2015 Christmas gift ideas with maPlatine.com - Accessories

2015 Christmas gift ideas with maPlatine.com - Accessories

For Christmas 2015 you may be thinking about treating a loved one to some top quality Hi-Fi equipment and accessories. Let maPlatine.com help you find something great from our gift selection to slip under the tree this Christmas! You're sure to find what you’re looking for in perfect gift from our selection of turntable accessories, gift cards, phono cartridges and more.

Our Christmas shopping guide for 2015 contains all of the most important products from 2015, as well as some of the new additions to our selections.

You can also take a look at our Christmas selection of turntables.

 

Christmas Shopping Guide 2015 - Turntables

 

1. Gift cards

2. Our selection of record maintenance accessories for Christmas 2015

3. Other great accessories for Christmas

4. Our selection of Hi-Fi cartridges for Christmas 2015

5. Treat your loved ones to records this Christmas

 

 

1. Gift cards

Gift cards

You can’t go wrong with a maPlatine.com gift card. It couldn’t be simpler - all you need to do is choose an amount, personalise your gift card (with an image or personal message), then just wait a few minutes for it to drop directly into your email inbox where you can print it off yourself! You can also opt to have the gift card delivered directly to your loved one on a date of your choosing.

Giving a gift card is quick, easy and practical - it could even get you out of a tight spot if you’re running behind on your Christmas present schedule and need a quick fix! ;).

 

 

2. Our selection of record maintenance accessories for Christmas 2015

In the world of analogue, accessories are just as important as the turntables themselves. And this is good news for you, because it means you can buy a reasonably inexpensive Christmas gift for a loved one who already owns a record player!

 

     - Record sleeves:

 

Any conscientious music-lover knows that a healthy stock of these is essential for protecting their precious records. The record sleeves that your LPs originally come in are often of a substandard quality. Residue from paper can find its way into the grooves of your records, and some of this can even create static electricity.

This is why we have put together selection of record sleeves to help protect your LPs.

 

Nagaoka N-102 antistatic sleeves

 

The inner record sleeves in our selection are all antistatic and are available in either paper or plastic, as well as for 33?, 45 and 78 RPM records. Some of our favourites are the N-102 antistatic sleeves made by Nagaoka

To protect your album sleeves from the wear and tear of time and the environment, we also wholeheartedly recommend ones made out of polypropylene for 33? and 45 RPM records.

You can browse our entire selection of record sleeves here.

 

     Spin Clean record cleaning machine:

 

Spin Clean record cleaning machine

 

The Spin Clean record cleaning machine would make an excellent Christmas gift this year. It’s an extremely useful and effective tool for any of your loved ones with a small collection of records to be cleaned. It’s a manual machine, which means it can deliver a top quality clean at a highly affordable price. It has won several awards over the years, and our customers have always been very satisfied with its performance.

All the accessories are provided with this package,  so what are you waiting for?

 

     Furutech SK-III brush:

 

Furutech SK-III brush 

The Furutech SK-III brush has been one of our best buys for over 3 years. This antistatic brush made from extremely fine goat hair is a highly effective accessory for keeping your records clean. It removes dust from the surface of your records, as well as electrostatic charge. This elegant brush will look great standing proudly by the side of your turntable, and will rapidly become an essential tool for preventing dust and extending the service life of your stylus.

 

     Clearaudio Professional Care Kit New:

 

Clearaudio Professional Care Kit New

 

As the name suggests, this maintenance kit is perfect for anyone who wants to keep their record player and records in tip-top professional condition. The kit contains all of the essential products you need to extend the service life of your Hi-Fi equipment and precious LPs. The lucky person who opens this care kit on Christmas morning will be over the moon - now they can try out the very best maintenance products by German brand Clearaudio, such as the antistatic brush, stylus cleaning brush and cleaning fluid. This kit has it all, so what are you waiting for?

 

     The Clearaudio Double Matrix Pro Sonic record cleaning machine:

 

Clearaudio Double Matrix Pro Sonic record cleaning machine

 

The Double Matrix Pro Sonic by Clearaudio is a beast when it comes to cleaning records. Its cutting edge technology means it can clean both sides of the record at the same time, and the vibrations it generates means it can remove even the smallest specks and stains. It would make the ideal Christmas present for anyone with a substantial collection of vinyl records to clean. It truly is a miracle worker - it has the ability to give even your oldest, dustiest, second-hand records that have been sitting in the attic for years a brand new lease of life.

And with a recent win of the highly coveted Diapason d’Or award 2015, we definitely haven't heard the last of the Double Matrix Pro Sonic record cleaning machine yet! Hats off to you, Clearaudio!

You can browse even more of our record maintenance accessories in our special shopping guide for record cleaning, or in the brushes and maintenance products section of our website.

 

3. Other great accessories for Christmas

If your loved ones already have all the cleaning products and turntables they need, here is a selection of Hi-Fi accessories that they might like to see under the tree this Christmas.

 

     - Grado SR60e Hi-Fi headphones:

Grado SR60e Hi-Fi headphones

 

The SR60e Hi-Fi headphones by Grado are one of our very favourite pairs of Hi-Fi headphones. Here at maPlatine.com we are big fans of Grado headphones - most of the team own a pair! The Grado SR60e headphones are quite simply perfect. For a relatively affordable price you can get your hands on sound quality that goes well beyond anything else available on the market from any other brand, and particularly in this price range. And Grado has the trophy cabinet full of awards to prove it, including Stereophile Product Of the Year and What Hi-Fi Best Buy, among others.

