Best Home Stereo System Components
Premium Sound Quality: Mpow Bluetooth Music Streambot uses updated wireless technology to adapt audio systems with Bluetooth capability. Turn Non-Bluetooth Headphones to Bluetooth-Enabled: Turn your non-Bluetooth headphones to Bluetooth-enabled,just connect the Mpow Bluetooth adapter with your non-Bluetooth headphones through the 3.5mm audio cable,then to enjoy your lovely music from your phone with the headphones. Play All Day: Mpow Bluetooth 4.1 Adapter with A2DP technology can not only a crystal clear sound, but also ensure low battery consumption, thus allowing you to enjoy up to 10 hours non-stop music! AUTOMATICALLY RECONNECT: Just turn on the Bluetooth of your cell phone first,and then turn on the Bluetooth receiver, the Mpow Bluetooth Receiver can be automatically paired.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Plus the cord was annoying and ugly, especially since the port is behind the center console (basically in the back seat)."
"This receiver keeps audio in tact and is very stealthy looking."
"The hands free feature when receiving or making calls is super simple, just push the power button on the side to answer/hang up. Sound quality in the car is excellent, on the receiving end it is acceptable, but I imagine it would be better if the unit was not in the center console, but it still works."
"If your vehicle is an older model that did NOT come with Bluetooth for your phone (my car's bluetooth works on my smartphone for phone calls but not music) and has the audio jack port, this device is perfect!"
"However, I took the advice of a previous reviewer and allowed the battery to fully drain and after 3 days it seemed to reset itself."
"I have an older truck that I have installed an auxiliary adapter into the back of the stereo APPS2Car Car Stereo AUX Adapter Auxiliary Input Mp3 Interface for Ford Edge Expedition Explorer F-150 F-250 F-350 F-550 Focus Freestyle Mustang Sport Trac, Lincoln MKX Navigator Zephyr, Mercury Milanso that I can use my phone."
"Long term wise idk but all seems well going forward, but they just advised me that it comes with a 18 month manufactures warranty and with all the other positive reviews, I feel that this is more than covers it."
"For some reason the EQ over Bluetooth is better than through a headphone jack. Third, Bluetooth for a car is so dang expensive!"
How to Use: 1.Power on/off Power on: Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. 3.Pairing: (1)Before using the receiver first time, please be sure to have it fully charged. (2)Connect Mpow with your car stereo. (3)Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. (4)Turn on the Bluetooth function of your phone. (5)Search for the Bluetooth devices and select “MPOW”. (6)If there is needs a code, please enter “0000”. (7)If pairing is successful, the blue indicator light would flash slowly. DUAL-LINK CONNECTION & WIDE COMPATIBILITY : Mpow could connect two Bluetooth devices at once and the Bluetooth range up to 30 feet in open space without obstacles.And it also could compatible with most Bluetooth enabled devices like smartphone, MP3, tablet, etc, ideal for home or vehicle audio systems.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Your music will be a little quieter and not as bassy as it is when you use an auxiliary cable to connect directly to your device. Even so, this device is an ideal solution for the target demographic - folks that just want to eliminate that auxiliary cord and stream audio to their radio via bluetooth without breaking the bank. Update 12/29/2014: I had previously rated this as a 4-star device - because of the loss of audio volume/fidelity...but after an 8 hour road trip and the device lasting the ENTIRE trip and then some...I'm bumping my rating up to 5-stars."
"You'll need to power it off or disconnect bluetooth when you leave vehicle or you'll miss calls or continue streaming media. I might add this, for I found audibility as an issue in a different review; The sound is LOUDER than using an auxiliary cord or just listening to the radio! Just make sure you long press (hold the + button) the volume all the way up until it beeps, then turn your device all the way up and adjust as needed with your radio controls."
"I am ALWAYS listening to music in my car (I have a 2008 chevy) and have always used an auxiliary cord to connect my phone (iPhone 6plus) to my stereo. Turned on the Bluetooth option on my iPhone 6plus held the multifunction button down for 3 seconds and selected MPOW under my Bluetooth settings in my phone and plugged the little guy in!"
"My audiophile friends told me it was a stupid idea to buy this to make my Audio-Technica m50x headphones wireless."
"When comparing a direct aux cable's sound quality to this bkue tooth device, there was only a difference of about 2-4 levels in volume. In otherwords, when the direct aux cable is at volume 39, this device will sound similar at maybe 42/43-ish."
