Everyone's getting back into vinyl these days, whether it's for that hit of nostalgia or because you don't want Spotify feeding you AI slop (vinyl, at the time of writing, does not facilitate AI slop… let us all hope it stays that way). And a new discount from Fluance makes picking up its entry-level turntable even easier.
This is the Fluance RT81, which we called "Easily the best starter turntable you can buy" when we tested it back in 2024. And it's a relatively affordable model even without a discount, designed to offer you the record-playing basics without expensive audiophile features.
A warning: turn back now if you're not reading this between 8:25am and 8:25pm ET on Wednesday, June 4 (that's 5:25am - 5:25pm PT, though it's not clear if Fluance will budge the window for Westerners). This discount is available as a Lightning Deal on Amazon, as part of Prime Day deals, so it's only live for a slender 12-hour window.
Fluance RT81:was $299.99now $239.99 at Amazon Turntable discounts aren't hugely common, so any kind of reduction is something that'll turn heads. It's great that the sale is on an entry-level model, lowering the price of entry for prospective vinyl fans a little. And the discount? It's the lowest our trackers have seen… View Deal
Hold the needle a sec: the Fluance RT81 does miss one feature common in entry-level turntables, which you should probably know about before you buy.
The turntable doesn't feature Bluetooth connectivity (which plenty of new spinners do in 2026), so you can't pair it with your JBL speaker to enjoy your tunes, say. Instead, you'll need to connect wired speakers via RCA (those white and red dual cables).
While audiophiles prefer to avoid Bluetooth for record listening, due to the compression inherent in Bluetooth losing some of the detail within the vinyl, it's much more common in entry-level record players. The feature makes it much easier to integrate a player into your home hi-fi set-up if you only own wireless tech.
So it's only worth buying the Fluance RT81 deal if you can fit a wired turntable into your home, or you already have a set of stereo speakers that you want to put to good use.
If that's no issue, you'll find the RT81 a nice, good-looking and convenient starter turntable. It's easy to set-up and use, and it sounds pretty great.
The deal will save you $60 which, admittedly, is about the cost of one record these days, but you've probably inherited a collection of those. Instead, I'd put the money towards one of the best stereo speakers so you can use the Fluance properly.
How many more times (and in how many more ways) can I say this? Nothing's most recent batch of colorful, joyful and hang it all refreshingly different listening gear is nothing short of excellent for the money.
And the thing is, those already-excellent asking fees have just been further reduced, in some cases by up to 49% off for Prime Day.
My pick of the over-ear headphones bunch would be the excellent noise-cancelling CMF Headphone Pro, which have absolutely no business looking this good, or indeed sounding so fabulously fun, for just $65 — a massive 34% off an original launch fee that's barely eight months old.
And I'm not even done! I also love the firm's second stab at flagship headphones, the Nothing Headphone (a), not to be confused with the inaugural Heaphone (1) which do not feature in this list (yes, I know Nothing's naming strategy can be confusing. That's why you stick with me). No, this newer, far better set of over-ears retains the unusual aesthetic of the original effort but adds much better, fuller, more expansive audio and offers excellent on-ear controls to further enhance it all, plus a battery life that's, well, nothing short of excellent.
Not after headphones or earbuds? It's OK, you can see the best of the new deals, as they drop, in our Amazon Prime Day live blog.
Nothing's huge Prime Day sale — the cans and earbuds to snap up
CMF
Headphone Pro
Nothing
Headphone (a)
Nothing
Ear (a)
Nothing
Ear (3)
CMF by Nothing
Buds Pro 2
CMF
Buds 2(a)
If I had to pick, I'm still going for the delightfully fresh, luxuriously padded teal CMF Headphone Pro, which I regularly reach for (and I test headphones for a living, remember) owing to the easy-breezy on-ear controls and fun, zealous sound when I'm out and about.
That said, there's a little more clarity in the Headphone (a) and I do love the cassette-type look of the ear cups. But if you need a bit of wiggle room in your bag for other essentials, earbuds suddenly start looking very good indeed, no?
That said, the Nothing Ear (3) are the best if you regularly record your voice, thanks to their 'Super Mic'. It's the shiny button directly under the snappy case magnet labelled 'TALK' and it's a lot of fun. It's best to think of it as very much like those little clip-on wireless mics content creators hold very close to their mouths on social media — except now, they might hold an earbuds case to their lips to add voiceovers.
