Earphones, headphones, speakers, and the stands and accessories that go with them.
With semitseasia now the official V-MODA distributor in Singapore, the first product I tried is the Forza Metallo Wireless Earphones, retailing for S$289. It's V-MODA's third earphone, following the wired Forza and the Forza Metallo.
The X-mini KAI X1 is the smallest speaker in X-mini's flagship KAI X series, launched June 2017 for immersive yet portable sound. It retails for S$69.90, with the larger X2 at S$99.99 and the largest X3 at S$129.90.
The Sudio Tre is the brand's second wireless earphones, after the Vasa Bla. It retails for S$179 in four colours. Shipping to Singapore brings a 20% tax rebate, and the code lesterchan takes a further 15% off.
I finally jumped on the Google Home bandwagon. I skipped it last year at US$99 due to an immature ecosystem, but six months on it's improved, now supporting Logitech Harmony, iRobot, Sensibo, and more, with more accurate speech recognition.
The Klipsch Reference X12i launched in Singapore in November 2015 at S$599, succeeding the X11i and X10i before it. These in-ear earphones weigh just 15g, with a milled aluminium chassis under 6mm in diameter for a deep-fit seal.
The Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 and PRO 2 SE launched in Singapore in December 2016 at S$319 and S$379. The SE, or Special Edition, adds NFC pairing, a more premium finish, and a hard carrying case for extra S$60.
I currently use the Bose QC15, the best active noise cancelling headphones around, especially on flights. The Bose QC35 updates the QC25, which itself updated the QC15. What sets the QC35 apart is its wireless capability over its predecessors.
EOZ Audio is a young Barcelona-based audio startup. Its first product, the EOZ One, is a premium wireless Bluetooth earphone that began on Kickstarter, raising €53,062 from 554 backers and shipping in October 2016. It's now on sale directly.
The Sudio Regent is the brand's first wireless headphones and my second Sudio product, after the Vasa Bla earphones. It retails for S$229; the 20% tax rebate in Singapore brings it to S$183.20, with the code lesterchan for more.
Apple AirPods launched in Singapore and 100+ countries on 13th December 2016 at S$238, with a six-week wait. I ordered the moment a friend's post showed stock, receiving mine on the 20th. Each replacement earbud costs S$98.
The Sonos BOOST retails for S$199 in Singapore but US$99 on Amazon, which doesn't ship directly. With only about S$60 saved before freight forwarding, importing isn't worth it. BOOST creates a dedicated wireless network for Sonos, reducing interference.
During a Black Friday sale, the Sonos PLAY:1 dropped from US$199 to US$149. Since it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, I bought mine from Amazon and forwarded it via HopShopGo, which billed me for 3kg despite the 2.4kg weight.
The MPow Streambot Mini is Amazon's top-selling car Bluetooth music receiver. I bought it for US$13.99, now risen to US$14.99. Reasonably priced, though it doesn't ship to Singapore directly, so you must factor in freight-forwarding costs to import it.
I bought the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) the moment it launched on 20th October 2016, a must-have for any tech geek at US$49.99. With two Echos at home, I use them to control my water heater, lights, and TV.
V-MODA, founded in 2004, is a high-performance audio maker headquartered in California with a design studio in Milan. In Singapore, iFactory Asia is the sole authorised distributor. This review covers the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless headphones.
Sudio is a little-known Swedish earphone brand from Stockholm, with four series: TVA, KLANG, VASA, and VASA BLA. The entry TVA is S$65 with a one-button remote, while KLANG steps up to a three-button mic remote.
The Klipsch Reference X6i was announced in the US in November 2015 and reached Singapore in March 2016. It's the third Reference earphone, retailing for S$329 in white or black, available at Courts, Challenger, and Tat Chuan Acoustic.
The Pringles Party Speaker sits atop a Pringles can to amplify its acoustics. Powered by three AAA batteries (not included), several can be daisy-chained into a long chain of speakers. It comes in several quirky designs made for Pringles.
The Bluelounge Posto is the brand's take on a headphone stand, shipping in three pieces for one-time assembly. Available in black or white, it has a flexible silicone-rubber headphone rest. I bought mine at Paragon in Bangkok for about S$30.
The Klipsch R6 In-Ear Bluetooth Earphones are Klipsch's first-ever Bluetooth earphones, launched in Singapore on 15th January 2016 at S$299. At launch only matte black was available, with a one-year warranty from official distributor Tat Chuan Acoustic.
The new Sonos PLAY:5 is now available in Singapore for S$999, sold at IT stores like Challenger and online via TC Acoustic. It delivers studio-quality sound through six synchronised custom drivers, with three mid-woofers producing smooth mids and deep bass.
The Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear Headphones launched in Singapore on 20th September 2015 for S$199, the newest addition to the Reference lineup. They follow the R6/R6i In-Ear Headphones I got last year, sharing the same advanced acoustic engineering.