With the holidays quickly approaching, finding a gift for that audiophile might seem a little daunting. There are many headphones, earbuds, and gaming headsets to choose from. Luckily, The Best War Games has curated some of the best gifts for those audiophile friends and family.
There are a ton of audio gear products to choose from, but for simplicity's sake, The Best War Games decided to stick with headphones, earbuds, and DACs. For people who want a more budget option, picking up a gift card for the audiophile's favorite music service or local record store is always an excellent way to go.
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Editor's ChoiceImage
Display card main info widgetSennheiser IE 200
$120 $150 Save $30Display card main info widget end- Solo bud mode?
- Yes
- Driver Size
- 7mm
- Weight
- 4 grams
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Frequency response
- 6 - 20,000Hz
It's no secret that Sennheiser strives to produce top-quality audio products, and IE 200 earphones are no exception. Built around Sennheiser's True Response transducers, these earbuds deliver outstanding sound quality for a small package. Thanks to the IE 200's ergonomic design and the selection of silicone ear tips, these earbuds can easily be worn all day without fatigue.
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Premium PickImage
Display card main info widgetSennheiser HD 600
$350 $450 Save $100Display card main info widget end- Brand
- Sennheiser
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Weight
- 260 g
- Foldable
- No
- Frequency range
- 12 Hz - 40,500 Hz
The HD 600 is the audio purist’s choice for reference playback. An instrument of Sennheiser’s passion for perfect sound, it is globally recognized as the standard for analytical high-fidelity listening - even 20-plus years after its release. The velour HD 600 padding is supple to the touch for extended listening, and everything on the headphones feels extremely well-built, making the HD600 a pair of headphones that can last for years to come.
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Best ValueImage
Display card main info widgetSteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Gaming Headset
Display card main info widget endThe SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 offers next-gen wireless technology. It comes equipped with a 36-hour battery life and the headset also features a fast-charge USB-C battery, which provides 6 hours of use from just a 15-minute charge.
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The Nova 4 includes an AI-powered noise-canceling microphone, which can eliminate background noises like keyboard clicks and ambient noise. The microphone also fully retracts into the earcup. -
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Display card main info widgetOneOdio Monitor 80
$100 $130 Save $30Display card main info widget end- Compatible With
- Tablets, Music Production Equipment, Laptops
- Sensitivity
- 100 dB±3 dB
- Frequency Response
- 10Hz-40KHz
- Connection Type
- 3.5 mm/6.35 mm stereo
- Impedance
- 250 Ohms
The OneOdio Monitor 80 are headphones made to be a reliable daily driver for audiophiles. Using high-precision audio drivers, these headphones deliver solid bass and clear mids combining to make an incredible audio experience. With an impedance of 250 ohms, these headphones do need an amp to properly drive them, but the fantastic sound quality is worth it.
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Display card main info widgetSony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones
$230 $350 Save $120Display card main info widget end- Battery Life
- 30 hours (NC ON), 38 hours (NC OFF)
- Wireless?
- Yes
- Microphones
- Yes
- Sensitivity
- 105 dB / mW
- Frequency Response
- 4 Hz-40,000 Hz
Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones take noise cancelation to a new level with Dual Noise Sensor technology. The industry-leading feature filters out ambient noise very efficiently. The music quality is improved by artificial intelligence technology, Edge-AI.
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The Sony WH-1000XM4 offers up to 30 hours of playback. In addition, these headphones provide quick charging capability where a 10-minute charge can provide up to 5 hours of playback. The headphones feature touch sensor controls that manage play, pause, track skipping, volume control, voice assistant activation, and more. -
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Display card main info widgetSony WF-1000XM4 Wireless Earbuds
Display card main info widget end- Charging Case Included?
- Yes
- Microphones
- Yes
- Brand
- Sony
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.2
- IP Rating
- IPX4
- Driver Size
- 6mm
The Sony WF-1000XM4 are high-end noise-canceling Bluetooth earbuds featuring the new Integrated Processor V1 that provides exceptional sound quality with support for LDAC codec. The earbuds also offer crystal-clear call quality thanks to the beamforming microphone and bone-conduction sensor, which provide clear voice detection even in noisy environments.
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Additionally, the Speak-to-Chat technology automatically reduces the volume during conversations for convenience. With 8 hours of battery life and noise-canceling turned on, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds are perfect for long listening sessions. -
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Display card main info widgetKZ ZSN Pro X
Display card main info widget end- Microphones
- Yes
- Solo bud mode?