Nothing calls Super Mic a "breakthrough dual-microphone system driven by ambient-filtering technology." Essentially, the dual MEMS beamforming mics built into the case focus on your voice, cutting through surrounding noise (up to 95dB is the claim) for clearer calls and voice notes. And no other product in this little roundup has it. Food for thought, then…
In my glowing 4.5-star review of these truly likeable September 2025-issue noise-cancelling over-ears, I said they "could easily cost twice as much", adding "you'll struggle to find a more original set of affordable headphones that offer this much for this little". Well, now that figure has shrunk to just $61.75, a fee our price trackers have never seen until now — their previous all-time low price was $68, just for full clarity. For this money, and as long as the glorious white or light green colorways suit, I wouldn't even hesitate. Highly recommended! View Deal
A moment for the 'fried-egg-meets-cassette-tape' colorway though… yes, it's a look for the bold, but the deal is live on the slightly more demure black or white finishes too, and this March 2026 set of noise cancelling cans doesn't just excite us in the looks department. These aren't to be confused with the slightly disappointing Headphone (1) — no no, this is the greatly improved (and far cheaper) follow-up set. And in our full review, we summarised our thoughts thus: "Now THAT's how you do a second version". This is the cheapest they've ever been, but given that they're barely three months old, that's not surprising… View Deal
Music lovers listen up, Amazon Prime Day is stacked with offers on some of our favorite audio brands, and I've just spotted a deal on our best budget turntable, making it even more affordable — what more could you ask for?
I started my vinyl record collection in my teens, but my first mistake was not doing my research beforehand, and I purchased one of those Crosley-style players that do nothing but wreck your albums. If I were to speak to my 17-year-old self again, I'd tell him to look into the Sony PS-LX5BT turntable instead.
Selecting the right vinyl player for your needs takes time. At the end of the day, they're an investment piece, so you don't want to regret your choice, but the Sony PS-LX5BT is a solid entry-level option. Our audio editor Becky Scarrott has also pieced together a collection of some of our favorite turntables — which would make great graduation gifts .
Today's best Sony PS-LX310BT deal
Entry-level turntables sub-$400 with solid audio are difficult to come by, but not when it's Prime Day. Amazon's $100 price drop takes one of our favorite turntables to its lowest ever price, but this deal won't be here for much longer. View Deal
Similarly in the UK, this is the lowest price we've seen for the Sony PS-LX5BT, and it won't get much better than this as long as Prime Day goes on. Though you may be tempted to get your first turntable for an even cheaper price, your vinyls won't thank you in the long run. View Deal
My JAM Audio Bluetooth turntable gave out on me a while back, and now I've become that annoying friend that's constantly begging to use other people's vinyl player to spin my favorite LPs. Well, thank goodness for Prime Day is all I can say.
As far as entry-level turntables go, the Sony PS-LX5BT turntable is simple and uncomplicated, yet doesn't compromise sound quality. If anything, its sonic characteristics are quite upfront.
It also doesn't fall flat on the features front. You're going to get plenty of connectivity options including stereo RCA connections for hooking the turntable up to speakers or an amplifier, as well as Bluetooth if you refer to opt for wireless connection. The only small setback is that it doesn't come with an adjustable counterweight, so you get what what you're given, but that's expected for a beginner-friendly record player.
Features aside, there's no denying that it's incredibly sleek in its design, right? And the dust shield is an added bonus, adding an extra layer of protection to your vinyl records as you spin them. I'd buy it on the design front alone.
Said SUV has an advanced sound system to turn audiophile heads
You might know the brand from its beloved Focal Bathys headphones, or more recently for its expensive floor-standing speakers, but Focal is also making great strides in another musical arena: automotive.
The company has teamed up with car company DS Automobiles to unveil a brand-new audiophile-adjacent car: the DS No 7.
I'm no automotive journalist, but even I can tell you that this is a partially- or fully-electric SUV which seats four people comfortably and — given the 14 Focal speakers that'll be dotted around them — rather happily too, I'd venture.
The electric model costs £49,190 (about $66,000, AU$100,000, though DS Automobiles doesn't sell in those regions) while the hybrid one goes for £38,290 (roughly $52,000, AU$80,000). Although that may sound pretty pricey, it's actually cheaper than some Focal tower speakers…
The Focal point
(Image credit: Focal)
Let's get to the meat of the thing: audio. Focal's presence here is to make an in-car audio system sound sublime. To that end, the French audio specialist has kitted out the DS No 7 with 14 speakers, to create a surround-sound system. These include two tweeters mounted on the roof, four woofers and a subwoofer called a Power Flower (yes, really). The 14 are spread across the vehicle, to fill the car with sound.
