The good news: You’ve got 40,000 songs in your pocket. The bad news: Unless you have it plugged into your buddy’s stereo, it sounds like crap. Resist the Good Enough Revolution and fight for what’s right: Sweet, sweet sound. Here, the DailyXY guide to the best speakers and headphones for a day of sonic perfection.
Rise and Shine
The iHome Rotating Alarm Clock fits nicely on your bedside table while also flipping to landscape for late-night small-screen movie watching. The Reson8 speaker technology will wake the deepest sleepers, and the expanded bass circuitry ensures that you will not only hear but also feel Barry White on your nights in with the missus. $100
Commute
Drown out chatty bus riders and commute in blissful oblivion with the Sennheiser CX 300s. With 113 dB of bass-driven audio, these earbuds pack a big punch in a tiny, discreet package. $100
Work
Logitech is known for providing bang for your buck, and the robust Z523 speaker system (pictured above) is a perfect example of that. This three-piece system – including a 21-watt subwoofer with a 6.5-inch pressure driver – has more power than you’ll ever need at work, no matter how spacious your corner office. $119
Entertain
Ditch the cluttered, cabled 6-piece system and pick up Bose’s Acoustic Wave music system. Easily portable, Bose’s signature waveguide speaker technology will fill your massive loft – or even your backyard – with big, crisp sound. Best bet: Get it with the SoundLink adapter, so you can play DJ on your iTunes collection wirelessly. $1300
Wish the last option was cheaper, but probably a case of you get what you pay for.