Audio-Technica's AT-LP120-USB direct-drive, high-torque professional turntable is perfect for DJs and other music enthusiasts, especially in an era that many would call "postvinyl," when it's no longer the norm for audio/video receivers or even integrated amplifiers to offer a dedicated phono input. It also includes a selectable internal stereo phono preamplifier and a USB output that connects directly to your computer-perfect for digitizing your old LPs to high-quality MP3 or FLAC files for playback from your computer. The turntable uses a DC servo motor to maintain accurate rotational speed at either 33-1/3 45, or 78 rpm, governed by a selectable, high-accuracy quartz-controlled pitch lock-all of which gives new life to 7- and 12-inch singles you may not have played for years. A pop-up stylus target light and stroboscopic platter speed indicator offer visual assistance in queuing and playing your favorite tunes. The turntable comes with a cast-aluminum record platter, a slip mat, and a professional cartridge and headshell (model AT95E) that plugs directly into the tone arm. Selectable internal stereo phono preamplifier and USB connection to your Mac or Windows computer.Selectable 33-1/3, 45, and 78 rpm speeds; +/-10 percent or +/-20 percent pitch adjust; high-accuracy quartz-controlled pitch lock.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And like many other people my age, the crates of vinyl got stored and rarely played. Well, recently while going through some old keepsake items, I kept looking at those old crates of records and caught a new vinyl bug. I did pick up an extra stylus head and opted for an Audio Technica AT440MLB cart and now this thing really sounds good. It comes with Audacity software to load onto your computer so you can just plug the unit into your computer and archive all your vinyl to MP3, etc. But it is a known fact on these Turntables, this built in Pre amp, even when not in use tends to darken or muddy up the overall sound or your records. I plan on keeping mine stock just in case I ever want to archive all my vinyl one day..and have worked around the whole "Muddy, Dark" sound issue with the use of the AT440MLB cart and a little ol thing called an EQ. A little EQ adjustment for Vinyl...store the setting in one of the six pre sets on the Technics EQ and all done. But if you just want to play your records with a quality unit that will sound great, not tear up your records and looks fantastic I highly recommend this unit."
"I have been listening to my vinyl more and more lately and, while there wasn't anything wrong with my old turntable, I just kept thinking/feeling that I wasn't getting the best sound from it so I started looking around for an upgrade. I'm not one of those guys who sits around in a smoking jacket sipping brandy... analyzing the sound quality of my music. It is heavy (there is a large metal weight bolted inside the bottom of the chassis (I found this out by watching a couple youtube videos). There are a lot of features here that I'll probably never use... not a DJ so I don't know that I really need to change the pitch of my music or play a record backwards. I fully expected the cover to cost a crazy amount of money and for it to be such a huge pain in the ass that I'd just say the heck with it."
Best CD & Tape Players
Others looking for convenience will thrill at the sight of 6-disc capability, 6 repeat modes, 40 track programming—and no worries about interruptions to your music, with the ability to change 5 discs while the last one is still playing. Just as crucial to your sonic enjoyment is Direct Digital Path, a heavily shielded, high-quality cable that protects the delicate audio signal from noise emitted by the surrounding circuits. Previously only found on our high-end components, VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) employs a unique D/A conversion circuit to overcome this problem. The result — a virtually noiseless, smooth analog signal based on the digital source to bring out even the most subtle of nuances in your music, movie soundtracks and even MP3s. Others looking for convenience will thrill at the sight of 6-disc capability, 6 repeat modes, 40 track programmingand no worries about interruptions to your music, with the ability to change 5 discs while the last one is still playing. Just as crucial to your sonic enjoyment is Direct Digital Path, a heavily shielded, high-quality cable that protects the delicate audio signal from noise emitted by the surrounding circuits. Previously only found on our high-end components, VLSC (Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry) employs a unique D/A conversion circuit to overcome this problem. The result a virtually noiseless, smooth analog signal based on the digital source to bring out even the most subtle of nuances in your music, movie soundtracks and even MP3s. Plays Audio CDs, MP3-Encoded CDs, CD-R/RWs*.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"(one of the stores was an electronics store). I realize that I am older but I am not that old (79) and still appreciate listening to my reasonably extensive CD collection and I still purchase CD's, and I apparently wrongly assumed clerks still knew about components."
"I also use the 'programable' feature to program certain songs on specific CDs (i.e create a playlist of any of the songs on the CDs you put in) - it's always worked for me."
