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The best audio gear to give as gifts
Maybe there's an audiophile on your list, or maybe you're shopping for someone who recently acquired a new phone and could use something better than the pack-in headphones. Either way, we have a slew of recommendations in the audio gear section of our holiday gift guide. On our list you'll find smart speakers from Google and Amazon alike, along with Sonos, whose new "One" speaker includes Alexa built in, with Google Assistant support coming soon. When it comes to headphones, our selections run the gamut from the affordable (Jabra's Move headset) to the high end (Bragi's Dash Pro wireless earbuds and these noise cancelling headphones from Sony), with a couple mid-range options in between. Rounding out the list, we have a soundbar, drum machine, synth app, the Amazon Echo Show and one of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers. Find all that and many more items in our holiday gift guide, at the link below.
Amazon Echo update doesn’t forget the bass
Amazon's been listening. Not just to your every word (waiting for you say "Alexa"), but also to the widespread criticism of the audio quality on the new Echo. The company issued a software update on Friday to improve the second-generation Echo's sound profile. It should have installed automatically, meaning you may have already noticed a bit more bass in your music this weekend. You can see if you have the latest software by looking under the Settings section of your Alexa app. The version number should be "592452420."
Amazon Echo review (2017): Good price, bad sound
Two years after its birth, the device that inspired dozens of copycat smart speakers and spawned thousands of integrations is getting a makeover. Amazon's "all-new" Echo is smaller and cheaper and promises better sound. But with a pile of new competitors and even more in the pipeline, the second-generation Echo needs to prove it's still worth your money.
