Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

5 sonic stocking stuffers to improve your loved ones’ listening life

It can be tough to find simple, affordable gifts for the music nerd in your life. Whether they are interested in music or media production, or simply trying to get the best possible fidelity out of their favorite tunes, it’s tough to get them a small holiday gift that they’ll actually appreciate.

Never fear gift-givers! We’ve compiled a list of five cheap and simple gifts that should appeal to any audio nerd out there. From decent sounding in-ears for worry-free travel and workouts, to simple dongles that make life with a smartphone easier, these are the best stocking stuffers you can get for the music lover in your life.

Advanced S2000 Stage earphones

— $25

Image used with permission by copyright holder

These affordable and good looking in-ear headphones from Advanced were among our favorites when we tested the best headphones under $50, and remain among the best at their price point we have heard to this day. With nice braided cables, a comfortable fit, and good bass response, these are great headphones to take with you on road trip, runs, and vacations — or anywhere that you might be heartbroken to lose more expensive headphones.

Advanced S2000 Stage earphones

Chromecast Audio — $15

Chromecast Audio hero
Greg Mombert/Digital Trends

If you want to make any speaker in your house into a wireless audio hub, look no further than the Chromecast Audio. With a 3.5 mm cable that connects to the AUX jack of just about any hi-fi or powered speaker, this record-shaped dongle lets you cast your favorite music from any phone on your network. So save some money on getting your friend or loved one a full-on smart speaker, and just upgrade what they already have.

But at Google Store

Oontz Angle Bluetooth Speaker

— $24

Image used with permission by copyright holder

This affordable, triangle-shaped Bluetooth speaker remains among the most popular out there for good reason. With powerful sound, good battery life, and a water-resistant design, this is the kind of thing you’ll take with you everywhere without worrying about getting it a bit scuffed up.

Oontz Angle Bluetooth Speaker

Apple Lightning

/

USB C headphone cable adapters

 — $8-9

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ever since Apple decided to drop the headphone jack — and countless other smartphone manufacturers decided to follow suit — we’ve been living in a world of lightning and USB type C headphone dongles. Like the socks of the audio world, anyone with a jack-less phone is certain to appreciate a couple replacement dongles for the ones they’re likely to lose or damage in the coming year.

Apple Lightning

USB C headphone cable adapters

Stereo adapter

— $10

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If your friend or family member goes on frequent trips with a partner in tow, there is no better gift than this cheap little headphone adapter. Anyone who wants to watch a movie together with headphones on, or to share their favorite tunes while out and about, will thank you.

Stereo adapter

Looking for more great deals? Find Amazon deals, last-minute giftsstocking stuffers, and much more on our curated deals page.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
Walmart says Onn 4K Pro will eventually only ship with a backlit remote
The remote control that came with our Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device.

The remote control that came with our Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device is not backlit. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

The great mystery of the Walmart remote control has been solved. Mostly. As you'll recall from our Onn 4K Pro Streaming Device review, ours came with a remote control that doesn't have backlit buttons and also lacks an unsightly "Free TV" button. But some folks who also got in early on the $50 Google TV device had a different remote control — one whose buttons do light up, and with a big blue "Free TV" button in the middle.

Read more
LG updates its Tone Free earbuds with ‘pure graphene’ drivers
LG Tone Free T90S.

LG's new Tone Free T90S are the latest wireless earbuds from the Korean juggernaut, and they pick up right where 2022's Tone Free T90Q left off. In other words, they maintain the T90Q's massive set of features and then layer on some new tricks, like hi-res Dolby audio and a new driver made from pure graphene. The T90S are set to be released later in May, however, LG hasn't announced pricing yet. Given that the T90Q debuted at $230, it's a good bet the T90S will be in the same neighborhood.

So what is "pure graphene" and why should we care if our earbuds have drivers made out of it? Most graphene drivers are simply coated in the super material, according to LG's press release. "The use of pure graphene in LG’s latest earbuds reduces vibrations and allows users to revel in well-balanced and precise sound, with powerful bass and enhanced mid- and high-range frequencies." Translation: LG feels the T90S will sound better thanks to pure graphene.

Read more
Crazy! Save a massive $1,000 on this TCL 98-inch 4K TV right now
The TCL 98-inch S5 4K TV on a white background.

If you’re looking for a huge TV but you still want to save plenty of money, you need one of the TV deals going on at Best Buy today. Over there you can buy a TCL 98-inch S5 4K TV for $2,000 instead of $3,000. The $1,000 saving makes this TV much more affordable for many people, and we’re still in awe that you can even buy a 98-inch TV for $2,000. If you’re intrigued, keep reading and we’ll tell you all about what the TV has to offer.

Why you should buy the TCL 98-inch S5 4K TV
TCL is one of the best TV brands for value which explains why this TV is so well-priced. A great price, it still packs in tons of similar great features. Besides its huge 98-inch display, it has a high brightness direct LED backlight which produces brighter images and an enhanced viewing experience. It also supports the HDR Ultra package of Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG.

Read more