This post was originally published on the Mumubl.com Newsletter. For updates and recommendations direct to your inbox don’t forget to subscribe.
Hi – It’s Dave here at Mumubl.com, welcome to our recommendation email where I give you some tips on what’s great to listen to and watch in the world of music.
In the run up to Christmas I normally do a little round up of something, last year was my album’s of the year, the year before was some book recommendations. This year we’re going with a little gift guide, highlighting a few products that might be good for the music fan in your life. So read on and see what I’ve unearthed. (A heads up some of the links are affiliate links)
If there’s any things you think I should be listening to, reading or watching then let me know, shout out on the Mumubl.com social media wherever you reside.
As always – tell all your friends – every little share helps
[main image – Photo by Donna Spearman on Unsplash]
Currently checking out – “Lucky for you” by Bully
In this edition
Headphones / Playing cards / Lego / Magazines / Prints / Retro players / Anniversary albums
Headphones, headphones and another pair of headphones
We’ll start with that age old question, “Which headphones should I buy?” and honestly the answers are probably endless and mostly include the phrase “it depends”. But I have three sets of bluetooth ones in rotation which I’ll put to you here (I have a wired Focusrite pair I use for recording etc). I haven’t spent a long time comparing headphones but I did a bit of research when I bought these, so here goes.
Headphones for outdoor sports – Shokz OpenRun
I’m sure you’ll have seen people sporting open ear headphones. They’re great for outdoor sports, such as running, as you can hear things more clearly whilst you’re listening to music, you might still struggle in very noisy environments like alongside a main road, also a gym with load music – see the next one for my gym recommendation. There’s a drop in sound quality for this technology but it’s surprisingly not as bad as you might expect as the sound comes through pretty well.
I use the Openrun rather than the openrun pro, they’re slightly cheaper and you take a small hit on battery life for that (8 hours versus 10) but you get better waterproofing so good if you’re out in the wet like most people running round the UK. You won’t get swimming pool waterproofing but there is an openswim mp3 option if that’s your bag.
Headphones for general use – Powerbeats pro
On to my favourite general use headphone. These are my go to for in the gym, popping in my pocket for a train journey or a walk round. I prefer an ear hook to help keep the headphone a bit more secure for all those burpees in tha gym and I’m not scrabbling round on the floor for a dropped airpod thank you very much.
Sound is good, basic controls are easy to use, the case is a little bulky and heavy but that’s because it is also a charge pod giving you some extra battery life for the headphones between charges. I’ll be honest I’ve had the odd issue where only one earphone wakes up and pairs when I open the case but it seems to work alright if I’m not so quick to take them out of the case.
Headphones for proper listening – Sennheiser HD450BT
So these are my recommendations for a nice easy lean back listen. Great sound, they support spatial audio if that’s your bag, decent noise cancelling and comfortable. They fold up to put away in a bag. I’m not one for walking round in such a big bulky headphone and the noise cancelling isn’t something I want on when out and about but they’re great at home or for travelling on a plane for example when you to ignore your kids and hope they bother someone else.
Playing cards
A nice little stocking filler, a good quality set of cards. For The Beatles fan in your life how about four different colour packs and feature The Beatles in Sgt Peppers style outfits on the face cards.
If your intended poker playing recipient isn’t a Beatles fan there’s always this nice jazz themed set from Tempo playing cards instead
Lego
Lego is always a good gift right? Their “Gifts for music lovers” includes the iconic Fender Stratocaster in Lego for or a grand piano as well as their more recent Jazz club release
A Magazine subscription
Why not give something that will keep giving for the entire year. A subscription to a print magazine like DIY, the hefty tome of Creem or the indie guitar darling So Young
Music Solar System prints
These solar system prints from Dorothy covering Electronic and alternative music are sure to start some conversations between muso’s about who is placed where and who is missing, who doesn’t deserve their place – but will surely make a nice little edition to any music fans walls.
Microdot
That said if you’re in the market for something musically arty and were in any way a fan of Oasis and the Britpop era then Brian Cannon, graphic designer behind things such as Oasis’ Definitely Maybe cover sells prints and signed original artwork at his Microdot boutique. Shop in person in their Manchester store or Kendal HQ or buy online.
We are rewind
Having had to explain to my 10 year old son recently what a music cassette is I did remember these lovely retro portable cassette players from we are rewind. Probably better for the old retro music fan who has a few cassettes than a 10 year old.
An anniversary album
Honestly it feels like there have been a lot of great album anniversaries this year and so many of them dropped special editions. Greenday’s Dookie a notable 30th birthday recent release we’ve also seen R.E.M.s Up, Jamie Cullum’s Pointless Nostalgic and Nirvana’s In Utero all popping up this year with special editions.
This post was originally published on the Mumubl.com Newsletter. For updates and recommendations direct to your inbox don’t forget to subscribe.
