Parker Hall
Senior Writer, Home Theater/Music
Author/Co-Author of 892 articles
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio, where he majored in jazz performance, studying for four years with drummer Billy Hart (Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock). As a member of the Digital Trends staff, Parker brings his experience producing, critically listening to, and performing music to the audio/visual team, where he focuses on speaker and headphone reviews and coverage of the music industry at large.
In addition to writing about music and A/V equipment, he continues to perform professionally as a drummer, appearing at internationally renowned festivals like SXSW and Pickathon, as well as popular music discovery platforms like Daytrotter and Seattle’s KEXP radio. Parker is also a freelance beer writer for Portland alt-weekly Willamette Week, where he helps write the annual Oregon Beer Guide -- the best-selling beer publication in the state. An award-winning homebrewer and member of the Portland Brewer’s Collective, he continues to hone his craft with weekly batches, and is currently focusing on using locally grown ingredients and indigenous yeasts.
LG HU80KA laser projector review
Able to sit on your floor or be mounted like a traditional projector, and thanks to built-in smart TV functionality, the LG HU80KA laser projector takes the pain out of cinema-style viewing, making it one of the coolest and most fun additions to add to a living space you can find.
Where do AirPods go when they die? The big problem with tiny earbuds
True wireless headphones are tiny and convenient, but they’re also among the most ephemeral tech products you can buy. With relatively short lifespans and designs that make them exceedingly difficult for disposal or repair, industry leaders like Apple are creating a potential e-waste problem with ever pair they sell.
Bose Noise Cancelling 700 vs. QC35 II: Are Bose’s newest headphones worth it?
The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 are the company's new flagship headphones, but how do they stack up to their older, still-beloved, QC35 II model? We compare both pairs of headphones in terms of features, noise-canceling performance, and sound, helping you decide which is the better buy.
Bose Noise Cancelling 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM3: Which headphones should you buy?
Sony's WH-1000XM3 were considered the high watermark in noise-canceling headphones when they came out last year, but now Bose is back with a new pair. How do the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 stack up against Sony's? We put them head to head in terms of design, features, noise-canceling, and sound.
Sony WF-1000XM3 vs. Sennheiser Momentum vs. Klipsch T5 True Wireless headphones
We've been testing three of the most popular premium true wireless earbuds against each other, aiming to find the best. In our comparison of the Sony Wf-1000XM3, Sennheiser Momentum, and Klipsch T5 True Wireless, we compare sound, comfort, and style, helping you decide how to best spend your money.
How Amazon and Google’s streaming feud helped make Roku the streaming king
Amazon and Google are finally playing nice when it comes to streaming, with YouTube now available on Fire TV devices, and Amazon Prime Video available on Chromecast. Here's how remaining agnostic has helped Roku become the maker of the most popular streaming video device manufacturer.
Apple AirPods vs. Sony noise-canceling WF-1000XM3
Are Sony's latest noise-canceling true wireless earbuds -- the WF-1000XM3 -- better than the best-selling Apple AirPods? From sound and comfort to battery live, we put the two pairs of headphones through their paces, determining which is more worthy of your almighty dollars.
Klipsch T5 True Wireless vs. Beats Powerbeats Pro
With great battery life and an IPX4 water resistance rating, The Klipsch T5 True Wireless offer many of the same features as the Beats Powerbeats Pro, but at a significantly reduced price tag. Which pair of wireless earbuds is better for you? We put them head to head to find out.
Klipsch T5 True Wireless vs. Apple AirPods: Battle of the buds
You've got some dough to spend on a new pair of wireless earbuds, but you don't know what to buy? Here's our look at two of the best models available right now for under $200 -- Klipsch T5 True Wireless vs. Apple AirPods -- from fit and finish to battery life, and, of course, which pair will make your tunes sound best.
The sounds of silence: Jabra Elite 85H vs. the Bose QC35 II vs. Sony’s WH-1000XM3
Looking for the best pair of noise-canceling headphones that money can buy? Here we pit three of the top models from Jabra, Bose, and Sony against one another, pointing out the most desirable features of all three to help you spend your money on the pair that's best-suited to you.
Beats Powerbeats Pro vs. Bose SoundSport Free
Bose and Beats have each taken aim at workout enthusiasts with their first true wireless in-ears. Both feature secure, oversized designs and large charging cases. So which company makes the better workout earbuds? We put the Beats Powerbeats Pro and Bose SoundSport Free head-to-head to find out.
Got $34,000? LG is taking pre-orders for its astonishing 88-inch Z9 8K OLED
LG revealed the price and a rough release window for its 88-inch 8K OLED model, a massive -- and massively beautiful TV -- that will cost consumers over $40,000 when it hits stores this fall. If you're after the biggest, most-expensive TV of the year, this may well be it.
From burn table to turntable: Meet the company that’s turning ashes to vinyl
Looking for an interesting way to celebrate the loss of a friend or family member? We spoke to And Vinyly, the UK-based company that takes ashes and presses them into vinyl records, providing up to 30 friends and family with a cool, listenable piece of their loved ones.
Amazon’s super-simple Fire TV Recast is a great way to record broadcast TV
Amazon's Fire TV Recast is an over-the-air DVR system that offers dedicated cord cutters and rural viewers easy on-demand access to their favorite major network TV shows, up to 150 hours of hard drive space, solid picture quality, and a fantastic user interface to match.
