The only decent product I feel that Bang & Olufsen have made is the BeoLab 5, which is the flagship…read morespeaker. Having said that, I just feel very indifferent towards their quality of sound, or shall I say professional sound. For me, I'm a Trance music/Progressive House music fan, so perhaps Bang & Olufsen is not the best company for me to invest in. Nonetheless, the BeoCom 1401, which is the wired land-line telephone, is really good; and I've had that since 2004; but as of now they are permanently discontinued, which is a serious shame.

If you've got the disposable income, I don't think anyone should be able to disparage you for your…read morespending as long as you really like what you're buying (and as long as it isn't nuclear warheads). So, if you want to drop a a few grand on a sound system, then sure, why not. If you wanna drop a hundred thousand on a sound system, okay, sure. Might as well head over the Bang and Olufsen then. At that price point, you aren't just buying cans that make noise; you're buying into an aesthetic, a particular design sense. The salespeople here aren't quite articulate enough to explain the 'art' behind each item, but they are friendly enough to try. Bang and Olufsen combine metals and woods into angular shapes that suggests a futurism grounded in earthy materials. It's the type of sound system that really brings together a room, assuming you live in a giant mansion.

There are many places to get hi-fi audio systems in Manila, but this shop on the fourth floor of…read moreShangri-La mall is probably my favorite. Mainly because of two brands that they carry. Firstly, they're the only distributor of Adam equipment in Manila. The German brand is one of the top, top names in hi-fi audio and music production due to its quality and sonic capabilities. My main gig is audio production for commercials and I've been used to creating music on Adam equipment abroad, so this place the only shop in the city that I could purchase a pair of the fabled Adam A7X studio monitors. They're expensive, but they're OMG SO WORTH IT. Second, they carry Focals. In Manila, Focal is known for great car audio systems but not much else. Guys, Focal is SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. This French brand has fantastic home audio systems as well as studio-quality monitors and headphones. They will cost you an arm and a leg as well, but if you have the cash and/or you're a beatmaker wanting the best of the best, you better get on the Focal train (and Adam, don't forget).

My dad is into the audio business. He basically rents out speakers and such. It's called Spectrum…read moreAudio Concepts, yeah it's a shameless and gratuitous plug but it's my dad so gimme a break. Anyway, I'm not as particular as my dad nor are my ears as sharp as his, but I do have some idea of what good quality sound equipment is all about. That said, the Listening Room is a good store if you're looking for good audio equipment. In fact, it's also the store to go to if you're looking for ultra high end expensive off of the wall price jaw dropping expensive audio equipment. We're talking about some of the sort of equipment that professionals use. This aint a store for newbs or neophytes is what I'm getting at here. Also, if you're walking into this store, be sure that you have the wallet to keep up with their prices.

When I first saw Egghead in Robinsons Galleria, I was so sure they would close down before I could…read moreeven blink. How would a store survive paying mall rent month after month just selling different kinds of earphones and headphones? I apparently misjudged them and underestimated the power of audiophiles. If you're a seasoned audiophile with millions of Pesos worth of equipment, or a neophyte at the scene looking for a budget friendly pair of headphones, Egghead is the best place to go to. Its good location means you can get here from practically all forms of public transport. Inside their store, there are literally more than a hundred headphone and earphone combinations you can try out depending on your needs. Want a little more bass, or something more balanced? Are you good with a bang for your buck pair, or is the sky the limit? All of these questions and more can be answered at Egghead.

If you are looking for a place where you can freely tap your creative self, then Saturday X Future…read moreMarket is the place for you. 98B's market started out as a small hole in the wall type of bazaar, inviting small creative entrepreneurs to sell their pieces to the community. Zines, vintage pieces, and pretty much a mishmash of everything can be found on the area. Happening on designated Saturdays of the month, the place has always been flocked by a crowd of art loving people. Only downside is the fact that it might be a bit hot inside, but either way, it's worth the visit.

Saturday x Future Market is a monthly event that gathers entrepreneurs and local artists together…read moreto showcase their works, pieces and of course, sell their items to the public. I heard about it through my husband who wanted to check it out. I must admit, I did not expect much from it, considering that it was in (old) Manila... a city I don't frequent at all, but I was pleasantly surprised to see what they had there. The venue was simple. It was an open-aired space with bare concrete walls. It was not too hot, considering we were there at 10am. The vendors and artists were laid out on the floor, showcasing their products in a bazaar-like system. I enjoyed looking around since there was a huge variety of items such as house things (i.e. pillows, crates, plates), rare books and old magazines, leather goods, hand-made jewelry and trinkets, to name a few. Most items were made by the vendors themselves, while others were either pre-loved or rare finds from different countries. The other nice thing about it was that the vendors/owners/artists are so involved that they openly engage with their customers and share how their products are made, their inspirations, their style or simply where they gathered the items from. You see a sense of community here, where the vendors and customers, alike, are just naturally friendly. The Saturday x Future Market is not just your typical bazaar, but also an experience on it's own. I'll definitely be back next month!

I got a styling gig recently that asked for things that we (yes, we) grew up with during the 90s. I…read morewas so inspired by this and reminisced about my early morning trips to the wet market in my Dad's hometown in Imus. Because Imus is just too far and a bit challenging when it comes to traffic, I decided to head to Zapote Public Market and explore what it can offer. It was a wise decision as I found pretty much all that I was looking for - kamias, santol and green mangoes to remind them of running around the village and picking fruits from trees. I also found native products like wooden mortar and pestle, wooden spin tops, rattan baskets, even planks used for doing the laundry. It was awesome as I also found the small packets of chips that we used to eat when we were kids, plus local candies we all grew up munching on. All these, aside from the usual market finds, surely brought me back to my childhood and will surely bring me back here not just for these things but for more.

What I like about this store is they are organized in taking orders. The staff are also…read moreknowledgeable in their post and can provide you the right information when you asked them. Staffs are so professional and occasionally crack random ice breakers even though there are many customers. There's still needs to improve when it comes to stock inquiries. They sometimes hold you up for a good 5-10 mins just to confirm the stock if available. Can't wait till they migrate to a computerized system for the best turn around time. Overall, I love to do my business here.

I had a great experience with the sales staff at Digital Walker Grenbelt 5 Makati. Great job in…read moreproviding excellent customer service! Keep up the good work. - Drews Corner

Digital Walker recently had quite an eye-catching rebrand. What used to be an old run-of-the-mill…read morelooking electronics store became a hip, young and trendy retail space. Personally, I give this facelift an A-plus. Even before the rebrand, I've actually always liked Digital Walker's array of products. They used to sell a lot of camera models before but I think they've recently started concentrating on offering a multitude of accessories for mobile phones and tablets nowadays. They've also got lots of mini speakers and stereos for the audiophile in all of us. Personally, Digital Walker is my go-to place when I need a new case for my phone or a new USB wire for my phone charger. There's one particular brand they carry called "Ye!" that I particularly love for its colorful choices.