Students! We love them. They work hard, they play hard, and most of us here at AA have experienced that awesome student lifestyle for ourselves! But where does hi-fi fit in? I’m sure you know the answer to that already: it fits in everywhere! But if you’re lucky enough to be heading back onto campus after the Christmas break, you will probably not have a great deal of cash to fritter away. But never fear, we are here to give you the best possible suggestions at the best possible prices. We have put together three tailor made systems that are perfect for the three major facets of student life: work, rest and play, and all three with a student sized budget firmly in mind. So, with that in mind, lets get to it!
SYSTEM ONE: PLAY
We have absolutely no idea whether Katy Perry was a student or not, but for the sake of consistency let’s say she was. And she will tell you – as will any other ex or current student – that one of the most important parts of student life is: the parties! You will be attending dozens (plus!) of them, but its written into the code of student that if you’re attending them, at some point you’ve got to throw one. It’s only fair! But what does a killer student party need? It needs a killer sound system! Well, it does if you’re looking to impress of course.
But don’t worry, party-worthy hi-fi doesn’t have to break the bank. Budget well, and you might just have enough left to get a few crates in…
QED Profile J2P – cables are easily overlooked, but they shouldn’t be! They can make a huge difference to the sound of your system. The Profile is super strong and very flexible (invaluable at a party, the cables are usually the first to go when things start to get a bit rough! Hook up your amp to your speakers and get the party started!
Tibo AMP410 – a good amp that will really drive the music is essential, but there is a way of getting good quality amplification on a budget! Tibo’s AMP410 is an integrated amp with a surprising amount of power, and a great deal of versatility. It even features a mini-jack so you can hook up your mp3 player if that’s the way you prefer to DJ!
Q Acoustics 2020i – all of the above will be useless with a pair of speakers, and the Q Acoustics’ 20 range is perfect for students. It’s great sound that will easily fill the room, keeping the party jumping until the early hours!
SYSTEM TWO: REST
Somewhere between the hardcore all-nighters partying and the hardcore, all-nighters partying, you have to find some time to chill out and do nothing at all. Resting is as integral to student life (well, anyone’s life!) as work and play are, so what better time to discover the wonderfully relaxing (and gorgeous sounding) vinyl format? Vinyl is bigger than ever, and it’s the kind of experience that would add beautifully to the student lifestyle. So why not get on board? We know the perfect budget set up…
Pro-ject Elemental – whenever a customer comes to us and asks for a good ‘beginners’ turntable, this is always the first thing we will recommend. It’s a fantastic, sturdy and reliable little turntable that offers a sound that far exceeds its price. It comes in three funky finishes, and its unusual, contemporary style has been a real hit, particularly with the younger crowd. It may have a high street price, but this is a genuine, hi-fi turntable that will impress anyone who sees it – and of course hears it!
Tibo AMP140 – our favourite budget amp also doubles as a pretty nifty phono stage (a pre-amp for a turntable). How cool is that? All your bases covered, for a tiny price!
Q Acoustics 2010i – they may be compact, they may be budget, but the 2010i’s have excellent handling of that beautiful, lush, analogue sound. Show your vinyl collection some love, you know it deserves it.
No vinyl collection? No worries. We can help you out there too!
SYSTEM THREE: WORK
We hate to burst the party/relaxation bubble – but every now and then you will be required to do some work too. That is, if you want to pick up that degree when you come to the end! But don’t worry, the work can be made fun too. Especially is you have some decent tunes to keep you motivated, and to take that edge off. But this is the easy part, because if you’re studying there’s a very good chance you’ll be doing it from a PC or laptop. And if that’s the case, we’ve got you covered in the sound department.
Yamaha EPH20 – the perfect low-budget gift for your MP3 player or laptop (hey, they need gifts too, right?) these cheap and cheerful earphones off a surprisingly high level fo sound quality, and they’re ever so comfy too! There are five funky colours available too, and what’s better than a splash of colour to brighten up your study-time?
Yamaha NX-50 – these are probably one of our most talked about products. When we’re not talking about them, everyone else is! By far one of the best desktop speakers we’ve ever had the pleasure of using. We use them in our marketing and customer service offices, and we have no intention of deviating any time soon! Plug these in and let them blow you away.
Yamaha EPH100 – perhaps a little pricier than your average earphone, but man. You will love them! These are our favourite earphones of all time, and a real customer favourite too. Their sound quality is simply sublime, they will stay perfectly in place and will help make the time fly.
So there, we have it. Three systems to help you make the absolute most out of your university experience. The only question left is… what do you do first? Work, rest or play?