"I have mine attached to the surround speaker system for home theater. It sounds great and I can get hours of music, Very pleased customer here.Onkyo DXC390 6 Disc CD Changer."
"Bought this for my mother to replace a similar Sony 5 cd unit that finally died after 20+ years."
"But I found that I had several disc that had sections where I would loose the sound from one speaker, or cracking/popping sound, always at the same place."
"It works smoothly, easy to set up and use and the sound quality is great."
"3 months in and the machines brain is not working."
"When I played the same discs in another CD player, they worked fine, so the problem was this Onkyo DXC390 player and not my disc."
Best Audio Component Tuners
Mpow 2 in 1 has a mini and protable body and is designed to convenient your life for which could be easily and quickly connect with your Bluetooth devices within 33 feet.If you are annoyed with the wired devices, Mpow will save you from the mess and simplify. Connect the device to your non Bluetooth headphone/home speakers or car stereo system with 3.5mm audio cable. Now you can enjoy your music via Bluetooth speakers/Bluetooth headsets from your non-Bluetooth media device! Voice Assistant: Long press button “+” and “-” simultaneously for 1 second, you could trigger the “voice assistant function” of your phone, and repeat the procedure to close. MAGIC DUAL CONNECTIONS: This Mpow could connect two Bluetooth devices at once in both modes.And the short-cut button "Pairing Switch" provides you a more convenient way to connect the second Bluetooth device after you paired with the first.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Paired it with adapter made for these headphones."
"The Mpow in the picture has the (included) double male adapter inserted. If you pair your Mpow as a receiver, a long push on the '+' button will trigger the shutter on your iPhone ProCamera. That is, if you have the ProCamera App from the app store, which I highly recommend as it basically turns the iPhone 7 plus into a professional camera (RAW images, better HDR, low light options, manual control of focus, shutter and aperture, on screen histograms) I'm thinking this will come in very handy."
"It is fantastic that it is a receiver and a transmitter in 1 small device. This Bluetooth 4.1 transmitter and receiver comes with... ...bluetooth receiver and transmitter. ...charging cable. ...3.5 audio cable. ...3.5 audio adapter. ...rca cable. ...instructions....... very easy to read and follow. This is the Mpow Bluetooth 4.1 Transmitter/Receiver, 2-in-1 Wireless Audio Adapter for Headphone, Speaker, TV, PC,etc. by Mpow. PACKAGING... ---This 2 in 1 bluetooth transmitter and receiver comes nicely boxed with instructions. PROS... ---very easy to pair up. ---very easy to reconnect. ---very easy to use. ---everything needed to use this device comes with it. ---easy to read and use instruction booklet. ---can pair to 2 devices at once. ---it is a receiver and a transmitter. ---will run a good 12 hours on 1 charge on either mode. ---it has a long range of connection. ---light weight at 3.2 ounces. ---very compact. ---comes with everything needed to use it. ---great price point. ---comes with a warranty. CONS... ---none that I can find so far. I was provided a Mpow Bluetooth 4.1 Transmitter/Receiver for FREE and was asked only to test it and give my honest opinion."
"A little pricey for a Bluetooth adapter at (34.99 what I paid), but it is a very high quality piece for several reasons: - Latest Bluetooth technology (exceptional sound quality and range). - Multiple connection options (the device includes multiple cables to use). - Rechargeable, never have to worry about carrying around a spare battery. Overall, this thing works great."
"I would recommend it to anyone needing to connect a bluetooth device to a non bluetooth enabled device."
"This device works wonder."
"Now I can watch the movies without disturbing her sleep."
"Now it has Hands free call, music stream, navigation voice command etc..."
Best Audio & Video Turntables
Selectable internal stereo phono preamplifier and USB connection to your Mac or Windows computer.Selectable 33-1/3, 45, and 78 rpm speeds; +/-10 percent or +/-20 percent pitch adjust; high-accuracy quartz-controlled pitch lock.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And like many other people my age, the crates of vinyl got stored and rarely played. Well, recently while going through some old keepsake items, I kept looking at those old crates of records and caught a new vinyl bug. I did pick up an extra stylus head and opted for an Audio Technica AT440MLB cart and now this thing really sounds good. It comes with Audacity software to load onto your computer so you can just plug the unit into your computer and archive all your vinyl to MP3, etc. But it is a known fact on these Turntables, this built in Pre amp, even when not in use tends to darken or muddy up the overall sound or your records. I plan on keeping mine stock just in case I ever want to archive all my vinyl one day..and have worked around the whole "Muddy, Dark" sound issue with the use of the AT440MLB cart and a little ol thing called an EQ. A little EQ adjustment for Vinyl...store the setting in one of the six pre sets on the Technics EQ and all done. But if you just want to play your records with a quality unit that will sound great, not tear up your records and looks fantastic I highly recommend this unit."
