Summertime is travel time! If you don't want to forego high-quality music enjoyment while on the move, we have put together some tips for you here.
First of all, of course, the question arises, where does the music you hear on vacation come from? It is of course easiest if you take your own digital music collection or at least part of it with you. Fortunately, you no longer have to carry around CD cases in your hand luggage these days. Digital storage has long since become so cheap that even mid-range smartphones offer enough space for many hours of music in very good quality. If your own collection consists mainly of high-res files of the appropriate size, it should be a cell phone with at least 64GB of storage space. After all, you want to have a certain selection of music available on vacation.
The selection offered by the popular streaming services is of course almost infinite. Here, of course, the question of the online connection arises: Within the EU there have been no additional costs for internet access via mobile phone for a few years, but of course the available data volume must be kept in mind. The apps of all providers offer the appropriate settings for this. With TIDAL you can set different qualities depending on your internet connection - if you use mobile data at the pool, you reduce the data consumption accordingly, but you can still hear in full quality via the Wi-Fi connection in the room. And that means at least CD quality with a TIDAL Hi-Fi account, and with the option of receiving high-resolution data via MQA / TIDAL Master.
All streaming services also offer the option of temporarily downloading selected albums and playlists to the mobile device. Then you can listen to your favorite music anywhere, regardless of an Internet connection, and usually in the best quality offered by the respective streaming service.
Of course, you can also simply take a copy of your own music collection with you on a mobile USB hard drive, in which case the laptop is normally used as a music player. This may be a bit too impractical for the pool, but it is certainly a solution for the hotel room or the camper.
As with playback via smartphone, there are numerous portable devices that hardly take up any space in your luggage, but which greatly improve the listening pleasure at the holiday destination. We have put together some recommendations for you here.
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless follow the current trend and connect to the smartphone and each other via Bluetooth. The radio connection to the phone is not only used to transmit the music signal, but also to control various functions via the mobile phone app. In addition to technical sophistication, the name Sennheiser stands for excellent sound, and the MOMENTUM True Wireless does not disappoint in this regard either. Sennheiser's first wireless in-ears can confidently be described as a great success: high-quality workmanship, sensibly selected and smoothly functioning features, high wearing comfort and an excellent sound that lives up to the brand's reputation.
You don't have to do without the right high-end listening quality when you're on the move, for example when you combine the high-quality Focal ELEGIA with the stunningly good headphone DAC MOJO from Chord Electronics . The closed ELEGIA combines innovative technology with excellent design and the sound DNA of Focal. If you really want to exhaust these headphones, you need a playing partner that is at least as high-quality as the small MOJO from Chord. In connection with a corresponding smartphone, you always have a fully-fledged personal high-resolution hi-fi system with you.
The sound of the new Audioquest DRAGONFLY COBALT is not on the same level as the MOJO, but it is also significantly smaller. Its greatest asset is the fact that it does not need its own battery but can be operated directly on the smartphone. It can also function as an MQA renderer and thus play TIDAL MASTER tracks in full 192kHz quality.
Depending on the smartphone, you need a suitable USB adapter for both the MOJO and the DRAGONFLY COBALT, such as the Lightning adapter for iPhones or the Audioquest DRAGONTAIL adapter for Android devices . Please contact us, we will be happy to recommend the right adapter for your phone.
Further headphone recommendations:
Technics EAH-F 50 bluetooth headphones
Grado GW100 bluetooth headphones
Transportable speakers with their own battery are particularly suitable for listening to music for two or more people. Often their performance is even sufficient to provide sound for the barbecue party on the campsite or on the terrace at home. Most of the time, the music is streamed wirelessly to the loudspeaker via bluetooth, a connection via mini jack cable is usually also possible. In addition to the smartphone, a laptop can also serve as a source. Our recommendation for small luggage is the chic YOYO S from Cambridge Audio - an elegant and powerful companion that also looks really good. If you have a little more space in your case and are planning a stationary use near a socket, the new Devialet PHANTOM REACTOR 600 can boast . No other manufacturer offers more power and sound from such a small housing.
Further recommendations for Bluetooth speakers:
Important NOTE:
All of the devices recommended here are intended for use in hotel rooms, trains or planes, or in protected environments such as the terrace at home. You can certainly use them at the hotel pool as long as they are protected from splashing water. However, most high-quality consumer electronics do not belong on the beach!
