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First came the DVD, then HD, then full HD and now 4K is upon us — we've certainly come a long way as far as visuals go, but has audio, an equally crucial component of your entertainment experience, kept up over the years? Nopes, but getting better audio isn't impossible. Here are some tips that will make a difference and quite literally be...music to your ears! And these aren't tough to do even for technophobes.

Amp up the MP3: MP3s became popular in a time when storage was scarce and bandwidth slow, problems that don't really exist anymore. The small file size came with a trade-off in terms of quality, and if you really want to upgrade to music you've been missing all these years, start with the source. If you rip your music from CDs, try selecting a higher 'bitrate' setting in your music software, such as 256kbps or 320kbps, which lowers the compression levels but takes sonic detail and clarity up several notches! Online music stores often offer options to download higher bitrate music for little or no additional cost as well. Tip: pick the audiophile quality 'lossless' FLAC file format wherever possible for best results.

Use a better player: If you're playing your music off your PC/Mac, you need software that can do justice to the higher bitrate digital music as well. JRiver Media Center (Mac/PC), PureMusic (Mac), Amarra HiFi (Mac) come highly recommended by audiophiles, and can make a tremendous difference to the way your music sounds.

Boost your TV Audio: With TVs getting thinner by the year, sound quality has taken the biggest hit. Even if you've just spent a bomb on your TV, don't settle for your TV's built-in speakers, and invest in at least a single-speaker soundbar system from Samsung, JBL, Philips or Bose, and a full surround sound system if your budget allows it.

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Position your Speakers Correctly: Do you already have a sound system that you can wire up to your TV? How you place your speakers can make a big difference, and in general, the front and surround speakers should be angled slightly inward toward the listener for best effect. You should also check out this excellent speaker-positioning guide (bit.ly/TT-speakers) to tweak your speaker placement and make the most of your investment.

Learn your D-A-C: Ready for a serious upgrade? A dedicated DAC (digital-to-analog converter) should be high on your list. What a DAC does is to convert digital 1s and 0s, such as those from your CD/DVD/media player into the highest possible stereo analog signal to feed into your receiver or pre-amplifier, depending on your audio set-up. You get DACs like the Audioengine D3 for your PC, which can transform how your headphones or desk speakers sound, and DACs like the FiiO E17 can do the same for your phone/iPod experience. Be warned though, these are expensive and availability is an issue in India, and are best purchased if you've got someone coming in from the States.

A mid-range performer

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Tablets have had a good run, but with phablets driving them into a corner, do newly launched budget tablets like the Acer Iconia A1-713 have a strong raison d'etre? It's rather uninspiring, design-wise, and follows in the mould of several 7-in Android tablets out in the market, though the metal flourishes add a slightly premium touch. Specs are middling — a 1.3GHz Mediatek quad-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (expandable to 48GB) and a rather mediocre 1024x600 display. Performance is as expected — okay for everyday use, but sluggish for anything mildly challenging like high-resolution videos and mid-range gaming. The cameras, both front and rear, are mediocre, and the software tweaks are basic. Practically the only thing that redeems the A1-713 is its 3G data and voice calling capabilities, but even so, the performance and the display pull the experience down enough for this not to earn a buy recommendation.

Rating: 6/10
Price: Rs 12,999
URL: http://bit.ly/TT-AcerA1-713

A smart recharge

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With many phones supporting the Qi wireless charging standard, the QiStone + battery bank makes so much sense. The pebble-like portable charger looks like the sort of thing that could fashionably adorn your desk rather than hide away like other power banks. Its headline feature is that it's the only truly wireless power bank, and its 4000mAh battery can charge not only a Qi-chargeable device but also one more via the USB port. A smart addition is a Qi receiver on the bottom of the QiStone+, which means it can itself be recharged with any other Qi charger you may have.

Price: $79.99
URL: http://bit.ly/TT-QiStone