Keeping the car audio running is a 690W class D amplifier. It also uses a Focal-made DSP to emphasize the spatial benefits of all these speakers, whether you're seated in the front seats or the back ones.
Focal has also contributed some design ideas to the car, to improve audio. The windows are laminated, and materials used in the design absorb sound, to control audio nasties like echo and diffraction.
As an audio journalist, I've always been led to believe that car sound systems are a means to fight a losing battle. No matter how refined your driver set-up is, if it's fighting with the noise of the street and other vehicles (and the fact that the driver isn't seated in the middle 'sweet spot' unlike on a motorbike where the driver's ears are naturally equidistant from speakers), you're going to be having an imperfect time.
So maybe Focal's found a way to fix this. Or perhaps it's a sound system for when you're idling somewhere quiet, watching TikToks on your phone…
Here at TechRadar, we test dozens of pairs of headphones every year. And while we've been won over by many an ultra-pricey set of cans, we also love a cheap pair of headphones that punches above its price tag. This article is dedicated to showcasing these wallet-friendly wonders. I asked TechRadar's audio specialists which headphones they'd recommend to buyers on a budget, and you'll find their suggestions below.
If it's true wireless in-ears you're after, you'd struggle to do better than the Nothing Ear (a) buds, which Audio Editor Becky Scarrott awarded a perfect five stars, calling them "a resounding home run" for the British startup and praising the noise cancellation, sound quality and battery life in particular. In the current Amazon Prime Day deals, they're unbeatable value at under $55 / £50.
In the over-ear arena, standouts are the CMF Pro and the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51, both of which earned 4.5 stars in our tests. The former were put through their paces by Becky, who was impressed with the "superb" sound quality in general, and was pleasantly surprised to discover "the sort of... personal sound profile curation [we're] more used to seeing in headphones much higher up the food chain". The latter were reviewed by our review's team's resident headphone specialist Harry Padoan, who praised the "adept audio, noise-crushing ANC and eye-catching design". Both are even better value than usual right now, too, thanks to those Prime (and rival-Prime) deals.
Read on for more budget-maximizing buys — and hit the 'View details' button for a summary of what we thought of them in our tests, plus links to the full reviews.
Do you need headphones for the next semester or term? I get it. And is money, er, relatively tight? Again, I understand — and the good news is, a huge sales event known as Amazon Prime Day is here to help.
I'm also here to help, as TechRadar's audio editor and full-time headphones tester since 2019. So, even if I do flatter myself, I know what makes a good set of headphones — and which pairs will lend themselves to studying that aren't those flagship sets few people can afford on a student loan.
When I went to college, there was no Bluetooth audio (why thank you but no really, it's true). There were also no music streaming services and the MP3 format was very much in its infancy.
What I did have was a portable CD player and some Sony headphones. And let me tell you that I owe every exam I passed to these products (plus my local HMV store, which I scurried along to armed with money from a part-time job waiting tables at a Wimpy restaurant).
As a dancer since age two, it turns out I have always needed music and simultaneous movement (or the compulsion to move) to retain information from books. I've since found out I'm not alone — and maybe that's why you're here.
What follows are the four best pairs of headphones I've found for students. I'll explain why briefly, and link to the best deals live now. And don't worry, you've got this.
1. CMF Headphone Pro: artsy over-ears that won't break the bank
(Image credit: Future)
Did you know that CMF is simply Nothing's more affordable arm — so these headphones carry a lot of Nothing Headphone (a) magic, just in a more affordable build? And what a lovely original build it is too.
I tested these budget-friendly, very comfortable and surprisingly customizable over-ear headphones and if zealous, bass-hungry sound quality sounds like a bit of you, you'll love these. Add to this the outstanding battery life, the kinds of hearing tests (and personal sonic profile curation) I'm more used to seeing in headphones much higher up the food chain, an 'Energy-slider' that can ramp up the low end even further and a glorious volume wheel on the right ear cup that's something reminiscent of much pricier headgear (the kind made by a company named after a fruit, if you get me) and they're a winning combination.
All of this for a sub-$100 / £80 fee — before we start looking for discounts? OK, the ANC is acceptable rather than amazing and you don't get a hard case, but still, you’ll struggle to find a more original set of affordable headphones that offer this much for this little. Need more? Read my glowing 4.5-star CMF Headphone Pro review.