"I have been listening to my vinyl more and more lately and, while there wasn't anything wrong with my old turntable, I just kept thinking/feeling that I wasn't getting the best sound from it so I started looking around for an upgrade. I'm not one of those guys who sits around in a smoking jacket sipping brandy... analyzing the sound quality of my music. It is heavy (there is a large metal weight bolted inside the bottom of the chassis (I found this out by watching a couple youtube videos). There are a lot of features here that I'll probably never use... not a DJ so I don't know that I really need to change the pitch of my music or play a record backwards. I fully expected the cover to cost a crazy amount of money and for it to be such a huge pain in the ass that I'd just say the heck with it."
Best Audio Component Receivers
Yamaha, the most trusted brand in home audio, adds Bluetooth compatibility in this Hi-Fi receiver for easy wireless access to streaming music services and music on your smartphone or other devices. Positioning the power transformer near the amp circuit reduces power loss while improving peak power supply capacity to enable high volume output.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Originally purchased the cheaper Insignia model with basically the same features. I put in on my deck to be a part of my outdoor entertainment center."
"Works to specifications and a good buy."
"I just needed a receiver to connect to via Bluetooth to play music on and this Yamaha did the trick."
"Very happy with this receiver works good with the pyle speakers I have out on the deck!"
"I bought this audio receiver mainly for the Bluetooth feature."
"I was surprised to see a Yamaha product at this price level."
"Great product for the price.Would recommend.This is our first time purchasing a Yamaha receiver and are very happy,next time we would like to try a surround sound receiver."
"I would have sworn that it said it had a phono hookup on it, but it does not."
Best Audio/Video Receivers & Amplifiers
This 7.2-channel network AV receiver features Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object based surround sound and is paired with the latest in 4K Ultra HD video technologies. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Airplay and Spotify Connect, Pandora, Rhapsody, SiriusXM Internet radio and vTuner.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While I'm not new to A/V I am new to dedicated home theater equipment, so I immediately called around to a few local professionals who design and install this stuff for people to find out what kind of equipment they work with and recommend and this receiver was at the very top of the list for really good equipment on a budget. I HIGHLY recommend this receiver for use in a home theater setup!"
"Once I got past the Japanese setup screens (the language is the icon with "ABC" on it), it was pretty simple. That's normally a good thing; but not if you want to continue to listen to a CD and only had the TV on to change a setting. But I do have an older TV that requires me to use audio out (RCA plugs) linked to Audio1 on the amp. The amp produces the upper frequencies beautifully and cleanly, and the timber of the violins and cellos is exquisite. I had an Onkyo which I thought handled those things really well until I heard this Yamaha."
"This unit is designed to link video equipment and output their associated audio. The unit offers a number of pre-configured sound-modifying selections, each adding fixed amounts of reverb along with slight fixed tonal adjustments to enhance your movie viewing or gaming experience. Yamaha devoted a lot of hardware and firmware to decoders, special spatial effects and multi-room networking but left out the most important audio adjustments."
Best Home Audio Receivers & Amplifiers
How to Use: 1.Power on/off Power on: Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. 3.Pairing: (1)Before using the receiver first time, please be sure to have it fully charged. (2)Connect Mpow with your car stereo. (3)Press the multifunction button about 3 seconds until the blue and red indicator lights start flashing alternately. (4)Turn on the Bluetooth function of your phone. (5)Search for the Bluetooth devices and select “MPOW”. (6)If there is needs a code, please enter “0000”. (7)If pairing is successful, the blue indicator light would flash slowly. DUAL-LINK CONNECTION & WIDE COMPATIBILITY : Mpow could connect two Bluetooth devices at once and the Bluetooth range up to 30 feet in open space without obstacles.And it also could compatible with most Bluetooth enabled devices like smartphone, MP3, tablet, etc, ideal for home or vehicle audio systems.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Your music will be a little quieter and not as bassy as it is when you use an auxiliary cable to connect directly to your device. Even so, this device is an ideal solution for the target demographic - folks that just want to eliminate that auxiliary cord and stream audio to their radio via bluetooth without breaking the bank. Update 12/29/2014: I had previously rated this as a 4-star device - because of the loss of audio volume/fidelity...but after an 8 hour road trip and the device lasting the ENTIRE trip and then some...I'm bumping my rating up to 5-stars."