Take a look at our entire selection of Grado Hi-Fi headphones.

 

     Fostex TH 900 Hi-Fi headphones:

Fostex TH 900 Hi-Fi headphones

 

The Fostex TH 900 Hi-Fi headphones are a very high-end product. From the quality of materials to the meticulous finish and packaging, Fostex has pulled out all the stops to produce this exceptional product, and the proof is in the sound quality. These Hi-Fi headphones are an excellent showcase of the Japanese manufacturer’s expertise and are some of the very best headphones that we’ve ever listened to. If you decide to give these magnificent headphones as a Christmas gift, your loved one will be the envy of the whole family!

 

     - Rega RP1 turntable Performance Pack:

Rega RP1 turntable Performance Pack

The Performance Pack for the Rega RP1 turntable is an absolute must-have for anyone who owns the RP1 (one of the British brand’s best-sellers). For Christmas 2015, buy this amazing package for a loved one and boost their RP1 performance - the lucky owner will be blown away by the difference it makes! Their Rega RP1 turntable will be completely transformed. This gift lets you give your loved ones something they really want this Christmas, for a relatively affordable price.

 

 

4. Our selection of Hi-Fi cartridges for Christmas 2015

A Hi-Fi cartridge is an excellent Christmas present idea for an audiophile. Here is our selection of cartridges to treat a loved one (or yourself!) to this Christmas 2015.

 

     The Ortofon 2M Red MM Hi-Fi cartridge:

Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge

 

The 2M Red MM cartridge by Ortofon is one of our best-sellers, and is one of the Danish brand’s flagship products. The phono cartridge has become a classic of its price range, with such an impressive sound quality that several other turntable manufacturers have also taken it on, fitting it as standard on their own products (Pro-Ject, Music Hall, the list goes on...). The 2M Red MM cartridge can also be fitted with a higher quality stylus, such as the Ortofon 2M Blue stylus, which brings an extra level of detail to the sound.

Please do take a look at our wide selection of Ortofon Hi-Fi cartridges for more options. As always, our technicians are on hand for personalised advice at contact@maplatine.com.

 

     - The Sumiko Pearl MM Hi-Fi cartridge:

Sumiko Pearl MM Hi-Fi cartridge

 

The Sumiko Pearl MM cartridge is a flagship product by the Japanese brand. The ‘Pearl’ comes in an attractive case and is sure to be appreciated by any audiophile finding it under the tree this Christmas 2015! The production quality of this phono cartridge is high enough to rival both Ortofon and Goldring cartridges. We highly recommend it, especially for lovers of classical or jazz.

 

     The Hana MC Hi-Fi cartridge – EL:

Hana MC Hi-Fi cartridge – EL

 

The EL MC cartridge by Hana is new to 2015. In fact, the company itself only appeared on the market this year, when it threw itself straight into producing super high quality cartridges. You'll be instantly impressed by the faithfulness and precision of this cartridge. In a short space of time it has already become one of our maPlatine.com top picks.

The model is also available in a high output MC version (Hana MC cartridge – EH).

 

     The Benz Micro Ace SL MC Hi-Fi cartridge:

Benz Micro ACE SL cartridge

 

The low output (SL) Benz Micro Ace MC phono cartridge is a flagship product by the Swiss brand. Buying a Benz Micro as a Christmas gift for 2015 would mean giving an audiophile the chance to experience first hand one of the highest sound quality levels it is possible to achieve in high fidelity. Benz Micro cartridges truly are an industry benchmark and are included within maPlatine.com’s selection of cartridge top picks.

Please feel free to get in touch with our technicians for expert advice on purchasing this type of cartridge (contact@maplatine.com).

 

     Grado Reference 1 MM cartridge:

Grado Reference 1 MM cartridge

 

The Reference 1 cartridge by Grado is a beautifully designed cartridge with elegant wood housing. American brand Grado is a benchmark company in the world of analogue. The production quality and crafting of this cartridge is what allows it to produce such a well-rounded, authentic sound. It would therefore make an excellent Christmas gift for your music-loving loved one.

 

     The Transfiguration Proteus MC Hi-Fi cartridge:

 

Transfiguration Proteus MC Hi-Fi cartridge

 

The Proteus turntable cartridge by Japanese brand Transfiguration is the replacement for the highly respected Orpheus cartridge, which is widely regarded as one of the best phono cartridges in the world, no less. The price is entirely justified considering the level of detail in playback. When listening to certain songs we were blown away by the precision and neutrality of the sound quality. This cartridge should be paired with a turntable that can match its high performance.

Our selection is by no means exhaustive, so please do take a look at our catalogue of MM cartridges,low output MC cartridges and high output MC cartridges to help you find the ideal gift for Christmas 2015.

 

 

5. Treat your loved ones to records this Christmas

Because a Christmas without music is no Christmas at all for a muso, you can find some recommendations in our record columns, on the records of the month section of our website. They contain new discoveries and monthly favourites from the two creators of maPlatine.com. Our selections are very broad, ranging from classical and metal to jazz, soul and rock - hopefully our eclectic taste will give you some ideas!

Don’t know where to get your hands on the records? Browse our list of partnered record stores here.

 

Browse all of the products in our Christmas selection in our dedicated Christmas boutique!

Christmas store