Under $1200 US

Kuri Home Robot, $799 US
Have someone on your holiday list that’s always dreamed of having their own robot companion? Kuri can make that dream come true not just for them, but for the whole family. This irresistibly cute robot is happy to cruise around your home and thanks to its facial and pet recognition, it will automatically capture life’s little moments with its 1080p camera. As Kuri roams around your home, it will learn which room belongs to whom, can wake you up in time for work or school, and greet you when you get home. This app-connected robot will also smartly avoid obstacles and stairs, respond to voice comments, respond back to you in a robot-language of beeps and bloops, and even play your favorite music. Wow! www.heykuri.com

Skogrand Vivaldi Interconnect Cables, $750 US / 2m pair
When Skogrand introduced its first cables, they were designed for audiophiles with deep pockets but today you can get a “taste” of Skogrand performance for a fraction of the price. These Vivaldi interconnects are incredibly accurate across all the sonic frequencies and deliver most of the detail, smoothness, and musical coherency of Skogrand’s reference calibre cables. You’ll hear your music with a sense of space, three dimensionality, and precision imaging. The uplift in sound they can offer to a music system is simply remarkable. www.skograndcables.com

Trekboard 8-inch Hoverboard + Smartkart 4 Drift, $699 CDN for both
If you’ve never tried a hoverboard, you absolutely have to – these things are an absolute blast! Hoverboards have come a long way since they were first introduced. This 8-inch Trekboard is bigger, bolder and safer than ever before. Its larger wheels will allow you to navigate a variety of different terrains, while its stabilization system will keep you planted on the board. Amp up the fun factor by pairing it with the Smartkart 4 Drift and become the drift king in your neighborhood! www.smartwheel.ca

Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro 512 GB WiFi, $1,149 US
If you want the latest and greatest in iPads, this new one from Apple is the bees knees. With Apple’s A10X Fusion chip and 64‑bit architecture it’s more powerful than most PC laptops. It has an amazing display that would be perfect to catch up on with the latest TV series or movies over the holidays. www.apple.com

DJI Mavic Pro Drone, $999 US
If you or someone close to you has been looking to get serious with a drone, this perhaps is a perfect gift. With a foldable structure and compact size, this drone is super portable and easy to setup. Very sophisticated cameras let you see with eagle eyes and a 7 km range lets you soar without worry. Bring some awe and excitement to the whole family with this little tech marvel. www.dji.com

Hafler HA75 Tube Head Headphone Amplifier, $999 US
Do you know someone with a headphone fetish? Perhaps you might like to thrill them with this ‘vintage inspired’ headphone amplifier that uses a real vacuum tube circuit to bring some “tube magic” to that headphone listening experience. Solid build from a company that’s been building for the pro’s for decades. The HA75 aims to provide warmth and character to comfort any avid music listener. www.hafler.com

VPI Cliffwood Turntable, $900 US
This most affordable hi-end turntable comes from a family owned and run business out of Cliffwood, New Jersey – VPI. You are sure to thrill any vinyl enthusiast with its look, build and performance. This one comes as a complete package, with turntable, 9” gimbal tonearm and Grado built Green cartridge. Unpack it and spin vinyl in just a few minutes. www.vpiindustries.com

UNDER $2,000 US

Bryston Mini A Bookshelf Speakers, $1,410 US
Music plays a significant role in most people’s lives and playing it on good quality speakers can make all the difference. If you’re looking for a great performing speaker without breaking the bank, look no further than the Mini A speaker from Canadian manufacturer Bryston. This compact speaker will delight you with its clean, detailed sound, great dynamics and ability to fill even larger spaces with sound. You won’t find any exotic materials here, just honest, time-proven engineering excellence. www.bryston.com

Gold Note Valore 425 Plus Turntable, $1,280 to $1,600 US
Spinning vinyl records is a really fun way to enjoy music and far much more engaging than listening to online music services. These are just a couple of reasons why records and turntables have made such a great comeback. This Valore 425 Plus model from Italian maker Gold Note is a luxurious looking piece that offers a fantastic midrange and bass performance. Designed with a variety of potential upgrades, this turntable will satisfy both novice and serious audiophiles alike for years to come. Give it a listen and you’re sure to get lost in its sweet, fluid and warm sound. www.goldnote.it

ARCAM A29 Integrated Amplifier, $1,600 US
Looking to help someone on your gift list assemble their first high-end music system? An integrated amplifier is the easiest, most affordable means to build a hifi system. This single component will serve as a foundation of high-end system, all you need to add is a pair of speakers and a music source. With 80 watts per channel, an Arcam’s G Class electronics amplifier technology, this amplifier delivers lots of power with low levels of distortion. It’s even equipped with a phonostage for a turntable. www.arcam.co.uk

Samsung QLED 4K Smart 55-inch TV (Series Q7F), $1,999 US
A brand new TV is a fabulous gift idea for the whole family. This TV employs Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology to produce an exceptionally bright and life-like picture, thanks to its ability to display 100% color volume of the DCI-P3 color space. Equipped with the latest HDR technology, this TV will allow you to experience brilliant whites and the deepest blacks, producing a picture that shows the tiniest of real world details. Samsung’s Smart Hub is one of the best designed smart TV interfaces and offers access to your favorite apps like Netflix and YouTube, games and more. www.samsung.com

