Audio Gear

Browse audio gear recommendations from people with great taste on Rec League — the whisper network for great recs.

All Ambient Music Americana Audio Gear Classical Music Curated Playlists Electronic Music Experimental Music Folk Hip Hop & Rap Indie Rock Indie Soundtracks Jazz Pop Post-Punk Punk R&B Soul Vinyl Records

Practica

Wired Headphones > Bluetooth

Bluetooth is cool, that much is undeniable. That being said, once you get over the magic, the minor difference that were once forgivable, compound and become a bit too much. For starters — convenience. The last thing on earth any of us need is another device to charge. That means time without the headphones working, another charger to manage, a limited set of hours to be able to use your headphones and the often (even with AirPods!) fumbling of connecting from device to device. Wired headphones just work. They're ultra reliable, the mic is generally higher quality, they're often able to put out higher quality audio at considerably lower prices and it doesn't hurt quite as much when they break or are, almost inevitably, lost from time to time.

AM/FM Radio (with bluetooth!)

We are resurrecting the radio in our kitchen and dining room, and I highly recommend this Bluetooth AM FM. It comes in black or white. Even if you have a smart speaker in your home, I say double , if for no other reason than that the presence of this radio settles my nervous system. This is for anyone who wants to recreate a 90s childhood, when we all had an analog identity.

Steven Weill

iPod Classic

Normally I'm a purist about these types of things but I've gotten a few (one for home, one for car, couple for gifts) of these refurbished/modded iPod classics from this eBay seller. They're incredible. Everything you know and love about the best generation of iPod (fight me) but with infinitely better battery life & storage.

James Kylstra

Casio PX-110 88-Key Digital Piano

I got this guy when I was a teenager. Took it with me to college, moved it from NC to Chicago in the back seat of a Honda Civic, moved it back to NC 9 years later, and now my 10yo uses it for piano lessons. A total workhorse. Will break my heart when it dies (though it gives no indication that it's going to do so anytime soon).

Coco Quizon

teenage engineering - ko ii

My husband got this as a gift but I’ve been using it to recreationally make “like and subscribe”-type and “losing at Tetris”-type beats and it’s very fun.

samael

Sennheiser HD 800 S

from a pure visual perspective. hot. so hot. the closed back version of these. nah, dork silhouette. other similar. basic connect + power to wired headphones from usb-c. ~~~ listening to ‘open back’ headphones is a unique experience ~ sound bleeds in~and~out. have to see how they work for how you listen so try something cheaper like Grado’s first. think how it functions + price makes it unusable for a lot of people, so you can find it much cheaper on the used market. really great for listening to live music. or music that sounds vast. or being a more chic + acoustic version of ‘person listening to phone speakers on bus’ meant for home listening. but if you take these puppies outside, they say to people: ‘fuckyou donttalktome but also dont come near me and my music unless you want to listen too in which case thats ok’

Steven Weill

Sennheiser HD 600

Distinctly remember these being a hot release when I started to drove the depths of the music obsessed internet. Mind blowing to recognize they are now fully vintage and have been out for 29 years. Even more mind blowing is that they're still more or less the gold standard for open back headphones. Which generally speaking, if you're not familiar, allow for better sound at the expense of everyone around you listening in to whatever you've put on. They're meant for a premium experience in a quiet environment. There are technically plenty of 'better' vintage and non vintage open back headphones on the market like stuff from HIFIMAN, STAX or AUDEZE. But the difference in quality (ESPECIALLY considering the boost in cost) is absurd. This is coming from someone who cares deeply and will find any reason to get the nicest version of whatever is available.

James Kylstra

Ear ( a )

I bought these off of Greg’s rec and they’ve been great! Cheap, take a beating, look nice. Thanks Greg!