"You'll need to power it off or disconnect bluetooth when you leave vehicle or you'll miss calls or continue streaming media. I might add this, for I found audibility as an issue in a different review; The sound is LOUDER than using an auxiliary cord or just listening to the radio! Just make sure you long press (hold the + button) the volume all the way up until it beeps, then turn your device all the way up and adjust as needed with your radio controls."
"I am ALWAYS listening to music in my car (I have a 2008 chevy) and have always used an auxiliary cord to connect my phone (iPhone 6plus) to my stereo. Turned on the Bluetooth option on my iPhone 6plus held the multifunction button down for 3 seconds and selected MPOW under my Bluetooth settings in my phone and plugged the little guy in!"
"My audiophile friends told me it was a stupid idea to buy this to make my Audio-Technica m50x headphones wireless."
Best Portable Cassette Players & Recorders
Unique voice recordings, demo tapes, radio broadcasts and more are trapped on magnetic tape and disappear forever when those cassettes are finally thrown out. The converter records your tape - either manually or automatically - on a USB flash disc and then can be transferred anywhere. In fact, it does a perfect job as a Walkman, playing the tapes or MP3 of thumb drive without converting. EZCAP231 Standalone Cassette / Tape to MP3 Converter is an adorable gift for anyone looking for a simple and effective way of getting those old memories saved onto a durable and a much more accessible format. This can also give a new lease of life to your language courses bought on tape many years ago.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It does everything the write up says it does."
"Great cassette player!"
"Really convenient to pull out when you need to play a cassette tape."
"So awesome!"
"my daughter loves collecting vintage music stuff, she has turn table vinyl records and she loves old songs as well so when I saw this I said I have to get this for her christmas presents and Im glad i bought this she is very happy that I bought it for her..."
"This cassette Player is great for those that have not gotten the nerves to. throw away all those cassettes from days gone by."
"This a great I have a lot of tapes (cassettes ) and I have turned them into mp3 files."
"It's like a retro Walkman except this will also convert your cassette music to MP3s so you can then play it on your laptop or transfer to a thumb drive or SD card and transfer & play it elsewhere. I'm still learning about the “transfer” part, but playing the music and recording it through your laptop is easy. If you want to use this item simply to walk around and play your cassette music, then you'll need to insert two AA batteries."
Best Wireless Audio Receivers & Adapters
The SONOS CONNECT brings streaming music to your stereo or home theater. Wirelessly stream services like Prime Music Unlimited, Pandora, Spotify and Apple music on the equipment you already own.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So while I certainly want a good sounding setup, I'm not obsessed with it and am happy with "mid-level" sound quality. That being said, the Sonos:Connect was a delight in terms of setup and ease of use (5 stars for these areas alone), but a real disappointment in terms of sound quality (2 stars). I bought a Sonos:Connect to plug into my home stereo, and a Sonos Bridge to wirelessly stream the music on my computer to it. So you won't see album artwork on your controller unless you bought the files from the iTunes or another online store that embeds the artwork, or go through a process to copy the artwork into the files themselves via iTunes (Sonos has a good description of how to do this on their support website).]. Once I connected everything and streamed my first song, I noticed that the sound quality was off. I plugged the Connect into the DAC via the optical connecter, plugged the DAC into my stereo ... and problem solved. At any rate, I now have both great sound and the great ease of use that comes with the Sonos."
"Like all Sonos it is a great quality product but expensive."
"Another nice benefit of this product is that it has internet radio built in so you can control it from any and all of your devices or computers. I have since bought a Sonos Play 3 wireless speaker to replace a second stereo receiver in my bedroom."
"This sonos connect is actually my third- I had started with one to control music in my living room, and another outside in my backyard, and now this for my kitchen."
"I've hooked it up to our existing in house speakers and whole house intercom system to play music inside and also to Sonos speakers to play music outside."
"I've only had it for a week, this thing has fixed my home house stereo system."
"I plugged the Sonos Connect in as a source and now I can control all of my music through my phone."
"This unit is super easy to setup and works great."