Give the Gift of Audio Excellence
The family may be ready for "Jingle Bell Rock." However, you probably march the beat of your own, much hipper drum. If you want to get away without really getting away, a good pair of headphones could put you on your own private island -- one with decent music. Of course, you could also send the family to their own happy place, and stuff a pair of headphones (or two) in their respective stockings this holiday. Amazon is making it easy to outfit the entire family with good headphones, by slashing prices on some of the most popular high performance headphone models. Starting at under $20, you're sure to find something for the music lover on your gift list.
Option #1 - Solid Performance - Reasonable Price
Amazon's current top-rated model in high performance headphones is Audio-Technica's ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones. At last look, this product had a full five-star rating (out of five), with 338 satisfied customers weighing in. You could be one of those happy customers, too, because for a limited time, Amazon is selling these at 20 percent off the retail cost. That makes the final price $158.54, which may seem a little steep, but that does include free Super Saver shipping. It's also well below the manufacturer's minimum advertised price, which means you will have to add the headphones into your shopping cart to see the final price. Find out more on Amazon's ATH-M50 product page:
Option #2: For the True Audiophile
For the real aficionado on your list, it's hard to beat the deal Amazon has on Sennheiser's HD 650 Lightweight Open-Air Dynamic Audiophile Headphone. Right now, Amazon has this model on sale for $359.17, which is a full $290 off the list price. That cost also includes shipping. Promising extremely low harmonic distortion and precision sound reproduction, this model is rated with a super-wide frequency response of 10 - 39,500 Hz (-10 dB). This means you can experience those deep earth-shaking lows and delicate transparent-sounding high frequencies, without waking the neighbors. Find out more about Sennheiser's offering and the discounted price on Amazon:
Option #3: For The Cost-conscious Music-Lover
If you think it's silly to pay more for your headphones than you did for your iPod or phone, or you're looking for a more affordable gift for a friend, a child or a co-worker, then don't despair! Amazon has what you're looking for too with Sennheiser's HD 202 II Professional Headphones. These over the ear models, are highly rated for both sound quality and comfort, but they're inexpensive enough to buy in quantity. Instead of the list price of $59.99, you can pick these up for under $20 ($19.99) while supplies last:
Option #4: High Performance In Your Ear
Some people prefer a more subtle in-ear canal earphone design for their music listening. A well-designed in-ear canal model can effectively block out external noises without reverting to active noise cancellation which can get in the way of good sound. If you're looking for something slightly lighter and more discrete than the over-the-ear models, without sacrificing performance, we strongly recommend the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise Isolating Earphones.
These aren't just for working out, they are for rocking out! The wide selection of ear tips makes finding the right fit for your ears a simple matter and the slightly stiff, but bendable cord ends allow you to wrap the cord around the top of your ears so they stay put, even during strenous activity or motion. The universal body features three individual balanced armature drivers with an integrated passive crossover that ensures you get deep solid bass, as well as richly detailed midrange and highs. Our editor Chris Boylan reviewed these earphones and liked them so much they earned a coveted BIGGIE Award. Read more in his Triple.Fi 10 review. And they're available now at a serious discount, with Amazon knocking 51 percent off the list price. That makes this set just $197.95. Find out more on Amazon's webite:
Option #5: In Ear For A Song
For those who like the idea of the in-ear canal earphones, but are looking for a more affordable choice, consider Ultimate Ears UE 500 model. These little guys come with a wide variety of tips for the perfect fit, providing up to 26 dB of noise reduction and a taste of the audio performance of their much more expensive big brothers at a far more reasonable price. The list price is $69.99, but Amazon has these on sale for just $49.99:
To get any of the above discounts (which also include Super Saver shipping), make sure that you are buying directly from Amazon.com -- not one of its third-party merchants. Start shopping soon and you can have these in plenty of time to stuff a few stockings!
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