Looking for the perfect gift this holiday season? Check out this gift guide for some of the best gifts to get an audio engineer or music lover.
GIFT IDEAS FOR AUDIO ENGINEERS
Trying to get the perfect Christmas present for a sound engineer and not sure where to begin? Debating what to treat yourself with this holiday season? Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for a fellow soundie or yourself, we've gathered up a list of some of the best options out there.
AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-M50x HEADPHONES
If you need an all around good set of cans, these are a great place to start. Featuring detachable cables, 90 degree swiveling earcups for one ear monitoring, and the ability to collapse down for traveling, they're a good choice just for ease of use alone. On top of that, they include large aperture drivers and provide decent sound isolation in loud environments. They're a common set of headphones to see in studios or on set, and it's definitely easy to see why. Plus, they come in cool colors.
REALLY GOOD TEA AND COFFEE
Caffeine is an audio engineer's lifeblood. In fact, chances are good they've spent many long hours with a cup of coffee tweaking guitar tone throughout the night. So why not upgrade their coffee game? Freshly ground coffee beans are a totally different experience, an experience made even better knowing your purchase is helping to support coffee producers and combat climate change. Peace coffee is certified organic and hand harvested, ensuring each bag is top quality- and they donate a portion of sales from each bag to the Climate, Carbon and Coffee fund. Pair it with a coffee bean grinder like this one.
PORTABLE MIDI CONTROLLER
Portable midi controllers are incredibly useful for on the go production, and compact enough to fit into a backpack or gear bag. The MiniLab MKII is a 25 key velocity sensitive midi controller that includes 8 pressure sensitive pads and 16 rotary encoders. It also comes with a selection of virtual instruments and production software, so it's ready to go right out of the box. Check out this awesome orange edition for a new and 'zesty' design.
EARPLUGS
If you're on the hunt for a great stocking stuffer, earplugs are the perfect option. Attenuating earplugs are super important to audio engineers, especially as they get older, and are essential to keeping their ears in top mixing shape. Since they're easy to lose, it's always good to have a decent set on hand, especially a pair like this one which comes with a small carrying case to better keep up with them.
TICKET TO THE SOUNDGIRLS VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
If you're looking for an event to attend virtually this year to up your audio skill, or know someone who is, the SoundGirl's Virtual Conference is a great place to start. Set for December 4th and 5th, the conference has various sessions in "Post-Production, Live Sound, Recording Arts, Film & TV Sound, Broadcast, and more." There are plenty of opportunities to network with other engineers, but make sure you grab your ticket fast since it's coming up soon! Click here for a 20% discount on the weekend pass!
A WARM AND COMFY HOODIE TO EDIT IN
If you're on the hunt for the perfect hoodie to edit in all day in the studio, look no further. The Sound Department Hoodie features the words "Sound Dpt." printed varsity style across the front, and the words FADE IN on the left sleeve and FADE OUT on the right sleeve. In addition to the front main pocket there is a tiny pocket which is the ultimate mini snack pocket or 1/4" adaptor storage spot. Snag the matching joggers too for the complete audio engineer editing outfit of your dreams.
HANDHELD RECORDER
The Zoom H1n is a compact handheld recorder ideal for creators that want to capture sound at any moment. Featuring a simple layout and the ability to track 24 bit audio in 44.1, 48, and 96kHz in wav and mp3 format, you can easily record podcasts, SFX, or lay down some demo tracks on the go. It also has USB connectivity, comes with free recording software, and can mount on a camera to capture higher quality audio for videos. Check out more info here.
AURALEX ACOUSTICS
If you want a way to improve your sound outside of a good mic and interface, sound treatment is a must. Auralex Acoustics offers a wide variety of products including bass traps, diffusers, and isolation barriers. There's also room kits including this one for streaming.
STUDIO DESK CHAIR
Better butt cushion is never a bad idea. Finding the right type of chair is a must, and can save you many back problems down the road. If you really want to splurge, Herman Miller is known for having some of the best 'work from home' seating options around. Their chairs can run anywhere from several hundred to over a thousand dollars, but they are having a 15% off sale for the holidays. If a $600 chair is a little outside of your budget, a gaming chair is a decent choice as well. Check out this one, which features an extendable footrest and the ability to recline.
EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE
Part of being an audio engineer means having additional storage to store projects, sample libraries, and back ups. For a smaller, portable, but solid option, the Samsung SSD T5 is a smart grab. This thing is tiny and fast, and also has the ability to encrypt your drive with a password so only you can access it. If you're looking for additional space, the Glyph studio external drive can store up to 14 TB. Although the fan on this drive can be a bit loud for recording environments, it has quick transfer and writing speeds, so it makes for an ideal back up.
And there you have it! A holiday gift guide to help you get started when buying gifts for your audio engineer or for treating yourself. If you have any questions about the products, feel free to comment below! Or if you have any items you'd love to add, submit a comment and we'll add it to the lineup! Happy Holidays everyone!
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