Yamaha’s MusicCast Vinyl 500 turntable spreads analog joy throughout your home
One of the biggest pitfalls of vinyl ownership is that it can be tough to listen to your favorite analog tunes anywhere besides the room where your turntable is located. With its MusicCast Vinyl 500 turntable, Yamaha allows you to stream your tunes throughout your home -- no speaker cables required.
House of Marley takes analog audio wireless with Bluetooth-enabled turntable
The sustainability focused audio company House of Marley has added Bluetooth 5.0 capability to its already awesome Stir It Up turntable, giving listeners another awesome and easy way to stream their favorite audio to their portable speaker or wireless headphones of choice.
House of Marley showcases sustainable true wireless earbuds and more at CES 2019
Sustainable audio brand House of Marley has announced three exciting new products for this year's CES conference in Las Vegas, including a pair of true wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones, and a brand-new smart speaker, all of which showcase the company's signature bamboo-covered look.
JBL/Harman launch smart soundbar, new speakers, and a guitar amp/speaker combo
Harman Kardon and JBL have announced four new audio lines that will hit the market in 2019. New offerings from the conglomerate companies include a brand-new smart soundbar, portable speaker, smart home theater speakers, and a massive portable speaker with both guitar and microphone inputs.
Klipsch’s first true wireless earbuds arrive at CES 2019
Accomplished loudspeaker and headphone brand Klipsch is putting itself in the true wireless game with a pair of earbuds that come in a silver case that looks to be fashioned after a classic Zippo lighter. It also announced five new soundbars and fresh speakers at this year's CES conference.
Audio Technica’s 2019 lineup includes new turntables, its smartest headphones yet
Acclaimed audio brand Audio Technica has announced a bran- new lineup of products in time for this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company is taking aim at some of the most popular trends in sound, offering three new turntables and its smartest noise-canceling headphones yet.
All three of LG’s new soundbars will be available before summer
LG has finally announced pricing and availability to the three soundbars it announced at CES 2019. They'll come out in April or May of this year (depending on the model), and will retail between $400 and $1,300, with top-tier models coming with Dolby Atmos and advanced Meridian audio processing.
GoPro changed how we watch. Now Jabra wants to change how we listen
Jabra and Red Bull spent two years developing the perfect action microphone, aiming to capture the real sounds of the world's most adventurous athletes without annoying wind or background noise. Learn how the game-changing technology works, and about the unexpected places you may hear it in the future.
The B-Sharp turntable proves high-end audio can become a family heirloom
European Audio Team's B-Sharp turntable offers high-end buyers gorgeous sound and an astonishing build quality, making it a fantastic choice for those who are looking for a lifelong addition to their analog listening arsenal -- and providing the rest of us with yet another piece of gear to lust after.
Yamaha’s Wi-Fi-enabled turntable lets you stream vinyl anywhere at home
Yamaha launched the MusicCast Vinyl 500 turntable, a Wi-Fi enabled deck that allows you to spin your vinyl in one room and wirelessly stream audio to any MusicCast speaker, providing a cool way to add 21st-century convenience to your favorite analog audio.
Jabra Elite Active 65t Amazon Edition brings Alexa to the best wireless buds
The best true wireless headphones on the market -- Jabra's Elite Active 65t -- now come in a special Amazon-exclusive edition that brings the company's Alexa voice control software, and a special new color, to the in-ears, making some of the best headphones on the market even better.
Hands-on with Bang & Olufsen’s sleek, smart Beosound speakers with Google Assistant
Bang & Olufsen's 360-degree Beosound speakers have garnered much acclaim for their cool design and excellent sound. Today, they got a bit smarter, with the company announcing added integration with Google Assistant, making them an interesting ultra-premium smart speaker.
Is laser-cut ‘HD Vinyl’ the Holy Grail for audiophiles, or just a gimmick?
Austrian music distributor Guenter Loibl wants to revolutionize the way vinyl records are made, using a precise industrial laser in the pressing process with an aim to offer increased fidelity and play time. We asked the experts: Can HD Vinyl deliver on such lofty promises, or do records already sound as good as they ever will?
How to set up a record player to get the most out of your vinyl
Whether you've been listening to vinyl for decades or you're new to the beautiful analog format, chances are you might not be getting the most out of your gear. Believe it or not, setting up a turntable isn't as simple as dropping a needle. Here's what you need to do to get the best possible sound.
Fender’s new guitar pedals are a smooth and stylish step toward shred city
Legendary guitar and amplifier manufacturer Fender has launched a brand new pedal lineup that includes reverb, delay, distortion, overdrive, level set, and compression -- a vast array of tonal options that the company offers at a remarkably affordable price. That could make them your next secret weapon.
Klipsch Forte III review
The Klipsch Forte III loudspeakers are throwback floorstanders without the drawbacks of age -- a gorgeous US-made reissue of Klipsch’s best-selling classics that transform every tune into a special musical event.
‘8K? I don’t even have 4K yet!’ The future of television is still far off
As the giants of TV tech show off their latest 8K innovations at this year's CES conference, some at home may be a little nervous.
TV speaker buying guide: Everything you need to know
This TV speaker buying guide clearly sets out your speaker options to boost your TV audio for more explosive sound and clearer dialog. Learn about soundbars, soundbases, powered speakers, and home-theater-in-a-box systems, and pick what you think will be best for your space and listening style.