Rega Elex-R Integrated Amplifier, $1,695 US
Literally, as I write my recommendation for this one, I’m listening to it play Norah Jones, and I’m melting in its sultry musicality. The Elex-R is sure to bring the sublime joy of music to the listener with its combination of power (70 watts-per-channel), balance and control. Add a turntable anytime, as the Elex-R includes an ever so sweet integrated MM phono-stage. www.rega.co.uk

Monitor Audio Silver 300 Loudspeaker, $2,000 US/pair
If you are looking to buy or gift a loudspeaker that combines an incredibly high price-to-performance value, then you don’t need to look any further than Monitor Audio’s new Silver series. The Silver 300 is a three-way tower loudspeaker that brings together wonderful sound in a tall, slim and ever so stylish cabinet that is sure to enhance the aesthetic of any room in which it sits. www.monitoraudio.com

Bryston BryFi BW-1, $1,495 US
With on-board wifi, and AirPlay wireless connectivity to both Apple and Android platforms, the BryFi will blow your socks off with its powerful 75 watts x 2 output power. Not just another desktop wifi system, the compact BryFi will bring big sound to a relatively large room, while still being at home on a shelf or desktop. With a 192kHz/24 bit high resolution DAC, there is no giving up sound for size with this one. www.bryston.com

Acoustic Solid Solid Classic Wood MPX Midi Xtended Turntable, $1,999 US
The Solid Classic Wood Midi MPX Midi Xtended turntable, with Rega tonearm and matching Acoustic Solid cartridge is a gorgeous example of classic style matched to performance. This is a turntable which is as much a conversation piece as a fine music player. Its string-driven platter is not only novel but ensures the higher performance. Spin a stack of vinyl with friends and family over the holidays with this gift idea. www.acoustic-solid.com

OVER $2,000 US

Totem Tribe Tower Speakers, $5,300 US
Who said speakers have to look like boring rectangular boxes? These sexy Tribe Towers offer a modern appearance that will happily fit with any home decor. They’ll also play with a musicality that is sure to make you break out into your best dance moves. What makes these speakers special are Totem’s exclusive Torrent drivers, capable of producing a big, dynamic sound with a luscious midrange and a surprisingly deep, articulate bass. www.totemacoustic.com

JVC DLA-X570RB D-ILA Projector, $4,499 CDN
Sure, kicking back and watching a movie on a big screen TV can be entertaining but if you’re looking to replicate the cinematic experience at home there’s no better way to do it than with a projector. This projector achieves 4K resolution thanks to JVC’s e-shift 4 Technology and will up-convert lower resolution video sources to 4K. It’s high-output lamp combined with an impressive 400,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio will allow you to view the deepest details in both the brightest and darkest parts of the picture. It is also compatible with 3D movies if you’re into that sort of thing. All you need is a good movie and some popcorn! www.jvc.com

LG OLED TV C7 65-inch Model, $3,199 US
If you’re looking for the very best in TV technology then look no further then LG’s OLED TVs. This TV delivers a supremely accurate picture with lifelike colors and inky, near perfect blacks. An infinite contrast ratio is achieved by this TV thanks to not relying on a backlight, instead each pixel on the screen can independently brighten, dim or completely turn off. Its rich palette of more than a billion colors allows it to achieve true color accuracy with smoother, subtler and more precise gradations of shades. This is an absolutely perfect gift to make the whole family smile! www.lg.com

Epson Home Cinema LS100 Ultra-Short Throw 3LCD Laser Projector, $2,999 US
If you’ve been on the fence about getting a projector, this might just be the one to get you to finally take the plunge. Not only does the Epson LS100 offer a wonderful picture with a 2.5 million to 1 contrast ratio but with 4000 lumens on tap it can deliver a respectable picture, even with the lights on. Its ultra-short throw capability and compact table-top form make it a place-anywhere projector. www.epson.com

Sony A1E OLED 4K 65-inch TV, $3,999 US
If you want to thrill yourself or someone else with a mesmerizing visual experience then the Sony A1E OLED TV is the way to do it. You will experience incredible contrast and the deepest blacks via 8 million self-emitting pixels. It also provides a most innovative sound via its Acoustic Surface sound emitting screen technology. OLED is the most lifelike television technology available and sure to impress any viewer. www.sony.com

Bryston BP173 Pre-amplifier, $3,995 US
For someone who is after immaculate sound paired with superb construction, quality and reliability, the new Bryston BP173 pre-amplifier should be at the top of the heap of hi-end products to consider. Hand-built in Canada with a 20-year warranty, this preamplifier would be a gift that keeps giving for years to come. The Bryston BP173 pre-amplifier is a no-compromise audio component for those seeking the highest level of fidelity. www.bryston.com

Roksan K3 Integrated Amplifier + K3 CD player, $5,000 US
From the U.K., Roksan delivers a most lovely pair of audio components with its K3 integrated amplifier and K3 CD player. The K3 Integrated is a very capable performer with 140 watts-per-channel on hand, built-in DAC and aptX Bluetooth input. When combined with the matching K3 CD player, all you need to add is a pair of speakers to relish in the beauty of music over the holidays; a gift sure to bring big smiles. www.roksan.co.uk

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