ZVOX headphones still available at reduced price

Q I was looking for reasonably priced noise-canceling headphones when I read your column about the ZVOX AV50 Accuvoice noisecanceling headphones for $69.99, reduced from $149.99. I went to the ZVOX website and they are showing sold out already. Bummer! — K.S., San Jose A I received many emails like yours over the weekend. You will be pleased to know they are not sold out, and you can still get the headphones for $69.99 instead of $149.99.

I contacted ZVOX and they explained that their home state closed all nonessential businesses due to the coronavirus, so it was illegal for them to keep their fulfillment center open.

Q

What do you think of the Emotiva Airmotiv T-1+ speakers versus the T-zero speakers you like so much? I am building a system with speakers, receiver and a CD player for a large room and have about $1,700 to spend. What else would you recommend to complete the system? My budget is $1,700 for everything. — D.E., Minneapolis

They sent their inventory to Amazon and are selling the headphones there for the same $69.99 price, with free shipping. The offer runs through Mother’s Day, May 10.

A

The $699 Emotiva Airmotiv T1+ is an improved version of the T1, which stood one model above the $399 T-zero in the product line. My insider at Emotiva told me that though the larger T-1 had more bass, the T-zero was considered a better speaker overall because of refinements it had compared to the earlier models. Fortunately the T1 sounded so good that if you needed more bass then the T-zero, you could buy the bigger speakers and never know you were missing anything.

The T1+ incorporates the same refinements found in the T-zero so I would consider it the better speaker and worth the extra money if you have a large room.

Deals seem to be a hot topic lately and Emotiva recently announced a 30% back in Emobucks deal, which will get you 30% of your purchase price back as a store credit.

I would buy the T1+ speakers for $699, check out, then go back and use your $209 credit toward one of Emotiva’s excellent CD players. I would like to recommend the TA-100 receiver to buy with your Emobucks, but you have a large room, which likely requires more power than the 50-watt TA-100 provides. I would get Cambridge Audio’s AXR85 receiver, which has 85 clean watts per channel, an easy-to-use FM tuner, builtin Bluetooth and great looks and sound for $399. You could add the $349 AXC35 CD player if you want the electronics to match, and save your $209 in Emobucks for another day.

If anyone wants to build a new system around the famed Emotiva T-zero tower speakers, the 30% back is especially compelling. Buy the T-zero towers for $399, check out and pay for your order. Then you can use the $119 in Emobucks toward the $399 TA-100 receiver. This will get you an Emotiva system with speakers and amplification for only $679. That is a remarkable value for a highend manufacturer. Information: emotiva.com

You do not need expensive electronics to make this $679 system sing. It has a digital converter built in so you can buy a cheap $40 DVD player (or use one you have around the house) and use it to play CDS through the digital connection. Use the $49 Emotiva BTM-1 Bluetooth to add Bluetooth functionality, and you can play vinyl for an extra $99 with the Audio-technica AT-LP60 turntable. Information: audio-technica.com