5 Cheap Audiophile Gadgets That Can Level Up Your Music Experience – BGR

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you read our article about the FiiO Snowsky DAC/Amp, you know that a little money can go a long way toward making your phone’s audio sound great. We decided to double down on this idea to bring you a full roundup of cheap audio gadgets that’ll help you take your listening to the next level — covering everything from headphones and mobile accessories to in-home speakers and more.

The thing about high-end audio is that money doesn’t always equate to the best sound. Sure, spending more on the right audiophile headphones can pay dividends in quality, but that higher spend doesn’t necessarily deliver equivalent value. However, there are a few areas where people often cut corners. Whether you’re using mediocre headphones and need to breathe some life into them or you’ve got a speaker setup at home that could use a little boost, we’ve got some options to suit you.

While the FiiO Snowsky option recommended above is still great, the Moondrop Echo-A is a slightly simpler plug-and-play option. FiiO offers in-line charging and extra app control, but you need to download the app to get the full functionality. If, on the other hand, you want high-quality 3.5-millimeter wired audio, then the Moondrop Echo-A is a no-brainer to throw into your travel bag. 

To start, Moondrop is an audiophile-approved brand that delivers some of the best in-ear-monitor-style earphones at its price point. The Echo-A may look like the same USB-C dongle you’ve seen bundled into the earliest headphone jack-free iPhones, but under the hood, it’s got a lot to love. Inside there’s an audio processing chip that delivers 32-bit, 384-kilohertz audio, ensuring whatever your phone, laptop, or other USB-C device is spitting out is high-resolution audio. For comparison, the audio resolution of the classic CD (widely considered the gold standard for most consumers) is 16-bit at 44.1 kilohertz. Because it’s a small, thin, flexible wire, it’ll slip into a bag easily, too — all for just over $20. Be aware that it doesn’t offer EQ control, and you’ll need headphones with a 3.5-millimeter jack to use it.

With vinyl records gaining market share in recent years, many listeners may wonder how to ensure their setup is getting the most out of their record collection. A phono preamp is the little tabletop box that amplifies the low-powered signal from a record player to the levels required for a powered speaker to fully reproduce the sound. The Fosi Audio Box X2 is a phono preamp with a rich, beautiful range to help your records sing.

The all-metal construction is solid and durable, and the satisfying rotary click switch that sets the preamp to different decibel levels is also built to last. What’s most notable about this preamp is its 6K4-style tubes, which deliver rich, warm audio between your turntable and speakers. If you’ve never used a tube amp before, this is a great way to try it for a good price, as it’s really hard to reproduce the rich warmth of tubes in any other way. There are some downsides, as the Box X2 is a budget-friendly phono preamp. There are only 3 gain stage settings, rather than continuous control, and though the circuit is low-noise, you’ll find slightly better performance in higher-end models. But with more than 3,000 Amazon reviews and a 4.6-star average rating, the quality is pretty compelling for under $70.

Most people have a Bluetooth speaker kicking around these days, but if you somehow don’t, now’s a great time to consider one. The Anker Soundcore 2 was originally launched a number of years ago, but it still offers some of the best value for the money. For under $50, you have a solid, multi-driver speaker that delivers a surprisingly decent stereo spread for its size (in our anecdotal testing), plus a rugged IPX7 water resistance, making it great for the beach, camping, or other outdoor activities. It also sports an impressive 24 hours of battery life courtesy of its 5,200-milliamp-hour battery.

As with most of the things on this budget-friendly list, there are some trade-offs. While we are impressed by the sound quality and richness, a speaker of this size simply can’t deliver the high-quality bass with subwoofer support that larger speakers can. Some users also report intermittent connectivity issues. All of these considerations could be worth it to you if you’re looking for an unassuming and affordable little speaker to toss into your day bag, though.

If you’re into audiophile gear, chances are you have a pair of in-ear monitors that you love. These high-end earphones sit tightly inside your ear and were originally intended for musicians to use on stage to hear themselves in the mix (hence the name “monitor”). These earphones don’t have the wireless Bluetooth convenience of AirPods or other true wireless options, though. Enter: the CCA KZ AZ09. This little adapter pair effectively turns your IEM into a pair of true wireless earbuds.

The set comes with dual adapters — one for each earphone, naturally — and a wireless charging case to juice up the batteries between uses. It provides Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity for modern transmission, and thanks to its waterproof build, it should withstand sweat and some light rain. While the listing advertises compatibility with only select KZ IEMs, double-check the connector on yours, as these should work with many 2-pin style connectors. It’s also important to note that the case may not accommodate space for your IEM if they are large or oddly shaped. However, for under $30, these are great little adapters.

Rounding out the list is a solid pair of budget-friendly bookshelf speakers. After all, whether it’s your personal listening space or a media room, bookshelf speakers are an important part of the picture. To be fair, we’d recommend spending a little bit more on speakers, especially if you want one of the best wireless speakers. The Dayton Audio Classic BG65 speakers are surprisingly well-reviewed, with high Amazon ratings and plenty of community chatter about their quality. They deliver 75 watts of power and feature solid 6.5-inch woofers and 1-inch silk-dome tweeters for a well-rounded, well-supported sound. Their wood-tone enclosure and soft gray mesh grilles also look pretty nice.

Yes, again, there are some trade-offs. Some reviewers note quality assurance concerns, with one of their speakers not reaching the volume of the other. These are also passive bookshelf speakers, so there’s no amp or extra connectivity, meaning you’ll need to make sure you’ve got all the components necessary to run them. However, if you already have part of a surround system, or even a solid amp and music player setup, this is not a bad place to start.

As with anything, the word “cheap” can be a little subjective. When we started considering gadgets for this list, our first criterion was to keep everything below $100. To be fair, even $90-100 feels a little too expensive, so we reserved the pricier picks for the pricier categories (like speakers and table-top amplifiers). For the most part, items are kept as close to $50 as possible.

The other point here is that these gadgets are components within a setup. While we have done a roundup of at-home, cheap audiophile devices, this list is meant to help breathe new life into your music listening. So whether you want higher-quality listening on the go, a new way to pump some tunes at the beach, or a solid set of bookshelf speakers to fold into your listening room, we’ve got something covered here.