Steven Stone is back with a hi-res portable player he dubs a โsuper valueโ and a pair of under-$100 in-ear monitors he calls โan excellent addition to an out-of-office travel kit.โ
From boomboxes to Bluetooth, this lively history tracks the cultural and technological evolution of portable musicโhighlighting how innovations like the Walkman, Discman, iPod, and wireless earbuds shaped how (and where) we listen.
“The Denon Perl wireless earbuds offer a unique combination of features, including personalized listening with Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology (AAT), active noise cancellation, and long battery life.”
JJ ditched vinyl for digital ease, but itโs his careful speaker setup, Anthem room correction, and a surprising Ethernet filter from Network Acoustics that helped his compact listening room transcend its limits.
From WWII-era DIY roots to a $49.9 billion global industry, hi-fi has evolved from two-radio stereo hacks to streaming giants and $10,000 speakersโhighlighting both tech innovation and the enduring allure of better sound.
As Apple, Amazon, and Spotify shift to lossless audio, smaller services like Tidal and Qobuz may face extinction. Mario St-Laurent warns this seismic change risks squeezing out artist royalties and playback freedom in favor of big-tech ecosystems.