Sound & Vision Magazine - Ultimate Gifts

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No, we didn’t call this the "ultimate" gift guide just to get your attention. This is the biggest, most comprehensive, most eclectic, highest-tech guide we’ve ever put together, so it definitely lives up to its billing. But “ultimate” doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. A variety of stocking stuffers, for instance, can be had for under $25, including an ingenious $5 cable organizer. But we haven’t skimped on luxury either, with a $300-and-up category that includes a does-damn-near-everything cellphone, a crab-shaped LCD TV, and a videophone that produces images that actually look like video instead of bad Saturday-morning anime. And in between are gifts ranging from $25 to $300 that will let you check off every name on your list knowing that you’ve given your friends and family the latest and greatest tech there is. — Michael Gaughn

SOUNDaround surround processor
“Virtual surround” systems for folks who don’t want a full-tilt 5.1-channel system snaking around their rooms aren’t new. But none of the ones we’ve tested comes close to matching the value of Xitel’s SOUNDaround ($100), an add-on that uses proven SRS processing to throw spacious stereo and “surround sound” from just a pair of speakers. The compact box goes between the RCA stereo output of your DVD player or cable box and the audio input on your stereo receiver or TV. A compact remote control lets you cycle through enhanced Stereo, Surround, and Dialog Clarity modes and adjust the bass. I watched Spider-Man 2 with a pair of good bookshelf speakers, expecting them to reveal serious flaws, and was startled by the clarity of the sound and quality of the effects. It won’t replace a real home theater, but for every other TV in the house, there’s SOUNDaround. —Rob Sabin
www.xitel.com

Walkman Bean MP3 player
Yes, the screen is a little small — only a single-line monochrome readout — but at least Sony’s NW-E305 Bean ($120) has a screen, which one-ups the iPod shuffle. And although it’s not as slim as its Apple rival, it has curves that are inviting to hold, even while running. But white earbuds? Spare me. Still, they sound just fine, despite being slightly less comfortable than the iPod’s. And the option to switch to FM at any time is appreciated. The best part just may be the easy-to-use SonicStage software, although the downloads from Sony’s Connect.com music store could be a little more convenient to transfer. In all, the 2.75-inch-long, 512-MB-capacity Bean is a worthy stocking stuffer. Available in blue or white. (The NW-E307, $150, which comes in pink or black, boasts 1 GB of storage.) — Peter Pachal
sonystyle.com

Encounter speaker system
Most computer speakers come in two styles: ugly and uglier. JBL’s Encounter 2.1-channel package ($150) is a refreshing change from the norm. The out-of-this-world system comes with two alien-head satellite speakers, a UFO-shaped powered bass module, and all the cables you need to get going. Just connect your PC or Mac’s audio output to the sub’s input jack, adjust the control knobs for optimal volume, bass, and treble, and you’ll be primed for celestial sound. In this case, celestial doesn’t mean loud — the pod-like speakers will distort if you push them past a moderate volume. But the system delivers better-than-average sound with decent bass, and the price tag makes it an affordable gift for your favorite extraterrestrial. — Al Griffin
jbl.com

Riptopia music-ripping service
We’re heeding the call of the digital age: “convert or die.” The idea of having your entire music collection contained in a shiny rectangle the size of a deck of cards is awesome, but, oh, the drudgery of getting all those tracks into the player to begin with. Salvation is nigh with Riptopia’s offer to take on the grunt work in increments of 50 CDs — starting at $89 and going up to 450 rips for $459. Riptopia sends you a postage-paid box and a spindle. You load your collection onto the spindle, send it back, and after two days, your CDs are returned along with a high-density DVD and easy instructions for transferring the ripped tracks to your player. (Or you can send your player along with the discs, or buy one directly from Riptopia and get it all done in one fell swoop.) Gift certificates are available, and up until January 15, Riptopia is offering the ultimate “wow” holiday gift: a 4-GB iPod nano and a 50-CD rip for $299. — Shannon McCarthy
riptopia.com

Sennheiser "Mac compatible" headset
If you ride your computer hard, relying on it for both business and pleasure, a simple pair of headphones won’t cut it anymore. Traditional audiophile-grade phones usually have wires hanging from both earcups, making it tough for laptop jockeys to use the touchpad and keyboard. And the exploding popularity of online gaming and Internet telephony means you have to juggle a microphone, too. Sennheiser has neatly solved this dilemma — for Mac users, at least — with its M145USB headset ($120). Plug it into the USB port of any Mac using OS X 10.1 or higher, and you’re ready to do everything from join your buddies in Belgium for a Halo assault to dictate a business report using voice-recognition software. And you can disconnect the headset from the USB adapter and use its minijack with any iPod or MP3 player. Best of all, the phones sound great. — Michael Gaughn
sennheiserusa.com

CineMate digital home theater system
While you can get a decent 7.1-channel home theater audio system for as low as $450, not everyone is prepared to deal with the multiple wires and setup headaches that a full 7.1 rig entails. That’s where Bose’s CineMate ($499) comes in. You get two small speakers, a powered bass module, an audio interface/infrared receiver, only one cable, and a universal remote control that can be easily programmed to control a DVD player, a TV, and a cable or satellite box. The whole package is a breeze to install — it comes with an Ikea-style setup chart plus an instructional DVD that checks if the system is wired properly. While not the last statement in home theater, the CineMate will be a huge improvement over your TV’s built-in speakers, and its TrueSpace processing delivers clear dialogue and a convincing sense of envelopment with surround sound movies and TV shows. — Al Griffin
bose.com

Panasonic SD stereo system
Who says you need a computer to rip music and transfer it to a tiny portable player? The SC-PM71SD minisystem ($400) looks like your average bookshelf five-CD player with AM/FM radio, cassette deck, and speakers (which sound surprisingly good). But it also has a 1-GB SD card and an SD slot for ripping music from CDs, the radio, or any external source. Using the high-speed recording mode, it took only 18 minutes to turn the 52-minute Ray Charles Genius Loves Company CD into 12 AAC-format songs on the SD card. I then played the card on the subway using the palm-size SV-SD90 portable player. Windows software is included so you can transfer music from your PC. — Michael Antonoff
panasonic.com

StikAx music/video mixer
Now this is a joystick. Whether you’re just a weekend mixologist or a club-hardened pro DJ, you’ll want to get your hands around the Ministry of Sound StikAx ($99). Concoct your own music and video wonders by importing files into the TrakAx software, or use the 450 preloaded music loops and 100 video clips for practice fodder. The software is deep but has an easy learning curve, and it does as good a job as suites costing hundreds more. But the real fun is in the “stick” — connect it to your PC’s USB port (sorry, no Mac support yet), and you can use its eight buttons for drag-and-drop editing on the fly. (It’s way more intuitive and simple to master than a typical keyboard interface.) The extensive interactive tutorials will get you quickly to the multitask at hand. — Shannon McCarthy
stikax.com/us/home.html