for what 2021 holds. Take care and stay safe.