Chris Mueller

Parasound HALO HINT6 Amp

A total beast. I absolutely love everything about this amp. It's gorgeous, simple, and powerful. Everything sounds so so good. I pair this amp with KEF LS50 Metas. The LS50 Metas, though they're small, require a lot of power to sound good. This amp delivers. My go-to test for audio equipment is Attaboy from the Goat Rodeo Sessions recorded by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. This track is complex and interwoven, just enough that you can pick out all the instruments and subtleties. Anything less than an A+ stereo setup quickly introduces mud and slop into the sound. The Halo Hint 6 will get you there. Great value for this price point.

samael

OJAS x Klipsch kO-R1 speaker

in 2024 i said if i’m going to have a dumbass midlife crisis, it better sound and look somewhat uniquely interesting. but when i looked for unfugly speakers, what hadn’t changed was how audio companies still market their stuff for retiree business dads or like engineer nerds. fucking gross dude! yes that’s how i identify but don’t show me that..that’s condescending as hell. art around the room and the sound coming out that thing should be the main focus. i geeked on audiophile headphones in my 20s and i wanted to keep my burntout senses as far away from that incremental subjective moneypit to fussy hell of a world as possible. had considered going the diy route, but was avoidant of another project. i had seen and heard Devon Turnbull / OJAS speakers at a bunch of clubs and bars, like Public Records in NYC, plus his listening rooms at the SF MOMA and 180 Studios in London. they were always nice experiences and tied to big moments in mine or my friends’ lives. love that industrial horn element on the top of the box. piano and vocals sound great coming out of it. the dream would be to have one of his OJAS x NNNN audio systems in any custom color. that thing would look bold as hell in any already obscene place. the amp had to have low-fuss tube warmth while being critter resistant (it’s out) and have no tackyass tech or button placements that make no fucking sense. also surprisingly hard to find. do you know how many audio companies have crap type or were acquired and cheapened? jesus h christ. and then an optional modular wireless connector that’s tucked behind the amp cause it looks like every other fucking streaming box with tech lights. that’s just if it’s a pain to connect via amp or if i notice bluetooth sounding bad. but it’s fine, convenience is p important too. was mildly smart and frugal bout such a ridiculous purchase. i got a hearing test lol. did some funny sound checks on my busy street and wasn’t worried about volume. listened to the speakers with my actual dad who gave me a cute playlist to test speakers with. bought used to save monies and dodge trump’s stupidass tariffs. def recommend buying any audio stuff used for obviou$ rea$on$, but also the experience of buying and meeting other music lovers who are selfless with their passion. i’ve met so many cool dads of other people and gotten so much free extras and knowledge dropped on me. underrated!

Geren

CMF Headphone Pro

My ride or dies (in black) when the world is too loud at home or on a plane these save me. Enough smoosh to not make your ears feel happy. Good sound quality and they’re not $400. Big + the Bluetooth has been faultless in the six months I’ve used them even swapping between many inputs.

Ali LaBelle

Bose QuietComfort Headphones

I'm sensitive to sound, especially when I'm writing, and these have saved my brain when I'm having trouble focusing.

seán patrick john paul george ringo doran

WR-7 Wooden Cabinet Radio /// SANGEAN

“Though some may say the radio is a thing of the past, we believe that it remains a timeless medium that plays a part in every scenario.” — SANGEAN, Our Vision

samael

teenage engineering carlo

this is so fun and useless, it’s great. love to walk past it in my altar to satan. i mostly love how it can poorly sing along to your music and the volume adjust interaction - you tilt it to the left or right as it sings feedback to you. yeehaw useless but it’s fun to forget and then remember it does those one things.

Loop Dream Earplugs

I’ve been getting used to Loop, but what I like and appreciate best is that I am used to walking around with my AirPods in (no sound) just to block out noise. Enter LOOP!? Makes for a calmer experience while working or subway hopping.

Steven Weill

Vintage Record Players (Audiophile)

Denoting 'audiophile' here to add distinction from another post I'll make focused more on design oriented vintage turntables. Luckily for my sanity and life saving's, I'm a few years out from a MASSIVE record obsession. I've had so very many vintage turntables over the years but the one I linked above is what I've got my sights set on now. It is outrageously expensive but as you'll see in the audiophile space (God forbid you fall in love) and especially in the design-foward audio space, this really isn't anything outrageous cost wise.