CMF Headphone Pro
TechRadar's official review scores
Features
4.5
Sound Quality
4.5
Design
4.5
Battery Life
5
Noise Cancellation
4
Value
4.5
Overall
4.5
Group 1 Data
Product
Features ()
Sound Quality ()
Design ()
Battery Life ()
Noise Cancellation ()
Value ()
Overall ()
CMF Headphone Pro
4.5
4.5
4.5
5
4
4.5
4.5
2. OneOdio Focus A6: one of the team's best budget headphones by a mile
(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)
For one of the TechRadar team, these are the best affordable cans they've ever tested — and it's not even close, as a quick scan of our 4.5-star review of the OneOdio Focus A6 shows.
You know the flagship Apple cans I vaguely mentioned before — the ones that very few of us can afford? This particular team member prefers the product you're looking at here to those elite over-ears, for sound. What else makes them so good? Well, USB-C audio support, a solid and classy build quality, plus a super-slick companion app you very rarely see at this level and Bluetooth 6.0 for starters.
Again, the ANC is very good rather than stellar, but this is budget-friendly territory and you will struggle to better it at anything like this price point. Highly recommended.
OneOdio Focus A6
TechRadar's official review scores
Features
4
Sound Quality
4.5
Design
4.5
Battery Life
5
Noise Cancellation
4
Value
5
Overall
4.5
Group 1 Data
Product
Features ()
Sound Quality ()
Design ()
Battery Life ()
Noise Cancellation ()
Value ()
Overall ()
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
4
4.5
4.5
5
4
5
4.5
3. 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51: ignore the name — focus on the value
(Image credit: Future)
Try to get past the name that sounds like some sort of water filtration system (sorry, maybe just me?) and there's a musically sensitive and expressive set of headphones here that'll reward you time and again for your nominal asking fee.
In fact, we called them the "ultimate in sound-per-pound value" in our 4.5-star in-depth 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review. The aesthetic is much more 'your average set of basic cans' here, but at school, college or university (where the security of your valuables will never be far from your mind), that's no bad thing. And although they might look fairly anonymous, the budget has certainly been spent on the drivers under the hood, because they sound fantastic for the money.
Here, the app isn't especially slick, but it's functional. Also, the battery life is extensive, the ANC is up to scratch and you can even listen via 3.5mm with the bundled cable in the box. If you don't mind their relatively anonymous looks, it's a winner.
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
TechRadar's official review scores
Features
4
Sound Quality
4
Design
4
Battery Life
5
Noise Cancellation
4
Value
5
Overall
4.5
Group 1 Data
Product
Features ()
Sound Quality ()
Design ()
Battery Life ()
Noise Cancellation ()
Value ()
Overall ()
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
4
4
4
5
4
5
4.5
4. Sony over-ears, but not as you know them
(Image credit: Future)
Alongside the flagship Sony WH-1000XM6 and even newer, arguably even fancier Collexion set of cans, there exists a cheaper set of Sony over-ears. And while they're a little older now (having launched in Spring 2023) they still boast effective noise cancellation and many aspects of the Sony sound quality that made their upmarket siblings the industry standard.
The name — Sony WH-CH720 — is instantly forgettable, but the sound quality is not. OK, the build is a little bit plasticky and you're not getting hi-res codecs, but the ANC does a great job at nixing extraneous sounds for this money. And while the sound feels just a tad compressed when pitted against pricier rivals, Sony's Sound Connect companion app helps to tweak things and make them a fantastic option for the money.
Also, given their relative age, I'd look out for extra discounts on Prime Day…
I test audio kit for a living, and any of this quartet is the right choice for a graduation gift — see my picks for traditional hi-fi setups, Bluetooth streaming or even Sonos compatibility
Crammed with clever features, a long-lived battery and a wide soundstage, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 are very capable — but their default tuning requires a bit of polish to get the best results.
1500W of speaker power in a three-way speaker system that reaches down to 25Hz without subwoofer — and some robust bracing to make sure actually stays where you mount it
“I think if you have a creative voice in writing or design, you put yourself out there and you take a risk — this is a good time to do that,” said the Figma chief executive Dylan Field.
AirPods Pro 3 shown with an iPhone and live translation features. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Now that we're clear of WWDC and all of the new AI-powered features coming to Apple's platforms, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has more details about rumored new hardware, like the camera-equipped AirPods he'd previously written about. He says they are currently on schedule for a late 2027 launch, and that while we're checking out beta releases for this fall's iOS 27 update, the new earbuds are internally being tested with next year's update, iOS 28.
With cameras mounted in their stems and lights to indicate when data is being uploaded to the cloud, they could give the upgraded version of Siri "visual context" about your surroundings, be …
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