best sound quality for music

I hate to sound old, but things have changed as far as how to get the best sound quality for music. I am an uber music fan and have always had music at the center of much of what I do.  I have passed on that love of music to my kids, which makes me so happy!  When I was in my late teens or early 20’s how we listened to music was completely different than it is today.  We could listen to music on the radio, a boom box or stereo or we could have a vinyl record or a cassette tape (I told you I was old!).  With a boom box or home stereo system, you got what you paid for and even when paying more, you didn’t always get the best sound quality.  I love all the options that are available o me now and how easy it is to not only listen to my favorite music, but where I get that music from.  Here are some tips to helping you improve the sound quality of your music:

How To Get The Best Sound Quality

  • Format: First things first.  We need to decide which format we are getting our music from.  Are we getting it from a CD, are we copying a file from iTunes or another music downloading site?  All of these are very important as far as the quality you will get.  I have downloaded music from tons of websites and besides crappy sound quality; I was also given the gift of endless viruses and worms.  I have found a free site that I don’t worry about viruses and the sound quality is shown for each download so you know if it is poor or excellent.
  • Playback: Where are you going to be playing back your music?  Most people have an mP3 player they listen to music on or perhaps they just play it on their computer.  Again, you are going to have a range of sound quality here that can range from very poor to really great, depending on which device you choose.
  • Headphones: If you are going to use headphones, you need to decide on two issues: type and quality.  I cannot wear the standard earphones that usually come with an mP3 player because they really hurt my ears, so I get ear buds.  Caitlin and Henry prefer the over the head style because they are way more comfortable for them, especially since they have smaller ears.  Here is another example of getting what you pay for because if you get a pair of headphones from the Dollar Store, you are going to hear your music very differently than if you were to have a pair of Skull Candy headphones on.
  • Speakers: My laptop, as I am sure most, have a very small and not very good speaker, so listening to music is not a good experience with this,  The speaker on a computer is made to listen to smaller snippets of sound, so the quality won’t be very good.  Your best bet to listen to music with your computer as well as other devices is a nice portable speaker.  For the money and sound quality, the company I think has the best to offer is Jam.

Affordable Bluetooth Speakers

If you are looking for affordable Bluetooth speakers, I love the speakers from Jam.  These little guys are quite deceiving from first glance.  I know when I first saw a Jam speaker, I was wondering how good the sound was going to be from it.  I was completely taken by surprise when I plugged in my little Jam speaker ($29.95) and hit play!  The sound of my favorite Mumford and Sons song was incredibly clear.  I did not get any of the weird white noise you can sometimes get from a small portable speaker.  I also appreciate that you can use the speaker as a Bluetooth or you can plug it into your device if need be.  From the cute foodie related jam names for the colors like Blueberry or Apricot, I chose Strawberry which happens to be the best selling color in the country right now!  I keep it in my laptop just about all the time because if I am not working directly on the computer, I am usually busy around the house and I like to listen to music while I work.  If you want a very affordable speaker that you can take on the go that packs a punch with the sound, you cannot go wrong with Jam.

One reader will win one Jam speaker ($39.95) in their choice of color, depending on availability

172 COMMENTS

  60. Wow ! how i can choose !! They look so cool !!!! I love the grape color but they all look amazing

  76. I actually love these little speakers! Santa brought me the Grape Jam, and my brother the Blueberry Jam. They produce great sound, are so portable, and so affordable. And it works with my Kindle. Perfect.

  84. Love the blueberry jam. A friend uses one of these at work, and I’ve always wanted my own!

  88. I would love to get the grape jam bluetooth speaker. I can pair it with any of my devices and set it anywhere around the house, taking my music with me, wherever I go.

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