About this Staff Pick

The Philosophy: Freedom = True Luxury

Here's the deal: I don't like being tied into any single manufacturer's ecosystem. I prefer technology that plays nicely with others. My baseline, everyday technology - which includes a Samsung Galaxy, a Lenovo laptop, and a Garmin watch - is where my logic starts: if my audio gear doesn't work flawlessly with my everyday tech, it completely misses the mark. Furthermore, my home is scattered with Alexa Echo Dots, while all of my smart devices are seamlessly orchestrated through Google Home.

Why? Because it works. And it works with everything. So must my AV tech. 

Each of my products is chosen to serve a specific goal, exactly as I want it. Mixing and matching gives me the freedom to upgrade any piece of tech I own at any time. To me, that is true luxury - having the ability to upgrade to the absolute best product available, from any manufacturer, worrying about nothing other than the budget, based on what I want and how I use my tech.

In the collection below, you will find versatility, flexibility, abundant features, and - above all else - excellent value for money. These audio products serve me well and ensure seamless modern living tailored perfectly to my needs.

Living & TV Room

From the word go, I have always had a soft spot for the Wharfedale Linton Heritage Edition speakers. They offer an old-school, open, and wide soundstage, upgraded with modern internal components. They just work with everything. Feed them FLAC audio, and they bring your tracks to life in a warm, precise manner, leaving plenty of room across the spectrum to play with your EQ. Feed them standard, non-FLAC streams (which make up most of my listening), and they deliver sound gracefully and well-rounded - extracting every detail while smoothing out the harshness of digital compression. Perfect. 

They are paired with the WiiM Amp Ultra, a dynamic little Class-D amplifier that supports every connection, casting, and streaming protocol I care about. It offers more than enough power for the space, and the app control is flawless. I use HDMI eARC between the TV and the amp, routing all external devices through the TV's auxiliary ports. It’s versatile, easy to use, and, most importantly, extremely reliable.

Head Gear

On the personal audio front, I firmly believe no single product can do it all. You need a dedicated tool for the job.

• For the Road: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Sport earbuds are indispensable for running and training. Their most critical test? Once securely inserted, they simply do not detach from your ear. They also sound excellent, but my favourite feature is the mechanical pass-through built into the design. This guarantees that under no circumstances will you ever be cut off from ambient sound - a critical safety factor when running city streets.

• For the Long Haul: The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 is my choice when good listening headphones are required - whether taking long flights, hard-wiring to the Xbox controller, or sitting through extended digital meetings. They deliver class-leading audio reproduction and absolute comfort, both of which are non-negotiable. Accurate, open, with great battery life and an incredibly robust build. I cannot recommend them enough.

• For the Desk: Lastly, the Sennheiser Accentum Open earbuds are my "go-everywhere-always" pair. They aren't my absolute go-to for any single demanding task, but they are inexpensive and brilliant for the price. They are perfect for chucking in a laptop bag or leaving on the desk for when a call drags on and I need my hands free. They are exceptional, stress-free daily drivers.

Kitchen, Braai Room & Distributed Audio

The WiiM Amp Ultra surprised me, so when it came to installing audio in the kitchen and braai room, the standard WiiM Amp was the logical choice. I hooked it up to a pair of OneAcoustic in-ceiling speakers, and the job was done.

Because it's part of the WiiM ecosystem, it natively pairs with my living room setup, allowing me to stream TV audio directly to the kitchen - perfect for Rugby and F1 weekends when watching live. Furthermore, WiiM products include native Alexa and Google Home support. Perfect.

Continuing that trend, my WiiM Sound smart powered speakers offer the exact same feature set with the extreme convenience of portability. I can easily pick them up and move them to a new location (like the pool gazebo, where I haven't yet installed fixed audio), knowing they will sync seamlessly and never disappoint in their output.

Conclusion

Ultimately, my setup comes down to this: I love my music, I love my movies, I enjoy gaming with old friends from around the country, and we love entertaining at home, usually in or around the kitchen area.

The AV and entertainment technology I deploy must meet all these needs while remaining fully flexible and cross-platform compatible. Thus far, these products have not disappointed. They do exactly what I need and expect.

Bravo to these manufacturers for creating exceptional hardware at reasonable prices.