Sound Advice: A headphone gift idea and turntable, TV tips

Don Lindich, Tribune News Service on Oct 16, 2024

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Bone conduction headphones for the active life: Starting off my holiday gift idea coverage is a perennial favorite, the Mojawa Run Plus Bone Conduction Headphones. These headphones fit around the ear and allow outside sounds to be heard, making them perfect for sports, those with sensitive ears, those who do not like in-ear earbuds or anyone who needs to leave the ear canal open for comfort or to stay aware of their surroundings at home or outdoors.

For a long time bone conduction products did not sound good enough for much beyond phone calls and television watching, but the technology has improved to the point where they can now deliver a satisfying musical performance. Mojawa turned to Grammy-winning audio producers to fine-tune the sound of the Run Plus, which has achieved critical acclaim for its sound and features.

When I first tried them years ago not only was I very pleased with the sound, I did not feel as much vibration as with other bone conduction headphones. The effect is you hear a lot of the music outside of your head, rather than inside it. The headphones can also store 32GB of MP3 music internally, which makes them perfect for those who want to use them without their phone. Given they are waterproof and can store music internally, you can even use them when swimming or in the water, and many people do!

The Mojawa Run Plus Bone Conduction Headphones sell on Amazon for $159.99 but there is currently a $30 checkbox coupon, and starting Oct. 17 using the code runplus20 at checkout saves another $20 for a final price of $109.99, a big $50 savings. It’s a great gift for active people, and I gave a pair to someone two years ago and she told me they are always with her at the gym. It’s always nice to give a gift that ends up getting used!

Q. My Technics SL-Q2 turntable is on top of my A/V cabinet, and when I walk across my hardwood floor the needle skips across my album. I need to isolate it from vibration. Is there an isolation platform or feet that can help?

—P.M., Fremont, California

A. Isolating your turntable can improve sound quality even when you don’t have a problem with footfalls. You can put vibration absorbers directly underneath your turntable’s feet, but I prefer a platform for stability. My top recommendation for you is the IsoAcoustics zaZen 1 turntable platform, $199.99. isoacoustics.com

You can make a platform for $50 with a $34.99 Choice 20-by-15-inch wood cutting board from webstaurantstore.com, placed on cork Sound Isolation Pads, $14.95 per set of four on Amazon. It makes for a cheap, moderately effective isolation stand, but it won’t look as good or perform as well as the IsoAcoustics.

Q. I read your column about the TCL Q6 TV and was impressed by your comments about the tuner and how many stations it pulls in with an antenna. This is very important to me. I am looking at their QM8 televisions, several models above the Q6. Is the QM8 tuner just as good? I would think so given the price difference, but it can’t hurt to make sure!

—C.W., Milwaukee

A. I was able to confirm with the manufacturer that all the current TCL TVs have the same outstanding tuner. I can personally confirm it as well because a few months ago I purchased a TCL Q5 (a model below the Q6) as a gift and set it up for the recipient, and it performed as excellently as the Q6, pulling in a great many channels effortlessly.

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