AudioReview.com's Recommended Products!

Looking for the best gear at the best price? A great gift? Look no further. We've hand picked the best home theater & audio products for you. You can count on each of these products to give your great sound at a great price. Not only are these products a great value, but they all offer exceptional sound quality and will bring you happiness for years to come!

If you're looking for a great gift and you're not a home theater expert, use this guide and make yourself look like a true genius!

Stereo Amps/Receivers
if you don't have/need/want surround sound, and just listen in stereo, than you want a stereo receiver or integrated amplifier. No frills, no unnecessary features.  you still own a turntable, a stereo receiver is the way to go. These are much more likely to have a turntable input.  (a receiver is an integrated amplifier with an on board radio).

Harman Kardon HK3480 $299
Two channel (stereo) receiver that covers all the basics:  remote control, decent tuner, phono stage for those of you with a turntable.  Maybe not the best sound quality out there, but a good value that covers all the basics.

Outlaw Audio rr-150  $649
high stereo sound, retro look, modern features.  This thing has it all! 
Nice tuner, exceptional sound quality, input for a turntable and even a USB input for music from your computer.  It's got all the bases covered.
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NAD C320BEE $399
A simple stereo amp whose focus is on sound quality, not features.  no phono stage, no tuner.  You do get a remote control, a spartan amp, and great sound quality. 

PrimaLuna ProLogue One ($1195) & Two ($1445)
Reference build & sound quality from these two highly rated integrated tube amplifiers. Top quality construction, power to drive all kinds of speakers, and an optional phono stage.

Surround Receivers
The cornerstone of any home theater system.

Panasonic "Digital" XR Series:  XR-57 , XR-55 & XR-55S (same unit - "S" = silver)
highly recommended if you're on a budget and listening to digital sources only - DVD player, cable box, etc.  Great sound quality for for surround or stereo music listening.  One week point is that the speaker cable connectors on the back are kind of cheesy.  

Denon AVR-3806 ($1,299) & AVR-2807 ($1,099)
Denon is a reference manufacturer of receivers that renouned for their quality.  They also always sport the latest and greatest features. Year after year they are prove to be reliable purchase.

Home Theater Speaker Systems
Don't cheap out here, and whatever you do, DO NOT buy the all in one systems at the big chain retailers! Those are always seriously compromised products. Don't fool around for the sake of convenience. You'll get a much satisfying and better sounding system if you put a little research into your speaker purchase.

Athena Micra 6 $549
Good quality sound and a bargain basement price.  If you're looking to build a surround system on a tight budget, these are the speakers to get.

Apetrion Audio Intimus 422/S-8 $799
Attractive, tiny, and great sounding speakers.  create a quick surround system without letting speakers take over the living room! only weakness of this set is that the subwoofer is lacking in oomph.
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Axiom Audio Epic Master System
why do all these speaker sets start with the letter A?  we don't know, but we know they're all great. 

Stereo Speakers

Magnepan MMG $500
Magnificent little speakers with draw jopping resolution.  We recommend using these with a good sub from a reputable manufacturer like Velodyne, Hsu, or SVS.

Paradigm Studio 20 v3   $799
A classic speaker and a great value.  Suitable for all types of components and tastes.

Epos M12.2 $899
A classy pair of loudspeaker to build a nice two channel sytem around.  Careful, they will really show you what your other components are made of.  But if your upstream gear is up to snuff, you're in for a heck of a treat.

Computer Audio Products
Looking for a way to get quality sound out of your computer and into your stereo?  Look no further than our recommendations here.  These represent the best in terms of both usability and sound quality.  Each is a bit different, so consider your needs before purchase.

Apple Airport Express $129
A simple and easy to use wireless audio device.  Connects to your existing wireless network or you can create one with this unit. It features both an analog and digital-optical mini output.  The digital output is  Requires iTunes but works on a PC or a Mac.

Slim Devices Squeezebox $249(wired) - $299(Wireless)


Scott Nixon USB Tube DAC $450 and USB Chibi($249)
A very simple but elegant USB Digital to Audio Converter.  Connect to your computer via USB and to your stereo via typical analog audio cables.  Extremely good sound from your computer. 

Headphones & Etc
Here's a selection of very cool low cost gifts for the audio geek on your christmas list.

HeadRoom Total Bithead $199
What the heck is it? You may be asking. Quite simply it's a cubicle monkey's savior. This nifty little gadget plugs into your computer's USB port, and streams music from your computer to your headphones, giving you exceptional sound quality from your computer. Bypass the computer's lousy internal sound card and give your ears a treat!

Etymotic ER6i Earphones $149
Excellent upgrades for the iPod's stock headphones. These are earphones for an audiophile, not a bass nut. They smooth, neutral, and ever so sweet. They'll make your iPod sound incredible.

iPod Shuffle $79
Duh, is this one not obvious? 1gb of storage, super tiny, and just plain cool. The best part is, it's only 79 bucks!