Gallery: Audio Gear for Your Man Cave
017audiowood-chipmunk-660
Shopping for a geek dad is tricky. Skew too geeky and you’ll be giving him a forgettable gadget. Skew too traditional and you end up with a necktie. For this Father's Day, we searched the far corners of the universe to find gear that would hit Dad right in his [Goldilocks Zone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitable_zone). What did we find? Audio gear. From professionally modded headphones to stereo amplifier kits, there's enough to keep your man-cave dweller tinkering for months. And for the hamfisted among us, ho-hum fall-backs like iPod docks and A/V equipment are getting upgrades that make them worthy of a second look – like wireless streaming over WiFi. __Here's are 9 of our favorite gift ideas for audiophiles:__ Audiowood Chipmunk Turntable, $850 (Etsy) ----------------------------------------- Each of these one-of-a-kind devices starts as a slab of ash tree. Designer Joel Scilley then crafts it into a record player by finishing the slab and installing a host of standard Music Hall Audio turntable components. Vibration dampening feet and careful balancing help ensure smooth playback. __Style:__ Turntable __Price:__ $850 __Mechanism:__ Belt-driven __Included Audio Components:__ Music Hall Audio belt-drive, tonearm, metal platter, felt platter mat, and a Tracker cartridge. *Image: Audiowood*
022thunderpants-660
Thunderpants TP-1 DIY Headphone Kit ----------------------------------- <Head-Fi.org> forum member “Smeggy” crafts these over-ear headphones by disassembling a stock pair of Fostex T50RPs and swapping in plush extras like wood earcups. Pre-drilled parts and optional partial assembly make the Thunderpants ideal for any commitment level, and optional perks like leather headbands and engraving add flair. __Style:__ Over-Ear Headphone __Price:__ $250 (Unfinished/kit), $350 (Finished/assembled) __Kit Includes:__ Cups, baffles, sealing tape, eyelets, wire, sleeve, shrink wrap, plug, brackets, screws, grommets, hanger blocks, head strap, damping materials
033todeback-660
Bottlehead Tode Guitar Amplifier Kit ------------------------------------ Discerning shredders take note: This amp kit comes from the DIY audio maestros at Bottlehead. The Tode isn’t just a hobbyist project either – it’s a full-baked noise machine. Behind the stylish aluminum plate hides a booming 8” speaker and two buttery-warm tubes. A minimalist three-switch control scheme lets you dial in your tone, while Bottlehead’s clever circuitry ensures crunchy distortion even at low volumes. __Style:__ Guitar Amplifier __Price:__ $550 (kit), $750 (assembled) __Speaker:__ 8” Weber Ceramic Signature __Tubes:__ EF86, EL84 __Power Output:__ 3W (Clean), 10W (Distorted) __Outputs:__ External cabinet (rear), headphone (front) *Image: Bottlehead*
044marantz-660
Marantz AV7005 A/V Receiver (w/ Airplay) ---------------------------------------- The AV7005 is like Grand Central Station for your home theater setup. As a posh 7.1 receiver it has all the inputs any A/V jock could ever want. Home theater buffs get some audio decoding love with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio support. Add the recent addition of AirPlay and the AV7005 is the best of both the Wired and wireless. __Style:__ 7.1 Surround Sound Processor __Price:__ $1,500 __Audio Connections:__ RCA Stereo (7 In, 2 Out), Optical (3 In, 1 Out), Coaxial Digital (3 In, 0 Out), 7.1 Multichannel (1 In, 1 Unbalanced Pre-out, 1 Balanced Pre-out), USB (1 Front) __Video Connections:__ HDMI 1.4a (5 Rear In, 1 Front In, 2 Out), Component (4 In, 2 Out), Composite (5 In, 2 Out) __Ethernet:__ Yes __Headphone Jack:__ Yes (6.3mm) __Airplay:__ Yes *Image: Marantz*
051logitech-660
Logitech UE Airplay Speaker --------------------------- The UE Airplay is an elegant speaker dock with one huge bonus: Airplay wireless streaming. Streaming high-quality uncompressed tracks from iTunes isn’t the UE’s only perk though; dual subwoofers lend a healthy bottom end, and its quick-start iOS app makes network setup a snap. __Style:__ iPhone Dock __Price:__ $400 __A/V Inputs:__ iOS (30-pin), 3.5mm (AUX) __WiFi:__ Yes __Streaming Protocol:__ Airplay *Image: Logitech*
065stereomourparts-660
Bottlehead Stereomour Single Ended 2A3/45 Integrated Amplifier Kit ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Stereomour is a tube amp with a trick up its sleeve. Hidden inside its 10”x12” alder box is support for two unique tube setups and a whole lot of versatility. After it’s assembled, newbies can use it like a standard amplifier to boost their audio signal. Hardcore tinkerers can crack it open and tweak the circuit to suit their tube preference (2A3 or 45). Either way you’re going to need a soldering iron. __Style:__ Stereo amplifier __Price:__ $750 (kit), ($1025 assembled) __Power:__ 2A3 - 3.5W, 45 - 1.75W __Bandwidth:__ -1dB at 20Hz, -3dB at 50kHz __Output:__ 4, 8, and 16ohm __Sensitivity:__ full power at about 0.4v (2A3) *Image: Bottlehead*
076transcendentggfront02-660
Transcendent Sound Grounded Grid Preamp (Kit) --------------------------------------------- This no-frills preamp is a workhorse for audiophiles; it boosts an audio signal, cuts unnecessary noise and interference, and then calls it a day. The real fun is in piecing the kit together and figuring out how Transcendent does it. (Hint: The power supply and audio circuits are isolated on two separate boards to help reduce noise!) __Style:__ Stereo Preamp __Price:__ $500 (kit), $900 (assembled) __Harmonic Distortion:__ Less than .02% at 2 volts RMS out. __Signal to Noise Ratio:__ Greater than 93 dB. __Bandwidth:__ 1 dB down from 5 Hz to 300 kHz. __Gain:__ 12 dB. __Max Signal Out:__ 20 volts RMS. __Output Impedance:__ 200 ohms. __Input Impedance:__ 50 k Ohms. __Inputs: 3, Outputs:__ 1, all single-ended, RCA __Controls:__ Input Selector, Volume, Power __Tube Compliment:__ 3-12AU7 *Image: Transcendent Sound*
088crosley-660
Crosley Echo USB record player ------------------------------ Don’t be fooled by its oldtimey looks -- this luggage-like music box has a lot going on. On top of serving as a turntable and an AM/FM radio, the Echo lets you convert vinyl tunes into digital files on the fly, then download the files to your PC/Mac via the USB port. The iPod dock only sweetens the deal. __Style:__ Record player/radio/iPod dock __Price:__ $180 __Mechanism:__ Belt-driven __Turntable speeds:__ 33 1/3, 45 And 78 RPM Records __Encoding:__ USB/SD __A/V Inputs:__ iOS (30-pin), 3.5mm (AUX) *Image: Crosley*
099tivoli-660
Tivoli Model One BT ------------------- Tivoli’s original Model One had the uncanny distinction of being a fantastic AM/FM radio inside a handsome wooden box. The BT adds wireless to the mix. Bluetooth-enabled devices can send music straight to the BT’s long-throw driver, which is backed by the same frequency-shaping circuitry that made the Model One a hit. __Style:__ AM/FM Radio/Wireless speaker __Price:__ $180 __Speaker:__ 3” full range driver __Bluetooth:__ Yes (2.1 +EDR) __A/V Inputs:__ 3.5mm (AUX), heaphone (out) *Image: Tivoli*
