Club Benefits
I'm very lucky in my line of work. I get to try out all kinds of different audio gear, from gorgeous wireless headphones that cost more than I could ever hope to afford to cheap earbuds that everyone can put in their pockets.
And yet, I have a life outside of work. When I'm not helping readers figure out how to get the best audio gear for their budgets, I'm chilling at home, listening to music and watching movies... or I'm gaming. That's when I break into my home stash of audio gear.
My wireless headphones: Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2
Last year, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 became my pick for the best headphones you can buy in 2026, and then my heart was captured by the more expensive PX8 S2. (Get them on your head and you'll very quickly discover why; they're a wonderful piece of on-ear wireless goodness.)
They're super comfortable thanks to their leather-covered cushioning and well-judged clamping force. They're stunningly well built with metal armatures and earcups. The protective case ensures they stay shiny and premium, no matter how many times you toss them in your bag.
And then there's the way that they sound. They're warm, enveloping, and lovely, and then stretch the soundstage further than most with a similar sonic signature. Picked guitars shimmer, bass notes rumble and cymbals ring with crystalline energy. They're some of the best-sounding wireless headphones that money can buy — and I love them. They're sure to be my wireless companions for some time.
My wireless earbuds: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2
I like to meditate. It's my time to mull over the world and everything around me, finding new connections with the ground that I sit on; listen to the birds I can hear calling, the wind that brushes through my hair. At times, though, I want no distractions while I think over important decisions or other things that life throws at me.
The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2 are my faithful "mulling over" headphones. They block everything out, acting almost like earplugs when not listening to music. Sometimes I'll play nature sounds around me, sometimes I'll leave the sound off. Whatever I choose, they're blocking the noise.
I've been able to wear them for hours and hours on end. It's not just their epic noise canceling that keeps them close at hand, but their impressive comfort as well. They might not play much music, but they're a vital part of my audio arsenal.
My wired headphones: Various
This is where things become a little trickier. See, I have managed to cultivate an impressive collection of wired headphones as a hobby, not just thanks to work, but my own wallet. I like to have different headphones for different genres, or I might want to listen to the sound profile of one pair over another on a particular day.
I can say that there have become some mainstays in recent months. I remain extremely impressed with the Sendy Audio Aiva 2. They look stunning, and sound excellent. I've also been using my Sennheiser HD800S a lot recently, in part due to their unbelievable detail.
I don't have a pair of favorite headphones, but at the moment, the pair I'd recommend are the Aiva 2. They're not cheap, but they're a welcoming pair of cans in a sea of inpenetrable nerdiness.
My Soundbar: Sonos Arc Ultra surround setup
The Sonos Arc Ultra has graced my TV stand since it was first released, and for very good reason. It sounds excellent, and powers a very impressive Atmos experience before you've even considered adding in some surround speakers or a subwoofer. And then you do, and suddenly you wonder where it's been your whole life.
Sounds that whizz past your head with surprising accuracy, stirring movie soundtracks that fill your room, explosions that shake the windows. The Sonos surround experience is something I've become accustomed to now, and I don't think I could pull myself away from it for any other soundbar system.
That, and it was really easy to get past my parents — they weren't particularly enthused by the idea of a seperates system taking up loads of space. Oh well. One day.
My smart speaker: Wiim Sound
This is a recent addition to my every day tech list. The Wiim Sound is a speaker that had me waiting for a long time before I was able to place it on my nightstand. Now that it's here, I can't see it going anywhere quickly. I love it and its funky little screen that shows spinning album artwork, and I really like the excellent Wiim Home app that outperforms the competition in just about any metric (Sonos, ahem).
It also sounds great, with loads of detail and a surprisingly large soundstage for something so small. I've been listening to all my favorite music as I get ready in the morning and as I do some reading before I go to bed.
It might just rank amongst the best smart speakers, although I do wish it had a built-in microphone as opposed to one built into the remote control. Still, it's a great speaker and I love having it next to my bed.
The state of the HiFi
My HiFi system is my pride and joy. The thing in life that keeps me going, playing my music and powering my TV room like nothing else ever could. It's not cheap, I should say, but I don't care. I love it.
But it's not finished yet. HiFi systems never are. You want to get every ounce of performance out of the whole ensemble, and then when you do, you wonder what's possible with something even more expensive. My current system is as follows:
- Cambridge Audio EXA100
- KEF LS50 Meta
- Qacoustics QSub80
- Rega Planar 3 RS
- iFi Zen Phono 3
- Wiim Ultra streamer
- Cambridge Audio AX35 CD player
That's a whole stack of devices, and that's not to mention the mad number of cables that connect the whole thing together, or the special power sockets that make sure the power is clean. Is it a bunch of audiophile hogwash that likely makes little difference in the end?
Almost certainly. But then I turn it on, place a Bloodbath record on my turntable, and settle in for a listening session, and suddenly nothing matters anymore.
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