- Yes
- Driver Size
- 10mm
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Frequency response
- 7-40000Hz
- Impedance
- 25Ω
The KZ ZSN Pro X is an underrated budget IEM that will blow most audiophiles away. Using 10mm dynamic drivers, these earbuds have fantastic sound quality with robust lows, crystal clear mids, and sparkling highs. Plus, unlike many audiophile IEMs, these have inline controls and a mic.
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Display card main info widgetFiiO BTR5 2021
Display card main info widget end- Brand
- Fiio
- Supported Formats
- 5.0/SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, LDAC
- Connector
- 3.5mm Unbalanced and 2.5 Balanced
- Weight
- 43.7g
- Battery
- Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life
- Max Impedance
- 150 Ohm (Balanced 2.5) 100 Ohm (Unbalanced 3.5)
The Fiio BTR5 is an incredibly powerful DAC for its size and portability. Utilizing an Audiophile-approved performance Bluetooth chip, the Qualcomm CSR8675 is a low-power Bluetooth chip with enhanced audio capabilities, such as supporting 24-bit audio processing and possessing a 120 MHz DSP, allowing it to powerfully handle various Bluetooth decoding functions with ease.
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Display card main info widgetFiio K7 Desktop DAC and Amp
Display card main info widget endAimed at audiophiles and music enthusiasts, the high-fidelity FiiO K7 is a compact desktop USB DAC and truly balanced headphone amplifier designed to reproduce any music faithfully. The large volume dial provides precisely tuned gain control over a smooth 112 steps of adjustment and even has some RGB lighting. The high- and low-hardware gain levels allow users to easily adjust the K7 to handle headphones of various impedances and sensitivities for rich and consistent listening.
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How To Choose Gifts For Audiophiles
When sifting through the hundreds and hundreds of audiophile products, it can easily get quite overwhelming. Luckily, there is a method to the madness. So, when starting to search for that perfect audiophile gift, keep these factors in mind:
- Sound Quality: While it's not super easy to tell how good a pair of headphones sounds when looking at them online, finding headphones or audio equipment that have a good reputation in reviews is the easiest way to tell if it is worth picking the product up.
- Usefulness: Not everyone needs another pair of headphones, so look for products that fit into other aspects of high-fidelity audio, like DACs or Amps. Fun accessories or ways to buy more music is another great option for those who are overwhelmed by the amount of products to choose from.
Exceptional Listening Experiences
Whether people are true audiophiles and have been exploring this world for a while or are just dipping their toes in, getting the first pair of high-quality headphones or a DAC to drive a pair of headphones properly is a magical feeling. The three headphones The Best War Games has picked out as essential listening all have incredible sound quality and are great upgrades to existing setups or fantastic first HiFi headphones.
Editor's Choice
Sennheiser IE 200 In-Ear Monitors
Often, when most people think about audiophile headphones, they think about the bulky and cumbersome over-ear headphones, but the Sennheiser IE 200 in-ear monitors are an excellent way to improve a listening experience while having a minimal footprint. Thanks to their ergonomic design and selection of ear tips to get the perfect fit, these earbuds are easy to wear all day with little to no fatigue.
Of course, with Sennheiser being who they are, the IE 200 sounds absolutely incredible. These earbuds will not have as powerful bass as others, like the Sony WF-1000X4, but they are very accurate and neutral. These earbuds are also very easy to drive with just a phone or mobile device. But if gamers want to get more power out of them, the Fiio BTR5 is an excellent portable DAC that can connect to any Bluetooth-compatible device.
Premium Pick
Another pick from Sennheiser, the HD 600 headphones, is the gold standard for open-back headphones in the audiophile community. These are very premium headphones that need a DAC/AMP to get the most out of them, but for people who can fit them in their budget, the HD 600 are some of the best-sounding headphones available. And at the time of writing, Amazon is running a great deal for 44% off.
The combination of a reasonably lightweight build, roomy earcups, and drivers with no peaking frequencies make these headphones incredibly comfortable to wear all day long. However, the open-back design is not for everyone. There is a fair amount of sound leakage, and they do not do much to block out outside noise. However, if users have a quiet room to listen to music, nothing is more magical than a good pair of open-back headphones.
Best Value
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4 Gaming Headset
For gamers who want an excellent audio experience with all the comforts and compatibility of a gaming headset, look no further than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 4. While it doesn't have as many special features as its bigger sibling, the Arctis Nova 7, the Nova 4 offers terrific price to performance value, especially because of its current deal under $100 on Amazon.
This is not the best-sounding headset out there. The bass is a bit underwhelming, and the highs drop off around 5KHz. While the out-of-box EQ leaves a bit to be desired, gamers can make this headset sound excellent with some tweaking. And no one loves tweaking an EQ and playing with settings more than audiophiles.