Kate Lindello

Emerson K3662 AM/FM radio /cassette player

bonus tape player!

samael

bass guitar [wip]

a recent thought bubble i’m looking into cause i find low frequencies calming and the style of play can be more melloooow. doing acrylic art therapy and want another outlet nearby to use as a flow distraction when feeling anx or thinkin’ creatively through a problem. can just pickup and groove to whatever is playing in my head or around me. want the option of adding pedals to it too to get a heavy distortion guitar sound like DFA1979 when i’m in that mood. color/shape/style: idk. more calming + inspiring feeling, less distracting to look at, but wont look out of place when playing heavy. i like the idea of fretless. budget: whatever. feeling + quality most important, but i dont want to be precious with it. again, i don’t know music and am welcoming any advice and opinions i come up on. but starting with asking my musician friends + y’all unknown talented strangers if you want to leave a comment ♡ ~~~ knowledge dropped on me: other sources sweetwater ~ overview of buying first bass scott's bass lessons ~ opinions on fretless

Traci Fleming

Transparent Speaker

Discovered the Transparent audio line from Sweden today at Basic Space LA. Their speakers are cool!

Sarah Cooney

Bose SoundLink Micro Portable Speaker (2nd Gen)

Perfect to stream your fourteen-hours-and-counting decade-in-the-making summer playlist during an al fresco cocktail party or dinner.

seán patrick john paul george ringo doran

High Fidelity Earplugs /// Eargasm

“Designed for music lovers, event-goers, and anyone seeking clarity with protection, these earplugs deliver balanced noise reduction that lets the music play on while keeping your ears safe.”

Space Camp

Bluetooth Headphones

Without breaking the bank, these are a great alternative to some of the spendy options out there. They have all of the key features like bluetooth, noise canceling + good sound quality. So for the average Joe we'd say these are just right.

Steven Weill

Vintage Record Players (Design-forward)

Design-forward vintage record players. One of my many special interests. So much to cover, so little time and space. First and foremost let's mention the one I used as the primary photo/link here. The Brionvega Radiofonografo. Just the coolest. You'll notice immediately that it looks like a little robot face, which justifies its cost alone. It's on wheels which is insanely convenient. It comes in a host of incredible colors and finishes. But most notably, it's speakers on the side fold up and over the record player itself to make the whole situation compact when not in use (as shown below). Amazing. I linked one that is the US (usually in Europe) for those who are particularly motivated. I had one, I sold it (for a profit) and have regretted it since. Fell in love with a walnut model in Italy recently but promptly let that dream go while calculating shipping costs. There are so many other icons in the space. I'll mention them as three different types here. The icons, the hidden and the wall units. As far as icons go, the most notable I can think of are the 'Batman' bar, the Playbox, the Totem and Dieter Rams designed Phonosuper Radiogram. They're all stunning of course — the Batman has an 8-track cassette player, a radio, a record player and bluetooth but ALSO A FUNCTIONING FRIDGE with bar storage. The Playbox folds up into a beautiful wooden box that you would never know to be a record player of any type, the Totem does something similar but is much more dramatic when in use and the Phonosuper is nothing short of a design icon designed by a design icon. Next we have the hidden. Record players concealed within other pieces of functional furniture. These are fairly common, though the beautiful examples are fewer and further between. I'm fond of this storage unit from Carlo Hauner and Martin Eisler, this Scandi sideboard from Senderwahl, and this MCM unit from Siemens. Finally, the peak of design record player categories — the wall units. These are the big daddies. What says I care about music and design like permanently fixing something to your wall. The two most iconic I know of are the custom Marcel Breuer Stereo Credenza and the Braun Wall System. Just perfection.

Going Analog

divoom timebox evo

easily the most stupid and fun desktop item I have. pixel art + 8-bit vintage vibes from games i played all my life + 8-bit memes = my office mates are obsessed and i can always share my mood via a reference. best use of leftover Amazon gift card money to date.

There's so much more to explore

Rec League is the whisper network for great recs — thousands of recommendations from people with brilliant, unexpected taste.

Get the app

or sign up on the web