2018 Holiday Gift Guide – Gifts Under $600

Happy Holidays From Suave Kajko & George de Sa!

Sony PS4 Pro 4K Game Console + 2nd Dual-Shock Controller, $459 US ($399 US + $59 US)
The new Sony PS4 Pro 4K Game Console is the most advanced PlayStation system in history. Taking things up a notch over the standard 4K model, the PS4 Pro is designed to take full advantage of 4K HDR TVs, while still being compatible with 1080p TVs. Turn on Boost Mode to give your PS4 games access to the increased power of PS4 Pro, allowing HDTV Enhanced games to deliver increased image clarity, faster frame rates and more. www.playstation.com

SVS Prime Elevation Height Channel Speakers, $199 US each
The SVS Prime Elevation speaker is a unique and capable height-effects speaker that makes moving your home theater up to full surround with height channels via Dolby Atmos; DTS:X or Auro-3D possible without installing ceiling speakers. If you’re like me, with a room that just isn’t easy to install ceiling speakers in, then the Prime Elevation height channel speakers are likely your best solution. Easy to mount on wall or ceiling, you could easily upgrade your own or a friend’s theater over the holidays. www.svsound.com

HiFiMAN Sundara Headphones, $499 US
Why not dive into something different this holiday season with the HiFiMAN Sundara, an open-back planar magnetic headphone developed to meet the discerning tastes of audiophiles and music lovers. With a higher sensitivity than the typical planar magnetic headphone, it can be powered by normal electronics, including many mobile phones. With exceptional frequency response and dynamic realism you are sure to not miss a beat. Both comfortable and fine sounding this headphone is likely to provide countless hours of music enjoyment. www.hifiman.com

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB (DC) Turntable $599
The new Debut Carbon Esprit SB (DC) turntable aims to deliver better sound at a very reasonable price, helping vinyl LP listeners to enjoy their music even more. With a carbon fibre tonearm and heavy acrylic platter, vinyl playback can be quiet and precise. It includes a Speed Box (SB) to allow speed changes between 33, 45 and 78 rpm at the flick of a switch. This is one gift pick that is sure to please the lucky recipient. www.project-audio.com

Barisieur Tea & Coffee Brewing Alarm Clock, $445 US
No one enjoys being woken up by the sound of a buzzing alarm clock. What if instead your nose got tickled by the smell of freshly brewed coffee or loose leaf tea that gently woke you up every morning? The design of the Barisieur is inspired by the modern ritual of filter coffee combined together with the analog nature and looks of a vintage turntable. While in action, you’ll be mesmerized how the water is transported from the water vessel to the filter by steam pressure. Just add water and coffee or tea before you close eyes, and set the timer. www.barisieur.com

Furutech NCF Booster and Booster-Signal Products, $350 / $215 US
Squeezing every last ounce of performance from your audio system usually means integrating accessories and tweaks into the system. Furutech offers two NCF Booster products to help you get the very best out of your existing components. The NCF Booster provides optimum alignment between connectors and sockets, and eliminates static by lifting the cables off the floor. The NCF Booster-Signal lifts audio cables off the floor, minimizing their points of contact with the floor, and thereby reducing electromagnetic interference. Both products will present you with unprecedented sonic clarity from your audio components. To maximize the performance of your system, you’ll need to employ a few of these products. www.furutech.com

QNAP TS-332X Network Attached Storage (NAS), $398+ US
We live in a digital age and depend on fast and reliable access to our data for work and entertainment. Nobody wants to put up with the horror of losing their data. The TS-332X is a NAS computer that offers 3 hard disk bays and a RAID 5 configuration that will offer quick access to your data from anywhere around the world, and more importantly rock solid protection for your data. If one of the drives fails in a RAID 5 setup, you won’t lose any of your data. With a quad-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A57 processor, a 10GbE SFP+ port, and support for M.2 SATA SSDs, this is a very attractive NAS solution for homes and businesses. www.qnap.com

ImmersionRC Vortex 150 Mini Racing Drone ($175 US) + FrSky Taranis Q X7 Remote ($125 US)
It’s impossible not to be impressed by today’s latest drones, but have you ever seen a racing drone in action? The speed, maneuverability and aerial stunts these drones can perform are nothing shy of staggering. The light weight of the Vortex 150 means that you can fly it legally just about anywhere, even in urban areas. Its on-board camera allows you to use optional goggles to control it, but it’s easy enough to control without goggles. I got one of these puppies for my last birthday and it’s been an absolute blast to play with – in the city and cottage country alike. Don’t forget to pick up the matching batteries. www.immersionrc.com

Check out our Gift Ideas Under $1,200 by clicking here!

About the Author: Suave Kajko

After completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 2002, Suave turned his attention to his passion for audio, video and technology in general. Through hands on experience with an extensive number of audio video products, Suave provides a real world, expert perspective on the latest products and the technology surrounding them. As an enthusiast, he shows a true passion in his writing that is easy to understand by all consumers. Aside from contributing to NOVO, Suave has also written about audio for special sections of The Toronto Star, Son et Image Magazine (FSI Guide) and appeared several times on television. More recently Suave was interviewed and quoted in articles for the Globe and Mail and MSNBC.com. In 2010, Suave launched the Toronto Audio Video Entertainment Show (TAVES), an annual consumer trade show that has witnessed tremendous growth year after year.  In 2014, the show was expanded to include a new technology & innovation pavilion and rebranded as the TAVES Consumer Electronics Show.  As of 2016, the show attracts over 7,600 attendees and exhibitors from around the globe.  TAVES showcases cutting-edge technology and innovation in the most exciting categories: virtual reality, drones, wearables, health & fitness, gaming, audio, home theater, robotics, 3D printing, personal transportation, smart devices and electric vehicles.  For more info, please visit www.taveshow.com.

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